SI Board - General Info.

[Guest Andrew]

Hi,

I know there are heaps of other articles about this on the net but what the hell heres my own one.

1.) Remove your steering wheel. Make sure the wheel is locked and pop off the BMW roundel. You'll find your wheel brace will fit the nut quite nicely. Its FARKING tight so put some muscle into it. Of course for those of us with a sport wheel , simply undo the 6 bolts with an allen key.

2.) Remove the trim above your pedals by turning the plastic screws a half turn and just pulling it off.

3.) Remove the trim above the steering column by putting your hand under the dash and feeling for two big aluminium nuts, they are designed to be undone by your hand.

4.) Remove the trim around the cluster. Two screws at the top. Four along the bottom.

5.) Pull the dash out, make a note with a permanet marker just in case you forget where all the cables go.

6.) With the dash out, undo all the screws on the back of the dash. A lot of them are around the outside and there is 1 in the middle. The dash should now pull out. (if it doesn't pull the T shaped thing out of the tacho, although i don't think this matters.

7.) Now the only thing holding in the SI board is the Warning/Check light. One screw holds this in.

8.) Now, you'll see the batteries. These are welded to thier contacts which you will never get undone. The hardest part is getting the batts off. Now your probably not ment to do this but just melt all that glue sh*t off with a soldering iron. Your gonna spend a while cleaning the iron after but hey its worth it.

9.) With the glue sh*t off, use something to lever the batts off the board and heat thier contacts with your soldering iron. Or use a solder sucker if your more pro.

10.) Put your rechargable batteries in and make some contacts. I'll leave that up to you.

Assembly is the reverse of removal.

Last step is to reset the SI light. Instructions can be found here

[E30-323ti 66]

Just 2 other things to note:

1. The cluster can be removed quite easily with the steering wheel in place (Stock wheel that is, may not be possible with a small wheel??).

2. Check you even have the SI led's before you un-soldier the SI batteries aye Andrew!! Also check the voltage is OK, there may be another reason the SI lights aren't working!! (corroded SI board etc...)

Andrew, did you ever get some LED's??

[Guest Andrew]

Just 2 other things to note:

1. The cluster can be removed quite easily with the steering wheel in place (Stock wheel that is, may not be possible with a small wheel??).

2. Check you even have the SI led's before you un-soldier the SI batteries aye Andrew!! Also check the voltage is OK, there may be another reason the SI lights aren't working!! (corroded SI board etc...)

Andrew, did you ever get some LED's??

Yeah found a set of LEDs for $30 bucks. Will get it after exams.

My temp gauge has gone spastic now. Anyone know how to bypass the SI board?

[gmccormack 0]

My economy gauge swings from 0mpg to 60mpg but never gives a real reading , any ideas ??? I have fitted new S.I. board & batteries but it didnt help.

[Guest Andrew]

My economy gauge swings from 0mpg to 60mpg but never gives a real reading , any ideas ??? I have fitted new S.I. board & batteries but it didnt help.

hmm. its linked to the speedo cable signal.. so check those fuses and everything. I'm not sure, i don't know how it works. I'll have a looky in the bentleys manual.

[gmccormack 0]

Does anyone know how to reset the airbag light in an e39 (1998 523)?

[bravo 35]

Hi,

Just found this thread - found out how to do this the hard way in the weekend - ie figured it out myself. Didn't break anything so SUCCESS!!!

Found out that yep, am missing the LED's. Where did you get yours from andrew?

[Guest Andrew]

Bavarian Motors in Auckland.

Otherwise - just disconnect them. They are a useless gimmick.