Dead battery = cluster problems?

[JimLev]

With the clock issue and the cluster reverting to not working makes me lean towards GG's ideas, seems like something is stopping power to an important part or making it think it's not getting power/enough power. I'm going to double check the battery cables are tight, check all fuses, the coolant sensor, DME connection, and then the fuses under the passenger seat last and hope I find something wrong.

Your battery is clearly OK.

Both the clock and the cluster get power thru the ignition switch.
Just for the heck of it I've attached the wiring for the dual temp sensor.
https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e...sensor/ofzGQTO

[fuzzy530i]

Is that the one you recommended checking the connection of or the sensor in the lower hose?

[JimLev]

That's the dual sensor in the t-stat housing, one for the DME and the other for the temp gauge in the cluster.

The one in the lower hose is for the Aux fan.

[fuzzy530i]

So another update, when after it started working on Sunday it kept working all of Monday. Then Tuesday night when I went to go to work it wasn't working, checked the battery voltage and it was 12.7 (key off), when leaving work it was 12.3. Also noticed yesterday that my range indicator and clock stopped working at all, and today on the way home the gas light came on (was definitely low on gas) so I stopped at a gas station and filled up. Now the fuel level gauge isn't working either.

I'm finally done with exams so in the next few days I will start checking things out but figured I should update.

[geargrinder]

Bit confused - I thought you DID already check under the passenger seat? So you didn't? Honestly floor fuses is the BEST of all the suggestions so far for your symptoms and I think some people have prob been suggesting other options figuring you'd already checked that.

We give our best ideas first here, and you really should chase them down first, not just 'do the easier ones first and skip the hard ones for last'. I mean there's a place for that approach but at this point DO THE #1 LIKELY ITEM...

BTW if its coolant or oil on the DME connector (less likely IMO given the symptoms than the floor) then continuing to drive it could increase the chance of burning out part of the DME permanently and needing a new one. I doubt its that because that usually causes running issues and codes first and foremost, but, its possible its interacting w/ the cluster in some weird reverse voltage manner.

And if you haven't checked the floor cuz you're avoiding the work - somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but.. - I think you can get at least a peek by pulling the sill trim and door seal away, popping the right 'kick panel' at the passengers feet that hides the LCM, and just prying the carpet up a bit. You won't get it all the way up out of the way but should be enough to see if there's water there. I have been pulling / swapping LCMs recently and even just that front corner I think pulls out enough that you might have a peer in or at least could slip an inspection cam if you have access to one. Getting the sill trim off should be enough to get an eyeball.

[fuzzy530i]

I checked those a couple days ago after you suggested it, the were no signs of moisture or corrosion and they all read 12V on both sides. In my last list of what I'm going to check out I put it last because its not as easy as well as having already checked it out I figured time better spent on unexplored options first

[geargrinder]

Ok no worries I thought you were saying you didn’t look under carpet yet.

[fuzzy530i]

So far the DME connectors look fine, no water or corrosion anywhere in there. The coolant sensor connector in the thermostat housing was clean and dry as well. Cleaned the battery ground, trying to get the one in the engine bay off but its being a pain to get to; doesn't look corroded or anything just dirty but still going to try to get it off and cleaned up.

[fuzzy530i]

Unfortunately as I was taking apart the ignition switch to see if there was any noticeable corrosion and prepare to "rebuild" it, it slipped out of my hand and the cam came out so I'm not sure how it was timed. It looked like there was some wear on the plastic cam and the contact points looked a little worn and corroded/dirty from what I could tell. Ordered a new one that should be here tomorrow.

[fuzzy530i]

Ignition switch didn't change anything. Im going to let the car go to sleep and do the reset that worked last time, and while I have it unplugged going to try to clean up the fuse block that's under the passenger seat. I double checked them an each is getting the proper voltage on both sides but figured cleaning them up wouldn't hurt.

[fuzzy530i]

Well now even the reset doesn't make anything work. Not sure the ground in the engine compartment is going to do anything. All fuses under the passenger seat read 12+V and 0 ohms when taken out. Not sure how to proceed from here

[Chedley]

Well, I suggest you go back to square-1.
Put back all the fuses and switches, clean up the wires, check the ground connections, and anything you touched while chasing this problem.
Then, replace the battery : test with a new fully charged battery. I think that was your original problem to begin with...!!

[blackknight530i]

Just an idea, but have you checked the ground connection for the DME? It's the nut on the side of the cabin air box area where a ring terminal is attached that goes to the ebox.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[fuzzy530i]

Chedley, I don't think I'm understanding your thought process. The battery is brand new and was fully charged early on in the search for the cause. Not sure how forcing the parts store to replace a known good battery with another one is going to change anything.

