Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 25 of 62

Thread: crazy instrument cluster...switch on/off himself

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    croatia
    Posts
    846
    My Cars
    BMW m3 e36 1994

    crazy instrument cluster...switch on/off himself

    m3 e36 instrument cluster is crazy. No rules or timing when he switch on/off himself. How to repair this shit? I read some topics here but no resolution for this. Diagnose dont show anything related to cluster. I try to switch off door gong bellow steering wheel but no help. When this occur bord computer display light much lighter. Sometimes short distance counter is reset to zerro. all fuses is good. no any previous work on electronics.

    here is simptoms
    [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yL8u6FMBHNw[/ame]
    Last edited by foler; 06-27-2009 at 07:36 AM.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ocrvaw3d4UM Dont drive over limited speed!!! Drive safely......

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    SD, Cali, USA
    Posts
    11,707
    My Cars
    1995 M3, 1985 745i , S13 240sx sr20det
    Might be the harnesses in back are loose. Try tapping on the dashboard above it with your hand and see if that affects anything.


    95 BMW M3 Alpine-
    <GO...JIC Cross Coilovers- UUC RCAB, AKG FCAB, Rogue Engineering TM bushings- AA Gen3 Exhaust- Dinan F&R Strut Bars- Dinan F&R Sway Bars- X-Brace- Mishimoto Rad- BBS RK 17x8"- TRM Chip- Dinan BBTB- DIY CAI- JP Performance Headers- 21.5 injectors- JB Racing Flywheel- Bimmerworld TB boot- 540i MAF><SHOW...OE euro clear exterior lights- Depo w/ HID- Hurricane Alcantara interior- Stereo (Kenwood,Sony,MB Quart,Rockford Fosgate,JL Audio)- Black kidneys- Euro 3 Spoke- ZHP Knob- AutoDim Mirror>

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    croatia
    Posts
    846
    My Cars
    BMW m3 e36 1994
    no effects
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ocrvaw3d4UM Dont drive over limited speed!!! Drive safely......

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    OH
    Posts
    329
    My Cars
    '95 M3 '07 SV650S
    I have the exact same problem.... sometimes it goes off for a few secs. Sometimes for minutes/hours. It hasn't happened recently, but used to do it alot a year ago. I figured it was a bad ground in the back. I normally do something to cause a surge in power to the instrument cluster. Turn the lights on/off... hit the check control button... mess with the brightness switch. Sometimes that works.

    "Don't run out of talent mid corner..."

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    San Jose, Costa Rica
    Posts
    43
    My Cars
    325
    Seems like i just joined the club, my instrument cluster has the exact same problem, It just simply started happening without any previous warning a few days ago.

    I checked the fuses and everything is ok, I read somewhere that the instrument cluster is wired independently from all other systems, but does it have like a module controling it?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    N/A
    Posts
    1,284
    My Cars
    N/A
    bad ground, or a silly computer

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Madison,WI
    Posts
    463
    My Cars
    E91
    My guess is bad connection as back of cluster. Your cluster is acting as if its losing power cause when it comes back on its acting just like when you first start/turn key on.
    You ask any ricer, any serious ricer. It doesn't matter if the other guy is racing or not. A win is a win.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    San Jose, Costa Rica
    Posts
    43
    My Cars
    325

    Exclamation

    I just found this..

    http://www.peakeresearch.com/siboard.htm


    Could that be the case here? I know that refers to pre 1990 Bmw's.

    I've also read on several places, that the only way to correct this is to buy a new cluster (very expensive) or get an used one, but due to the difference in the milage between the cluster and the car's computer a red dot will come up, so you'll have to take it to the dealership to have it adjusted.

    I also found this...


    Test 9: Distance reading - this allows the total stored mileage to be updated if one of the storage components has to be replaced. This test step will be used if the manipulation dot is illuminated in the cluster display. This display will show the component with the lower mileage.

    For example:

    · Display of 012654 l indicates that the mileage in the internal EEPROM is lower than the mileage stored in the coding plug.

    · Display of 000325 E indicates that the mileage in external coding plug is lower then the total mileage stored in the internal EEPROM.

