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Thread: My car has a sense of humor.

  1. #1
    Join Date
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    My car has a sense of humor.

    I have had a love/hate relationship with my E36 vert ever since the day I got it. When it is all working right, I think it is one of the most fun, beautiful cars ever. It is peppy, handles great, and you can put the top down. What is not to love? But on the other hand, there is always something that isn't quite right on my car. I could write a huge entry of all the things that have gone wrong with my car since owning it, but I don't have that kind of time or energy. A couple of the repeating quirks are:

    1. The left rear turn signal sometimes quits working. I have to stop and twist the bulb holder a tad and it starts working again.
    2. My dash lights sometimes don't come on. Sometimes they will work for months. Sometimes they won't work for months. Sometimes they will come on, stay on for a minute or so then shut off. As if to say, yes we are here and we CAN work, but we are not going to now.

    Both of these issues I have really worked hard to fix, but I can never quite get it done. Or I think I have it fixed then the problem comes back. Yes, my car is laughing at me.

    So the other day, I had about 6 check engine codes that had recently come on, so I was fixing them. I changed the VANOS solenoid, and the crank sensor. I also replaced my headlights. After completing the work, I started up the car and was watching to see how it ran. I noticed the temp gauge suddenly began to rise from "normal" to the red-zone. I immediately shut off the car. Now, nothing I did should have affected the temperature or the cooling system. It was a bit of a mystery. Plus I had completely redone the cooling system less than a year ago and it had been working flawlessly since then. So I changed the thermostat, which was less than a year old. That didn't do the trick. Next I ordered a new water pump which was also less than a year old and waited for it to arrive, then installed it. Still acted the same way. I decided it must be an air in the water issue, and I finally figured out how to get the air out of the system and, voila, it was all good. In hindsight, I think that the thermostat was the problem and the air introduced in the system while changing the thermostat made me think I needed to change the water pump. But no matter. I was back driving the car, and with the changes I made in the VANOS and crank sensor, the car suddenly had a bunch more pep again. I had also recently made a bunch of other repairs, new top, new steering wheel, new control arm bushings, repaired the passenger window, new shift knob, etc, to renew the car somewhat and address some longstanding issues. After some of this work, the handling of the car is now better than it has been in a long time. Overall, in recent months I have sunk more than $2500 plus a ton of labor into the car and was finally really enjoying the car again. So, last night, I was driving, and was thinking how much fun it was to drive this car again. Then I started thinking that the dash lights have stayed on for the past several months without fail. I thought, maybe that problem has gone away for good. At that moment, the car hit a slight bump, and the dash lights blinked out. They were out again this morning. Now, I have taken apart the dash several times, replaced the headlight switch, replaced the dimmer switch, taken out the cluster, replaced bulbs in the cluster, and have not yet determined what the cause of this problem is. Obviously there is something loose somewhere, but I cannot find it. Or....

    I think my car likes to aggravate me. Just when I begin to really like the car, something breaks and makes me want to just throw in the towel. But I persevere and eventually get the problem resolved.Then the car sucks me back in and makes me fall in love with it again, then Wham! it does a new thing to make me pull my hair out.

    Does anyone else have these problems?
    Last edited by 110reef; 12-15-2016 at 05:29 PM.
    - Ken -

  2. #2
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    When your car hates you for driving the truck...it decided to open all its windows and the moon roof

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  3. #3
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    It did that by itself?
    - Ken -

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by 110reef View Post
    It did that by itself?
    Yes, door actuator is bad I think. It's not the first time, but never in the winter before

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  5. #5
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    At least you have a sense of humor about it. Looks like a college prank - lol.

    Sorry about your problems OP. I feel that way sometimes too. I spent way more money in parts on this car than I can justify but it's a hobby for me. Kind of like solving a series of puzzles. And when things go right I get a kick out of driving the end result.

  6. #6
    Join Date
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    So last night, after typing the above, I get in my car to go home. Turn on the headlights, and yay, the dash lights come on. All is right in BMW world!

    Then I see it.

    Stupid check engine light on.

    *sigh*
    - Ken -

  7. #7
    Join Date
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    Your rear bulb issue is probably corrosion or the metal run to the bulb socket. It's seen them fall apart. If you really feel like it, pull the if apart and take a good look. You can "extend the life" is you splay out the bulb socket contact to bridge the metal gap.

    As for the interior dash lights, check your dimmer or pull and insert your fuse. Maybe it's loose.

  8. #8
    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by 66 6 View Post
    Your rear bulb issue is probably corrosion or the metal run to the bulb socket. It's seen them fall apart. If you really feel like it, pull the if apart and take a good look. You can "extend the life" is you splay out the bulb socket contact to bridge the metal gap.

    As for the interior dash lights, check your dimmer or pull and insert your fuse. Maybe it's loose.
    Yup, done those things. Checked the fuse. Replaced dimmer and headlight switch. Pulled the cluster and changed bulbs too. The only component I haven't fooled with is the chime, which I was considering changing too. I am sure it is most likely a loose wire somewhere, but the wires go into a great big wad of wires, so very hard to trace.

    I have sanded the contacts on the tail light, spread the contacts, switched the bulb holder with the one next to it, still randomly have the problem.

    I have accepted these things as personality quirks. That doesn't mean I have given up on finding a cure though.
    - Ken -

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