Various Electrical Gremlins ?

[Haywood Jablomi]

Howdy...new guy here. I haven't had a BMW since I had a '74 2002, so a lot has changed.

I have a couple of electrical problems, and I have searched for solutions to them on this board with no success. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

1) The rear wiper just stopped working. The fuses (card in fuse box says #15 and #45 are for the rear wiper) seem OK. Is this possibly a relay ? If so, can anyone tell me where it is located ?

2) The passenger side turn signal is blinking rapidly. I have had the car only 6 months and this is the second time this has happened. I replaced the bulb a few months back, and now it is happening again. I think this might be a relay also, but I don't know where the relay is located.

3) I won't even begin to describe the air conditioning fiasco...

Thanks !

 

[Big Daddy]

Make sure the bulbs you are using are Euro bulbs, the ones with the nickel base not the brass based one!

 

[BavarianWheels]

.
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I have a similar "problem"...my left turn signal blinks fast for a few blinks then normalizes. What you all make of that? Right turn signal works fine.
.
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[Haywood Jablomi]

Make sure the bulbs you are using are Euro bulbs, the ones with the nickel base not the brass based one!

Thanks Big Daddy...I'll check that out. Any ideas about the rear wiper, or where the relays are located ?

 

[Albert E. Wedworth]

Wow... Do I have a story for you all. 2003 BMW 325i bought used with 41,726 miles
I only take my car to BMW for Repair.
Dsc troubles right off the bat
Dealer replaces Stearing Angle Sensor last for a mounth.
Rear light problems Sensor said bulb was out. bulbs OK.. dealer cant find problem
DSC Computer replaced. BMW had my car three weeks 44 K.
got car back stearing wheel way off.
dealer fixed that now DSC comming on again.
AC going bad dealer can't find problem. Under Factory Warrenty.

Now 55K Extended Warrenty inplace...till 100K What a JOKE That IS! Payed
$ 2495.00 for What....

DSC light still comming on!
Tail light problem still!
AC Dies Cost 166.97 to fix out of pocket. Old Dealer in Town.

Now I go to a New BMW deailer 100 miles away for repair.
Deailer says I need Front end allenment FIX $189.00
Rear tail light problem, They Find Bad connector & pins FIX $120.38
Dash Loose FIX $149.00
Water Leak Both Doors. FIX $522.33 5 yrs old Give me a break!
Dealer says Front Thrust bushings need replacement $468.10
Replace Stearing angle sensor $120.00
Shift knob pops off FIX $111.60
Wiper Blades replacement $30.32 I thought that was FREE!
Trim Right Door Comming OFF! FIX $55.33
Rear Trunk lid handel broken FIX $161.58
So I cut a Check for $1899.51
I ask What about my extended warrenty??? Where is it???
What does it cover?
What about all the times the first Dealer coulden't fixed said problems..
Sorry !
We are all independent dealears..

I am so MAD!
I have never had such problems with any of My Toyota's!
so What gives??

 

[Big Daddy]

Sounds like an incompetent dealer! I know some people have some major electrical issues, but for me they have all been repaired using a Bentley manual and my own labor. Sorry about your troubles.

 

[Albert E. Wedworth]

Sounds like an incompetent dealer! I know some people have some major electrical issues, but for me they have all been repaired using a Bentley manual and my own labor. Sorry about your troubles.

I'd like to know where to take this problem to. And who do I contact?

 

[deutsch100]

Wow... Do I have a story for you all. 2003 BMW 325i bought used with 41,726 miles
I only take my car to BMW for Repair.
Dsc troubles right off the bat
Dealer replaces Stearing Angle Sensor last for a mounth.
Rear light problems Sensor said bulb was out. bulbs OK.. dealer cant find problem
DSC Computer replaced. BMW had my car three weeks 44 K.
got car back stearing wheel way off.
dealer fixed that now DSC comming on again.
AC going bad dealer can't find problem. Under Factory Warrenty.

Now 55K Extended Warrenty inplace...till 100K What a JOKE That IS! Payed
$ 2495.00 for What....

DSC light still comming on!
Tail light problem still!
AC Dies Cost 166.97 to fix out of pocket. Old Dealer in Town.

