danutt 4 Report post Posted March 10, 2014 ok car is an e39 540i think its the high obc button on stalk and read out on dash as well as on the screen Issues: screen has no display when car is running obc is accessable when car is not running but switches off when you start her up all the functions of the obc seem to be running in the background as in the km per liter etc the volumn knob is quite sensitive at times..turning it slowly it can sometimes just go straight to full blast and the buttons for the radio on the steering wheel have stopped working is this a relay-i-bus issue or what? where do i begin to look and how would i diagnose?cheers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yng_750 247 Report post Posted March 10, 2014 I have found my volume sensative. I usually use the steering wheel. So that is likely unrelated. Sent from my GT-I8160L using Tapatalk 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
danutt 4 Report post Posted March 10, 2014 oh and all the buttons work on the raido area so i can change between radio and cd etc and stations and volumn and all that...screen is blank but is backlit and at the bottom displays date and time Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MISS BM 712 Report post Posted March 10, 2014 Ignition Switch! Well mine was I would try fuses and reading for codes.. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
danutt 4 Report post Posted March 10, 2014 is there a way to diagnose ignition switch as the fault?? i can put the obc on and all is well then i start the car..the display holds for about 3 seconds and then doesnt display the normal readout ...quite strange really so yea how would i check for the ignition switch being the issue? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MISS BM 712 Report post Posted March 10, 2014 (edited) is there a way to diagnose ignition switch as the fault?? i can put the obc on and all is well then i start the car..the display holds for about 3 seconds and then doesnt display the normal readout ...quite strange really so yea how would i check for the ignition switch being the issue? It's one of those things where it's sort of test and trial - but the fault code that came with mine was "Cable Clamp R on GM3" - now the ignition switch is classed as 'Terminal R' and as Ray from Hellbm said to me, they sometimes get lost in translation. I took my car down to HellBM to get it read, and honestly, best thing you can do, might not give you the exact answer, but will sure lead you in the right direction. Check your interior lights, steering adjustment, rear blind (if you have one) and visor lights - they generally go too. I had the entire works, everything was gone, and all I got was a blank screen with just the date/time down the bottom, or it would freeze on the main screen. There is a post about my problems in this topic (E39 Electrical Gremlins) have a look at a few things suggested by members there - but as Ray has done a fantastic job with my car and dealing with me, I would recommend heading there Edit: Woops, in this topic, not Electrical. Edited March 10, 2014 by Amber-Leigh Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
danutt 4 Report post Posted March 10, 2014 ah good old ray...i shall do that if i hit a brick wall..going to try this ridiculous test first haha and visually inspecting the ignition switch Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
danutt 4 Report post Posted March 10, 2014 i did the wierd check you can do to check the ignition switch apparently start car and put the lights on with the radio on and then put the sun visors down and slide the screens open and watch for the "wierd stuff"supposed to happen and nothing happened apparently if the ignition switch is at fault crazy wierd things are supposed to occur?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
twisted 45 Report post Posted March 10, 2014 Just sounds like to me that your monitor is fubared. Mine did similar weird sh*t before it stopped working all together. All its sweet in my world after shelling out a small fortune for a new monitor and head unit. Beware of you get an e38 one you will need to swap the fascia so your trim fits Sent from my HTC_PN071 using Tapatalk Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
danutt 4 Report post Posted March 10, 2014 monitor works sweet with ignition on and at times displays what radio station im on or cd im listening to all good other times just the date but is still back lit...seems to be just the information system isnt working right...all trip data is there and then you start the car and it goes to radio and the option for on board computer isnt highlighted any longer Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
twisted 45 Report post Posted March 10, 2014 Oh not highlighted? Like greyed out? Yeah can't helo, but sounds like it could be a bus issue Sent from my HTC_PN071 using Tapatalk Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
