foglight indicator/cluster is possessed?

[Rigmaster]

My 2000 528iT seems to have a possessed instrument cluster, or at least a couple of the indicator lights. This afternoon on the way home from work, it was getting dark and raining pretty heavily, so I had the headlights + foglights on. I noticed that the foglight indicator on the cluster would go off, then come back on again every once in a while. Best I could tell, the foglights stayed on- it was just the indicator light that went off.

I also noticed that the turn signal stayed on one time when the foglight indicator was out- I put the turn signal on, made the turn, but the TS indicator did not go out after I made the turn. This only happened when the foglight indicator was out.


I tried searching the forum for anything like this- but got nothing.


And idea WTH is going on???


Thx, Rig.

[xaxis360]

sounds like your LCM is failing. Is there any water coming in your passenger floor?

[Rigmaster]

sounds like your LCM is failing. Is there any water coming in your passenger floor?

I have not seen any water, but I'll double check.

LCM= Lamp Control Module, I assume?

Where is it located?


I did some more searching and found a thread where someone had some mystery symptoms with their E39 cluster and it turned out to be the ground connection under the hood, under the "tupperware" box. Gonna check that tomorrow.

Thx.

[mattmartindrift]

LCM is located on the right side of the passenger footwell - remove door sill + right kick panel, pull carpet down and it's right there.



as you stated, check grounds and check the state of charge of your battery.

[Rigmaster]

LCM is located on the right side of the passenger footwell - remove door sill + right kick panel, pull carpet down and it's right there.



as you stated, check grounds and check the state of charge of your battery.

Will do, thanks for the help.


To add to the list, the radio headunit display blanked out this morning on the way to work- just for a few minutes- then it came back. I was listening to the radio, then it got quiet, and the display was blank. I pushed the knob to turn the HU back on, but that did nothing- it came back on by itself after a couple of seconds.
:confused

[mattmartindrift]

doesn't sound like LCM any more, unless it's shorting out the I-bus circuit; but that usually doesn't make the MID go out.

[jamesdc4]

Try the visor/vanity test in the link below to rule out the ignition switch.
What are the symptoms of a failing Ignition Switch? (http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1205148)

[Ratbike1]

How's your battery?

[Rigmaster]

Try the visor/vanity test in the link below to rule out the ignition switch.
What are the symptoms of a failing Ignition Switch? (http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1205148)


How's your battery?

Thanks for the link to Q's ignition switch video- I'll try that too.


AFAIK, my battery is fine, but I have a cheap battery load-tester, so I'll check that too.


I seem to remember that the steering column adjustment/memory doesn't work like it used to......might be my imagination or might be another symptom of the overall problem.