INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NOT WORKING *Help*

[ETAction]

Hello

I own a 2004 BMW 330i ZHP and am having an issue with my instrument/gauge cluster.

I had left my car outside for a couple days and it got really really cold and also had snow and rain which may or may not have anything to do with the problem but when i went to drive her, none of the gauges work or light up and as an added bonus the nav screen/radio doesnt work either.

Anyone else ever experience this problem? Seems to be a fairly common thing with E46 which is unfortunate.
I have done a little research and found that checking fuses 10, 34, and 43 may help with the problem. Checked my fuse box and found the list of "instrument cluster 10, 34, 43" Yet, my fuse box does not have a fuse labeled 34 or 43. The "43" fuse seems to be the magic one but my car does not respond to removing it. Disconnect the battery?

Any and all help would be HUGELY appreciated!

Thanks!

[anandoc]

I had the exact same issues in February of 2015 when I left my car outside in -31C for a night.

Essentially you need to hard reset the instrument cluster and you can do this in a few ways:

1) Disconnect the battery from the car and leave it overnight so any remaining charge within the cluster dissipates overnight

2) Remove fuse 43 (strange that you do not seem to have this fuse) and leave the car overnight. Fuse 43 is what provides power to the car while the car is turned off. This helps the cluster 'remember' things like the trip meter, clock time etc.

3) Remove the cluster from the dash and unplug the two connectors in the back and set the cluster aside overnight. You would want to go with this method if you cant follow method (1) since you won't be able to lock your car if the battery is disconnected.

Either ways, once the cluster has been 'reset', it should start working normally again. It did in my case. Let us know how it goes.

[ETAction]

I had the exact same issues in February of 2015 when I left my car outside in -31C for a night.

Essentially you need to hard reset the instrument cluster and you can do this in a few ways:

1) Disconnect the battery from the car and leave it overnight so any remaining charge within the cluster dissipates overnight

2) Remove fuse 43 (strange that you do not seem to have this fuse) and leave the car overnight. Fuse 43 is what provides power to the car while the car is turned off. This helps the cluster 'remember' things like the trip meter, clock time etc.

3) Remove the cluster from the dash and unplug the two connectors in the back and set the cluster aside overnight. You would want to go with this method if you cant follow method (1) since you won't be able to lock your car if the battery is disconnected.

Either ways, once the cluster has been 'reset', it should start working normally again. It did in my case. Let us know how it goes.

Thanks for the advice!

Do you believe it is triggered by the cold weather?

[ETAction]

Battery was disconnected for at least 4 hours and reconnecting, still nothing.

found the fuse chart and removed all corresponding fuses for the instrument cluster and radio, removed them, and after putting them back, still nothing.

last resort must be removing the instrument cluster and unplugging it.

god i hope it works

[anandoc]

Thanks for the advice!

Do you believe it is triggered by the cold weather?

I believe it is. In my case, I was driving along on my way when a coolant leak (completely unrelated) occurred. I had to get the car towed to my independent mechanic's garage. Being that it was a Sunday, I left the car outside in his parking lot in -30 or more weather. The coolant leak turned out to be just a defective drain plug in the radiator and no big deal.

But as a side-effect of leaving the car outside, the IKE went all wonky. Even when the car was turned off and locked, the rear tail lights won't turn off. There was also other weirdness going on such as the lights within the cluster won't turn on randomly. My indy mechanic went through the full wiring diagram and ended up disconnecting a single wire from one of the IKE connectors. Turns out that this wire runs to fuse 43 and he could have simply removed that instead of removing the wire.

Removing fuse 43 meant that the IKE would not receive power when the car was turned off. This meant that it would not remember the trip meter and clock settings and every time I turned on the car, I would hear a whirring motor sound - which was the IKE resetting it self when it received power upon startup. My indy mechanic wanted to send the IKE to Toronto for getting it fixed proper - which meant a lot of $$$. I said, f**k it and reconnected that wire (fuse 43) after a few days and the cluster was good - as if nothing had ever happened to it.

Did you find fuse 43? When you removed it and started the car did you hear the "whirring" sounds? Leave the fuse apart overnight to begin with and see what happens.

[ETAction]

I believe it is. In my case, I was driving along on my way when a coolant leak (completely unrelated) occurred. I had to get the car towed to my independent mechanic's garage. Being that it was a Sunday, I left the car outside in his parking lot in -30 or more weather. The coolant leak turned out to be just a defective drain plug in the radiator and no big deal.

