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Thread: Intermittent Dials on the Instrument Cluster

  1. #1
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    Intermittent Dials on the Instrument Cluster

    Hi all. First post here, but have been reading for a few years (I also posted this on the UK site as the car is a UK import, in case that makes any difference).

    I'm trying to trouble shoot intermittent dials on the instrument cluster in my father's '91 850I (RHD, UK import).

    He bought it back in 2014 and I spent a couple of years fixing it up for him. It's been running perfectly until yesterday when the instrument cluster dials started functioning only intermittently.

    All the cluster's lights work, and fuses 1 and 17 are OK. It doesn't get driven very often and is always on a battery tender. It's never driven in the rain and hasn't been washed in a while so unlikely to be a water ingress problem.

    I changed the caps in the General Module a couple of years ago, and had to remove the EKM to get to the GM and all the connectors on the EKM were fine.

    Pressing and holding the trip button (and turning ignition to position 2) to perform a check causes the LED odometer display etc to cycle but the dials don't move. Are they supposed to in this check mode?

    I realise the EKM and cluster are connected and the problem could simply be a corroded connector on the cluster (as I haven't needed to remove the cluster yet), but how do I narrow this down? Does the cluster's check feature signal itself to move the dials or does it signal the EKM to move the cluster's dials?

    Thanks.

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by rob1210 View Post
    Pressing and holding the trip button (and turning ignition to position 2) to perform a check causes the LED odometer display etc to cycle but the dials don't move. Are they supposed to in this check mode?
    Yes, the gauges are supposed to move in the instrument cluster test.

    It's often difficult to pinpoint an instrument cluster issue to either the cluster itself or the EKM module. However, in your case the culprit is clearly the instrument cluster itself as that test works completely independent from the EKM module (the EKM module does not even have to be installed for the test to work). It's unlikely all four gauges died at the same time, so the problem is most likely with the electronic backplane.

    A brand new instrument cluster electronic backplane from BMW costs a small fortune. You can replace it with another used part but anti-tamper measures make it it bit more complex than a plug-and-play swap. For more information on how to properly replace it, see instrument cluster swap.

    You may also want to look into repair although at this moment we do not really have good information on what usually fails in these instrument clusters. A good starting point obviously is replacing the electrolytic capacitors but the problem may also be caused by cold solder joints or hairline cracks in PCB traces. Note that getting to the instrument cluster PCB is a bit destructive. The instrument cluster flips open without tools but the PCB is mounted with plastic heat stakes which have to be cut/drilled off to remove the PCB from the enclosure. Try to damage the stakes as little as possible so they can be somewhat reused to keep the board in place.

    If you decide to replace the instrument cluster and not repair the old one, consider donating the broken cluster to forum members with electronic skills (although I'm not sure there are any on your side of the world - shipping to the USA/Europe might not be economically viable). Maybe it can be repaired. Maybe something can be learned from it.

  3. #3
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    Thanks for the reply, revtor.

    Looking at the wiring diagram, the cluster's power input seems to be common with its lights, which are working fine, so unlikely to be a corroded connector. It's more likely to be a problem with its circuit board, as you say, a cracked solder joint, etc.

    Do you know if new replacements are still available? This car has a 06/'91 production date, so I guess i'm looking at part# 62118354251 (item 9) on this page?:

    http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=62_0084

    My dad would prefer the speed dial in Km/h rather than miles. Is part# 62121383321 (item 1) from the LHD Euro cars compatible?:

    http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=62_0083

    https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-...o/62121383321/

    What's involved in changing the odometer readout from miles to kilometers? I see there's space for both in the LED panel but haven't figured out how to change it.

    Thanks for your help.

  4. #4
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    Compatibility is covered in Revtors article:

    https://e31wiki.org/wiki/Instrument_cluster_swap

    New ones are extremely expensive - but they do come up on UK Ebay quite often

    https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-E31-8...UAAOSwCQZZKEWJ
    Timm..2007 E64 650i Individual Sport..1999 E31 840ci Individual Sport..ex owner of 2000 E38 740..1999 E38 740i V8 M62..1998 E38 735i V8..1993 E32 730i V8..1988 E28 518i


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  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by rob1210 View Post
    Do you know if new replacements are still available? This car has a 06/'91 production date, so I guess i'm looking at part# 62118354251 (item 9) on this page?: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=62_0084
    The electronic backplane should still be available but it's quite expensive. Part number 62 11 8 354 251 should be right for your E31's year of manufacture but it's best to double-check with the part number on the instrument cluster itself.

    My dad would prefer the speed dial in Km/h rather than miles. Is part# 62121383321 (item 1) from the LHD Euro cars compatible?:
    http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=62_0083
    https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-...o/62121383321/
    Yes, it's very easy to swap over gauges. Pay attention though. Speedometers come in 280 km/h and 300 km/h variants. You need the 300 km/h one (plug and play). If you get a 280 km/h one, the EKM must be recoded. Otherwise you will have a reading error. Sadly, you cannot use NCS Expert to recode the EKM. Due to a bug in the NCS Expert data files, early EKM modules (older than 93-94) are not supported. That means you'll have to use DIS (up to v44) or SSS/Progman which do not offer the same level of granularity NCS Expert does. In fact, using DIS/SSS you probably can't get a 280 km/h speedometer to work correctly without other side effects.

    What's involved in changing the odometer readout from miles to kilometers? I see there's space for both in the LED panel but haven't figured out how to change it.
    You will have to recode the EKM for this. Luckily this time it can be done easily through DIS/SSS (without side effects).

    In DIS/SSS: [3] ZCS/FA CODING > [1] E31 Series > [4] Conversion > [3] EKM > [3] Route display km/mi, and follow the instructions

    If that doesn't work (for some it says the conversion is not possible - not sure why), the car's central coding key (ZCS) can be updated to Australia through DIS/SSS. Anyway, let us know when you get there and we'll guide you through it.

  6. #6
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    OK, I'll pull the cluster as soon as I get a chance and check availability.

    I do have a DIS v44 system, which I put together a couple years ago. Found a compatible Dell laptop an Ebay and an ADS cable which, I think, is made by a forum member. Also downloaded the software from somewhere online and went through the rather involved installation procedure. Seems to be working fine, although I'm no expert in using it, so I appreciate the help.

  7. #7
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    Removed the cluster. For those who haven't done this, there's not enough room between the steering wheel and dash to remove it. Maybe the steering wheel in later models moves further back/down? Fortunately, there's enough room to fold down and separate the backplane while the cluster's resting on the steering column. The two parts are then small enough to easily remove while leaving the steering wheel in place.

    Interestingly, the part# on the backplane is 62111383327, which is for the up to September 1990 models. According to this car's VIN its production date was 11.06.1991, which should use part# 62118354251. I'm assuming that's Euro date format (11.Jun.91 not 06.Nov.91)?


    What are the chances that BMW were still using components that were supposedly superseded 9 months earlier? I wonder if this is the original
    cluster. The speed dial displays both Km/h and miles. The miles are around the outside in large digits, and the kilometres in smaller digits (which my Dad, at 79, finds difficult to read). For those in the UK, do the standard UK-spec speed dials read in miles only, or both? If miles only, it's possible a previous owner changed the cluster since we use metric here.


    There are several bulbs missing from the backplane. Some look like they're not supposed to be there as they're behind light ducts that are blanked out. However, there are 2 bulbs missing behind light ducts that are not blanked out: Check Engine, and one which looks like 2 green arrows pointing away from each other (bottom row second from right). The Check Engine bulb should obviously be there. The engine had various intake air leaks and other problems which might have triggered the Check Engine light (I've fixed the problems and the engine now runs fine); a previous owner probably removed the bulb prior to sale. But what is the 2 green arrows symbol? I can't find any reference in the owner's manual.



