It's a tough call as to which one you need, my guess is you can clean the
contacts of the fuel level sensor and it will work again.

Your description of the "trip computer" on my car is a button called RANGE.
This display worked on my car until the number of miles remaining - the
range - got to 0 (zero). That is, if I refilled with 50 miles remaining, the
display continued to count down until the range became 0, at which point
the --- was displayed. On my car, the fuel level would intermittantly return
to working status at some point into the fuel load, then display properly
until the next time it screwed up.

I pulled the right side fuel level sensor and cleaned the contacts with
contact cleaner and a business card. The sensor arm has a sweeper contact on
it that makes contact with a contact strip on the base. I cleaned my sensor
twice, but the first time I neglected to clean the sweeper. To clean the
sweeper, get a rough surface business card and GENTLY slip it between the
sweeper and the contact strip, and GENTLY move it around. The first few
strokes will draw a black line on the business card, when the black lines
are no longer being drawn, the sweeper is clean. Then, use one of those
typewriter erasers - the course type that look similar to a pencil is what I
used - to polish the contact strip.

I cleaned my fuel level sensors about 6 months ago and have had reliable
fuel level readings ever since. In the States, the sensor costs 100 for the
left side, and 150 for the right. The right side sensor includes the fuel
pump.






"Jay" <sales@*remove this bit*knickershop.co.uk> wrote in message
...
> I have an 1998 S Reg E39 528i and a few weeks back fuel gauge stopped
> working completely - no warning just didnt move at all when I started the
> car. The trip computer has stopped working too and is just showing "---
> miles" on the display.
>
> I left it into BMW today and they have told me it needs a new fuel sender
> unit and want they are gonna charge about £170 for the privelege . I have
> looked online and I can get the part for about £25 and it doesnt look a
big
> job to replace myself but the problem is there is an option for both "E39
> FUEL SENDER RT-HAND SIDE RIGHT-HAND SIDE" and "E39 FUEL SENDER LFT-HAND
SIDE
> LEFT-HAND SIDE" and Im not sure which I need or if indeed I need both,
> anyone got any ideas?
>
> TIA
>
> Jase
>
>