RM European Auto Parts
Results 1 to 13 of 13

Thread: A different E39 Solar Sensor Question

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Location
    Las Vegas, NV
    Posts
    54
    My Cars
    2003 BMW 540i M Sport

    A different E39 Solar Sensor Question "FIXED"

    I've read as much as I can see about the "thingy" sticking out of dash vents. Understand so far that it's a solar sensor and plugs into the IHKA. But where and how? When I bought the car the solar sensor was in place, but the PO unceremoniously snipped the four wires so it wasn't connected to anything. I figured I'd order another one and figure a way to fish the wiring and whatever connector came with it to plug in. Well I got the new one and it came with the wires and a white 4 pin connector....but there is no where on the back of the IHKA for this to plug into. Now, here's thing, after buying the car and untangling the wiring mess the previous owner left for me (he also quite literally ripped an aftermarket head unit out), I have resolved everything....except for 4 wires that come out of the blue connector of the IHKA. Too much of a coincidence that 4 wires are yet to be connected from the IHKA and he solar sensor has 4 wires, me thinks. BUT, the wires are not even close in color. I took some pictures. Sensor colors are red, brown, green and blue. The four orphaned wires out of the IHKA harness look all some shade of brown, maybe purple. If anyone has an IHKA wiring diagram with color, maybe I can get it all hooked in and operational.
    Last edited by CW in PB; 01-21-2019 at 12:23 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    St. Joseph, Mo.
    Posts
    3,000
    My Cars
    95 m3+, 03 ZHP, Mk4 Tdi
    wiring diagrams are available at newtis.info
    '95 325iS - auto to manual swap done!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    Aberdeen, NC (yes, again)
    Posts
    23,672
    My Cars
    E39M5, E500 4WD

    Chris Powell
    Racer and Instructor since, well. decades, ok?
    Master Auto Tech, owner of German Motors of Aberdeen
    BMWCCA 274412
    German Motors is hiring ! https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...1#post30831471

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Location
    Las Vegas, NV
    Posts
    54
    My Cars
    2003 BMW 540i M Sport
    Thanks. This was really helpful. I think my problem will be that what looks like some kind of intermediary connector (X10699) and is supposed to be attached to the air tunnel (or whatever the metal tube is called) is gone. Also, I think I'm going to have to remove the dash pad to fish the darn wiring through to either a connector that I have to find or directly via crimp/solder. I was hoping to avoid removing it, but I can't see/feel anything even with the MID, IHK and Business CD removed.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Location
    Las Vegas, NV
    Posts
    54
    My Cars
    2003 BMW 540i M Sport
    ....and I screwed something up. Disconnected and removed the IHKA to try to figure out pinouts so I can reconnect the solar sensor (if anyone's interested, pins 14, 15, 16, 19 on the blue 26 pin connector). As expected, the four cut wires are the ones for the sensor. Thanks for the tis.info site, Chris. I'm going to get the connector (female 4 pin that's supposed to be stuck to the air tunnel behind the MID) from someone parting out an 530i tomorrow.

    But, as I had to drive today and I wanted A/C, I hooked everything back up and reinstalled the IHKA (minus the sensor just as it was before), and no AC no blower. All lights and buttons on the panel work, fuses under the glove box and behind it (75 and 76) are good. No codes.

    Tried unplugging, plugging back in, disconnecting battery for a while and reconnecting but nothing. I checked all wire terminations and it seems everything is ok i.e. I didn't yank anything loose. I shouldn't have to recode if I just disconnected and reconnected the same unit, right?

    No doubt I did something, but could I have messed up the FSU by simply disconnecting the 4 plugs on the back? Since I'm going to get the connector tomorrow, I'll connect the parts car IHKA up, but I don't think it'll work right due to coding, but perhaps the blower may come on. Any suggestions?
    Last edited by CW in PB; 01-19-2019 at 12:01 AM.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    St. Joseph, Mo.
    Posts
    3,000
    My Cars
    95 m3+, 03 ZHP, Mk4 Tdi
    Quote Originally Posted by shadowpuck View Post
    wiring diagrams are available at newtis.info
    when this has happened before i've rebooted the hvac by removing/reinstalling the fuses for the unit.
    '95 325iS - auto to manual swap done!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Location
    Las Vegas, NV
    Posts
    54
    My Cars
    2003 BMW 540i M Sport
    Thanks, Shadow. I'll give it a try. You're talking just 9 and 20 for the e39 right? There isn't some relay or module I could be missing?

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    St. Joseph, Mo.
    Posts
    3,000
    My Cars
    95 m3+, 03 ZHP, Mk4 Tdi
    i don't know off the top of my head, but, it's free and cheap/quick to try.
    '95 325iS - auto to manual swap done!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    Aberdeen, NC (yes, again)
    Posts
    23,672
    My Cars
    E39M5, E500 4WD
    If all of the plugs you disconnected are okay, and fuses 9,20 and 76 are TRULY good (do they have power on both sides?), and the control unit lights up and appears to work normally, I'd have to advise that you replace the Final Stage Resistor. It fails all by itself, regularly, especially if you still have the original style.

