EML light is ALWAYS staying on...

[Kalevera]

Hi everyone -

My '90 535iA seems to be running just fine (minus the transmission issues), but the EML light on the dash always stays on....even after the car's turned off, doors are closed. There aren't any engine error codes, so I have no idea where to look. I haven't run the dash test yet, per Bentley's.

It's draining the battery and I need to get it fixed. Any ideas?

whit LOWELL

[Kalevera]

Bump! Anyone know anything about this?!

[uk525]

faulty dash circuit board?

i wouldnt have thought if there was a genuine eml fault the light would never turn off

[Kalevera]

Dunno - I'll run diagnostics on the dash, and I'm thinking it is some kind of electrical quirk. I do know that the battery is pretty bad, and that the service indicators do need to be reset...but I'd still think that the eml would turn off with the doors shut, etc... Thanks for your help!

[Bill R.]

ground through the eml control unit. IF the control unit is bad it could go to ground and stay on all the time.

Dunno - I'll run diagnostics on the dash, and I'm thinking it is some kind of electrical quirk. I do know that the battery is pretty bad, and that the service indicators do need to be reset...but I'd still think that the eml would turn off with the doors shut, etc... Thanks for your help!

[Kalevera]

Bill - thanks for the info. I looked in my trusty trust bentley's and noted that the EML control unit is in the P93 e-box, which I take to mean the one with the DME, abs, and main relays.

Where is the control unit in here, or is it implied that the EML is controlled by the DME? I wish I could get this gremlin out of the system...it's quite frustrating.

Thanks! Lowell

[Bill R.]

Bill - thanks for the info. I looked in my trusty trust bentley's and noted that the EML control unit is in the P93 e-box, which I take to mean the one with the DME, abs, and main relays.

Where is the control unit in here, or is it implied that the EML is controlled by the DME? I wish I could get this gremlin out of the system...it's quite frustrating.

Thanks! Lowell

[Kalevera]

a ha...I'll be yanking that out tomorrow!

Thanks!

[rnor5928]

if Bill you would be so kind to repost that link as to how to disengage the eml light i would be very appreciative, as i have no engine/throttle problems, the only problem is this light that drains the battery every two days which is unbelievably annoying...

[shogun]

From my experience with the E32 750 : get a new cluster and it will solve the problem. Most probably a crack in the cluster circuit board.

On the E32 750 we discuss that very often,
either EML light does not come on at all = the 750 goes into limp home mode and drives like a snail in emergency mode, then we have this solution
EML bulbs
or it always stays on =usually a defectice/cracked cluster board

unfortunately you did not mention any model or built year, so here are wiring diagrams for all
BMW Wiring Diagrams


you can find more on that on my website.