# E39 98 540i sport auto, ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS please "HELP"



## bk540sport (Mar 8, 2004)

PLEASE HELP electrical problems and no warranty 

Hello, i have a 98 540i sport with automatic, if anyone can please help me with any info that would be great, my cars has some very weird electrical issues, when starting the car sometimes the car air bag light wont go on, either will the radio, and the domes lights go on and off the steering wheel moves by it self, and sometimes the seats frezze and cant move, all different things at differnent times, but if you keep turning the key on and off you will see the air bag light flash on then off, then the car is fine. for awhile it just stayed on and i would have to play with the vanity mirrors to get it to go off, and then the radio and all functions would work again, then it would not go on and then same functions would not work and i would have to play with the key and mirrors to get the light to come on, then all would work, and now affter flashing the computer with a regular resetting tool, it does the first set of things i explained, with the light air bag light needing to flash on before the car is fine, i have to keep turning the key on and off till it lights,, this has been hapening for a long time, i bought the car like this, it has the rear brake light upgrade celis, and angel eye's, which i did, and the problems where there before this, PLEASE HELP< any info, p.s someone said maybee ignition switch, dont know though?


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## Tyrone (Apr 17, 2003)

bk540sport said:


> PLEASE HELP electrical problems and no warranty
> 
> Hello, i have a 98 540i sport with automatic, if anyone can please help me with any info that would be great, my cars has some very weird electrical issues, when starting the car sometimes the car air bag light wont go on, either will the radio, and the domes lights go on and off the steering wheel moves by it self, and sometimes the seats frezze and cant move, all different things at differnent times, but if you keep turning the key on and off you will see the air bag light flash on then off, then the car is fine. for awhile it just stayed on and i would have to play with the vanity mirrors to get it to go off, and then the radio and all functions would work again, then it would not go on and then same functions would not work and i would have to play with the key and mirrors to get the light to come on, then all would work, and now affter flashing the computer with a regular resetting tool, it does the first set of things i explained, with the light air bag light needing to flash on before the car is fine, i have to keep turning the key on and off till it lights,, this has been hapening for a long time, i bought the car like this, it has the rear brake light upgrade celis, and angel eye's, which i did, and the problems where there before this, PLEASE HELP< any info, p.s someone said maybee ignition switch, dont know though?


It's a cheap and easy fix, and from the sound of your symptoms, a very likely culptrit. I would definitely change it before doing anything else. Whenever someone has such an assortment of electrical problems that involve unrelated systems, it "usually" turns out to be the ignition switch.


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## bk540sport (Mar 8, 2004)

*Ignition switch*



Tyrone said:


> It's a cheap and easy fix, and from the sound of your symptoms, a very likely culptrit. I would definitely change it before doing anything else. Whenever someone has such an assortment of electrical problems that involve unrelated systems, it "usually" turns out to be the ignition switch.


Thanks for the reply, i really love the car but this has been a nightmare for the last 7 months, i am 21 years old and this is my second car owning, i wanted a 540i for a very long time and i finally got enough money together to pick this car up and its been a night mare, so far i have put the m5, front, rear, bumpers, folding side mirrors with the switch, hamman rear roof spoiler, clear corner angel eyes, xenon, hid, with ballast, the celis tail lights, m5 grille, full audio and video, and M parrall chrome wheels, so i mean i have put so much time and energy and money into this car, i did a full service my self on it, diff fluid, platnium 4 plugs, fuel filter, and a couple other odds and ends, i work on my car my self so, i am not ready to just hand it over to bmw just yet, and pay there fee's, i really dont want to sell the car either, pawn it off on someone else, thats not right, 
do you know if affter i replace the ignition swich if i will have to have bmw code it, or if this is something i can do my self, and is the switch, just a little harness and board, or a whole new key, thank you any info is a big help thank you


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## Tyrone (Apr 17, 2003)

That sounds like a very nice car. The ignition switch is very straightforward. Just remove the lower section of the plastic steering column trim and you will see the assortment of wires going into the ignition switch. I've never done this myself, but the repair manual says there are a couple screws with protective paint on them that need to be removed. It also says to put varnish back on the screws after installing the new switch. No coding necessary.

ignition switch 61 32 6 901 961 ~$35


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## kpytoi9 (Nov 5, 2003)

i had the same problem in my 00 540 and i was told by my mechanic that it was some kind of a steering wheel relay. Because my steering wheels controls for the radio would not work also.


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## bk540sport (Mar 8, 2004)

kpytoi9 said:


> i had the same problem in my 00 540 and i was told by my mechanic that it was some kind of a steering wheel relay. Because my steering wheels controls for the radio would not work also.


Hello thanks everyone i am going to try to order this today, and see whats happens, i was wondering what did you mean by varnish, thanks again


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## bk540sport (Mar 8, 2004)

bk540sport said:


> Hello thanks everyone i am going to try to order this today, and see whats happens, i was wondering what did you mean by varnish, thanks again


I spoke to pacific bmw and a local one here in ny, they both said that if it were the ignition switch the car would start at all i am so confused?????


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## BrettInLJ (Oct 3, 2003)

Could the "Jim Cash Reset" help him with some of these electrical gremlins?