    Pressing the reset button for 4 seconds will over write the lower mileage with the higher mileage and cancel the manipulation dot. The SI data will also be transferred at the same time.


    http://www.oprekbmw.com/index.php/ma...-e36-1992-1999


    More madness...

    http://bmwe32.masscom.net/johan/dash...dash_caps.html

    capacitor replacement?
    Last edited by Iotran; 07-13-2009 at 08:58 PM.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    croatia
    Posts
    846
    My Cars
    BMW m3 e36 1994
    now one more problem:
    trip meter reset himself to zero not always...
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ocrvaw3d4UM Dont drive over limited speed!!! Drive safely......

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Melb,Australia
    Posts
    577
    My Cars
    3.0 Euro M3, 328is track
    My car has started doing this too.

    took me 45mins to get home from work, and it was doing it alot for the first 10mins then was ok for the rest.

    Weird,


    BLAKE AuST

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2001
    Location
    SF Bay Area - East Bay
    Posts
    5,848
    My Cars
    2015 435i M Sport
    FWIW - I replaced my cluster over the weekend.

    I have a 1995 (11/95 build) US M3. My car has 172k miles. The instrument cluster would power off on it's own, flip on/off, etc. I replaced the cluster over the last weekend with one from a 94 Euro/UK M3. No more issues.

    My best guess, over time and heat, the stock cluster just dies.

    When I pulled the OEM one out, there's NOTHING you can see wrong with it. It's clean and shiny so...
    BMW CCA Member 186373 - Golden Gate Chapter
    Former (e)Bombe Magazine Editor, "The Toy Box" product review writer | Current member of Team Jesus



    Gone: 1995 E36 M3 Arctik Silber, 1996 E36 M3 Cosmos, 1991 E30 318is Cosmos

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Dallas, TX
    Posts
    1,198
    My Cars
    95 Arktissilber M3
    Looks like maybe the cluster's memory chip is going bad, at least that's what it was in my cluster when it was acting like that.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Walpole Ma
    Posts
    661
    My Cars
    97 M3/2/5 & S/C M3/4/5
    I cannot see the video (no youtube at work) But i had the same problem. all of my gauges would dance. Turned out there were two seperate shorts causing it. One was a bare wire left cut by the previous owner from a aftermarket stereo install. Then another short under my ashtray where the illuminated shiftknob had been tapped in.

    my 2 cents. goodluck.

    CURRENT: '97 M3, '97 M3/4/5 S/C PAST: '81 320i Widebody / '99 M3/ '98 DINAN 323is/ '87 944 Turbo
    2011 Boston BMWCCA Auto-X Rookie of the Year
    www.WileMotorsport.com

  14. #14
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Melb,Australia
    Posts
    577
    My Cars
    3.0 Euro M3, 328is track
    Hey mate, not sure if you have solved this or not?

    I replaced my Cluster and now all is ok, it never turns off now

    BLAKE AuST

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    croatia
    Posts
    846
    My Cars
    BMW m3 e36 1994
    thanks for info..but i dont have car anymore...in 2013 i will come back with ls3 e36

  16. #16
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Melb,Australia
    Posts
    577
    My Cars
    3.0 Euro M3, 328is track
    Quote Originally Posted by foler View Post
    thanks for info..but i dont have car anymore...in 2013 i will come back with ls3 e36
    Man that would be sick!

    My dream is built 2jz or something crazy!

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    croatia
    Posts
    846
    My Cars
    BMW m3 e36 1994
    yea..ls376/525 engine, t56 magnum, ls7 clutch...all brand new...if i have money i will buy rieger infinity widebody 2 kit...

  18. #18
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Melb,Australia
    Posts
    577
    My Cars
    3.0 Euro M3, 328is track
    Quote Originally Posted by foler View Post
    yea..ls376/525 engine, t56 magnum, ls7 clutch...all brand new...if i have money i will buy rieger infinity widebody 2 kit...
    My mate has a LS2/t56 in his Holden VY Commodore wagon, would be porn in an e36!

