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Thread: New instrument cluster EEP failure - clusters not available from the factory anymore?

  1. #1
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    New instrument cluster EEP failure - clusters not available from the factory anymore?

    The battery in our '02 M coupe drained to flat, and after pumping it back up, the cluster is dead with an EEP error and none of the gauges are working

    This is one I haven't found anyone talking about before; it reads EEP_- (that's a dash, not the 1 or 2 that people seem to have had before). I've tried:

    • Software reset from test mode (hard to do because the EEP error overlays half of the test mode output).
    • Power-cycled everything. Checked the battery voltage.
    • Check the wires behind the cluster for shorting (none).
    • Check the connectors, pins, etc.
    • Go over the entire board with a magnifier and reflow anything that looks suspicious. Check and clean the coding plug connector contacts.


    When we had Edge look at it, they eventually came back and said that there were no new clusters on the shelf in the US, and the factory finally got back to them and said there are no plans to restock / no more available. None of the folks advertising cluster repair in the USA will touch it.

    So what's the story these days for failed clusters? Searching doesn't turn up much recently, and S54 clusters on eBay seem like hen's teeth. Does the E46 cluster fit / work? Is the only remaining option to DIY something with off-the-shelf gauges?

    Thoughts?
    '02 M Coupe

  2. #2
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    It looks like BMW of South Atlanta may have them in stock, but you could call them and find out they can't get them either. It does look like we use the same cluster as the M3.

    https://parts.bmwofsouthatlanta.com/...117893286.html
    2002 M Roadster, Steel Gray Metailic, Gray Nappa Leather, Black Soft Top, Steel Gray Metailic Hard Top, TC Kline Double Adj Shocks with H&R Springs, Stromung Exhaust, SSR Type C Wheels. Looking for a new home.

    2022 Z4 M40i, Misano Blue Metallic, Prem Pkg, Driver Assistance Pkg

    2023 X5 M50, Phytonic Blue, Black Extended Merion Leather, Driving Asst Pro Pkg, Park Asst Pkg, Exec Pkg, Climate Comfort Pkg.

  3. #3
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    Did you try pulling the coding plug out and putting it back in?


    Whatever you do, do not throw away that cluster, even if you find a replacement. The data (on an eeprom chip inside) can be pulled and cloned into another cluster (used or new). I have done this on BMWs of that era. Same applies to coding plug.
    -Abel

    - E36 328is ~210-220whp: Lots of Mods.
    - 2000 Z3: Many Mods.
    - 2003 VW Jetta TDI Manual 47-50mpg
    - 1999 S52 Estoril M Coupe
    - 2014 328d Wagon, self-tuned, 270hp/430ft-lbs
    - 2019 M2 Competition, self-tuned, 504whp
    - 2016 Mini Cooper S

  4. #4
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    I know of a low mileage E36 M3 case where the cluster was fried and somehow the coding plug was bad. The dealer does not know how to and can't set your miles back to original. They didn't even know how to do the coding plug data transfer for the tamper dot to go away. I got a message from a buddy at BMW NA to help them out with it. So whatever you do, do not lose original parts. The data inside is still very valuable to you (in the case of an S54 Coupe).
    -Abel

    - E36 328is ~210-220whp: Lots of Mods.
    - 2000 Z3: Many Mods.
    - 2003 VW Jetta TDI Manual 47-50mpg
    - 1999 S52 Estoril M Coupe
    - 2014 328d Wagon, self-tuned, 270hp/430ft-lbs
    - 2019 M2 Competition, self-tuned, 504whp
    - 2016 Mini Cooper S

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by 328 Power 04 View Post
    The dealer does not know how to and can't set your miles back to original. They didn't even know how to do the coding plug data transfer for the tamper dot to go away.
    I ran into a similar issue but somehow I managed to get out of there without a vin sticker modification and my mileage reset with no dot. I just want the correct mileage back but I refuse to go back to the endless incompetence of the dealers.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by khammack View Post
    It does look like we use the same cluster as the M3.
    Pretty sure that's not true: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/partxref?q=62117893284

  6. #6
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    I think there are two differences between M3 and Z3M clusters:
    1) Different fuel tank capacity - not sure if that's not causing some fuel gauge issues on M3 cluster in Z3M.
    2) Z3M is missing economizer in cluster. And wiring on Z3M don't have fuel consumption signal wire to make M3 cluster economizer work (but it can be "retrofitted").

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by JWin View Post
    You are correct. It is not the same. I misread the site.

