new battery new problem help!!!

[bmwrp8]

Just changed my battery last night and while at it changed my stalk with an remote for obc after that all is fine.this morning I used my car with no prob. around night time when I shut the engine off and took out the key I noticed the battery sign in the instrument cluster is still on and the oil and brake lights are dimly on...auxiliary E.Fan is still working and I could here the idle control valve still working also with the key out of the ignition WTF!!!...So what I did was checked the alternator,battery and checked the stalk also but all is fine...this is wierd...any ideas??please help...Now I just disconnected the battery cables so the batt.would not run down...

[BMWDriver]

Sounds like a short somewhere... did it rain ? Did you drop your coffee ? ;) Seriously though, it feels like a short, whereas the current is passing through, but with resistance such as a liquid may provoque, since the lights are dimly lit. I would look for a bare wire somewhere.

That would be a hell of an investigation given the inexperience I have. But that is what I would do: give a hard look at electrical wiring I can see. It could even be coming from within the steering column. Or could it be that water went in the ignition key hole, carried in by your key ? Now I think I'm stretching it.

Replug the bat, and if all is good, then the water is dry.

[bmwrp8]

Sounds like a short somewhere... did it rain ? Did you drop your coffee ? ;) Seriously though, it feels like a short, whereas the current is passing through, but with resistance such as a liquid may provoque, since the lights are dimly lit. I would look for a bare wire somewhere.

That would be a hell of an investigation given the inexperience I have.

it didn't rain and didn't pour anything...just happened by itself...just looked again and when I took out the instrument cluster voila aux fan stop...and all return to normal.But when I put the instrument cluster back its the same problem...could the cluster have a short inside or something else outside the cluster???I dunno getting confused already!!!:(

[BMWDriver]

Ah, yes my friend, look for a bare wire ! There be metal things I should think, to hold it in place. Keep in mind this bare wire may even be barely bare... it won't take much. So, have a careful look at them, take all the time you need and you might find it. Anything that might be loose, uncovered wire ends, solderings that show...

EDIT:
Oops... instrument cluster. It might be worthwhile to have a look inside it. I take it the fan goes on because of high temp under normal conditions. It sounds like there is a part inside (like a condensator or resistor, or other) that has leaked seriously, and so triggers the aux. fan to turn on as if the cluster is giving the signal to lower the engine's temperature. And it must be a mess then.

[whiskychaser]

Just changed my battery last night and while at it changed my stalk .
Not even sure what stalk you mean but I'm thinking bad solenoid connections or duff regulator. Charging OK?

[BMWDriver]

Capacitors are known to fail. I'm starting to have trouble with my own cluster (shows empty fuel at more than half full, erroneous "add oil" message, erroneous "coolant low" message; only those so far).

http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main/Maintenance/Electrical/capacitors.htm

[bmwrp8]

[QUOTE=whiskychaser]Not even sure what stalk you mean but I'm thinking bad solenoid connections or duff regulator. Charging OK?[/QUOT

OBC stalk

[bmwrp8]

Capacitors are known to fail. I'm starting to have trouble with my own cluster (shows empty fuel at more than half full, erroneous "add oil" message, erroneous "coolant low" message; only those so far).

http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main/Maintenance/Electrical/capacitors.htm

ill try to borrow a cluster from the local yard if its still the same then i guess ill have to look for the short someplace else...

[BMWDriver]

ill try to borrow a cluster from the local yard if its still the same then i guess ill have to look for the short someplace else...

Hey ! I might buy either one off of you ! That would be great ! - Then again, the 89 cluster model is different... shoot ! It might not fit, I remember a post about that...

[632 Regal]

a relay might be stuck or fried. Did you try installing the original stalk? If you installed the stalk with the battery connected you might have shorted something.

[shogun]

Here a copy what I once posted in German and English:

bis 2/89:
Altes Kombi (mit grauer Platte) mit dem Codierstecker im Kabelbaum.
built till 02/89: old cluster with grey back with code plug in cable loom

2/89 bis 9/90:
1. Redesign -> Kombi (mit weißer Platte) mit Codierstecker im Kombi.
2/89-9/90: 1st redesign, with white backplate with code plug in cluster

ab 9/90:
2. Redesign -> Kombi (mit blauer Platte) mit Codierstecker im Kombi.
from 9/90: 2nd redesign with blue backplate, code plug in cluster


In ein Fahrzeug bis 2/89 passen alle 3 Varianten.
Ab Bj 2/89 kannst Du nur Kombis mit dem 1. und 2. Redesign verwenden.
In a car till 2/89 all 3 cluster variants fit.
From built year 2/89 only cluster of 1st + 2nd redesign can be used.

Aber: Der Kodierstecker muß immer genau zur jeweiligen Design-Variante des Kombis passen. Das ist NICHT tauschbar !
But the code plug must always fit to the cluster design. They are not exchangable.

[bmwrp8]

a relay might be stuck or fried. Did you try installing the original stalk? If you installed the stalk with the battery connected you might have shorted something.

i tried removing the stalk and putting the original back still the same...pulled all the fuses and relay in the engine bay including the LKM and CC module still has the battery sign on and oil , brake partially lit

[bmwrp8]

Here a copy what I once posted in German and English:

bis 2/89:
Altes Kombi (mit grauer Platte) mit dem Codierstecker im Kabelbaum.
built till 02/89: old cluster with grey back with code plug in cable loom

2/89 bis 9/90:
1. Redesign -> Kombi (mit weißer Platte) mit Codierstecker im Kombi.
2/89-9/90: 1st redesign, with white backplate with code plug in cluster

ab 9/90:
2. Redesign -> Kombi (mit blauer Platte) mit Codierstecker im Kombi.
from 9/90: 2nd redesign with blue backplate, code plug in cluster


In ein Fahrzeug bis 2/89 passen alle 3 Varianten.
Ab Bj 2/89 kannst Du nur Kombis mit dem 1. und 2. Redesign verwenden.
In a car till 2/89 all 3 cluster variants fit.
From built year 2/89 only cluster of 1st + 2nd redesign can be used.

Aber: Der Kodierstecker muß immer genau zur jeweiligen Design-Variante des Kombis passen. Das ist NICHT tauschbar !
But the code plug must always fit to the cluster design. They are not exchangable.

Took out the cluster and just removed the code plug...it just said in CC "code module?" but the battery sign and oil and brake are partially lit

[632 Regal]

batt light on with ignition off sounds like a bad diode in the alternator backfeeding through the system. try disconnecting the wires on that if it still has the problem.

[bmwrp8]

batt light on with ignition off sounds like a bad diode in the alternator backfeeding through the system. try disconnecting the wires on that if it still has the problem.

batt. light , oil , brake light, and the aux.electric fan still works even if the key is out...but if you start it theres no batt.light...I removed the cluster and the aux.E.fan stopped.and all the short where gone...Now I don't know if the short is in the cluster or the wires that connects to the cluster because everytime I reconnect the cluster the short comes back...

[632 Regal]

dont ever ever connect the battery with the cluster out or disconnected you will gain a wrath of electrical problems... forget where I read that, here somewhere but the search dont work right.

[bmwrp8]

dont ever ever connect the battery with the cluster out or disconnected you will gain a wrath of electrical problems... forget where I read that, here somewhere but the search dont work right.


ohh sh*t! ill keep that on mind...ooopss

[Ferret]

You've got a short through your alternator somehow - it's backfeeding battery voltage up through the alternator engergise line, through the alternator bulb onto the +12v bus of the dash cluster. This can then feed +12v down onto the rest of the cars 'ignition' bus as they all tend to be interconnected, hence why your ecu might be on the move.

Unplug the multiplug/energise line out the back of the alternator and see if it goes away...

This might sound like a really stupid/insulting question and dont take it the wrong way, but you didnt accidentally plug the battery in the wrong way for even a second? Doing so renders your alternator toast immediately.

If not I suspect your alt was already on its way out before you changed the battery - why did you change it in the first place? Was it randomly going flat and you assumed it was the batt rather than the alternator?

[bmwrp8]

You've got a short through your alternator somehow - it's backfeeding battery voltage up through the alternator engergise line, through the alternator bulb onto the +12v bus of the dash cluster. This can then feed +12v down onto the rest of the cars 'ignition' bus as they all tend to be interconnected, hence why your ecu might be on the move.

Unplug the multiplug/energise line out the back of the alternator and see if it goes away...

This might sound like a really stupid/insulting question and dont take it the wrong way, but you didnt accidentally plug the battery in the wrong way for even a second? Doing so renders your alternator toast immediately.

If not I suspect your alt was already on its way out before you changed the battery - why did you change it in the first place? Was it randomly going flat and you assumed it was the batt rather than the alternator?

my batt was really dead...and no i had the batt.installed by a pro in the shop where i bought the batt..in obc i could see my charging is super low at night its only from 11.70-12.58 at morning with no load its 12.78-13.20.And lastly how do I unplug the multiplug/energise line?

[Ferret]

my batt was really dead...and no i had the batt.installed by a pro in the shop where i bought the batt..in obc i could see my charging is super low at night its only from 11.70-12.58 at morning with no load its 12.78-13.20.And lastly how do I unplug the multiplug/energise line?

There should just be a plug with a bunch of cables going into the back for the alternator... this should just unplug easily.

There will also be a heavy cable which is your charge line, I wouldnt bother unplugging this. If you could snap a shot of the back of the alternator for us I'd be able to point it out... will have a look at realoem in a minute.

[bmwrp8]

There should just be a plug with a bunch of cables going into the back for the alternator... this should just unplug easily.

There will also be a heavy cable which is your charge line, I wouldnt bother unplugging this. If you could snap a shot of the back of the alternator for us I'd be able to point it out... will have a look at realoem in a minute.


its a bit dark already and i dont have my digicam only have a camera phone with me...will take pictures tom. only saw 1 wire there but ill check again tom. i dunno if it'll help but my last 7 digits of my vin is be11605 (for real oem

[Ferret]

its a bit dark already and i dont have my digicam only have a camera phone with me...will take pictures tom. only saw 1 wire there but ill check again tom. i dunno if it'll help but my last 7 digits of my vin is be11605 (for real oem

I'd leave your battery unplugged at all times other than when the car's running - you may well be damaging the delicate circuitry on the back of your instrument cluster by running the vehicles systems off of it...

[Ross]

Just a thought.
If the warning lights are dim it sounds like you may have lost a ground somewhere and the effected circuit is finding a ground through the lights. Effectively establishing a series circuit with the lights and whatever.
Perhaps this has all happened at the alternator as others have suggested.
The voltage regultor which has the diodes and brushes is replaceable seperately and FAR less expensive than the whole alternator.

[bmwrp8]

Just a thought.
If the warning lights are dim it sounds like you may have lost a ground somewhere and the effected circuit is finding a ground through the lights. Effectively establishing a series circuit with the lights and whatever.
Perhaps this has all happened at the alternator as others have suggested.
The voltage regultor which has the diodes and brushes is replaceable seperately and FAR less expensive than the whole alternator.

If ever its the alternator do you think its the voltage regulator thats at fault?

[BuckNaked]

Can you start the car? Is it your ignition cylinder/starter switch?
I am in the middle of that myself.

[bmwrp8]

Can you start the car? Is it your ignition cylinder/starter switch?
I am in the middle of that myself.


yes.The car starts no problem.Its only when I turn off the engine then the short starts

[Ferret]

yes.The car starts no problem.Its only when I turn off the engine then the short starts

Everything /will/ work fine when you turn the key, that's because the current has a proper route to where it's trying to go, through the ignition circuit.

With the ignition circuit open, power's flowing through your dashboard to the rest of the car.

[bmwrp8]

Everything /will/ work fine when you turn the key, that's because the current has a proper route to where it's trying to go, through the ignition circuit.

With the ignition circuit open, power's flowing through your dashboard to the rest of the car.

problem fixed:D just tighten the two wires at the back of the alternator...while at it I changed the regulator but my remaining problem is even though I just changed the regulator with the brush at morning I only get 13volts and at night I get 11volts any ideas???:(

[Ferret]

problem fixed:D just tighten the two wires at the back of the alternator...while at it I changed the regulator but my remaining problem is even though I just changed the regulator with the brush at morning I only get 13volts and at night I get 11volts any ideas???:(

11 volts is pretty heavy discharge... 13 is okay I think.

What are you measuring your voltage with, the OBC? It could well be that the obc has a bad earth or something?

[bmwrp8]

11 volts is pretty heavy discharge... 13 is okay I think.

What are you measuring your voltage with, the OBC? It could well be that the obc has a bad earth or something?

yes the OBC but just went to where I bought my battery he put a digital battery tester directly to the battery and he had all my lights turned on and AC at idle it reads 11.40 and had it revved a bit it reads flat 12-12.28volts. Turned off everything and it read 12.48-13.04volts