    Would there be any problem using a 251 cluster since that's supposed to be correct for the car's production date? I have checked that it's available.



    Thanks.

  8. #8
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    Mine had these bulbs fitted (and missing):



    I would guess that the two arrow symbol is for hazard lights - whereas we use both the indicator lights.....
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  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by rob1210 View Post
    ...The Check Engine bulb should obviously be there...a previous owner probably removed the bulb prior to sale...
    Don't automatically blame the owner, as it is a dirty shop practice with the naive owner paying for a bulb delete instead of say an engine fix.
    How to defend against this on early Model Years?
    Does MID "CHECK" give the same coverage as the bulb?
    {ed: Answer: CEL should light up on initial ignition switch -> ON, and essential to passing smog/mot}
    Last edited by Hyper; 02-23-2018 at 01:35 PM.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by rob1210 View Post
    Interestingly, the part# on the backplane is 62111383327, which is for the up to September 1990 models. According to this car's VIN its production date was 11.06.1991, which should use part# 62118354251. I'm assuming that's Euro date format (11.Jun.91 not 06.Nov.91)?
    That's why I wrote to double check with the part number on the cluster itself. I've found the dates in the ETK not always to be accurate. One of the instrument clusters I have here has a clear 7/91 stamp on it, yet the part number is also 62 11 1 383 327 which supposedly was no longer in use. So, it's perfectly normal to find 327 in your car.

    The speed dial displays both Km/h and miles. The miles are around the outside in large digits, and the kilometres in smaller digits (which my Dad, at 79, finds difficult to read). For those in the UK, do the standard UK-spec speed dials read in miles only, or both?
    All imperial E31 speedometers have a small metric scale as well.

    There are several bulbs missing from the backplane. Some look like they're not supposed to be there as they're behind light ducts that are blanked out. However, there are 2 bulbs missing behind light ducts that are not blanked out: Check Engine, and one which looks like 2 green arrows pointing away from each other (bottom row second from right).
    The "Check Engine" light is never installed on European E31 - this was strictly for the US market (probably a legal requirement).

    The symbol with the two arrows pointing away from each other is the trailer indicator light. If your E31 is equipped with the factory trailer tow hitch option this light will blink together with the indicators reminding the driver that you are towing a trailer and that it is electrically hooked up.

    Would there be any problem using a 251 cluster since that's supposed to be correct for the car's production date?
    If you plan to buy new from BMW, I'd recommend to stick with the original part number - 62 11 1 383 327 - even though the ETK suggests it's wrong. I'd rather trust what BMW put in the car than what the ETK states.

    I've experimented with early instrument clusters on late EKM modules and vice versa. Seemed to work fine but I only tested on my bench - I did not actually install them in a car and drive it. So it's possible there are incompatibilities that I did not notice. The ETK clearly states the 3 major versions of the electronic backplane are not exchangeable.

  11. #11
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    OK, great info.

    I'll check on availability of 62 11 1 383 327.

    Thanks very much.

  12. #12
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    Oddly enough my cluster has been doing this occasionally whilst driving. I haven't tried the dial test. I'm pretty sure mine is a connector not fully seated at the EKM as I was messing around down there before it started happening.

  13. #13
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    I've installed the new backplane and Kph-only speed dial. It works reliably now, so it seems the problem was with the circuit board.

    When I get a chance I'll drill out the board and see if I can figure out what's wrong with it. Probably something simple like a cracked solder joint.

    Also used DIS to successfully change the odometer readout to Km.

    It was all pretty painless.

    Thanks very much for the help.

  14. #14
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    Great to hear your instrument cluster is fully operative again!

    I hope you can find the fault in the original instrument cluster. We really could use more information on what goes wrong with these.

  15. #15
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    I have a question related to that topic, perhaps someone could share infos on this.
    What data format is the connection EKM - IKE? Is it like iBus?
    I want to print the gears in the cluster. Since I have a 6speed Automatic I would like to show PRND123456 and of possible with a blank instead of „A“ and.
    Some have done this already?

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