    "Z3 M3.2"
    Last edited by khammack; 10-18-2017 at 09:19 AM.
    2002 M Roadster, Steel Gray Metailic, Gray Nappa Leather, Black Soft Top, Steel Gray Metailic Hard Top, TC Kline Double Adj Shocks with H&R Springs, Stromung Exhaust, SSR Type C Wheels. Looking for a new home.

    2022 Z4 M40i, Misano Blue Metallic, Prem Pkg, Driver Assistance Pkg

    2023 X5 M50, Phytonic Blue, Black Extended Merion Leather, Driving Asst Pro Pkg, Park Asst Pkg, Exec Pkg, Climate Comfort Pkg.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by JWin View Post
    I ran into a similar issue but somehow I managed to get out of there without a vin sticker modification and my mileage reset with no dot. I just want the correct mileage back but I refuse to go back to the endless incompetence of the dealers.
    Rolling the mileage up to your actual mileage is fairly easy, and should be possible with PA Soft 1.4 cable ($30 on ebay) and 20-pin adapter (instead of taking apart the cluster).
    The E46 based Z3 clusters will usually work with PA Soft 1.4 just fine.

    If not, if you can pull the cluster, then it can be done on desk.
    -Abel

    - E36 328is ~210-220whp: Lots of Mods.
    - 2000 Z3: Many Mods.
    - 2003 VW Jetta TDI Manual 47-50mpg
    - 1999 S52 Estoril M Coupe
    - 2014 328d Wagon, self-tuned, 270hp/430ft-lbs
    - 2019 M2 Competition, self-tuned, 504whp
    - 2016 Mini Cooper S

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by 328 Power 04 View Post
    Rolling the mileage up to your actual mileage is fairly easy, and should be possible with PA Soft 1.4 cable ($30 on ebay) and 20-pin adapter (instead of taking apart the cluster).
    The E46 based Z3 clusters will usually work with PA Soft 1.4 just fine.

    If not, if you can pull the cluster, then it can be done on desk.
    Ok, well, I ordered it. We'll see.

  10. #10
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    I would try my Z3's cluster with it, but the someone who I loaned my PA Soft 1.4 (aka BMW Scanner 1.4) to, kinda borrowed it for longer term....
    The facelift Z3 non M has cluster firmware version .C02, just like the S54 Z3M.

    Keep in mind you need to have the 20-pin adapter.
    -Abel

    - E36 328is ~210-220whp: Lots of Mods.
    - 2000 Z3: Many Mods.
    - 2003 VW Jetta TDI Manual 47-50mpg
    - 1999 S52 Estoril M Coupe
    - 2014 328d Wagon, self-tuned, 270hp/430ft-lbs
    - 2019 M2 Competition, self-tuned, 504whp
    - 2016 Mini Cooper S

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by deni2s View Post
    1) Different fuel tank capacity - not sure if that's not causing some fuel gauge issues on M3 cluster in Z3M.
    I don't think this would cause any issues, unless the fuel sender design is entirely different from every fuel sender I've heard of. I mean, the design of the sender in a 1985 Toyota Tercel is not much different from the unit used on a 2008 Corolla, besides the '08 having a sender/pump assembly. As far as I know, the only data used is the height of the fuel's surface in the tank. Usually it's determined using a float on the end of an arm that moves an electrical contact up and down a resistor, but I just saw this: http://www.tanksinc.com/index.cfm/pa...rod/prd346.htm (still uses level of fuel in the tank, not weight etc).

  12. #12
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    The fuel gauge 'problem' is just that it hasn't been correctly coded for Z3 use. There is tank capacity coding, as well as fuel needle characteristics curve programmed in... which actually on the stock Z3 is really screwy anyways.
    -Abel

    - E36 328is ~210-220whp: Lots of Mods.
    - 2000 Z3: Many Mods.
    - 2003 VW Jetta TDI Manual 47-50mpg
    - 1999 S52 Estoril M Coupe
    - 2014 328d Wagon, self-tuned, 270hp/430ft-lbs
    - 2019 M2 Competition, self-tuned, 504whp
    - 2016 Mini Cooper S

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by 328 Power 04 View Post
    The fuel gauge 'problem' is just that it hasn't been correctly coded for Z3 use. There is tank capacity coding, as well as fuel needle characteristics curve programmed in... which actually on the stock Z3 is really screwy anyways.
    Can those params be changed using PA Soft on earlier dashboards without coding plug? I wonder why sometimes on z3 with e36 cluster fuel gauge slowly drops to zero, even if the fuel tank is full, and then at some point goes back. Noticed same thing on two z3 with e36 dashes...
    Last edited by deni2s; 10-19-2017 at 09:36 AM.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by 328 Power 04 View Post
    The fuel gauge 'problem' is just that it hasn't been correctly coded for Z3 use. There is tank capacity coding, as well as fuel needle characteristics curve programmed in... which actually on the stock Z3 is really screwy anyways.
    And here I always thought fuel gauges were erratic because the shape if the fuel tank made the speed that the float arm dropped at vary wildly. Shame on me, I should have realized a computer might be looking at the readings and reinterpreting them.