danutt 4 Report post Posted March 10, 2014 yup greyed out, cant select it Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Allanw 1071 Report post Posted March 10, 2014 I had none of the usual ignition switch syptoms/test results either... but after repalcing it, the scarily common ABS/DSC/Traction lights stopped coming on while driving, the code for o2Sensor low voltage cleared and the non-playing CD's started working. Sometimes when the ABS light trifecta came on, the speedo wouldn't work, or the indicators wouldn't work. The switches are a pretty crappy design, but are easy to change (ish). Might not be your problem, but I reckon a LOT of people out there have paid some workshops a LOT of money to sort out stuff, that was probably just an ignition switch all along! I think they're about $160 maybe? Can't merember. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MISS BM 712 Report post Posted March 10, 2014 i did the wierd check you can do to check the ignition switch apparently start car and put the lights on with the radio on and then put the sun visors down and slide the screens open and watch for the "wierd stuff"supposed to happen and nothing happened apparently if the ignition switch is at fault crazy wierd things are supposed to occur?? Mine Didn't do any of the weird things either Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MISS BM 712 Report post Posted March 10, 2014 I had none of the usual ignition switch syptoms/test results either... but after repalcing it, the scarily common ABS/DSC/Traction lights stopped coming on while driving, the code for o2Sensor low voltage cleared and the non-playing CD's started working. Sometimes when the ABS light trifecta came on, the speedo wouldn't work, or the indicators wouldn't work. The switches are a pretty crappy design, but are easy to change (ish). Might not be your problem, but I reckon a LOT of people out there have paid some workshops a LOT of money to sort out stuff, that was probably just an ignition switch all along! I think they're about $160 maybe? Can't merember. Yeah about that new, I popped 2nd hand in - a lot cheaper Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Allanw 1071 Report post Posted March 10, 2014 Yeah about that new, I popped 2nd hand in - a lot cheaper Possibly won't last 14 years though, like the last one in our car 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MISS BM 712 Report post Posted March 10, 2014 Possibly won't last 14 years though, like the last one in our car Most likely not - but hey, at least I will know the problem this time Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
danutt 4 Report post Posted March 11, 2014 whats the price diffence ssecond hand versus new?im fond of replacing with new if its not exstorsionate Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Allanw 1071 Report post Posted March 11, 2014 (edited) People have cleaned them up , as a temporary thing... then left them in there. Ours has my wife and 2 kids in it most of the time, so I just wanted it right... I lose brownie points if things don't work properly . The thing with a used one (like anything), is you don't know how much work it's done... and low milage doesn't mean it hasn't switched a lot of times. Edit... Post 1500. Apparently I DO spend too much time on the computer... like SHE says. Edited March 11, 2014 by Allanw 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MISS BM 712 Report post Posted March 11, 2014 whats the price diffence ssecond hand versus new?im fond of replacing with new if its not exstorsionate Could have gone up - but around $80-$100 cheaper than new (depends who you ask..) Worth it in the long run I guess, but second hand generally does the job too haha. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MISS BM 712 Report post Posted March 11, 2014 People have cleaned them up , as a temporary thing... then left them in there. Ours has my wife and 2 kids in it most of the time, so I just wanted it right... I lose brownie points if things don't work properly . The thing with a used one (like anything), is you don't know how much work it's done... and low milage doesn't mean it hasn't switched a lot of times. Edit... Post 1500. Apparently I DO spend too much time on the computer... like SHE says. Haha! congrats on the post count. Yeah, the 'she' is generally always right when it comes to opinions lol Go new if you got the spare cash. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hotwire 352 Report post Posted March 11, 2014 As far as testing the ign switch properly - check the voltage in & out - Simple! I pulled ours apart & cleaned the contacts when it failed - again - straight forward. Albeit - it is my job. Was no reason to replace it as the contacts were not worn/damaged but merely dirty on the acc contact. Although set up differently internally, they are no more troublesome than any Jap ign switch, infact more reliable than many Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
danutt 4 Report post Posted March 12, 2014 oh ok sweet ill have a look at it when i get time away from work or the mrs haha forgot to mention that the clock works sweet and then when the car starts it stops and freezes on the time you start the car...great for timing journeys hahahah Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