But as a side-effect of leaving the car outside, the IKE went all wonky. Even when the car was turned off and locked, the rear tail lights won't turn off. There was also other weirdness going on such as the lights within the cluster won't turn on randomly. My indy mechanic went through the full wiring diagram and ended up disconnecting a single wire from one of the IKE connectors. Turns out that this wire runs to fuse 43 and he could have simply removed that instead of removing the wire.

Removing fuse 43 meant that the IKE would not receive power when the car was turned off. This meant that it would not remember the trip meter and clock settings and every time I turned on the car, I would hear a whirring motor sound - which was the IKE resetting it self when it received power upon startup. My indy mechanic wanted to send the IKE to Toronto for getting it fixed proper - which meant a lot of $$$. I said, f**k it and reconnected that wire (fuse 43) after a few days and the cluster was good - as if nothing had ever happened to it.

Did you find fuse 43? When you removed it and started the car did you hear the "whirring" sounds? Leave the fuse apart overnight to begin with and see what happens.


-30 sheesh brrrrrrrrrr

Yes, I was able to find fuse 43 once I located my fuse map.
I left the key turned on (not the motor) while i removed it and plugged it back in.....

I will try starting the car with it removed and listen for the sound as well as leave the fuse out overnight. I really hope it works

I drove around for a bit hoping it would warm everything up and turn on, but no such luck.

[az3579]

So does the car start properly? It still doesn't work when the car is already running?
It sounds like it may be a ground issue if it's affecting the nav as well, assuming the fuses are all functional. Check to see if you blew any of them, just to rule out the fuses.

[anandoc]

-30 sheesh brrrrrrrrrr

Yes, I was able to find fuse 43 once I located my fuse map.
I left the key turned on (not the motor) while i removed it and plugged it back in.....

I will try starting the car with it removed and listen for the sound as well as leave the fuse out overnight. I really hope it works

I drove around for a bit hoping it would warm everything up and turn on, but no such luck.

That won't help. When the key is in position 1 or 2, the other two fuses are supplying power to it so you didn't really do a reset. I would recommend that you leave fuse 43 out overnight and report back.

[ETAction]

So does the car start properly? It still doesn't work when the car is already running?
It sounds like it may be a ground issue if it's affecting the nav as well, assuming the fuses are all functional. Check to see if you blew any of them, just to rule out the fuses.


Car started just fine with fuse 43 removed. Radio/nav still would not work. No lights on cluster and none of the gauges respond. Only signal I get is the yellow ABS when you first start the car so I know part of the instrument cluster is getting a signal.
Although the screen would come on for a few seconds with just BMW on it and black out again.

Checked all the fuses that correspond to the radio and instrument cluster and they are fine. Have not checked all the fuses however.

Battery ground cable seemed fine when I disconnected it earlier in the day.

[ETAction]

That won't help. When the key is in position 1 or 2, the other two fuses are supplying power to it so you didn't really do a reset. I would recommend that you leave fuse 43 out overnight and report back.

Removed fuse 43 and will leave out overnight.
Fingers crossed!

Everyone's insight is much appreciated.

[ETAction]

That won't help. When the key is in position 1 or 2, the other two fuses are supplying power to it so you didn't really do a reset. I would recommend that you leave fuse 43 out overnight and report back.

Left fuse out all night and no luck this am. Although the backup camera engaged this am which was not working at all earlier.

Also discovered that the backup sensors aren't working either which is a bummer. Not sure if that is a separate fuse or not. Sheesh!

I'm going to pull out all the corresponding fuses for the instrument cluster and radio today and leave them out hoping that works.

[anandoc]

Left fuse out all night and no luck this am. Although the backup camera engaged this am which was not working at all earlier.

Also discovered that the backup sensors aren't working either which is a bummer. Not sure if that is a separate fuse or not. Sheesh!

I'm going to pull out all the corresponding fuses for the instrument cluster and radio today and leave them out hoping that works.

Hmm...atleast the backup camera is now working :)

I found the original thread I followed to fix my problems (was buried deep within my gmail):

http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?1535861-04-325i-E46-cluster-warning-lights-on-when-ignition-is-off

Notice the last post on that thread - the guy left fuse 43 out for a few days while he drove around. After that when he plugged the fuse back in, everything worked as usual. It is possible that some condensation might be shorting out stuff within the cluster and leaving fuse 43 out for a few days let it all dry off.

Have you checked the battery voltage on your car? Weird electrical stuff happens on the E46 when your battery is low on charge. If you have an extra battery maybe try swapping out with it?

When you start the car and drive around, does the tach and other gauges work as usual?

