Few snags with my German Mistress...

[White535Mtl]

I wanted to post a few problems up at the same time. Maybe you guys could help me.

1- When driving under medium, heavy rain, the car gets the "Check Engine" light on and starts acting really weird. If under heavy rain, the car would just completely start sputtering and then stall. Medium rain, it would sputter for a day or two all throughout the band. I checked the the code and it read 1211 - for the DME control unit.

2- My reverse light does not come on when I reverse it, which makes it sometimes dangerous driving. Checked the fuse box; everything seems normal.

3- Sometimes when turning the steering wheel, the car would start humming. Probably a belt slipping or something.

4- And lastly, I can't pull up more than 2 windows at a time. If I try, then one would stop going up. Is this normal?

Thanks in advance for the help.
Fred

[uscharalph]

I wanted to post a few problems up at the same time. Maybe you guys could help me.

1- When driving under medium, heavy rain, the car gets the "Check Engine" light on and starts acting really weird. If under heavy rain, the car would just completely start sputtering and then stall. Medium rain, it would sputter for a day or two all throughout the band. I checked the the code and it read 1211 - for the DME control unit.

2- My reverse light does not come on when I reverse it, which makes it sometimes dangerous driving. Checked the fuse box; everything seems normal.

3- Sometimes when turning the steering wheel, the car would start humming. Probably a belt slipping or something.

4- And lastly, I can't pull up more than 2 windows at a time. If I try, then one would stop going up. Is this normal?

Thanks in advance for the help.
Fred

#2 - Search something like "Trunk Hinge Wire" and you might find your culprit. The wires on the trunk hinge are prone to problems.

#4 - Are you talking about the one-touch window function?

[White535Mtl]

#2 - Search something like "Trunk Hinge Wire" and you might find your culprit. The wires on the trunk hinge are prone to problems.

#4 - Are you talking about the one-touch window function?

#2= Thanks I'll look that up right away

#4 - No; Whenever the unit gets more than two commands at the same time, one has to stop. Example: I would pull up the two front windows from the front console. If someone would happen to be in the back at the same time and try to pull up their back window, either the front passenger or driver window would stop going up, while I'd have my finger on it

[dacoyote]

#1 Does it do it when it's just sitting there, at 25mph? freeway speeds, you could have something exposed and the water is getting on it.

#4 is per design, it sucks.. but I think every e34 does it.

-Charles

[wengenstein]

#2 - you checked the fuse(s) but what about the bulbs?

#3 - you need power steering fluid

#4 - like they said, it sucks...

Dennis

[Kalevera]

Check the backup switch in the center console.

Window motors have a huge current draw on the car's electrical system. In fact, the battery can be drained on an E34 with a bunch of window operations sans the engine running, to the point where it won't start (yes, I've done it). The power requirement of four simultaneous window lifts is why <some> E30/4 cars have breaker switches right next to the window switches. The theory is that if you allow the user to move four windows at once, the fuse (30a) may blow. Since the probability of it happening is so high, the breaker is there to save the fuse. By the E34, they designed the rule into the GM and/or RM (I'm not sure which -- probably the GM, as the RM has a relay for each window's down operation, while two do the closing). By the E36, they'd come up with a better way to do it entirely.

For their day, the electrics were quite well designed. BMW was the first company to implement integrated connectors into an automobile. Without the networking of modules in the car, the wiring harness would be exponentially larger.

Oh, and on the power steering issue -- what color is the (probably ATF) fluid in the reservoir? Brown? Time to change it. If you do change it and the refill, after sufficient bleeding of the system, only makes it noiser: it's time to replace the pump. The pump should strain at steering lock and make some noise, and it's silly to leave the wheel there for very long periods of time. A loose v belt would snap after slipping for a while.

best, whit

[genphreak]

with the reverse lights, if your car has a towbar (and harness) that could be part of the problem. The factory one has a relay box beside the amp in the driver's (US car) quarter panel... if not, chk for;

12V at the lights, the relay outputs (perhaps the LKM (I think it controls every light) and then at the loom, but you'll find the problem is probably in a wear zone on the the loom where it is tied to the boot hinge - a lot of people talk about problems here. If not, it could be in something under the back seat (if you have to go that far) there are relays and fuses there too- but they don't usually need user assistance GP

[White535Mtl]

Check the backup switch in the center console.

Window motors have a huge current draw on the car's electrical system. In fact, the battery can be drained on an E34 with a bunch of window operations sans the engine running, to the point where it won't start (yes, I've done it). The power requirement of four simultaneous window lifts is why <some> E30/4 cars have breaker switches right next to the window switches. The theory is that if you allow the user to move four windows at once, the fuse (30a) may blow. Since the probability of it happening is so high, the breaker is there to save the fuse. By the E34, they designed the rule into the GM and/or RM (I'm not sure which -- probably the GM, as the RM has a relay for each window's down operation, while two do the closing). By the E36, they'd come up with a better way to do it entirely.

For their day, the electrics were quite well designed. BMW was the first company to implement integrated connectors into an automobile. Without the networking of modules in the car, the wiring harness would be exponentially larger.

Oh, and on the power steering issue -- what color is the (probably ATF) fluid in the reservoir? Brown? Time to change it. If you do change it and the refill, after sufficient bleeding of the system, only makes it noiser: it's time to replace the pump. The pump should strain at steering lock and make some noise, and it's silly to leave the wheel there for very long periods of time. A loose v belt would snap after slipping for a while.

best, whit

regarding the window issue, is there anything that can be done? Or that's just the way they were made and better left this way?

And thanks for the tip for the steering fluid. I'll read it up on the Bentley and perform the change when I get the time. The fluid is brown

[genphreak]

regarding the window issue, is there anything that can be done? Or that's just the way they were made and better left this way?

And thanks for the tip for the steering fluid. I'll read it up on the Bentley and perform the change when I get the time. The fluid is brown

No you shouldn't go drawing that much current from the battery ever. I've seen lesser cars have all sorts of problems w fuses, burnt switches, flat batteries and so on from users expecting the windows to be powered by fusion engines...

I use one at a time usually, 2 perhaps when the engine is running- this saves your battery from a bad drain once the car is shut-down. GP

[White535Mtl]

No you shouldn't go drawing that much current from the battery ever. I've seen lesser cars have all sorts of problems w fuses, burnt switches, flat batteries and so on from users expecting the windows to be powered by fusion engines...

I use one at a time usually, 2 perhaps when the engine is running- this saves your battery from a bad drain once the car is shut-down. GP

Alright
Thanks for the tip.