E46 Gremlins

[kevinator9 57]

Hi All,

The girlfriend has an E46 320Ci 2002 with 100000kms on the clock. Fairly nice car I enjoy keeping it looking clean and tidy

It has a little electrical niggle though. The radio will very occasionally stop working (ie turn off completely and can't turn it back on with the power button). To get it to come back we have to put either sun visor down, open the mirror so the light comes on and then the radio turns back on, every time without fail which is fortunate. Also I just recently noticed the airbag warning light sometimes comes on when the radio dies.

Any ideas on where this could be coming from? Is the airbag light possibly a common plug/wiring issue under the seat from what I have heard? Otherwise is anything from a diagnostic scan likely to pick this up from its point of origin?

Thanks,

Andrew

[aja540i 1906]

Could be a faulty ignition switch, all sorts of weird stuff happens when they start to die.

[hotwire 352]

Andrew, strange sort of coincidence going on there.

Maybe though - a faulty ign switch with voltage drop across the acc contacts inside it. Have had the same on my E39 a few years ago. That said - had no effect by the sunvisor though.

Next time - try cycling the key off/on & see if it recifies the problem.

[hotwire 352]

Could be a faulty ignition switch, all sorts of weird stuff happens when they start to die.

Ha, you type faster than me obviously

[B.M.W Ltd 950]

Have the heater fan on all the time and if it turns off with the radio it will definitely be the ignition switch

[kevinator9 57]

Thanks for the tips.

Looks pretty plausible after some light research

Very similar symptoms:
http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=482229

and:

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=441050

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?p=5634812#post5634812

Will report back after changing the ignition switch.