2002 Z3 2.5L Speedometer Nightmare

[bschmid]

HELP!! I purchased my silver James Bond roadster in 2015 with a known issue with the dashboard cluster. Didn't think it would turn into such a nightmare. I've been to a BMW dealer, a BMW independent specialist shop, sent cluster to North Hollywood Speedometer and Clock company and purchased another cluster on Ebay, but nobody or nothing has worked yet. All gauges and lights work except the speedometer (fuel moves around but does level out with steady speed and straight road).
Zero related faults stored, wheel speed signals present, vehicle speed signal present in DME. DSC control unit is sending correct vehicle speed signal.
I use my phone for my speedometer but challenging to keep track of mileage on car this way.
Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions as I've spent a lot of money on this issue to no avail.
Thanks

[rf900rkw]

Has anyone thought to check the speedometer speed sensor in the differential, and it's related wiring?

[BimmerBreaker]

Yeah like Randy said, are you sure its not a physical issue? Youve thrown a lot of money at the cluster but have you verified the cluster is even receiving a signal?

[pipeliner542]

I am having the same issues. Just started to troubleshoot. I have no lights or stored codes. Wheel sensors according to scan tool are showing correct speed. Getting ready to check diff sensor as I'm typing....I'll be.following this for sure

[rf900rkw]

Why/where would you expect there to be codes? Why are you looking at the wheel speed sensors? Doesn't anyone look at a wiring diagram? The speedo has it's own dedicated sensor in the diff. The system is straight out of the 1980s; no computer involved.

[pipeliner542]

Dont know..wife said speedometer quit and fuel gauge quit working.... I drove the car and the cruise quit as well..abs light on dash flashed while going around corner....seemed like a lot of issues all at once..figured it warranted a scan. But I guess not.. in my own experience I have solved more than a couple abs light issues by confirming all wheel speed sensors are reading correctly...guess I didnt state I had other problems..

[z3forlife]

Has anyone thought to check the speedometer speed sensor in the differential, and it's related wiring?

With shop rates what they are at some dealerships I would certainly hope so. Bschmid what was the dealer diagnosis. Bad cluster?

[BladeRunner919]

Dont know..wife said speedometer quit and fuel gauge quit working.... I drove the car and the cruise quit as well..abs light on dash flashed while going around corner....seemed like a lot of issues all at once..figured it warranted a scan. But I guess not.. in my own experience I have solved more than a couple abs light issues by confirming all wheel speed sensors are reading correctly...guess I didnt state I had other problems..

I would imagine the cruise can't work if the car doesn't know how fast it's going!!

[bschmid]

Thanks for the dialog and questions. Yes, I've spent a lot on the cluster only because two different dealers said they ran all known tests including replacing speed sensor and test driving while monitoring wheel speed signals per DSC control module. Wheel speed signals were present. Also found vehicle speed signal to be present in DME. DSC control unit is sending correct vehicle speed signal. One dealer said bad cluster, the other basically gave up.
Any suggestions from anyone at this point? Can't believe this has been such a major challenge but nothing rarely is as easy a fix as one would think.

[bschmid]

RF900RKW - I will ask the two dealers if they have checked the dedicated speedo in the diff. maybe the techs have never worked on a BMW without a computer involved.

[Tim95M3]

RF900RKW - I will ask the two dealers if they have checked the dedicated speedo in the diff. maybe the techs have never worked on a BMW without a computer involved.

This is a good possibility. Of the 40+ other techs I work with in my dealership, I'm probably one of two that knows how the old systems work.