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Thread: Recently bought an 01 E38 740iL Sports Package and had some questions for you!

  1. #1
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    Question Recently bought an 01 E38 740iL Sports Package and had some questions for you!

    Hi everyone... I recently got rid of 03 G35 sedan and bought an 01 740iL. The car has about 150K miles on it but it was really taken care of by its owner. I also own an 03 X5 4.4 and an 90 E30 325i, along with many other bmw's that have come and passed, but never a 7 series. Overall I"m very familiar with BMWs but had a few questions I thought I'd ask about the 7.

    1. Noticed that the passenger seat buttons do not work. Seat is 100% immobile. The left seat works without any issues. Could this be a dedicated fuse for the passenger seat ...?

    2. The S EDC button has a green LED light which comes on for a few seconds when the car is started, but after that the button does not respond.
    Does this mean trouble with the system or do I need to be going a certain speed to activate?

    3. My production date is 04/00, however it is a 2001 model on the title. I have the small screen Nav though, but wanted to upgrade to the wide screen and the MK4. How can one know if the unit installed in the car is an MK2 or an MK3?

    4. My X5 has bluetooth, but even though I have the same buttons on the 7's steering wheels, somehow I get the feeling it does not have bluetooth. Where would the module be located and have any of you installed bluetooth in your E38 before? Is there a DIY you can point me to?

    5. When I pull back on the wiper switch, no water is sprayed on the glass or on the front headlights via the nozzles on the bumper.
    I'm thinking it is most likely the pump and not a blockage, but where is that located? Anyone experienced this?

    6. Just curious, how long do you warm up your 7 series before you start to drive?

    7. I was checking out the price of shocks for the car and it looks like parts alone are 2k! I don't need them yet, but I"d like to be prepared. So far my shocks/struts are nice and firm. How many miles do you have on yours and what's the condition? Any recommendations on where to buy the parts, if /when needed?

    8. Last one, I promise... the instrument cluster information area where it shows the date/time/mpg, etc... the pixels are going out, and I know this is a common issue with BMW's but how does one go about doing a DIY on this? Anyone have experience or links to share?

    Many thanks in advance for any help you may be willing to provide and share. It is greatly appreciated!!

  2. #2
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    Question #6.
    Immediately. I drive very nice, for roughly 5/10 minutes.

    Sorry, i can't answer any other questions. I am more of an onlooker, trying to learn.

    Welcome to the 7's, by the way!


  3. #3
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    Most of the info your searching for can be found at e38.org

  4. #4
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    From my personal experience, your questions # 2 and # 7 are probably more related to each other than you think. Since your car appears to be equipped with EDC, you should be able to engage the "sport mode" of the EDC system by engaging the center console button just as you've been attempting to do. Sport mode should engage at any vehicle speed (and in reality should be able to be engaged and disengaged as long as the ignition switch is on). The symptom of the green LED coming on and then going off after a few seconds after attempting to engage the sport mode setting indicates a fault with the EDC system.

    When a fault is detected with the EDC system, the system is programmed to "fail firm", which is probably why your perception of the struts is that they're "nice and tight".

    I went through the same experience with my 2001 740iL Sport when I purchased it. I resolved the EDC fault by replacing the EDC module located behind and underneath the glove box. Once the EDC system came "on line" again, the ride became MUCH softer immediately.

    Also, just a quick refresher about how the EDC system operates on your particular vehicle. The EDC system is always "on", and in standard mode operates automatically over three firmness settings (call them Soft, Medium and Firm - S,M,F). By engaging the "Sport" mode of EDC using the center console button, the system merely locks out the Soft setting, allowing the system to operate only between the two remaining settings (Medium, Firm - M,F).
    '01 740iL Sport Anthracite


  5. #5
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    you have mk2

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by petrossar View Post
    Hi everyone... I recently got rid of 03 G35 sedan and bought an 01 740iL. The car has about 150K miles on it but it was really taken care of by its owner. I also own an 03 X5 4.4 and an 90 E30 325i, along with many other bmw's that have come and passed, but never a 7 series. Overall I"m very familiar with BMWs but had a few questions I thought I'd ask about the 7.

    1. Noticed that the passenger seat buttons do not work. Seat is 100% immobile. The left seat works without any issues. Could this be a dedicated fuse for the passenger seat ...?

    2. The S EDC button has a green LED light which comes on for a few seconds when the car is started, but after that the button does not respond.
    Does this mean trouble with the system or do I need to be going a certain speed to activate?

    3. My production date is 04/00, however it is a 2001 model on the title. I have the small screen Nav though, but wanted to upgrade to the wide screen and the MK4. How can one know if the unit installed in the car is an MK2 or an MK3?

    4. My X5 has bluetooth, but even though I have the same buttons on the 7's steering wheels, somehow I get the feeling it does not have bluetooth. Where would the module be located and have any of you installed bluetooth in your E38 before? Is there a DIY you can point me to?

    5. When I pull back on the wiper switch, no water is sprayed on the glass or on the front headlights via the nozzles on the bumper.
    I'm thinking it is most likely the pump and not a blockage, but where is that located? Anyone experienced this?

    6. Just curious, how long do you warm up your 7 series before you start to drive?

    7. I was checking out the price of shocks for the car and it looks like parts alone are 2k! I don't need them yet, but I"d like to be prepared. So far my shocks/struts are nice and firm. How many miles do you have on yours and what's the condition? Any recommendations on where to buy the parts, if /when needed?