    Did you sneeze while you were near the control unit? Because the FSR will take that as an insult, and quit working.

    Seriously though, if everything seems like it's working except the blower motor, I would not hesitate to replace the FSR. I have to confess that when my own E39 M5's blower quit working one day, I didn't even check the fuses; I just ordered the FSR. That fixed it, of course. (Now, if it had been a customer car, I'd have checked the fuses....and then ordered the FSR.)

    It's kind of like an E46 4-door when the window quits working: if you hear a noise in the door, you just go ahead and order a regulator, without even taking the panel off.

    Now, I just had a look at a simpler wiring diagram than TIS, for your IHKA. Sorry, it's a pro website I can't link you to. TIS is usually more accurate, but this site is easier, shows the complete picture.

    I see no intermediate connector between your control unit and the solar sensor. I see 4 wires: Yellow/Black, Yellow/Blue, Yellow/White, and Brown/Violet. These go to pins 14, 15, 16, and 19 of a 26-pin connector.

    Are you seeing something different than that in TIS?

    Chris Powell
    Racer and Instructor since, well. decades, ok?
    Master Auto Tech, owner of German Motors of Aberdeen
    BMWCCA 274412
    German Motors is hiring ! https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...1#post30831471

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    St. Joseph, Mo.
    Posts
    3,000
    My Cars
    95 m3+, 03 ZHP, Mk4 Tdi
    great point on the FSR - i totally forgot about that!
    '95 325iS - auto to manual swap done!

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Location
    Las Vegas, NV
    Posts
    54
    My Cars
    2003 BMW 540i M Sport
    Ok. I'll order the FSR and while waiting, check and probably just replace the fuses since I'm not at all electrically inclined. Shouldn't I get some code though?

    It's possible I may have sneezed when working on it. Although my *ahchoos* sound suspiciously like certain four letter words. Especially while trying to contort myself under the glovebox to check those 40 and 50 amp fuses.

    I snipped the connector out of the donor guy's car. The sensor wires are red, brown, green and blue and go into a male 4 pol connector. That is plugged into it's female complement which is kind of sandwiched in some foam double sided sticky tape so you can't see it. It makes it appear as though the red, brown, green and blue wires go into sticky tape and come out yellow/black, yellow/blue, yellow/white, brown/violet. I don't think I can post pics yet.

    Once my back recovers, I'll drop the glove box, disconnect the center vent cord and pop it out so I can try to route, crimp, and connect. Even if the blower doesn't work, I'm hoping the right/left solar sensor code clears.

    Thanks for your help on this relatively trivial thing. Just trying to go through my punch list and after this, all of my codes will have been cleared and I can focus on the interior/exterior cosmetic stuff.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Location
    Las Vegas, NV
    Posts
    54
    My Cars
    2003 BMW 540i M Sport
    Ordered the FSR. Although I didn't route the solar sensor wiring (I think I have to remove the dash pad and I'm not ready to do that right now), I did reconnect all of the wires including the sensor. I also replaced fuses 9 and 20 even though they looked good.

    Stil no air/blower. No solar sensor codes (yay) BUT have two new codes: Fresh-air/recirculated air flap motor and Heat-exchanger sensor, right. Cleared them but they came right back.

    Checked that all connectors were properly seated but still nothing. Could the solar sensor and/or (potentially) bad FSR be related? In other words could a new FSR resolve the other codes? Or am I going down a rabbit hole with this?

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Location
    Las Vegas, NV
    Posts
    54
    My Cars
    2003 BMW 540i M Sport
    I'm going to call his one "FIXED". I routed the sensor wiring with the help of a wire hangar. The solar sensor is working (or at least the codes are gone and it's installed), so I guess it's ok. I'm going to open a new thread with my new issues if the new FSR doesn't solve the blower and two new codes. Thank you!

Similar Threads

  1. E39 PDC sensor wiring questions. Help!!!!
    By NCFA17 in forum 1996 - 2003 (E39)
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 04-01-2013, 11:54 PM
  2. E39 LSx swap question about different years
    By RVAE34 in forum Engine Conversions
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 09-26-2012, 05:33 PM
  3. OBD1 O2 sensor question, a bit different
    By RRSperry in forum Forced Induction
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 04-20-2011, 07:23 AM
  4. E39 FS: Bmw e39 rain sensor
    By Viperian86 in forum Car Audio & Electronics
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 02-27-2008, 12:10 PM
  5. Oxegen sensor question e39 540
    By cleoent in forum 1996 - 2003 (E39)
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 06-05-2006, 12:27 PM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •