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Thread: Cluster Question: Coding Plug

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
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    184

    Default Cluster Question: Coding Plug

    Where is it? How do I remove it? This is where the mileage is stored correct?
    Thanks
    1992 525i Touring M50 5spd Manual 230k+ miles - SOLD:-(

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Posts
    4,150

    Default No, mileage is stored in

    2 places. To keep people from tampering with the odometers easily. The coding plug on your car is on the back of the dash cluster.




    Quote Originally Posted by stilljester
    Where is it? How do I remove it? This is where the mileage is stored correct?
    Thanks


  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
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    184

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Bill R.
    2 places. To keep people from tampering with the odometers easily. The coding plug on your car is on the back of the dash cluster.
    Ok, my LCD screen is on the way out and I want to keep my original mileage when I install the new(used) cluster. How do make this happen?
    1992 525i Touring M50 5spd Manual 230k+ miles - SOLD:-(

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
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    4,150

    Default Your replacement cluster needs to be the

    same production date or newer than the old one your replacing. You just remove the coding plug from the back of the cluster and transfer it to the new one. Battery disconnected during this whole process. Don't reconnect the battery until the cluster is in. Sometimes you have to pull the OBC as well and disconnect it briefly after the new cluster is installed in order for it to synch. with the cluster.



    Quote Originally Posted by stilljester
    Ok, my LCD screen is on the way out and I want to keep my original mileage when I install the new(used) cluster. How do make this happen?
    Last edited by Bill R.; 12-27-2007 at 03:44 AM.


  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Albuquerque, NM
    Posts
    953

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Bill R.
    Sometimes you have to pull the OBC as well and disconnect it briefly after the new cluster is installed in order for it to synch. with the cluster.
    Bill, re-sync'ing the OBC with the cluster, do you do that with or without disconnecting the battery? My cluster/CCM display has really gotting weird lately.

    Thanks,

    Don
    gale
    92 735i 5-spd, turbo project finally underway!


  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Posts
    4,150

    Default You pull the obc out with the power still

    connected and unplug it at the obc, wait at least 2 minutes (i think) and then hook it back up. Somewhere there's a tsb about it. I don't know how much effect it will have on the cluster, its mostly to give the obc the correct info and allow the obc to display on the CCM display correctly.



    Quote Originally Posted by gale
    Bill, re-sync'ing the OBC with the cluster, do you do that with or without disconnecting the battery? My cluster/CCM display has really gotting weird lately.

    Thanks,

    Don


  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Albuquerque, NM
    Posts
    953

    Default

    Thanks. Mine has really wigged out. I swapped OBC's a couple weeks ago, right after having the cluster out -- all with the battery disconnected. After re-connecting the battery, the OBC went into "pppp" mode & wouldn't reset, & the gauge cluster went autistic & wouldn't display anything. I disconnected the battery & removed the cluster & re-seated all the connectors & everything went back to normal, only now, the CCM display in the cluster LCD backlight stays on constantly with the key off. It's doing really strange things. Whatever is on display in the CCM (usually time of day) blinks with the left blinker. The outside blinkers display normal, right is normal, but left instrument blinker display is now faint or non-existent & half the time I get a gong & "Check Control" when taking the key out. Kinda weird. I swapped CCM modules in the fuse box with a known good one and makes no difference. Removing fuse 20 extinguishes the backlight, & if left out for a few minutes & plugged back in, the backlight will sometimes stay out & other times comes back on after 20 or 30 seconds. I've removed, checked, and re-seated just about every fuse & relay I can get to, including the ones under the back seat and even Shogun's "hidden" OBC fuse under the left rear seat bracket slot. Who knows? Maybe the OBC has problems? Electrical problems can be a biatch to resolve sometimes.

    If "re-sync'ing" the OBC doesn't snap it out of it, I'll do the capacitor fix. If it's still wiggy, I'll look for another good used cluster & swap coding plugs. If it has problems after that, I have a new coding plug I've been saving for a rainy day and will get the dealer to flash it & transfer the odo & VIN info.

    Not sure what else to make of it. Battery is good but gets drained down to slower cranking after sitting a few days with the backlight illuminated. If push comes to shove and it can't be resolved, I'll just tuck a toggle switch under the dash or maybe even a normally-open relay to disconnect the fuse 20 circuit when the key is off.
    gale
    92 735i 5-spd, turbo project finally underway!


  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Posts
    184

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Bill R.
    same production date or newer than the old one your replacing. You just remove the coding plug from the back of the cluster and transfer it to the new one. Battery disconnected during this whole process. Don't reconnect the battery until the cluster is in. Sometimes you have to pull the OBC as well and disconnect it briefly after the new cluster is installed in order for it to synch. with the cluster.
    Thank you - I didn't realize you had to cut it out.
    1992 525i Touring M50 5spd Manual 230k+ miles - SOLD:-(

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