1997 BMW e36 316 no power locks, windows, rear defroster, heated seats

[chucknorium]

So I recently purchased 1997 316i. Car is rust free and that is the reason I bought it. I got it cheap cause of electrical issues of course

1. No power to power windows. Engines work when power is applied directly
2. No power locks. Driver side door lock seems to be working weird - I cannot close it with a key.
3. No rear defroster
4. Heated seats do not work

I was able to find the fuse 43 and replaced it. Right now I have the dome light working manually but when i open the door nothing happens. I also fixed the trunk harness and was able to locate short in the windshield washer harnes which made the wipers go crazy.

I also investigated space behind the glove box but could not locate any fuses. Just something like this - someone shorted some wires. I did not touch it for now, I need to investigate more.




Only thing left for me to do is to take a look under the steering wheel but this looks like damaged ZVM module. Any help appreciated

[flyfishvt]

You don't have a ZVM. You have a ZKE. That yellow connector in the pic is for the EWS module. Someone tried to bypass the starter lockout function.

First thing I would do is pull every fuse and test them with a volt/ohm meter. Lots of fuses can look ok but test bad.

Your heated seat issue could be damaged heating elements. It takes about 5 minutes for the stock heated seats to get up to full operating temp. There is a separate element for the seat bottom and the seat back. Remove the 2 nuts and 2 bolts that hold each seat to the floor. Tilt the entire seat back and locate the 2 large black connectors for the seat heaters. Make sure they are plugged into the seat. If you have power heated seats your driver seat will have a total of 5 harness connectors. A small yellow one. A small black one (those are for the seat belt buckle) a large white one with 2 wires going to it (power seats) 2 large black ones with 2 wires each. Those are the heating elements.

Power windows could be a bad fuse.

That door lock you mentioned has either a worn lock tumbler or your key is worn or someone replaced the door handle with one from another e36 and they left the old lock tumbler in it. Does your key work in the other door, trunk, glovebox ?

If everything is working correctly you should be able turn the key in any door or trunk and lock all doors, trunk and gas filler door. When you're inside the car with the key in the run position you should be able to push the square lock button next to the shifter and lock all doors.

[chucknorium]

I checked all the fuses under the hood with the multimeter, found only 43 was bad so I replaced it.

There is no door lock button as this is a new E36 - it has just some kind of light indicator in the center console instead.

All locks have the same key. When I turn the key in the driver side door I can only turn it left to unlock. Something is stuck and I cannot turn it right. I also noticed some wiring coming from the tumbler, probably for the heat element

I also noticed that current ZKE has different plug color as shown on picture. This could be the issue as the other model has different hardware version. I just ordered the correct one.

[flyfishvt]

There is no door lock button as this is a new E36 -

Only 96-99 e36s came with the door lock button. It should be located about 1/2" above the switch for the passenger window. 92-95 e36s did not have that button. It's possible that the 316 did not get it either since it was the economy version of the e36. If the key only turns in one direction then the wafers inside the lock tumbler are worn. BMW sells a repair kit that includes everything you'll need to replace the tumbler body and replace all the wafers so they match your existing lock and key. Last time I bought one of those kits they were about $30.

What happens when you lock/unlock the car at the passenger door and the trunk? Do all the locks work as they should?

Don't be concerned about the color of those connectors. As long as you have a zke that matches your body style (coupe,sedan,vert) the color of that purple connector doesn't matter.

[chucknorium]

The locks are completely dead, nothing at all. Like they have no power. Also when I open the door the dome light does not turn on. I can turn it on manually after I replaced fuse 43

I am not sure what ZKE it is, how can I check it? The part number is the same as in Realoem for my car.

[flyfishvt]

The dome light rocker switch has 3 positions. OFF/AUTO/ON. Set it to auto. It should be on with the door open. It should fade out after 20-30 seconds with the door closed.

Your locks could all have faulty lock actuators. It's not uncommon. One other cause could be a corroded wire junction point under the drivers footwell carpet. BMW calls that junction point a fin comb. There are 2 fin combs under the drivers carpet. One is for 5 wires that are black with a white stripe. The other is for 10 wires that are red with a green stripe. I've had 3 e36s that had non working locks. I pulled the carpet and found the red/green fin comb had become soaked at some point and the connection corroded away leaving 10 wires that aren't connected to anything. I spliced them back together and everything worked like it should.

[chucknorium]

dome light works on on setting, nothing on auto

Just checked under the carpet. Wiring in pristine condition. Heated seats looked like they have been added later on so I unplugged them completely for now.

[johnf]

Only 96-99 e36s came with the door lock button. It should be located about 1/2" above the switch for the passenger window. 92-95 e36s did not have that button....

I tend to the notion that a central locking button was a North American thing. I don't remember ever seeing one in a new European E36, that had been built for either domestic use or export. The switch is missing from the 1996 and 1998 European electrical drawings, the two that I have handy.

[flyfishvt]

I tend to the notion that a central locking button was a North American thing. I don't remember ever seeing one in a new European E36, that had been built for either domestic use or export. The switch is missing from the 1996 and 1998 European electrical drawings, the two that I have handy.

That's certainly possible. I find it odd that BMW gave the US market a creature comfort that no other market got. The US was deprived of so many e36 options like the diesel and the touring and the 316/320 and rear fog lights and analog clocks and manual windows

[johnf]

... One other cause could be a corroded wire junction point under the drivers footwell carpet. BMW calls that junction point a fin comb....

Actually, BMW calls it a fan connector with comb type or comb-type connectors. See for example.

I would describe it as a comb terminal strip with push-on sleeves.

When I do a google image search on "fin comb", I get lots of pictures of hand combs for cleaning radiators

[chucknorium]

Like I mentioned before wiring is in pristine condition.

Is it possible that faulty drivers door lock actuator causes the windows to stop working?

Where I can find the switches for open/close door notification? They are not operating the dome light so maybe that is the issue aswell.

The windows do not lower when I open the door aswell

[chucknorium]

After replacement of the ZKE module for the proper one power locks work, as well as the interior lighting system. Trunk actuator does not work. Driver side window also works but it does not drop when the handle is pulled. It also goes too high like it does not know when to stop.

I will investigate more and report back as I progress.

[chucknorium]

Is it possible that the ZKE replacement module I have comes from sedan and that is why my windows do not drop down?

And a teaser

IMG_5535.jpg

[johnf]

Is it possible that the ZKE replacement module I have comes from sedan and that is why my windows do not drop down?...

Quite possibly, or it could have come out of a cabrio, compact or touring.

[flyfishvt]

Is it possible that the ZKE replacement module I have comes from sedan and that is why my windows do not drop down? And a teaser <img src="http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=562938"/>

That was my first thought. Some of the window features have to be programmed back in using the up/down button. But I mistakenly installed a coupe ZKE into my vert and nothing worked.