E34 540i Help please

[arrie50]

Hi all,
Im new to the Bmw scene so I wondered if anyone could help me, I bought a 96 540i auto in good cond, but the car still have a few faults.
1: When the engine is shut down it shows a warning that says CHECK CONTROL SYSTEM
2: Airbag light is on
3: Central locking remote's batteries was dead so I changed them but stil dont want to lock with remote, has to be locked with key
4: Car has a bad shudder on if you cruise on a constant speed from 80 an up sometimes, but when you accelerate it runs fine
Car is still in a real good cond with near perfect body, interior and engine, so I would like to get it perfect. Thanks in advance

 

[zaleonardz]

1. You would have to go for a diagnostics, Check Control refers to a computer in the car used to diagnose bulb out errors, perhaps its unplugged, or faulty.


2. No biggie, either fault is still present, or just had to be reset, can only be done with proper equipment though.

3. Out of interest (and I say this out of my own stupidity, took me a while to get it), that the remote on your E34 is not radio based, its infrared, so wen you lock, aim it straight at the rearview mirror, see if that helps.

4. typical E34, could be one of many suspension components, but usually lower control arm bushes.

I will be able to help you out with 1,2, maybe 3,

4. you would need to take her for a suspension check, but I can put her on a lift and take a look.

Now we need to see photies.

 

[rick540]

Hi all,
Im new to the Bmw scene so I wondered if anyone could help me, I bought a 96 540i auto in good cond, but the car still have a few faults.
1: When the engine is shut down it shows a warning that says CHECK CONTROL SYSTEM
2: Airbag light is on
3: Central locking remote's batteries was dead so I changed them but stil dont want to lock with remote, has to be locked with key
4: Car has a bad shudder on if you cruise on a constant speed from 80 an up sometimes, but when you accelerate it runs fine
Car is still in a real good cond with near perfect body, interior and engine, so I would like to get it perfect. Thanks in advance

Firstly congrats on the new car I'm sure you will enjoy it.

With BMW's you really have to read the owners manual as the answers and explanations for three of your problems are in there already and you won't understand what we are talking about till you read it anyway.

1) The Check control module is malfuntioning, it's labelled CCM and you will find it in the fuse box.

2) You will have to have the airbag light reset via diagnostic computer, most places and the agents can do this for you. if the light comes back then there is a fault in the SRS system that would have to be fixed first, but try resetting it anyway they sometimes give false alarms.

3) You have to re initialize the remote by pressing buttons and turning the ignition on and off --- the procedure is explained exactly in the owners manual, after initialising it it will work.

4)The engine sounds like one of the cylinders is misfiring. Firstly try a bottle of Wynns fuel injector cleaner (The blue stuff). if that doesn't help, change the spark plugs, if that doesn't help you may have a bad coil pack on one of the plugs, if that still doesn't help you may have the Nikasil problem, but I hope not.

 

[arrie50]

1. You would have to go for a diagnostics, Check Control refers to a computer in the car used to diagnose bulb out errors, perhaps its unplugged, or faulty.


2. No biggie, either fault is still present, or just had to be reset, can only be done with proper equipment though.

3. Out of interest (and I say this out of my own stupidity, took me a while to get it), that the remote on your E34 is not radio based, its infrared, so wen you lock, aim it straight at the rearview mirror, see if that helps.

4. typical E34, could be one of many suspension components, but usually lower control arm bushes.

I will be able to help you out with 1,2, maybe 3,

4. you would need to take her for a suspension check, but I can put her on a lift and take a look.

Now we need to see photies.

Will load pics soon, I am really impressed with the car, this is the first Bmw I bought and are really stupid as far as these awesome cars go, but are def. going to change that, the equipment you are talking about, is it possible to buy somewhere, I another thing I have noticed is that there arent many aftermarket parts available for the e34 where do everyone get their parts or does the parts from the e36 fit the e34.
Thanks for the reply

---

Hi all,
Im new to the Bmw scene so I wondered if anyone could help me, I bought a 96 540i auto in good cond, but the car still have a few faults.
1: When the engine is shut down it shows a warning that says CHECK CONTROL SYSTEM
2: Airbag light is on
3: Central locking remote's batteries was dead so I changed them but stil dont want to lock with remote, has to be locked with key
4: Car has a bad shudder on if you cruise on a constant speed from 80 an up sometimes, but when you accelerate it runs fine
Car is still in a real good cond with near perfect body, interior and engine, so I would like to get it perfect. Thanks in advance

Firstly congrats on the new car I'm sure you will enjoy it.

With BMW's you really have to read the owners manual as the answers and explanations for three of your problems are in there already and you won't understand what we are talking about till you read it anyway.

1) The Check control module is malfuntioning, it's labelled CCM and you will find it in the fuse box.

2) You will have to have the airbag light reset via diagnostic computer, most places and the agents can do this for you. if the light comes back then there is a fault in the SRS system that would have to be fixed first, but try resetting it anyway they sometimes give false alarms.

3) You have to re initialize the remote by pressing buttons and turning the ignition on and off --- the procedure is explained exactly in the owners manual, after initialising it it will work.

4)The engine sounds like one of the cylinders is misfiring. Firstly try a bottle of Wynns fuel injector cleaner (The blue stuff). if that doesn't help, change the spark plugs, if that doesn't help you may have a bad coil pack on one of the plugs, if that still doesn't help you may have the Nikasil problem, but I hope not.

Thanks for the advice, will read the owners manuel tonight. Sorry for the fourth fault, I am afrikaans and sometimes describes this things wrong, the fault I am talking about is on the suspension, the engine is still strong enough to tow a train, I think the people I bought it from drove through a pothole and damaged something on the suspension when the acr was delivered, I want to take her for wheel alignment but want to know what to look for as the previous owner offered to pay for the repair. Thanks for the help

 

[Jandre]

Congrats on the car man. I own a "96 model as well.

With regards to your shudder issue.

Firstly, do you still have the original 15" rims on the car?

The reason why I ask this is that I fitted a set of aftermarket 17" rims on my car, and had terrible shudder afterwards. With the original 15" wheel set-up, I had no issues.

Firstly, they did on-car balancing, and it was much better. Then, under braking I picked up a shudder, and we proceeded to replace the lower control arm bushes.

But, I still had a nasty shudder at intervals. I suspected the rims, and subsequently changed these to 17" A line rims. Then the shudder was insane!!!

They forgot to give me the spigot rings. The 540 has a 72,6mm hub size, and the wheels have a 74.1mm diameter.

Fitted the spigot rings, and now it is much better, but I still have a wheelwobble between 85km/h and 100km/h.

I will have on-car balancing done on it, and then I know that I have play on the upper control arm bushes, so will proceed to change those as well.

 

[Budleigh]

Your shudder is probably due to bad Lower control arm bushes.

 

[arrie50]

Here is a pic just before I got her, very dirty, will take current clean pics soon.
So did the wheel alignment, balancing and fitted the proper tyres on the front as the old one's was not wide enough for the rims and the suspension probem are completely gone, they checked the suspension and steering and said it was found to still be in exellent condition. Now it is still just the central locking remote that I can't get to work even when I aim it straight at the mirror, the Airbag light, the CHECK CONTROL that comes on when the car is shut down and another thing I found not to be in so good cond is the oil seperator that works on the breather, anyone maybe know if it is repairable or if it is not, could I get one from the local spares shop or do I have to get one from the dealers

 

[Beast_Power]

What Tyres do you have on, I know Yokohama Advan Sport and Some dunlop version can also cause problems that make you think you have suspension problems. I had this problem with The Advan sports, and a friend had the same type of problems with dunlops.