  15. #15
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    Ya, there are characteristics curves applied to both tank gauge and temp gauge.
    -Abel

    - E36 328is ~210-220whp: Lots of Mods.
    - 2000 Z3: Many Mods.
    - 2003 VW Jetta TDI Manual 47-50mpg
    - 1999 S52 Estoril M Coupe
    - 2014 328d Wagon, self-tuned, 270hp/430ft-lbs
    - 2019 M2 Competition, self-tuned, 504whp
    - 2016 Mini Cooper S

  16. #16
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    S54 clusters aren't NLA... there is just no stock. I have one on order too. There is still a chance we can get them, but there is no telling when. I know that doesn't help. North Hollywood Speedometer (VDO repair) will not work on our clusters, sadly. We are "too modern" for them!!
    Jon Maddux

    16 F15 X5d | 08 E90 M3 | 06 M Coupe | 01 M coupe | 99 M coupe
    http://coupenut.blogspot.com/
    http://x5nut.blogspot.com/

  17. #17
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    Thanks for the comments & suggestions.

    I'm actually quite comfortable with pulling the EEPROMs, reflashing them, etc. as I have all the tools / hardware. I just don't know how to reconcile the contents of the two (board and coding plug), or what the checksum algorithm is. I've seen hints that all of this is known, but my Russian (even with Google helping) isn't good enough to sort it out.

    It seems pretty likely that my cluster browned out while writing something that left it in an invalid state, so in reality the fix is probably as simple as finding the value(s) that don't match the existing checksum and rewriting them, but without knowing the algorithm that's an impractical number of program / solder / test / unsolder cycles. 8(

    JonM - if your cluster ever does come in, let me know how you go / what it ends up costing. I'm still on the verge of DIYing a replacement, it's just the CEL / smog readiness aspect that I'm dreading.
    '02 M Coupe

  18. #18
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    Did you ever find a solution. My 3 year old cluster just had the eep2 failure . Sucks that it’s a 3 year old unit from the dealer

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by 01silber View Post
    Did you ever find a solution. My 3 year old cluster just had the eep2 failure . Sucks that it’s a 3 year old unit from the dealer
    Nope, no answers. No cluster yet either, and it’s been on order with Jay L. All this time.
    Jon Maddux

    16 F15 X5d | 08 E90 M3 | 06 M Coupe | 01 M coupe | 99 M coupe
    http://coupenut.blogspot.com/
    http://x5nut.blogspot.com/

  20. #20
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    I replaced the oil level sensor yesterday and checked this morning once all was cold and it did not fix the problem, So new cluster is it for me now, I bought 2 of them new at the dealer 3 years ago (non M models) and 1 has failed already with about 1500 miles since it was installed.

  21. #21
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    For those of you that need it repaired... have you tried NH Speedometer (https://www.nhspeedometer.com/)? I dont have personal experience, but came across them and everyone HIGHLY recommends (especially among the classic Porsche crowd)

  22. #22
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    I'd love if there was a shop that could get it done. One place flat out told me they specifically don't work with the s54 frankencluster. I have my old cluster sitting in a bin waiting for when an opportunity arises to fix it.

  23. #23
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    Just ran across this thread.. I've done a fair amount of DME and TCU (the SMG on the M5), tuning, hacking, virginizing and repair. If you can dump the eeprom contents I might be able to help you figure out the sections and point you in a direction to recover it on your own.

    Also there is a guy on M5 Boards that repairs the E39 clusters he might be able to help you, if you want I can pm for you.
    2010 E60 M5
    2001 M Roadster
    2001 E39 M5

  24. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ferris View Post
    Just ran across this thread.. I've done a fair amount of DME and TCU (the SMG on the M5), tuning, hacking, virginizing and repair. If you can dump the eeprom contents I might be able to help you figure out the sections and point you in a direction to recover it on your own.

    Also there is a guy on M5 Boards that repairs the E39 clusters he might be able to help you, if you want I can pm for you.
    Yes please do contact him for me

  25. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by 01silber View Post
    Yes please do contact him for me
    I realized he has a public email and facebook page, instead of me being the middle man
    mail@fixels.repair
    https://www.facebook.com/Fixels/

    If he can't help and anyone has a spare dead cluster I'll gladly checkout the eeprom and see what we can do.
    2010 E60 M5
    2001 M Roadster
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