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Thread: Cluster gear indicator light gone. Now on failsafe or limpmode.

  1. #1
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    Cluster gear indicator light gone. Now on failsafe or limpmode.

    Hello.

    Im driving a 1999 523i e39 and ive been ealing with this problem for a while now.

    When i got the car a few months ago, asc and abs lights are on so i didnt mind knowing its just a failed speed sensor. And also found out that the cause of the fail safe mode is that my cluster gear indicator lights are gone.

    So tried a few things to make it work, and sometimes it did. Removed the cluster connections. Relays in the TCM and the TCM itself. Sprayed with contact cleaners etc etc. got it working and when the gear indicator has appeared, theres not fail safe mode and the car shifts really well and no internal tranny issues. It will be ok for a few days and then back again to the problem.

    Had the gear selector switch cleaned already. Changed the TCM from a friends e39 and cluster but the problem seems to be the same.

    What else did i miss here?

    - - - Updated - - -

    Is the speed or abs sensor connected to this kind of issue? Im really lost right now. I love the car and i want it fixed.

  2. #2
    MauiM3Mania's Avatar
    MauiM3Mania is offline Observer/Master Skeptic Moderator
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  3. #3
    geargrinder's Avatar
    geargrinder is offline Having No Trouble Here BMW CCA Member
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    I think you've got your causality backwards.

    Missing-PRNDL-lights isn't causing the Failsafe, I'd be pretty sure its some other defect that is actually causing both the missing-PRNDL AND the failsafe.

    Car sounds like a bit of a mess at the moment unfortunately. Swapping the 'TCM' (called EGS in BMW terms... or AGS but I thnk this will be EGS) wasn't terrible idea tho.

    When the car wakes up, if it cant communicate with a EGS (TCM/TCU whatever you want to call the tranny computer), it assumes that it is a manual transmission car, and will go into 'manual mode' and think its a manual. This might be whats causing the "Prindle" lights to disappear.

    I'm going to take a guess that there's some major wiring fault that's impairing the DME/EGS/cluster.

    Whether this is the same fault that's causing your ABS problems is anybody's guess.

    What you very much need to do is put down all your tools for a moment and scan each of these for errors, using a BMW compatible tool or software/cable:
    - Engine computer ("DME" in BMW speak)
    - Transmission computer (EGS)
    - Cluster (IKE or KOMBI)

    Very likely there will be some errors there to point you in a direction.

    If I was to take a blind guess it'd be that maybe you have a giant puddle down in your right hand footwell and maybe the wiring is all corroded there, or, that your ECU box wiring is wet or damaged somehow, but that's just a random guess at this point...
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  4. #4
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    Uh sorry ik this is old thread, but my e39 had same problem here... It just wont shift after 2nd gear like no gear and goes into limp mode and indicator gear went gone.. ive checked all electrical wiring from the gearbox to the egs dme boxes but still no results, do you know another solution?

    - - - Updated - - -

    Is it done?

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