As the oil temperature rises after a cold start, the amber bars on the tachometer get extinguished in 500 rpm increments indicating that it is "safe" to rev the engine higher (to the point of the next illuminated bar).

On my car, the last amber bar (between 7500 and 8000 rpm) never extinguishes. Shouldn't it go out when the engine is at operating temperature?

Mine never goes away either. I treat it like it is red and never shift beyond that

Mine never goes away either. I treat it like it is red and never shift beyond that

Thanks for the response - The owner's manual suggests we treat it like it is the red zone also, but if 7500 is truly the limit, why not make the red bar start there? I suspect this is not right given the way all the bmw literature (ex: brochures) point out the 8000 RPM redline...but at least I now know this is consistent with at least one other M-Coupe out there, so I'm not freaked out by it. :)

Mine is like that too! In previous cars ive treated the yellow as a caution zone, and shift in it... im not past break in yet on my coupe so I havent decided where to shift in this car yet :)

the m3 complete vehicle manual states:
The tachometer incorporates the cold engine warning LEDs that were introduced with the
E39 M5. Starting at 4000 RPM, orange LEDs are illuminated with a cold engine start up.
The LEDs will go out, in 500 RPM increments, as the engine warms up. The MS S54 engine
control system monitors the engine oil temperature and signals the instrument cluster over
the CAN line for operation of the oil temperature gauge and illumination of the LEDs."
source: http://e30.mit.edu/PDFs/M3%20Complete%20Vehicle.pdf

so my guess is under normal fwy driving we are not 'warming up' the engine hot enough for the last orange bar to turn off. perhaps if it's driven at high speeds long enough, under track driving conditions, it may go away. but i stand to be corrected on this, it's just a guess. mine behaves like the rest of yours.

thread jack... (sorry Roland!) Any one else think the S54 is especially noisy during the cold start program? Mine almost sounds like piston slap or at least something is knocking internally. I'm sure the engine isn't going to grenade but it is noisy...just past the breakin period, fluids just dumped less then 100 kms ago.

thread jack... (sorry Roland!) Any one else think the S54 is especially noisy during the cold start program? Mine almost sounds like piston slap or at least something is knocking internally. I'm sure the engine isn't going to grenade but it is noisy...just past the breakin period, fluids just dumped less then 100 kms ago.


No problem. I don't find mine to be particularly noisy when cold. I didn't realize you've been driving so much - you are now 100 km ahead of me! I gotta' go drive around some tonight! :stickoutt

...
so my guess is under normal fwy driving we are not 'warming up' the engine hot enough for the last orange bar to turn off. perhaps if it's driven at high speeds long enough, under track driving conditions, it may go away. but i stand to be corrected on this, it's just a guess. mine behaves like the rest of yours.

Thanks. I guess I'll ask the dealership and see what they have to say. The manual (and description you quoted) give no indication that the last light would stay on when at full operating temperature - they imply all the amber lights should go out. I can't believe you gotta' get it insanely hot to extinguish the last light bar...seems silly.

No problem. I don't find mine to be particularly noisy when cold. I didn't realize you've been driving so much - you are now 100 km ahead of me! I gotta' go drive around some tonight! :stickoutt

I only noticed this when after firing up the car and then realizing I forgot something in the truck...try it if you don't mind and let me know if it seems to knock on idle after running for a minute or two...only string is you have to be outside of the car and it needs to be stone cold...no big deal, I'm sure.

I still have the oins holding my arm, were supposed to be oulled last Monday but they decided to leave them in for another week...driving the Coupe when I can though!

That last yellow light never goes out. Same for E46 M3s.

Hey Hack,

Ya know how the e46 M3 with SMG and the 05+ e46 M3's have that when the car hits redline the tach lights up, do you know if that is the case with the MZ as well?

I have not redlined the car yet.:rolleyes

Hey Hack,

Ya know how the e46 M3 with SMG and the 05+ e46 M3's have that when the car hits redline the tach lights up, do you know if that is the case with the MZ as well?

I have not redlined the car yet.:rolleyes
No, it doesn't, and I'm disappointed by that. The yellow lights go all the way back to 4K, so it's the same guts of the tach.
First couple times I was up near redline I actually hit the rev limiter as i was expecting to see the yellow lights light up.
I thought it was an SMG thing, but your post implies that 05+ M3 w/ 6 speed does it too? That only fuels my confusion.

Hey Hack,

Ya know how the e46 M3 with SMG and the 05+ e46 M3's have that when the car hits redline the tach lights up, do you know if that is the case with the MZ as well?

I have not redlined the car yet.:rolleyes

OMG what are you waiting for? :D

The shift light is only on SMG equipped cars I think. I can probably look into it and see if it's something that can be activated through a car program setting.:cool

I only noticed this when after firing up the car and then realizing I forgot something in the truck...try it if you don't mind and let me know if it seems to knock on idle after running for a minute or two...only string is you have to be outside of the car and it needs to be stone cold...no big deal, I'm sure.

I still have the oins holding my arm, were supposed to be oulled last Monday but they decided to leave them in for another week...driving the Coupe when I can though!

Ollie - glad you are nearing the end of having an arm full of pins! I'll check out the cold start noise as you suggest this weekend and get back to you next week about it.

Thanks everyone - I feel much better about my tachometer now :)

Ollie - glad you are nearing the end of having an arm full of pins! I'll check out the cold start noise as you suggest this weekend and get back to you next week about it.

Sweet, thanks a lot! Can't wait to enter the world of 2 handed typing again lol!

Yeah, so this yellow bar thing isn't just there during the engine break-in period? I thought I heard that somewhere for some random car. I'm probably wrong then. lol

The new 5 series (why do I say new? The car's been out since 2003!) has a mechanical version of that that winds around these little white bars and slowly brings them in as the engine warms up (as there is no engine temp gauge). I don't think, if I remember correctly, that they ever go away completely either.