Our 320d has been running well since it had it's third (!) turbo 18 months ago, but it has two malfunctions of the dashboard display:
i. The fuel economy readout is always 7.1mpg - even though the moving needle display works correctly and the car actually returns about 51mpg.
ii. A outline of the car, together with a red lamp symbol appears on the dash sometimes even though all the bulbs are ok. Whilst driving these features cycle on and off for periods of several minutes for no obvious reason and with no apparent link to use of the lights or brakes etc.
I suspect there may be something simple like a poor connection that I could rectify myself if I knew where to look. Perhaps some damp in a connector?
Any help gratefully received, thanks in advance.
Steve K
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Check the multi-pin connectors that attach to both rear lamps.It is possible that the earth contact pin has melted/overheated in the plastic fitting.hth
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Yes, I had a BMW a while back, upon ignition it would show a fault with the brake lights(red light) even though the bulbs worked fine. Must be a feature:-)
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Yep, I had this with my E46. The front Side Lights were working fine but the warning light came on frequently. Funnily enough my mate had the same problem and recommended I replace the bulbs. Did that and haven't had a warning light since, that was over a year ago now.
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I have experienced the same problem with the rear lamp warning light. Took elekie&a/c doctor's advice and found that one of the contact pins has melted in the plastic fitting.
Is there anyway I can rectify this fault at home without taking it to dealer?
If not, roughly how much would a dealer charge to repair this?
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Thanks 'doctor for your suggestion.
I took apart most of the light fitting connectors and reconnected them, also took out the bulbs and looked for corrosion. Thought I'd found the problem with a slightly corroded bulb cap in the boot lid but it was in fact working ok. Then while kneeling behind the car with the lights on I noticed that the o/s tail lamps were not quite as bright as the n/s so I took the bulbs out and cleaned the contacts and - it worked ! The warning light has gone out. The monitoring of the bulbs must be really sensitive to detect such a small discrepancy.
Pleased with this success I tackled the MPG reading and found in the manual that it can be zeroed, so I did this and then took the car for a drive. The MPG reading is up and running again, it must have 'frozen' somehow.
Steve K
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Thank you Captaincarwash for your update, it is always nice to know what the problem was and how one cured it. Not a lot of people on this site tell us the outcome of their problems. Happy motoring.
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Hi there Captain,
Glad to hear your light problem was just the usual, corrosion, bad earth scenario.
Why has your car had 3 turbos? Sounds excessive. Make sure the turbo/crankcase breather/seperator is changed annually to keep the oil pressue correct. Only 30 quid from BMW parts and easy to fit. These can get blocked casuing excessive oil pressure to wear the turbo oil seals. Also only use BMW approved fully synthetic oil and change it at 6 monthly intervals to keep the turbo well lubricated.
Have a look on www.bmwland.co.uk for more info about the turbo breather.
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Hello Rich,
You may be aware that the 320d from 2001-3 suffered from turbo problems. I think the engine had just been uprated from 135hp to 150hp but the turbo was not a match for the extra power. A quick Google should reveal many tales of woe. Anyway, we were pleased to find that our car had received a replacement turbo at 25k and felt confident that at 75k when purchased it would be good. It wasn't. At about 85k the turbo failed again, fortunately near home so the car got back without losing the oil and blowing up the engine. Others have not been so lucky. It consumed the whole sumpful during the ten mile drive to the garage (red light came on just as I arrived) and had earlier left a smokescreen over a roundabout as I pulled away (!). A replacement turbo from Turbo Technics in Northampton (nice people, recommended) was fitted locally at a total cost approaching UKP1k. The present tubo is an uprated version and the ecu has been remapped by BMW so we are not expecting any more problems like this.
I use Millers synthetic oil and replace it when the service interval light comes on. At the last Mot the examiner mentioned that the exhaust was smokey and it had just started burning oil. As you say, this was the breather being choked and I shall now be changing it at every second oil change as I understand BMW do.
The mpg readout is still working but I seem to have been premature in declaring the warning light remedied - it has come back on again. It looks like I'll have to remove and replace the bulbs again or perhaps swap them around or change them. Bit of a pain really.
Steve K
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You've probably fixed it by now but as someone has suggested check the earth contact pins in the plug connectors. Mine were completely burnt through. Easy fix; extract earth wire from plug, cut off old spade terminal, put new wider one on and connect direct to the conveniently supplied connection point on the earth circuit on the circuit board. I then checked the other side lights and the same mod had already been done. No diplay warning lights coming on or erratic indicators since.
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