It Just Died....please help

[Sailesh]

I have been away from you guys for a couple of years, but, I'm back. My 1989 525i just died. Sitting at a traffic light and everthing just shut down. No power, no emergency flashers, nothing....just put in a new alternator last week. Any ideas? Please?

[winfred]

check the fuse that's by the battery in the black plastic thing on the front of the strut tower, it's a 80 amp strap fuse and it can corrode and or crack due to age, if the bimmer dealer doesn't have one the mercedes dealer has them for glow plug relays on old diesels, ask for a 80 amp glow plug relay fuse for a 84 300d turbo if you need to go to mercedes

[Sailesh]

Thanks! I had trusty E34 is storage for 2 years, good to be back. FYI she is a 1989 525i with 430,000 kms....I think I will be asking for more advice since she is now a daily driver again.

[Gayle]

430,000kms translates to how many miles?

[GS535i]

X 0.6 = 258K miles, still an impressive number.
Is this the infamous fusible link? Anyone have a pic of it, for IIRC, my battery cable leads quickly dissappear into the floor pan - and is not apparent beside the battery.

[Kalevera]

X 0.6 = 258K miles, still an impressive number.
Is this the infamous fusible link? Anyone have a pic of it, for IIRC, my battery cable leads quickly dissappear into the floor pan - and is not apparent beside the battery.
Your battery's also under the rear seat; the M20 525 cars located the battery under the hood.

best, whit

[winfred]

you have two fusable links by the battery under the back seat, one for the cars electronics that you can see and a hidden one for the motor


X 0.6 = 258K miles, still an impressive number.
Is this the infamous fusible link? Anyone have a pic of it, for IIRC, my battery cable leads quickly dissappear into the floor pan - and is not apparent beside the battery.

[Sailesh]

Lowell, there is a pic of the fusible link on the www.bmwe34.net site. Over the last 12 years I have owned this car, I love it, and have rebuilt it with parts from Bruno. I'm just worried that it maybe coming to its last legs...anyone have an e34 with more than 430,000 kms (238,000 miles ) on it? Any advice would be welcome and appreciated.

[uscharalph]

Lowell, there is a pic of the fusible link on the www.bmwe34.net site. Over the last 12 years I have owned this car, I love it, and have rebuilt it with parts from Bruno. I'm just worried that it maybe coming to its last legs...anyone have an e34 with more than 430,000 kms (238,000 miles ) on it? Any advice would be welcome and appreciated.
My 1989 E34 525i (M20) has 226,000 miles and going strong. I'm real interested to see what's going on with yours. Hopefully it's something simple.

[shogun]

From the E32:
Thsi fuse is for the BC and for the DWA.
http://www.neukaemper-partner.de/BMW/bc1.jpg
http://www.neukaemper-partner.de/BMW/bc2.jpg
http://www.neukaemper-partner.de/BMW/bc4.jpg
http://members.roadfly.com/hairwithit/0723seatremovaltxt.jpg

The ribbed metal case attached to the battery holder is the control module for the EDC system

[Sailesh]

We have the same car...different colour...it was the fusible link. Thanks Winfred!