Also for reference, here is a pin-out of the IKE:

https://www.bmwgm5.com/bmwgm5/E46_IKE_Connections.htm

[ETAction]

Hmm...atleast the backup camera is now working :)

I found the original thread I followed to fix my problems (was buried deep within my gmail):

http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?1535861-04-325i-E46-cluster-warning-lights-on-when-ignition-is-off

Notice the last post on that thread - the guy left fuse 43 out for a few days while he drove around. After that when he plugged the fuse back in, everything worked as usual. It is possible that some condensation might be shorting out stuff within the cluster and leaving fuse 43 out for a few days let it all dry off.

Have you checked the battery voltage on your car? Weird electrical stuff happens on the E46 when your battery is low on charge. If you have an extra battery maybe try swapping out with it?

When you start the car and drive around, does the tach and other gauges work as usual?

Also for reference, here is a pin-out of the IKE:

https://www.bmwgm5.com/bmwgm5/E46_IKE_Connections.htm


Bimmerforums! Nice. I used to creep around that forum all the time.

Nothing works while driving around but I have always put fuse 43 back in. I gotta run a couple errands for work now and will leave it out while I do. Doesnt help that it is raining.

It has to be something electrical considering the radio, backup sensors and cluster arent working.

Backup camera only worked once while i left home but when i backed into my spot in the parking garage at work it didnt activate or the sensors.

Seems like best bet is to leave fuse 43 out for a while and hope it dries out!

ahhhhhhhh!

[ETAction]

Still not fixed.

I kept fuse 43 out for a couple days while i drove and got more action from the cluster and even the nav started working (but still no radio) But since the cluster was giving me more response i put back in the fuse and got even less response from when the problem first occurred. Very frustrating.

Also, when fuse 43 is in now I get this loud whistling/whining noise that increases with the acceleration. Very strange. Without the fuse in it goes away.

Im not sure what to do. Ill keep fuse 43 out for a week or so and maybe disconnect the battery for the weekend and hope it works!

[BADCLOWN]

Electrical gremlins are the worst, I feel for you man

[Sockethead]

this is Mrs Sockethead, I bought weed today. That's right, Dill Weed. Im gonna put that shit in some red skin potato's.

Good day.

[az3579]

this is Mrs Sockethead, I bought weed today. That's right, Dill Weed. Im gonna put that shit in some red skin potato's.

Good day.

Kris needs to lay off whatever she's on. :rofl

[anandoc]

Still not fixed.

I kept fuse 43 out for a couple days while i drove and got more action from the cluster and even the nav started working (but still no radio) But since the cluster was giving me more response i put back in the fuse and got even less response from when the problem first occurred. Very frustrating.

Also, when fuse 43 is in now I get this loud whistling/whining noise that increases with the acceleration. Very strange. Without the fuse in it goes away.

Im not sure what to do. Ill keep fuse 43 out for a week or so and maybe disconnect the battery for the weekend and hope it works!

BP and I had replied to your post but I guess it got lost in all this hacking fiasco.

I think its time that you get an indy to troubleshoot your cluster or if you have access to a spare cluster, try to plug that in. Quite possible that your cluster is a goner.

[Sockethead]

this is Mrs Sockethead, I bought weed today. That's right, Dill Weed. Im gonna put that shit in some red skin potato's.

Good day.


Kris needs to lay off whatever she's on. :rofl

WTF? I just saw this... The kids must be getting to her...:eyetwitch

[Johnmadd]

WTF? I just saw this... The kids must be getting to her...:eyetwitch

:rofl

[ETAction]

Fuse 43 finally worked its magic.

Left it out for 3 days straight without driving the car at all.... plugged it back in and everything seems to work fine now.... cluster, radio, backup sensor and camera.
Very strange but am very relieved that everything is back to normal now.

Now, just have to fix that damn headlight washer jet cover that came off while the washers were being used.

Called around to every BMW dealer in Phx, Az and they say it'll be $90 shipped and painted. sheesh

Annoying fix to have. May try and remove fuse 51 to keep them deactivated. Hindsight, if I could order the car new, i'd most likely opt for heated seats without the cold weather package
:facepalm

[az3579]

Hindsight, if I could order the car new, i'd most likely opt for heated seats without the cold weather package
:facepalm

But the folding seats are so totally worth it.
You can just delete the headlight washer system. Get a washer reservoir that is the non-headlight washer version, and cap the hoses that lead to the washer nozzles in the front.

[anandoc]

Fuse 43 finally worked its magic.

Left it out for 3 days straight without driving the car at all.... plugged it back in and everything seems to work fine now.... cluster, radio, backup sensor and camera.
Very strange but am very relieved that everything is back to normal now.


Phew! Glad to hear.

[Sockethead]

Amazing! Hats off to whoever figured that one out!

[ETAction]

But the folding seats are so totally worth it.


They are very nice to have....