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View Full Version : New ownership of 2002 E39 540i need some help!



juniorsantana13
01-12-2014, 02:14 AM
Ok fellas, just like the title i recently purchased a 540i. Im having several issues right now with the car. Now im new to this forum and a newb to a bmw, GTO owner, and happily joining the BMW family so please bear with me. Ok first issue i noticed when purchased the car taillights flicker, stereo flickers and sometimes even turns off only when i slide the slider on the mirror passenger side. The airbag light sometimes on and off but most times it flickers. My low beam has some sort of issue going on, it turns on fine sometimes and then sometimes it doesn't come on and i have to turn the headlight dial back and forth till it comes on, but when it does come on it stays on (driver side). My steering wheel does not tilt, the controls on steering wheel dont work at all and the seat controls don't work either. My driver window just today, goes down but wont come up at all you can hear the motor winding but wont go up. The car has been working fine since purchase but today randomly the car would not start! So i took the GTO, I came home later and BAM! car started right up, like nothing was wrong. My dash has some worn pixels but i know the issue with that relies in the back so im not worried. The check engine light is on, now i know there can be so many things to make this happen but i hear sort of a small tap going on? i hear this is normal with these cars to hear but need to be assured that tapping noise is normal (listen on video) hopping just timing chain tensioner replacement to reduce noise. I also have an idea its the ignition switch not activating right when i turn the key thus causing some lights on dash to come on like the airbag. The other lights that come on are traction control, brake and ABS. Now the weird thing is that everyone says its the left rear wheel sensor, the thing is sometimes the lights stay off don't even come on sometimes but the speedometer does not work at all! Thus forcing me to think it is the wheel sensor. Also on top i mentioned the car did not start one morning then started later, well when i thought it wasnt a battery issue today just now 9:58 pm, the car wouldnt start again. This time it cranked weak so i figured the battery, earlier in the morning there was no weak crank or noise what so ever just flickering. So WTF?:confused Please help me to the best of your knowledge these are alot of things wrong with the car and want to make it as least expensive as possible i know sounds ironic its a BMW, but i mean by replacing parts i didnt have to because it was actually another issue. I made this video for all these issues to help you guys out copy and paste botton URL. :buttrock

Youtube URL: http://youtu.be/sU1kO6dnY90

larrym3711
01-12-2014, 07:37 AM
Likely problem with Ignition Switch based on the behavior with the Passenger side shade behavior and the effect on the radio. You may have a LCM problem as well and possible sensor problems. I would definitely change the Timing Chain Tensioner if it has not already been done as a precaution against future timing chain problems....the "startup rattle" should pretty much disappear with a new tensioner. Get your car to a place where a good reading from the OBD port (Level II) can be done. That will be very helpful. If you don't have one yet, I strongly recommend you get one. The ones sold specifically for your car are the best ones....the generic ones are useful, but not so focused on the actual problem needing fixing.

larrym3711
2001 540iA Sport

JimLev
01-12-2014, 08:22 AM
The ignition switch may fix most of your electrical problems. It's located on the left side of the steering column.
The connector on the backside of your seat module adjuster on the driver seat is known to come loose which affects the steering wheel and seat along with memory not working.
You'll need to take the inner door panel off to see what the problem is with the window not going up.
Make sure you disconnect the battery before you unplug any airbag components or it will set the airbag light off and you'll need an airbag reset tool to reset it.
Im not a fan of the Peake BMW specific code reader. There are many generic readers that give you much more info for the same or less $$, pending codes, real time data, pending codes, etc.

juniorsantana13
01-12-2014, 04:43 PM
Ok,
took apart side of the drivers seat where switch is located where supposedly it sometimes gets disconnected. Except it wasnt the case switch is on there nice and snug no damage whatsoever. However on the picture it maybe looks like light corrosion? when i pulled it off? suggestions? no controls working even after unplugging and replugging connection seems fine.http://tinypic.com/r/ru5f6d/5http://tinypic.com/r/r0xflg/5http://tinypic.com/r/2ez31xd/5