OBC installation problem

[Jay 535i]

I decided to replace a burnt out bulb in my OBC. A buddy gave me a spare OBC with working lights. I took mine out, swapped the bulbs from one to the other, then put mine back in.

Everything seemed to go fine, but now the OBC seems dead. No action or lights at all, including the LCD. To test, I took the OBC out and put in the other one. Same thing.

What'd I do wrong? Do I have to reset it or something? I've inspected the pins and I don't think I've damaged any.

Thanks.

[granit_silber]

I decided to replace a burnt out bulb in my OBC. A buddy gave me a spare OBC with working lights. I took mine out, swapped the bulbs from one to the other, then put mine back in.

Everything seemed to go fine, but now the OBC seems dead. No action or lights at all, including the LCD. To test, I took the OBC out and put in the other one. Same thing.

What'd I do wrong? Do I have to reset it or something? I've inspected the pins and I don't think I've damaged any.

Thanks.
Jay,

I wonder if the bulbs differ between the two computers (just a shot in the dark). here's a link to where I posted the part numbers for the bulbs with a description of the bulbs.

You can pick some up at your local dealer for cheap. I paid 89 cents per bulb with a 15% BMWCCA discount.

-ashley

[Javier]

You can test OBC functions with the cluster (push signal lever in) even if OBC has no lights you should see funstions in the cluster.

Also when you turn lights on, are the butons lighted up? You have 3 lamps there, bottom is for buttons and turn on with car lights, sides (2) are for screen backup lighting, and should turn on with the key turn.

If OBC is working, your problem should be lamps, either bad or wrongly installed.

Javier

[Jay 535i]

You can test OBC functions with the cluster (push signal lever in) even if OBC has no lights you should see funstions in the cluster.

Also when you turn lights on, are the butons lighted up? You have 3 lamps there, bottom is for buttons and turn on with car lights, sides (2) are for screen backup lighting, and should turn on with the key turn.

If OBC is working, your problem should be lamps, either bad or wrongly installed.

Javier

Thanks. The OBC seems completely dead. No lights and no LCD. Unfortunately I have a "BRAKE LININGS" message on the dashboard right now, so I can't see if it's possible to bring up OBC functions on the dashboard.

The two OBCs seemed identical.

Even if I plug the old one back in, it's completely dead, so the problem is not with the lights. What did work before no longer works, so I've done something wrong.

Is it possible to get the OBC into place without the connector at the back going in properly? It doesn't look like it, but maybe that's what I've done.

Any ideas?

[Javier]

completely independent of the OBC circuitry, it is not probable that you damaged both, the lighting circuits and the OBC circuits. Guess that either OBC is not properly set in, or bulbs are burnt or not twisted in and you are only out of light.

Check with a meter for continuity in the bulbs, so to be sure filaments are not broken. If bulbs are OK, no mater the OBC status, you should have the buttons illuminated when turning car lights on, as long as OBC is properly set in (installed to the bottom).

When you engage the OBC in the side levers, pushing the lever should also push in OBC, actually I only press in the OBC face plate slightly, to help the lever pushing in the OBC.

Also take a look inside the OBC cavity to check the connector is in there properly latched in the bottom of the cavity. Connector may have become loose and is not at the proper deep to connect to OBC.

Javier

[Jay 535i]

completely independent of the OBC circuitry, it is not probable that you damaged both, the lighting circuits and the OBC circuits. Guess that either OBC is not properly set in, or bulbs are burnt or not twisted in and you are only out of light.

Check with a meter for continuity in the bulbs, so to be sure filaments are not broken. If bulbs are OK, no mater the OBC status, you should have the buttons illuminated when turning car lights on, as long as OBC is properly set in (installed to the bottom).

When you engage the OBC in the side levers, pushing the lever should also push in OBC, actually I only press in the OBC face plate slightly, to help the lever pushing in the OBC.

Also take a look inside the OBC cavity to check the connector is in there properly latched in the bottom of the cavity. Connector may have become loose and is not at the proper deep to connect to OBC.

Javier

Thanks for that. I didn't realize there was a connector at the bottom of the box. I only noticed the multi-pin connector at the top. I'll take what you said and try again.

[AllGo'n'Show]

Crap, making me all worried, I think my OBC Backlight died on me and I don't want this to happen :P

[Javier]

There is only one connector at the cavity that matches the multipin connector in the OBC. That it the one I'm referring to.

Javier.

[Jay 535i]

There is only one connector at the cavity that matches the multipin connector in the OBC. That it the one I'm referring to.

Javier.

Oh, well, it is in place, for sure. It doesn't seem possible to put the OBC in it's slot without getting that connector in, but maybe I've somehow managed to do just that.

I'll take a closer look tomorrow.

[Jay 535i]

Problem solved. Here's what happened:

I decided to have another go today, out in the sun rather than in my dark parking garage. Once out in the sun, I could see that the OBC was in fact not dead. There were numbers on the LCD screen, but they were not backlit, making them very hard to see. From that I realized that some of the bulbs that I thought were okay were not. I changed all the bulbs, reinstalled the OBC and everything's fine now.

I did waste some time at Canadian tire trying to find replacement bulbs. I learned that these are not generic bulbs, but special BMW items available only from the dealer or a specialist. The dealer charges only $2 each for them, but I thought I'd tell you all and save you the trouble of wasting your time at Canadian Tire or Pep Boys trying to find something that will work. Go to the dealer.

Thanks everyone for the help.

[AllGo'n'Show]

Yah I figured CT would be a useless cause for these bulbs. What writeup did you use for the OBC backlight change out or just experience? how long did it take you.

My OBC screen also has some screwed pixels so I might just changeout the whole unit.

[Jay 535i]

Yah I figured CT would be a useless cause for these bulbs. What writeup did you use for the OBC backlight change out or just experience? how long did it take you.

My OBC screen also has some screwed pixels so I might just changeout the whole unit.

Writeup? Sorry, not sure what you mean.

I'm not very good at this stuff, and this was the first time I've done this. Removing the radio took five minutes. Removing the OBC took one minute. Replacing the bulbs took one minute. Putting everything back took five minutes. All in all, fast and easy. I did not disconnect any of the radio connections. I just left it hooked up and rested it on the center console while I removed and replaced the OBC.

Now that I know what to do, I could probably repeat the whole procedure in three minutes. It's easy.

I have a spare OBC, if you need one. It has no bulbs, but they're available at the dealer for $2 each. You'd need three. The LCD works fine, but it peeling a tiny bit in the corner and light seeps out there at night. It's yours for the cost of shipping. PM me if you want it.

[AllGo'n'Show]

Sweet I'll let you know :)