Cruise Control "Recall" function going nuts

[OMP]

So I have made a first long trip with the 520/525 iT. About 400 milles.

Car was pleasant to drive except for a rather strange ( and sometimes dangerous ) behavior from the Cruise Control.
My car has a Cruise control with the Decel function, which I think comes from an E36. Not sure, but I think E34s did not have a Decel function.

In any case, while pushing the brakes to reduce speed and then going for the "Recall" function, car would just go crazy, accelerating at first full throttle ( felt in the pedal) and then, letting it go completely, making some back and forth kind of movement......very unpleasant.....

I would just completely disconnect the Cruise Control and set it again ata wanted speed an no issues.........

I have also encountered this problem while cruising and then, starting going up a hill ( I am talking higway speed and highway like hill, nothing dramatic), and sometimes it would do the same thing.......It seems like when the car does not seem to achieve speed rapdily it disconnects the cruise control, but takes on again to gain speed.....The "Recall" function will work fine if I am very close to the set speed......but when there is a bigger gap, this will occur always.

I am not familiar with this system, as I have seen others, vaccum operated, so I am a bit lost on this one....Any ideas?

Thanks
BTW, car is Automatic ( M50)

[demetk]

Not sure, but I think E34s did not have a Decel function.

Decel is pulling the lever towards you.

I would swap out the cruise control module.

[ross1]

The cruise control cable may be frayed, fairly common, and causing the throttle to bind hence the erratic action. Easy and free to check.

[shogun]

Bushing repair for $1.72
http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/sh...epair-for-1-72

[OMP]

Thanks guys. I'll take a look at the bushing thing....However, Would the Cruise control still work with that bushing issue? Mine does...I mean, when it starts acting funny, I would just disconnect it, connect again and it will hold speed with no isssues, is just in that particular scenario that it will do these strange things....I'll check the bushings.

While I am at it, yesterday coming back home ( another 400 milles trip ), my speedo just went dead.......At one point just like that, KM/H just dropped to 0, after about 20 minutes it will jump up and down like crazy and then to 0 again......Of course, no cruise, no odometer, etc....But, 20 minutes after that, the speedo came back to life itself.....Strange thing.........Would this be related to any soldering issues within the IP or some kind of speed sensor somewhere going bad? Again, not very familiar yet with E34s, but on other cars ( notable Audi 200 ), there are known issues about specific soldering points in the IP plate. Resolder and then good for another 20 years.....Don´t know about E34s on this.....Any ideas?

Thanks

[shogun]

If the seed sensor does not work, of course also the cruise control cannot work http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main/Mainte...eed_sensor.htm

[OMP]

Hi Shogun.
thanks for the quick reply. Yes, I know, i figure without speed, no cruise control, but these are 2 different issues, but just wanted to know a little more about typical speedo failure. Is it a common issue the speed sensor or should I look at the Instrument panel plate itself ( any soldering points issues like I have encountered in other cars)?

And on the Cruise issue, again, do you think having the bushing thing the cruise would still work? Cruise would work, but it will just go nuts with the recall or going uphill....in normal, straight terrain, it will work fine...

[shogun]

I would at first check the speed sensor on the diff/final drive, the wire connections could be corroded, or the sensor magnet is full of metal. If that is o.k., go to the next point.
Cluster problems http://bmwe32.masscom.net/johan/dash...dash_caps.html
and of course the mechanical connection of the cruise control you also have to check. Can be one problem, or more.
wiring diagrams are here http://shark.armchair.mb.ca/~dave/BMW/e34/

[OMP]

Hi Sho.

So I just called the mechanic and it seems that the Instrument Cluster is acting weird. At idle, speedo needle just went nuts up and down being the car stopped, so it is clearly faulty. I have a replacement speed sensor for the differential, but targeting now the cluster.

However, since I have the "LOW" instrument cluster ( the E34 from 520i from 9/1990 ), I can´t seem to find the capacitors to be changed? Are similar/the same for the 525i ( HIGH one?).

Any source I can check the cpacitors for my cluster?

Thanks
Regards