    Do it!

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    croatia
    Posts
    846
    My Cars
    BMW m3 e36 1994
    yes, i collect money. I sit on 6000$ but I need minimum 18000$ for parts from usa. My problem is that I am from europe and I need much more planning than boys from usa.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Hungary
    Posts
    127
    My Cars
    1992 BMW E30 Touring

    Solution for E36 cluster swich on/off himself :)

    Hi,

    Today i took a job on a beemer and i ran into the same problem what you guys have.
    I tried to search solution on the net but i did not find any useful solution,just questions.
    I dismantled the cluster,and i tried to find the faulty part,and i found it!
    So i solved this mistery.
    All you need to re-solder two legs of quartz,in the back of the IKE circuit board.
    Here are the photos of the job.
    Everybody enjoy!
    Attached Images Attached Images
    • File Type: jpg 1.JPG (132.9 KB, 1062 views)
    • File Type: jpg 2.JPG (137.7 KB, 1070 views)

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    croatia
    Posts
    846
    My Cars
    BMW m3 e36 1994
    Quote Originally Posted by TudiBMW View Post
    Hi,

    Today i took a job on a beemer and i ran into the same problem what you guys have.
    I tried to search solution on the net but i did not find any useful solution,just questions.
    I dismantled the cluster,and i tried to find the faulty part,and i found it!
    So i solved this mistery.
    All you need to re-solder two legs of quartz,in the back of the IKE circuit board.
    Here are the photos of the job.
    Everybody enjoy!
    I will hate you if this is true. My cluster is flashed with different software from friend car and I spend fortune to repair this.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ocrvaw3d4UM Dont drive over limited speed!!! Drive safely......

  22. #22
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Hungary
    Posts
    127
    My Cars
    1992 BMW E30 Touring
    Quote Originally Posted by foler View Post
    I will hate you if this is true. My cluster is flashed with different software from friend car and I spend fortune to repair this.
    Haha..
    Not need to be hate me...
    I think it works because i test it now on this minute,and it is working well.
    It was a cold soldering problem.

    The quartz is a very important part in a digital circuit.
    So if it faults,or soldering fault in a soldering point (like cold soldering fault) it can cause faults,like this.
    And in this time the quartz soldering point was the fault.
    Before i re-solder i checked the soldering with microscope.
    And it was faulty...

  23. #23
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Florida Panhandle/ Ohio
    Posts
    7,318
    My Cars
    14 JGC/13 E88 128i
    I posted a solution to this problem maybe 10 times. However you are the first I know of to pin point for your cluster the problem with a cold solder failure.
    This is similar to the climate control which also when it goes haywire does the exact same thing and is the exact same problem.
    The E30 community knows this since many clusters have this same failure but not as hard to take apart as our cluster is. I have repaired a number of E30 clusters but mine is still working fine with an occasional left deflection and I didn't plan to fix it until it was happening a lot.

    Good job and I wonder if this is the location of other E36 cluster cold solder failures similar to the climate control being resoldering a 0.47 microfarad capacitor.

    This should be a sticky if any mod reads this because it is getting to be more common for out E36's.
    Again good job...
    Last edited by fun2drive; 02-12-2013 at 02:02 PM.
    BMWCCA 149159

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    New Haven, CT
    Posts
    853
    My Cars
    95 E36 M, XC70
    So you basically heat those two joints up to allow the solder to reflow? Good to know?

  25. #25
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Hungary
    Posts
    127
    My Cars
    1992 BMW E30 Touring
    Quote Originally Posted by hcaleman View Post
    So you basically heat those two joints up to allow the solder to reflow? Good to know?
    Before fix this problem, you must remove the varnish first.
    And then just use a soldering pen or something soldering tool,and re-solder.
    Use a little bit soldering wire to solder it well.
    Reflow is not enough because the tin is old and it won't be melt good enough.

    Not too difficult.
    Nothing difficult if you know the solution....
    Last edited by TudiBMW; 02-12-2013 at 03:34 PM.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8cLyrNQX6A <- My E30 Touring with E46 M3 engine

Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •