"Two Cars" light...

[Qube]

What's the "Two Cars" light, (left of) beside the DSC light, stand for? Mines on... E39...

.

[bad_manners_god]

What's the "Two Cars" light, (left of) beside the DSC light, stand for? Mines on... E39...

.

Check the owner's manual, it should have a list of what all the lights mean.

[Qube]

Check the owner's manual, it should have a list of what all the lights mean.

You'd think so. I'd love for someone to call me a liar and show me where it is.

I have a feeling the light doesn't even map to a real function in this model.

[bad_manners_god]

You'd think so. I'd love for someone to call me a liar and show me where it is.

I have a feeling the light doesn't even map to a real function in this model.

Maybe it means it's ready to drift since it's almost the opposite of DSC....lol

[Rus]

In all of the E39 manuals I've looked at online, that spot is either empty or used by the auto-leveling suspension indicator bulb. Since you have a canadian car, perhaps the indicator looks a little different? Is your SLS active and working? Just my $.02

[whiskychaser]

Any chance it could have something to do with parking sensors or a towing pack?

[Qube]

Nobody knows? The manual "indicator light" or any other section doesn't say.

No codes to pull...

I don't have PDC.

No SLS either.

Towing pack... That's interesting. Perhaps a connector thinks it's active? Though it should still tell me in the manual!

This is irritating. I might pull the bulb.

[pcross]

I checked with a tech buddy of mine at the dealership. He said the light is not "two cars." It is one car and a trailer. If the light is on while driving, it indicates that the towing package is engaged (you're hooked up to a trailer...brake/turn/running lights and the brake system). It should not be on while driving if the towing package isn't engaged....if you're not hooked up. He "thinks" it might be proper for the light to come on when you engage the ignition key (just light the check engine light initially comes on), but he's not sure. His exact words, "I've never seen the thing operative 'cause no one, I really mean no one, should utilize such a fine automobile as a BMW to pull a damn trailer!"

[Qube]

Hmmmm so now it's off to find the connector for the "towing package"...

Perhaps it's shorted. It's always on now.

Thanks much.

If anyone knows where this evil hookup is located, please do chime in :)

[pcross]

A little more info...Check to see (dumb comment on my part actually, you should already know) if you have an OEM 7-way, round electrical trailer socket installed. If not, you do not have an OEM towing package. If you do not have the towing package, that light should never be on. My tech buddy said that he cannot understand why you would even have that light on your panel w/o the OEM towing package. You might look over a comprehensive e39 wiring diagram for additional info. BTW, I find that the E39 540i is very popular in Europe as a towing vehicle...Google BMW E39 towing...for info. Merry Christmas.

[Qube]

I'm pretty sure I don't have one of those...

My cluster was recently replaced completely under warranty. Perhaps the bulb is preinstalled on all of em.

http://www.jcwhitney.com/BMW-E39-Trailer-Wiring/200730111-600002466.jcw

EDIT: Dammit... now trying to find the fuse for that sucker... http://www.540i6.com/fuses.html

[whiskychaser]

If you dont have a towing pack I guess the question is mute. But if you do, I'd expect you would also get a 'repeat' turn signal to show your trailer indicator lights are coming on too. That might be in the form of another bulb flashing or even the hazard light flashing. Thats the UK (and AFIK european)convention for what you call semi trailers though I believe the car set up mirrors it

[Qube]

This is highly annoying. I was hoping to pull the fuse for the trailer pack but there isn't one there. in fact, the fuse socket only has one side so even if I plugged a 20a in, there'd be no complete circuit. Gaa.

Perhaps disconnect the battery for a while.

[pcross]

How's this for a possible scenario...The parts guy goes to the bin and picks up a new cluster for your car. He doesn't notice (or care) that it is also the cluster for an E39 with an OEM towing package. He installs it and everything works great and you are on your way. Since your car doesn't have the towing package, the light should not illuminate, but it does because it is now part of some circuit that is supplying B+ voltage to it. There is no identifiable fuse associated with this light that you can pull. Since the light is on all of the time, your options are now reduced to one...Pull the cluster and remove/disable the LED.

[Qube]

That it is. Ignore the reason why it's on (and wasn't on for the past two weeks after replacement), and yank that sucker. I'll do it when it's warmer.

Thanks for entertaining ideas folks :)

[Qube]

More reading tells me that it's either not a light bulb, or I have to take off the mainboard to replace it.

http://www.magnum1.com/BMW-740/740_Pages/Maintenance-Pages/Instrument-Cluster-Bulb-Replacement-740.html

Probably like the e34 I've disassembled many times. Hope so. Don't think it's an LED as the traction light (beside it) phases in and out when pressed instead of instant on/off of an LED...

[bmwrp8]

What's the "Two Cars" light, (left of) beside the DSC light, stand for? Mines on... E39...

.

isn't that light for the active cruise control? might be wrong though

[Qube]

Well, some closure. I took out the cluster and removed the front, then took electrical tape and taped over that icon. Removing the front is a bi*ch. Took three hands to do it.

The LED for that icon is there. From many pics of disassembled E39 clusters, people don't have that LED. I'm going to cross reference the part numbers I've got off it.