Blacknight530i, I have not checked that but I'll double check it and make sure that it's clean and well connected.

I'm starting to think it's the cluster itself since everything is coming back ok and the reset isn't working anymore.

[geargrinder]

Im sorry - was there ever a code read at all on the car overall and the cluster specifically? Proper BMW proprietary code reading?

[blackknight530i]

Chedley, I don't think I'm understanding your thought process. The battery is brand new and was fully charged early on in the search for the cause. Not sure how forcing the parts store to replace a known good battery with another one is going to change anything.

Blacknight530i, I have not checked that but I'll double check it and make sure that it's clean and well connected.

I'm starting to think it's the cluster itself since everything is coming back ok and the reset isn't working anymore.

If you suspect it's the cluster, I can take a look at it.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[fuzzy530i]

Well after work today it has been working again, shut the car off while running errands and then went to leave and it was still working.

No codes have been read, I only have a scanner for check engine codes and no light has popped up. I don't know anyone with any special scanners and didn't want to take it somewhere and spend the money until I ran down all the leads I can do myself.

Blackknight530i, what would I be looking for if I took out the cluster? Any ways for me to test it to make sure it's good to go?

[fuzzy530i]

Car was working fine from Friday until this morning, through rain sleet and snow it worked every time I drove it. Then this morning when its sunny and clear it stopped. Could it possibly be something to do with my key? I've noticed recently that it hasn't been locking/unlocking as well unless I'm up close to the car, also the key has a lot of slop when it is in the ignition tumbler, I'd say about a 1/4 inch in all directions.

[JimLev]

The key not working until you get close to the car is a weak battery inside the key.
I've got the same problem with my almost 19 year old key batteries, going to order 2 new batteries soon.

Do you still have the key slop when the key is in the run position or just in position 0 and 1?

- - - Updated - - -

Chedley, I don't think I'm understanding your thought process. The battery is brand new and was fully charged early on in the search for the cause.

Must be a salesman for a battery company!

[fuzzy530i]

I noticed the slop while the car was running, I'll double check positions 0 and 1 but pretty sure they both have the same slop. Am I able to change the batteries in mine? I don't see a way to without prying open the back half of the key, and I thought I read somewhere the e39 fob isn't able to have the battery changed.

I was pretty disappointed that it stopped working again after about 40 different times of working every time, thought maybe the ignition switch change and actually putting some miles on it maybe reset everything and it was solved.

[JimLev]

The key lock cylinder and the ignition (electrical) switch are 2 separate pieces. If the lock cylinder has some play in it that may make the electrical switch move. I'd think if the switch part was moving along with the lock cylinder the electrical contacts would be opening up causing other things connected from the switch to the car to shut down.
Did you replace the electrical switch part or just look at it's contacts?

Many have opened up the key shell to replace the battery. You need to split it along it's seam.
The battery is soldered to the circuit board.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JBGZ33C...v_ov_lig_dp_it

[fuzzy530i]

I replaced the whole electrical switch. And I’ll order a battery soon and try replacing it.

All positions have the slop, I’ve tried wiggling the key while starting and that doesn’t do anything.

[fuzzy530i]

Once again it's all working fine once I left work, and worked again a few mins later when I took my dog out. Hoping it stays that way.

[DeadBatterE60]

Did it fix itself? Get worse? Symptoms sound a lot like what's been happening to my e60. No clock, fuel guage to E, battery draw, running great when parked, then gremlins took over.
I did have wet passenger floor, checked ebox and dme was in about an inch water. Dried it out, put it back in and it started right up the first time, then rough idle the next time, now crank but no start.
The draw turned out to be the water pump cycling on and off continuously. I'm thinking there must be a leak and it's running the bleeding procedure or something.
I also have a sunroof but have not checked the pillars yet, I will in an hour. I've been inspecting all the earth points and modules I can get to easily but there are a bazillion, give or take.
Last night I found that a ground strap from firewall to coil was never connected after plugs were changed 26k miles ago. Who knows, I keep wanting it to be a single cause that's producing a domino effect but I'm starting to think its actually just imploding slowly
Hope you had better luck than me.

[mattmar1]

on that e60, take a look in the trunk as well, the battery box and the spare tire well. e60's have a known problem of water incursion in the trunk. there are module(s) mounted under the spare that get gedunked when water accumulates. fix is to relocate the modules to higher ground. knocked out a friend of mines MPM module, fortunately that was all. relocated all modules, no problems since. i think there was a BMW recall on this iirc. caused all kindsa loco electrical problems.