Now I go to a New BMW deailer 100 miles away for repair.
Deailer says I need Front end allenment FIX $189.00
Rear tail light problem, They Find Bad connector & pins FIX $120.38
Dash Loose FIX $149.00
Water Leak Both Doors. FIX $522.33 5 yrs old Give me a break!
Dealer says Front Thrust bushings need replacement $468.10
Replace Stearing angle sensor $120.00
Shift knob pops off FIX $111.60
Wiper Blades replacement $30.32 I thought that was FREE!
Trim Right Door Comming OFF! FIX $55.33
Rear Trunk lid handel broken FIX $161.58
So I cut a Check for $1899.51
I ask What about my extended warrenty??? Where is it???
What does it cover?
What about all the times the first Dealer coulden't fixed said problems..
Sorry !
We are all independent dealears..

I am so MAD!
I have never had such problems with any of My Toyota's!
so What gives??

I'd like to know, who did you pay $2500.00 for the extended warranty? If it was from an authorized BMW dealership, and you take it to an independent service center...how can you expect BMW to pay for it? We have the ext. warranty on the 2003 Z8....and we have never had to pay for a repair after the original 4year/50k mile warranty expired. Also my aunt's ext. warranty on her 540i was purchased from an authorized BMW dealer, and she never paid a penny for a repair until the ext. warranty expired. If you paid some independent repair center $1900.00 for repairs, and you have a valid/current $2500.00 extended warranty from BMW, then without being a total d--k.....your're not too swift mein Freund.

 

[Big Daddy]

If you have problems with dealers call BMW North America.

 

[Albert E. Wedworth]

I'd like to know, who did you pay $2500.00 for the extended warranty? If it was from an authorized BMW dealership, and you take it to an independent service center...how can you expect BMW to pay for it? We have the ext. warranty on the 2003 Z8....and we have never had to pay for a repair after the original 4year/50k mile warranty expired. Also my aunt's ext. warranty on her 540i was purchased from an authorized BMW dealer, and she never paid a penny for a repair until the ext. warranty expired. If you paid some independent repair center $1900.00 for repairs, and you have a valid/current $2500.00 extended warranty from BMW, then without being a total d--k.....your're not too swift mein Freund.

Ididen't want to name names
I bought my car @ Roseville BMW Where I paid $2495.00 extra for Extended warrenty to cover everything past 50,000miles to 100.00 execpt ... tires clutch brakes battery. This is what I was told.
I live in Chico Ca. 100 miles away
My BMW service center In Chico Is Courtesy BMW
I have brought the car to them many many times for repair with no luck. AC, tail light, DSC....
Now Im over 50.000 miles and now Courtesy founds the AC Problem $124.00 later it's fixed.
not before thoe...... They never fixed the DSC problem, They replaced the computer which I think was not the problem but a bad frount end alinement.
I decided to take my car to Niello in Sacramento this time for repair
I paid $1900.00 you bet... no warrenty what warrenty
I have never have taken my car to anyone but a BMW service center...
so I wonder where I go from here...
All I can hope it's fixed for good and the DSC light doesen't come on anymore or the tail light failure light...

 

[Haywood Jablomi]

Helllllooooo....can I have my post back ?

Ididen't want to name names
I bought my car @ Roseville BMW Where I paid $2495.00 extra for Extended warrenty to cover everything past 50,000miles to 100.00 execpt ... tires clutch brakes battery. This is what I was told.
I live in Chico Ca. 100 miles away
My BMW service center In Chico Is Courtesy BMW
I have brought the car to them many many times for repair with no luck. AC, tail light, DSC....
Now Im over 50.000 miles and now Courtesy founds the AC Problem $124.00 later it's fixed.
not before thoe...... They never fixed the DSC problem, They replaced the computer which I think was not the problem but a bad frount end alinement.
I decided to take my car to Niello in Sacramento this time for repair
I paid $1900.00 you bet... no warrenty what warrenty
I have never have taken my car to anyone but a BMW service center...
so I wonder where I go from here...
All I can hope it's fixed for good and the DSC light doesen't come on anymore or the tail light failure light...

Thanks for your story Albert, but this post is not a dealer complaint post. It was supposed to be about a couple of electrical issues that I am having.

Can anyone advise about the rear wiper issue in the original post above ?

Thanks !

 

[deutsch100]

Ididen't want to name names
I bought my car @ Roseville BMW Where I paid $2495.00 extra for Extended warrenty to cover everything past 50,000miles to 100.00 execpt ... tires clutch brakes battery. This is what I was told.
I live in Chico Ca. 100 miles away
My BMW service center In Chico Is Courtesy BMW
I have brought the car to them many many times for repair with no luck. AC, tail light, DSC....
Now Im over 50.000 miles and now Courtesy founds the AC Problem $124.00 later it's fixed.
not before thoe...... They never fixed the DSC problem, They replaced the computer which I think was not the problem but a bad frount end alinement.
I decided to take my car to Niello in Sacramento this time for repair
I paid $1900.00 you bet... no warrenty what warrenty
I have never have taken my car to anyone but a BMW service center...
so I wonder where I go from here...
All I can hope it's fixed for good and the DSC light doesen't come on anymore or the tail light failure light...

It is still unfathomable to me, why you were charged $1900.00 when you have a BMW warranty valid unitl 100k miles. It's more shocking, why you agreed to pay it!! I would have had BMWNA and my attorney/attornies involved so fast, the roundel on my hood would have started spinning!!!

 

[MMLJTIGER]

Rear wiper issue

Hi there,
Pop the rear glass and look on the flip side of the button that opens the glass.
You should be able to move the pivot that engages into the rear hatch itself, by moving the arm.
If not, it probably means that the pivot is seized and needs to be replaced. It's not an easy job, because the glass can break is you're not careful, and the switch to open the glass can be easily damaged. I recommend you let a professional replace the pivot if it's seized.

Hope this helps,
Jeff

 

[Haywood Jablomi]

Hi there,
Pop the rear glass and look on the flip side of the button that opens the glass.
You should be able to move the pivot that engages into the rear hatch itself, by moving the arm.
If not, it probably means that the pivot is seized and needs to be replaced. It's not an easy job, because the glass can break is you're not careful, and the switch to open the glass can be easily damaged. I recommend you let a professional replace the pivot if it's seized.

Hope this helps,
Jeff

Thanks Jeff...I'll take a look. I can hear the motor running, and I even saw the wiper move just slightly today when I tried it, so I think I can count out electrical issues. I have heard that there is a belt in there that may have snapped or come loose. What do you think about that ?

 

[Big Daddy]

I do not think there is a belt in there, here is a photo of your wiper system:

 

[MMLJTIGER]

Broken belt...nah

hi there,
Thanx Big Daddy for the exploded view of the rear wiper motor.
If you can show him the exploded view of the rear hatch glass release switch, that would be good too.
Open the glass and try the wiper motor. It should work even though the glass is open.
The really difficult part is to separate the pivot (part #2) from the glass.

Hope this helps a little more,
Jeff

 

[Big Daddy]

Is this what you need?

 

[Haywood Jablomi]

hi there,
Thanx Big Daddy for the exploded view of the rear wiper motor.
If you can show him the exploded view of the rear hatch glass release switch, that would be good too.
Open the glass and try the wiper motor. It should work even though the glass is open.
The really difficult part is to separate the pivot (part #2) from the glass.

Hope this helps a little more,
Jeff

OK, I was able to move the wiper arm with the glass up from the hatch. It was much harder to turn than I thought it would be. I thought it would take only "hand strength" and not "arm strength" (if that makes any sense).

I tried to run the wiper motor with the glass up, but I couldn't tell if anything was moving. I expected the hole where the pivot goes in to move (spin, maybe?), but maybe I should have instead been looking inside of it for movement.

Thanks for all of your help Jeff and Big Daddy !

 

[Big Daddy]

That is what this wondeful forum is here for, each other!

 

[MMLJTIGER]

Hi there,
What I meant was the microswitch/handle for the glass portion, that holds the wiper motor assembly to the glass. I think the release switch/handle screws onto the wiper motor, but don't quote me. Actually, that can't be because there should be wires for the glass release switch...hmmm... will think 'bout this one a bit more.

Hope this helps,
Jeff