FIXING BMW ELECTRICAL GREMLINS IN A FEW MINUTES

There's always something new happening on an old BMW, be it E31, E32, E34, E36, E38 or E39, and today it is time for electrical gremlins. Fortunately this is very easy to fix
I'll show you how to do the repair right from start to finish including tools required. Although this repair is done on a BMW 840ci, the repair is the same on all BMW's from 1988 and later
Diagrams: www.meeknet.co...
#bmwelectric , #gremlins,

[@alanpayne-qu5xj]

Thank you Timm, my lights started acting up 3 days ago was only googling two nights ago how to open this relay and fix this but I could not find any clear instructions! This is my weekend sorted now. Would be lost without you and your meeknet site!

[@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation]

Glad it helped, and just in time!

[@trevishornsby7385]

Nest bmw channel hands down

[@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation]

Thanks, very kind of you!

[@z4rg3n]

Timm, you are a treasure as always. I suspect several of my '96 E38's gremlins make their foul nests amongst those relays. Armed with your knowledge I shall endeavor to vanquish them for good.

[@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation]

Thanks and good luck!

[@marioduran7913]

Sir Timm, you are the best, that's exactly what is going on with my 840ci, tnx. Mario

[@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation]

Glad to help Mario!

[@marioduran7913]

@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation Timm,please advise me, I found a strange and strong vibration when I am driving the 840,especially when I press the break where can be a good place for me to check it at first?? It has a new rotors for instance. Thank you. Mario

[@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation]

@@marioduran7913 Here you go: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i2qsf5usfJiHe5Y

[@alioral1358]

Tim I had same problem to horn relay on my E36. I am lucky to solve it . I wish a good time with your legend E31.

[@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation]

Thank you too!

[@duncanhorner1981]

Excellent again thanks. My pop up relay became faulty and I was shocked how unavailable or prohivitaly expensive 2nd hand spares were. I eventually found an auto electrician who simply repaired it for little money.

[@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation]

Glad it helped!

[@nickbaluyut4197]

Excellent Video TIM!!! Nick Baluyut from San Francisco 96 840CI

[@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation]

Thanks Nick! Greeting from England!

[@davidtivnan6668]

You're a great resource Tim! Always learn something from your videos. Keep up the great videos! From Massachusetts... E64 owner

[@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation]

Thanks David, and welcome from Old Hampshire!

[@Jazoolz_e39]

Really interesting video Timm. I haven't experienced electric gremlins on my E39 YET, but enjoyed watching this repair work. Tedious work, but necessary when you want to preserve and enjoy these modern classics. Cheers from California!

[@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation]

Cheers from the UK and thanks!

[@MH_59]

Fantastic video as usual Timm, thanks!

[@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation]

Thanks again!

[@trumontstory686]

Nice one Tim

[@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation]

Thanks 👍

[@TyLadson]

Tim, is there a special connector to get your laptop to plug into an obd1? I'm having such a hard time locating this part. Thanks

[@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation]

If it is OBDI for older engines such as the M60 you will need an ADS interface and a laptop with a true 9-pin D-type RD232 port.

[@nurigilgil]

Hi Tim I have a 840ci 1998 and start having a lot of electrical issues first problem is bad alternater I need to get it replaced Headlights doesn't pop up instrument cluster fuel gauge,rev gauge and temperature gauge and some dash lights not working Can you please Do you think a bad alternater would cause some of this issues? Many thanks

[@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation]

Battery voltage is important on these old cars, get your alternator replaced and your battery charged first

[@williamjohnson2561]

Great video. Definitely a great help keeping these cars on the road. Is this something best left alone until its an issue or to be done as a preventive measure?

[@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation]

Thanks! And just leave it alone until you need to have a fiddle!

[@JasonVEliteExpedite]

Hey time I have a 2004 545i 6 speed manuel, but I’m getting a loose knocking noise from the passenger side area of the engine, above the vacuum pump. Could to help point me in the right direction

[@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation]

Yes, change the timing-chain tensioner, I have a video on it

[@fraserpark8377]

Fantastic. My servotronic steering is no longer working in my 99 840. Could well be the relay as a simple fix so worth trying before investigating the actual unit.

[@andrewthompsonuk1]

In my E38 i had current through the valve on the steering box however the steering was stiff. New fluid helped a little, replacement coil fixed it. In the e38 its controlled by one of the body modules so you can monitor current with a scan tool. The screws that hold the coil onto the steering box strip out very easily.

[@fraserpark8377]

@@andrewthompsonuk1 thanks for that. Can you confirm what you mean by the coil? Apologies but not very technically minded

[@andrewthompsonuk1]

@@fraserpark8377 I mean the little solinoid valve with wires going to it on the steering box. The valve controls pressure somehow in the box. When there is no current the steering will default to heavy. As I remember it was not a cheap part to buy and the dealership said that they had never sold one. 15 years later it's still working on my car however the steering may be a little heavier but that may be because newer cars in Europe are lighter.