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## buddy (Dec 17, 2003)

*buddy*

I am not sure about the not work at all syndrome that usually happens when its dead but it very well could be a lose or badly soldered wire bmws were know for cold solder joints can you say lkm module or final stage blower resistor try removing the cover and when the problem occurs giggle the wires on the switch and see if it comes and goes but sounds like the ignition switch to me by the way it sounds like a nice car post some pictures. Also do the platinum 4 work for you they dont work well in my 90 e34 they just dont give off enough spark i have been told that pltinums dont work well in bimmers i know they sucked in my car all 30 bucks of them


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## bk540sport (Mar 8, 2004)

buddy said:


> I am not sure about the not work at all syndrome that usually happens when its dead but it very well could be a lose or badly soldered wire bmws were know for cold solder joints can you say lkm module or final stage blower resistor try removing the cover and when the problem occurs giggle the wires on the switch and see if it comes and goes but sounds like the ignition switch to me by the way it sounds like a nice car post some pictures. Also do the platinum 4 work for you they dont work well in my 90 e34 they just dont give off enough spark i have been told that pltinums dont work well in bimmers i know they sucked in my car all 30 bucks of them


Hey you know i think your right, i think i am going to check it out still tommorow, but the platinum 4's work well for my car, i have no problems so far, i just have to figure out how to post pics, thanks buddy for your info


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## bk540sport (Mar 8, 2004)

bk540sport said:


> Hey you know i think your right, i think i am going to check it out still tommorow, but the platinum 4's for well for my car, i have no problems so far, i just have to figure out how to post pics, thanks buddy for your info


Hello i forgot to mention something in my first post, my car does start every time, just not all the electrical functions i described, i have to do all things i described to get it to work, thank you


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## bk540sport (Mar 8, 2004)

bk540sport said:


> Hello i forgot to mention something in my first post, my car does start every time, just not all the electrical functions i described, i have to do all things i described to get it to work, thank you


Problem fixed so far, ignition switch it is,, car starts and runs fine, the only thing is the airbag light is still on, these cars are known for that, thanks


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## buddy (Dec 17, 2003)

*buddy*



bk540sport said:


> Problem fixed so far, ignition switch it is,, car starts and runs fine, the only thing is the airbag light is still on, these cars are known for that, thanks


Good deal i am glad that it worked for you the dealer should be able to reset that for you with no problem could have come from the brief power outage when changing the switch

You are on your way to be a BMW mechanic


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## bk540sport (Mar 8, 2004)

Hey buddy thanks, well the air bag light was on even when i had the problem, so i am thinking maybee seat sensor or seatbelt sensor, either way i have a freind who owns a small bme and mercedes shop, so he is going to reset it for me for now, thanks and have a good one


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## hg71 (Dec 23, 2004)

*how did you*



bk540sport said:


> Problem fixed so far, ignition switch it is,, car starts and runs fine, the only thing is the airbag light is still on, these cars are known for that, thanks


How did you get the bottom plastic off the steering column?

thanks :dunno:


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## Oscswa (Sep 23, 2004)

bk540sport said:


> Hey buddy thanks, well the air bag light was on even when i had the problem, so i am thinking maybee seat sensor or seatbelt sensor, either way i have a freind who owns a small bme and mercedes shop, so he is going to reset it for me for now, thanks and have a good one


Did your year come with rear airbags?

I had my rear airbags turned on by the dealer a few weeks back, when I got my car back the airbag light was on. I took it back in and although they turned on the airbags, they were not physicaly connected from the factory which caused the light to come on.

I'm not sure if this is the cause, but might give you some ideas.


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## E39spd (Mar 4, 2004)

Oscswa said:


> Did your year come with rear airbags?
> 
> I had my rear airbags turned on by the dealer a few weeks back, when I got my car back the airbag light was on. I took it back in and although they turned on the airbags, they were not physicaly connected from the factory which caused the light to come on.
> 
> I'm not sure if this is the cause, but might give you some ideas.


Alright, I am a little confused here, the E39's came with the rear side airbags, just not activated?

When did that start?


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## Oscswa (Sep 23, 2004)

E39spd said:


> Alright, I am a little confused here, the E39's came with the rear side airbags, just not activated?
> 
> When did that start?


I am not sure when they started offering rear airbags, but my understanding was that they always come deactivated from the factory. Then once it arrives at the dealer you have the option to have them turned on. I am guessing that they come deactivated for insurance reasons :dunno:

Rear airbag were options, I think they came part of a package though...Someone correct me on what package they came with. On my rear doors, on the corner of the leather side panels it says Airbag on both doors.


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## dgannon (Feb 2, 2005)

*Audio / Radio Failure E39 535 2000Mdl TV/NAV/Stereo*

Hi There,

I have an e39 2000 model 535. - TV/NAV system
Yesterday the radio / audio just stopped while I was driving.
Specifically the amber light next to the volume knob, which is usually on switched off, and the audio stopped. Also I noticed that where the radio station info is normally displayed on the top part of the tv screen it is not shown anymore. Also if I switch to tv mode I can see the stations picture, but no audio.

If I turn off the car for a some time more than just off and straight back on. The radio will start working again, However I have noticed that the preset stations are gone. After about 15minutes it fails again.

Have anyone got any ideas what is going on and how to fix this problem???
Many thanks for any help

David


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