1994 525i
 

Hello. New to this group:)
I recently bought my new/old BMW from a friend of mine.
My question is:
The dashboard computer kept signaling one of the taillights was out.
I replaced all bulbs on that side.
That side worked, but the next day, the other side went out.
Replaced those bulbs.
Same thing with the OTHER side I had just replaced....
To be sure, I checked the fuse box, and everything was in working order.
Also, the passenger window is acting strangely.
When I first bought the car, it did not work. About 1 month later, it
started working, then it stopped again lol.
There was no fuse for it:) Just had to make sure.
When you press the button, you can hear *something* happening, but no
movement. Would this be something akin to "off the track"? Do you think,
after obtaining the proper manual, it would be something I could fix?
OK last one, I swear! The driver's seat will move, but once it gets to a
certain degree forward, only one side moves and the other side stays still.
I have to sit a bit crooked:)
Since the motor still works, any ideas?
We were thinking of replacing the motor with one from a junkyard....
(If you cannot tell, I do most of my own repairs. I just have never had a
BMW before lol)
Thanking ya'll in advance,
Rainey

<Original Msg Snipped for brevity>
.... The dashboard computer kept signaling one of the taillights was out. ...
<End Snip>


Hi,
This is a very common problem on BMWs. I have had it on all 4 of the E36s
I have owned. If you do a Google search you will find a LOT of info on it.
Here's the 'skinny' as far as I have read... The 'on board computer'
monitors the resistance of the bulb citcuit to figure out if the bulbs are
burnt. The metal rings in the tail light housings (which the bulb modules
mount into) will corrode and/or deteroriate from minute electrical arching.
This increases the impedance in the circuit leading the 'on board computer'
to think you have a burnt bulb.
It's seriously a pain. Bad design and all that. A few sites said to try
dielectric bulb grease; however, that trick didn't work for me on any of my
cars. I just bought replacement housings on eBay. Worked like a charm.


See you on the highway,
Wayne K.

The issue with the electric windows is very common. I paid for them to be
repaired but then was told that the problem is that they come off some
runners.
Now what I do if they happen, is to hit (with my hand! Not a hammer) the
inside of door rround half way up and 1/3 from the left (see below) and it
sorts it every time !

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ikle

"Rainey" > wrote in message
news:a8MCd.13755$ce6.13067@lakeread07...
> Hello. New to this group:)
> I recently bought my new/old BMW from a friend of mine.
> My question is:
> The dashboard computer kept signaling one of the taillights was out.
> I replaced all bulbs on that side.
> That side worked, but the next day, the other side went out.
> Replaced those bulbs.
> Same thing with the OTHER side I had just replaced....
> To be sure, I checked the fuse box, and everything was in working order.
> Also, the passenger window is acting strangely.
> When I first bought the car, it did not work. About 1 month later, it
> started working, then it stopped again lol.
> There was no fuse for it:) Just had to make sure.
> When you press the button, you can hear *something* happening, but no
> movement. Would this be something akin to "off the track"? Do you think,
> after obtaining the proper manual, it would be something I could fix?
> OK last one, I swear! The driver's seat will move, but once it gets to a
> certain degree forward, only one side moves and the other side stays
> still. I have to sit a bit crooked:)
> Since the motor still works, any ideas?
> We were thinking of replacing the motor with one from a junkyard....
> (If you cannot tell, I do most of my own repairs. I just have never had a
> BMW before lol)
> Thanking ya'll in advance,
> Rainey
>

I've found that the up/down switches on my '93 E34 get a lot of gunk
(coffee, soda, etc) down in them due to their placement and occasionally
need to be taken out and cleaned.

Chip L

"Rainey" > wrote in message
news:a8MCd.13755$ce6.13067@lakeread07...
> Hello. New to this group:)
> I recently bought my new/old BMW from a friend of mine.
> My question is:
> The dashboard computer kept signaling one of the taillights was out.
> I replaced all bulbs on that side.
> That side worked, but the next day, the other side went out.
> Replaced those bulbs.
> Same thing with the OTHER side I had just replaced....
> To be sure, I checked the fuse box, and everything was in working order.
> Also, the passenger window is acting strangely.
> When I first bought the car, it did not work. About 1 month later, it
> started working, then it stopped again lol.
> There was no fuse for it:) Just had to make sure.
> When you press the button, you can hear *something* happening, but no
> movement. Would this be something akin to "off the track"? Do you think,
> after obtaining the proper manual, it would be something I could fix?
> OK last one, I swear! The driver's seat will move, but once it gets to a
> certain degree forward, only one side moves and the other side stays
still.
> I have to sit a bit crooked:)
> Since the motor still works, any ideas?
> We were thinking of replacing the motor with one from a junkyard....
> (If you cannot tell, I do most of my own repairs. I just have never had a
> BMW before lol)
> Thanking ya'll in advance,
> Rainey
>
>