    8. Last one, I promise... the instrument cluster information area where it shows the date/time/mpg, etc... the pixels are going out, and I know this is a common issue with BMW's but how does one go about doing a DIY on this? Anyone have experience or links to share?

    Many thanks in advance for any help you may be willing to provide and share. It is greatly appreciated!!
    1. Most likely the connector to the switch block is loose. Check it out and wiggle it a bit.

    2. Yes, this is indicative of a fault in the system. It defaults to full hard mode, so if you still have the original shocks installed your butt will thank you for fixing the issue.

    3. If it is not widescreen it is MKII. The MKII has 2 lights on the unit, the MKIII has one. As you are probably aware both the screen and nave unit upgrades are plug-and-play.

    4. Bluetooth was not available from the factory so there is a 99% chance you do not have it. Modules would be in the trunk by the CDC/radio. OEM retrofits are possible but expensive.

    5. I forget where the pump is exactly. Maybe in the bumper somewhere.

    6. No warm up, as suggested by the owner's manual. I don't take it over 3k RPM until the needle has been fully in the middle for several minutes.

    7. Since you have EDC, your shocks are are just under $1k apiece. If you still have the original shocks, you already are feeling what failed shocks feel like because your EDC has a fault. When they fail they get hard rather than soft and usually last 150k miles.

    8. Plenty of DIYs to be found. As with everything E38-related check www.e38.org first. You can either remove the cluster and send it off somewhere to have it done (under $200), or if you are comfortable with electronics work you can order a ribbon cable and take the cluster apart and repair it yourself (under $50).

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  7. #7
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    #6 I can chime in and say this. It's not a cold start warm up. It has a warmup cycle which holds the gears so the engine warms up quicker, and the cats. Get in the car on a cold start and immedaitely drive it slow.. youll feel it hold gear for a bit and it will shift again, then hold gear a bit more until it is warmed to op. temp.

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    After I start the car, I wait just a few seconds for the RPM to drop down to idle. Then shift into gear and drive off. I do however keep a very light load on the throttle until it's at about a quarter. Then I can mash the throttle if and when needed.
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    #5 only happens like every 5th time you clean the windows.....

    In other words...yank on it more.
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  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by IcemanBHE View Post
    #5 only happens like every 5th time you clean the windows.....

    In other words...yank on it more.
    #5 included the windshield too.
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    For 5, the pump is located in the washer tank under the pass side fender liner.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by DUDMD View Post
    After I start the car, I wait just a few seconds for the RPM to drop down to idle. Then shift into gear and drive off. I do however keep a very light load on the throttle until it's at about a quarter. Then I can mash the throttle if and when needed.
    No neutral drops?!! You don't know what your missing!! It really wakes up that v12!!! Lol
    I kid I kid.

  13. #13
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    Thanks to everyone for your awesome replies! I definitely learned a few things... I did some more digging on my own after reading your comments and ended up buying an EDC Control Module off of eBay for 95 bucks. Hopefully this will do it, or else it goes back on eBay and I continue my quest to figure out why the S EDC won't function properly.

    I went out to check and clean under the hood last night and noticed a nice trail of coolant under the car! I had just gone though the same with my 4.4 X5 where I ended up replacing the radiator and all hoses just a few months ago, so I started having flash backs lol.. Luckily... it looks to be coming from the coolant expansion tank, so I hit up my old friends at bmaparts and ordered it. I plan on swapping it out today, so hopefully that will be the end of it. The existing one has about 40k miles on it and it's Behr, so I am sort of surprised it would fail again so fast.

    BTW... after years of owning BMWs and working on them, I've found the best place for OEM parts to be BMA Parts. Way cheaper, nice staff and fast service. FCP Euro is good as well but it's on the east coast and I can literally drive to BMA, so I go there. Thought I'd share...
    Do you guys have any good parts places?

    Oh yes, two more things.. I think need to add #7 & 8 to the questions above, so here goes.

    #7 - I learned yesterday that the headrests go up and down with the switch on the side of the seat the controls the back portion of the chair. So excited as you may imagine, I went out to the car, hit the button and heard it go.. click click click... but the headrest would not move up or down. Sounds like some gears turning and missing each other.... Is this something I can DIY or should I just leave it be? Right now, the headrest is about 1" up, so I'm fine with its position but on the flip side... I like to have everything working on my cars... Any thoughts or experience?


    #8 - I notice that the engine has a slow knocking/clicking sounds at idle... very mild and it sounds like a valve or lifter. My X5 4.4 also has the same sound and had it when I bought it 30k miles ago. The indy BMW mechanic which I had checkout the X prior to me buying it said "All V8's have this noise and it's the nature of the beast!" and he had an 01 740iL as his own personal car and he told me even his makes that sound. My 7 has the same exact sound, though maybe just a bit louder in my opinion. I had another mechanic check out the 7 and he said try using Genuine BMW oil to see if that makes a difference. I have always used Mobile-1, 5/30 on all my cars, and wonder if the Genuine BMW oil might make a difference.

    I think everyone owning a V8 with over 100k miles on it will know the sound I'm referring to. You basically hear this sound when you're at idle or a stop sign and there is no other noise. Have you tried / done anything to make the sound lessen or go away?
    Funny thing is my car has had a full valve job, machined heads and everything, so I'm thinking either the mechanic was right and it really is the nature of the beast orrrrr perhaps something wasn't done properly during the valve job?

    As always... your thoughts and comments are very appreciated!

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