Transmission light - need help/info

[1lum1nat1]

Guys, I think I might be overreacting a bit. I need some info quickly.


When I put my key into the ignition & put it in the 2 second position, all the lights on the right hand side of the instrument cluster goes on & after say 2-3 seconds most of them switch of but the handbrake light stays on (obviously) aswell as the ABS & "check brake pad" light & on the left side of the cluster the EML light. After another 2-3 seconds they switch off aswell. Should I only be worried if they stay on?

Pic of the lights:

 

[CheapnNasty]

Yes.

Sometimes the ABS and EML will take time to go off up to 5 secs sometimes. The systems will go through a check each time.

If the lights never go off (see below):

-If yellow brake light (Circle with dashes around it) stays on its the brake pads that need replacing.
-If the ABS stays on there's obviously an issue with the ABS.
-If the EML stays on then there's an issue with the accelerator sensor/control or the throttle body sensor for the drive by wire system. You should be able to drive. but the car will limit your speed.

 

[1lum1nat1]

All the lights go off within 4-5 seconds of putting the ignition in the second "click", so I have nothing to be worried about?

Thanks for the reply CheapnNasty.

 

[CheapnNasty]

nah, nothing to worry about

The thing about the BMW is that it will check each time, that's why the lights always come on then go off.

With most other cars they stay off until there's an issue, then they come on.

 

[1lum1nat1]

:clap: Thanks dude, really appreciate it.

 

[CheapnNasty]

No worries man.

I know what you must be feeling. Bought my e46 secondhand off an auction floor. Had some weird sh!t happen to me. But I was expecting it. Did a bit of homework to see what I would have been in for.

Overall the engine is bullet proof if serviced regularly. Still the best drive you can get even if it is secondhand

 

[1lum1nat1]

Yeah, really can't complain about the drive :excited: I'm loving this car to bits

I bought mine from a secondhand dealership two weeks ago, I phoned them earlier today & told them I'm taking the car in & their paying, I also said I'm not happy with the people that worked previously on the car. The guy said "no problem" & he said he fully understands. So I'll see what the mechies at dynotech have to say about the car.

 

[freerider]

I'm with C&N on this one, if they dont stay on, then you have nothing to worry about :thumbsup:

 

[1lum1nat1]

:clap: Thanks gents, appreciate the info.

 

[1lum1nat1]

Well well.

Took the car to Dynotech this morning.

They say the steering wheel sensor & gearbox control unit is faulty & needs replacing. R3299 + R12414, + vat = R17912, 80 R580 for labour = R18492,80

I phoned the place where I bought the car. He said I should make an appointment with BMW Sovereign, got one for next Monday morning & they will check it again & if it needs replacing then they can do it.

He had long stories about Dynotech that wants to replace unnecessary things. They wish they never met me.

 

[SirSparky]

dude,dynotech are pretty clued up,sovereign bmw will bad mouth them because they are competetion.

 

[1lum1nat1]

No, it was not BMW bad mouthing them, it was the owner of D'metri motors.

 

[SirSparky]

dynotech are thorough,if somethings needs replacing they tell you about it,their ex bmw techy dolf can tell you some horror stories about what the stealership does to save mony,

 

[1lum1nat1]

Yeah I can believe that.

I told D'metri & I'll tell BMW aswell. When the work is done, I'll have it checked again.


What can I do to make sure I get new parts & that they go into my car? I don't want D'metri to go behind my back & tell some dipshit they know at BMW to get second hand parts etc. & essentially screw me over.

 

[Hellas]

Always a tough call... But if something does go wrong, you always have a fight on your hands...

 

[CheapnNasty]

Well well.

Took the car to Dynotech this morning.

They say the steering wheel sensor & gearbox control unit is faulty & needs replacing. R3299 + R12414, + vat = R17912, 80 R580 for labour = R18492,80

Pardon my ignorance. But what's a "steering wheel sensor" used for?

 

[1lum1nat1]

Sorry, I should have used the correct term, It's steering angle sensor - internal, but I'm also not sure what it's function is.

The service history says the following on 37k - "steering sensor incorrect connection", this was fixed for R797.55 & another R7.57 (not sure what this is) & it was replaced (service history says - "Steering sensor permanent malfunction") on 73k for R1823, now they want R3760 & something like R500 for coding it.

 

[Gizmo]

What Castrol oil causes sludging? Maybe the cheap stuff but not Magnetic or Edge...

 

[1lum1nat1]

The error printout from Dynotech says:

1: "control unit diagnosis BMW 5-Speed auto.transm.GS8.60 Error memory
53 Control unit
short to earth"


2: "SE 43 Steering - angle sensor, internal"

 

[1lum1nat1]

Today I was busy fiddling arpund & took the printout they gave me for the errors on the car, I only realized the printout was all the errors the car had. Now I can't understand how this is even possible. There's a bloody long list of all the errors on the car so I took it from the top. Half the stuff on it is'nt even broken or damaged. The printout said all the brake & indicator lights were broken, the climate control is broken etc. etc. etc. but everything works fine.

I'm starting to wonder how clued up Dynotech really are & if I even have to worry about this? The car is going to BMW on Monday, so if there's something wrong, they should be the best place to see/identify & fix it.