I'm considering the purchase of a '99 740IL. It has a few items that need be attended to, I feel the worst being the climate control readout panel has botched pixels as if they've been rearranged or missing.

My question is whether that is due to a faulty panel or is it something further up the chain in a module or computer? Can I just get a new panel and pop it in as the repair or is this more serious?

Other than that being the main issue, the car is in great mechanical shape for 127k miles and I hope its the one for me. Anthracite on Grey

:alright

$700

www.vdorepair.com :)

The website that POPS posted is great. I have been looking for a while to find that BUT on the site it lists 740i. I have a 96 740iL. Will the one for the 740i fit in the 740iL or does anyone know where to find one for the 740iL.

Either way. Thanks POPS.

yes...the instrument cluster from 1995-2001 is basically the same...if you go to the online parts database: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/partxref.do?part=62106942179&showus=on ...you will see that all of the different part nbrs for the E38 (740i/il/750iL) instrument clusters have ENDED and there is one basic instrument cluster that BMW is using now for all e38s and the X5.

The only difference between the 740i and 740iL...is the 5.5" of extra leg room in the rear seat and longer rear doors...basically anything between the B pillar & C pillar that is affected by the additional 5.5"...everything fore of the B pillar and aft of the C pillar is the same....or if it goes across the width of the rear (will be un-affected). :)

The web site that POPS put up looks good, but the original question has not been answered. What actually causes the problem in the first place? I guess it would help if I knew how the system works. Can anyone explain it in fairly simple terms?