We just picked up a 1983 Euro 635, and we need help with a warning light. Between the left and right signal lights, there is an orange triangle with an exclaimaition mark flashing at me. What is this telling me? My german is not good enough to translate the owners manual, and what I have figured out is a bit vague.

The flashing yellow triangle with exclamation point warns that a fault has been detected in one of the check panel circuits. The warning can be cancelled by pressing the reset button on the check panel.

The brake light warning should come on each time the car is started until the brake pedal is applied. Once the brake pedal is pressed and a good circuit confirmed, then the brake light and warning triangle should turn off.

Other than the initial brake light warning, all other check circuits indicate a fault that requires attention. It is possible that one of the sensors or sensor wiring is at fault .

Is there also a glowing red light on the check panel to compliment the flashing yellow triangle on the instrument cluster? If so, post what is written below the light or just post the position of the light on the check panel.

Joe M in WV

If this is the light at the bottom of your gauge cluster, chk your brake fluid level, it might be low which makes the piece of metal on the float contact and complete the circuit which gives the warning. If you are low on brake fluid and you top it off.......you still have to wait a few seconds for the light to go off after you start the car.

Also, if you are low on fluid, chk for leaks.

lets see pics of this euro!

If this is the light at the bottom of your gauge cluster, chk your brake fluid level, it might be low which makes the piece of metal on the float contact and complete the circuit which gives the warning. If you are low on brake fluid and you top it off.......you still have to wait a few seconds for the light to go off after you start the car.

he wrote ORANGE and TRIANGLE between TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS. The 1st answer after the OP is correct.

Cheers
Wolf

WOKKE is correct. Please forgive.

Thank you for the information. I will try the reset to see if that helps. I have only had it a few days and am going through it to figure out what needs attention and what can wait. For example, my drivers side windows are not working so today I checked the fuses (all OK) and fluid levels (while I was in there) and found that there is a sludge in the coolant overflow tank that looks like it may contain oil. The oil on the dipstick looks good, but there may be oil leaking into the antifreeze.

Thank you for the information. I will try the reset to see if that helps. I have only had it a few days and am going through it to figure out what needs attention and what can wait. For example, my drivers side windows are not working so today I checked the fuses (all OK) and fluid levels (while I was in there) and found that there is a sludge in the coolant overflow tank that looks like it may contain oil. The oil on the dipstick looks good, but there may be oil leaking into the antifreeze.

If you have oil in your coolant either your head gasket is shot or (even worse) the head itself is cracked.
Some checks you can perform to verify this:

Does the car warm up? If not, you have exhaust gases in the coolant sitting in front of the thermostat preventing it from opening. Temp meter goes up into the red zone.

Check the backside of the cap of the valve cover. If it shows some white/brown sluggish residue you have a shot head gasket and/or head.

Check for bubbles in the overflow reservoir while the engine is running. Bubbles = exhaust gases.