Ext. door handle and horn question

[Louie325i]

Are ALL E36 ext door handles interchangeable? I have a 4/92 325is with ZVM. Do ZVM/ZKE/EWS have the same door handles?

How many horns does a stock E36 have? I tried disabling the horn by pulling out Fuse#8 and disconnecting the wire that goes to my alarm siren (the wires that run with the RH headlight) but when I arm the system there is still a horn somewhere. I'm not sure if its the chime (behind the knee bolster) though. The only time I hear it is when I open the door with headlights on BUT it's more like a buzzer.

[tazM3]

Hey, as far as exterior door handles go...idk the answer for sure but they all look the same. Do you ever go to realoem.com? You could look up the part number for your car's door handles and try comparing the pn for the one you'd like to swap.


There should be at least 3 noisemakers on the car -- horn (not sure if it has 1 or 2), alarm siren, and door chime, like you pointed out...maybe the "lights on" warning is something separate, idk.

But if you want to turn off the sound you hear when you arm and disarm the alarm/antitheft system, and your car has a BMW factory alarm/keyless entry system, it's pretty easy after you get your hands on the alarm control module.

The alarm control module is in the passenger side dashboard under/behind the glovebox. Here's a DIY link
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?341798-DIY-Alarm-install

and here's another one

http://www.bimmerdiy.com/diy/e36s50alarm/

Inside the control module box is a row of microswitches to set your user preferences including chirp "on" or "off." The microswitches may vary by how many buttons are on your remote, but I have turned this feature off on one, two, and three-button remote systems, so it can be done. Here's one more link. If you scroll down it goes into the microswitch ("dipswitch") features.

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?1792200-The-ULTIMATE-US-OEM-Keyless-Alarm-Thread

Hopefully this will help.

Best wishes,
Steve

[flyfishvt]

All e36 exterior door handles will fit the same door on any other e36 year/model/body style doesn't matter. Some drivers doors came with heated door locks. Those handles will have three connectors. They will still fit the drivers door of any e36. Bmw changed the design of the lock tumbler at some point. If you find a door handle with the same style lock tumbler it's easy to swap tumblers and use your existing key in the new handle. If the tumblers are different then you'll have to swap wafers from the old tumbler to the new one so you can use your existing key.

All e36's have two horns behind the drivers headlight. If you have a US Spec 92-95 e36 that is prewired for the bmw alarm you will find a third horn hidden in a small cage next to the newA/C dryer/receiver. This third horn only works with the alarm

[Louie325i]

So there is that 3rd horn by the bumper. My 4/92 325is was prewired for alarm but I'm sure it's not installed because the 12pin connector is empty and nothing was connected. I just installed the UAS system with flip keys. If there is an alarm horn by the bumper, then what are the 2 wires that run with the RH headlight wiring? So if I locate that 3rd horn, I can just unplug it and tap the siren that came with the alarm system I installed?

[flyfishvt]

So there is that 3rd horn by the bumper. My 4/92 325is was prewired for alarm but I'm sure it's not installed because the 12pin connector is empty and nothing was connected. I just installed the UAS system with flip keys. If there is an alarm horn by the bumper, then what are the 2 wires that run with the RH headlight wiring? So if I locate that 3rd horn, I can just unplug it and tap the siren that came with the alarm system I installed?

What 12 pin connector? Where?

Pre wired only means the wires are there for you to connect a system to. It doesn't mean a system was installed.

Post a pic of those 2 wires and the connector they go too so we can figure out what they are for. "Those 2 wires" isn't much of a description.

The horn only works with a BMW 3 button fob system. All other systems will need an electronic siren.

[Louie325i]

What 12 pin connector? Where?

Pre wired only means the wires are there for you to connect a system to. It doesn't mean a system was installed.

Post a pic of those 2 wires and the connector they go too so we can figure out what they are for. "Those 2 wires" isn't much of a description.

The horn only works with a BMW 3 button fob system. All other systems will need an electronic siren.

OK. So I took a pic of the wires and I found the horn that I'm referring to.

The Wire(s):
http://imageshack.us/a/img694/1185/8nmp.jpg

The Horn:
http://imageshack.us/a/img27/2321/asmu.jpg
It's found beneath the battery jumpstart terminal tray in the engine compartment.

The 12pin connector I'm referring to is the one behind the glovebox. Lower left portion.
http://zoso.no-ip.org/images/m3-alarm/Image11.jpg

I used these to tap the UAS alarm to the 12pin connector wires.
http://media.digikey.com/Photos/3M%20Photos/905-BOX.jpg

Right now, I'm still trying to understand how to tap the parking lights and the need to diode isolate em.