[@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation]

I did have a problem with my servotronic relay which re-flowing the joints helped - but that is quite unusual, as Andrew says, the solenoid coil is well know for fizzling out!

[@shefketmustafa9228]

Hi E39 528i 1998 Light Control Mode (LCM) Where I can have it checked and reprogrammed if needed? Any good garage you can recommend?! Thank you!

[@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation]

The only expert I use is Lee Shannon in Bentley UK

[@shefketmustafa9228]

@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation Thank you!

[@robertfaulkner7152]

I would love to see you do a PDC gremlin. I have a 2005 BMW 645ci and oddly enough my PDC will stop working. However, if the car is parked out in the rain or goes through a car wash, the PDC starts to working again temporarily. So if you can figure out that one I'd greatly appreciate it. I tried to get to the connection block underneath the front bumper which is by the way a lousy place to put that connection. It had corrosion in it by cleaned it out. I've even put electrical grease within the connectors and all of the sensors are working except for one and I tried switching that with the other sense of that works and narrowed it down to that one particular wire harness that goes to that particular sensor is the one acting up. My car has 94,000 mi on it now and it's a California car. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Again, the system works but stops on its own and goes into a default green blinking light until the car or the wires get wet then it works again. Thank you for all your awesome videos. They are very helpful!

[@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation]

You are going to have to remove the bumper - and that's not too hard: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qqPVqop8otR_ers

[@swright2514]

Fantastic that.

[@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation]

Thanks!

[@ibrarali84]

Grrr going through some gremlins now, unsure if electric....bmw e63 2006 Radiator fan permanently on! Water pump works, no engine overheating, coolant temperature sensor changed. Brought and fitted a new Fan! Driven with no issues. Changed relays and still it sounds like an aeroplane!

[@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation]

You need INPA or Carly (easier option) to tell you why it thinks it needs to run the fan

[@philmadgwick9128]

My 1994 840Ci has a battery drain issue associated with fuse 43 in the boot. Has anyone else had a similar problem and, if so, how was it resolved?

[@bowenflob8036]

I have the same problem aswell as clicking relays in the boot. I have currently ripped the boot wiring out as Tim has another video on how the wiring can perish, after looking for shorts there I'm going to look at these boot relays.

[@philmadgwick9128]

@@bowenflob8036 Thank you for replying, much appreciated. Would you be so kind to let me know how you get on and if you find the actual cause of the drain. I've already had the problem investigated by a local specialist but even they were unable to locate the root cause. They were only able to establish that the problem was most likely confined to the boot area. Any info would be much appreciated.

[@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation]

Fuse 43 provides power to the Relay Module - and what controls that is the famous General Module and its dodgy capacitors. However, before suspecting them, unless your two batteries are less than a couple of months old - buy a new pair, charge them and fit them. The chattering relays can also be caused by battery problems!

[@bowenflob8036]

@@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation thanks Tim, my batteries are new and I keep them permanently connected to a trickle charger so I'm pretty confident it's not them. I've also had the GM refurbed and still symptoms remain; so I'm left thinking it must be either a wiring short or another of the myriad modules.

[@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation]

@@bowenflob8036 Check the relay module - its mounting position does leave it exposed to dampness - the connectors to it are often the cause of weird electrical problems.

[@張耿源-f8k]

Good

[@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation]

Thanks!

[@vikdhami3144]

Hi please help. I couldn’t get into my boot to charge the batteries because they went flat. The emergency boot opening latch didnt work. So i had to jump the car. But i didnt use big jump leads, i used very thin speaker wires connected to jump leads. I then connected this to the positve and negative terminals near the engine. The small wires gave enough power to open the boot. I was able to remove batteries and recharge them. When I went to start the car after recharging and connecting the batteries everything went fine. Except. The central locking doesn’t work and the driver side windows dont work. However it should be notes that the central locking didnt work when the cars batteries were dead. So i dont think it has anything to do with the mini jump start with the thin speaker cables. That was only done to give the car enough energy to open the boot. So yes, central locking not working and driver aide windows not working. I cant open the passenger side door from inside and the boot wont lock either. Please help

[@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation]

Put this on bimmerforums.co.uk and we'll have a good think - but most likely General Module problems I should think

[@davidt.6415]

I wish my headlights could blink like yours did in the intro, sadly mine operate normally

[@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation]

Well, shake your relay around a bit!

[@wernerdanler2742]

BMWs sales must be dropping off badly so they are putting the screws to current owners for parts.😮

[@TimmsBMWRepairsandInformation]

Always been a same I'm afraid!