Weird - 4 loud beeps, all instruments die ... then come back

[PKR]

Driving home from a Doctors appointment, cruising along Route 50, cruise control set at 70. Suddenly 4 loud beeps, all instruments momentarily die, needles falling to zero, and then, just as quickly, all instruments return to normal. Cruise control still on. I felt no loss of power or speed. All trip computer settings were reset, clock blank until I reset it. No CEL. I'm at a complete loss on this. Ideas ??

[pfr]

Idea - no; but it happened to me with my '03 330Ci.

[danewilson77]

How old is your battery? Maybe VR is going bad? This is not common.

HTC Thunderbolt+TT

[kayger12]

My money is on the battery.

[aurelius]

If, as you describe, you were driving along when this happened, don't discount the voltage regulator, as DW suggests above. These symptoms are in line with a failing VR.

Note: if you're not watching out, you may be sold a new battery and perhaps more than one alternator, all possibly in vain.

The key with the VR is first to verify which brand/model alternator you have.

I can link you to more info, if interested. PM me as a reminder and once I find it, I'll edit this post to include that info.

[danewilson77]

If, as you describe, you were driving along when this happened, don't discount the voltage regulator, as DW suggests above. These symptoms are in line with a failing VR.

Note: if you're not watching out, you may be sold a new battery and perhaps more than one alternator, all possibly in vain.

The key with the VR is first to verify which brand/model alternator you have.

I can link you to more info, if interested. PM me as a reminder and once I find it, I'll edit this post to include that info.

Should be Bosch...no?

[PKR]

Thanks guys.
No clue on either age of battery or brand of VR. But a failing VR does make sense so that's where I'll start; tips for determining alternator brand/model would be appreciated.

[danewilson77]

I think your gonna have to look at the label.....

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=EV53&mospid=47725&btnr=12_1082&hg=12&fg=20

[GSEN820]

I had the same thing happened. I never figured it out. I had my car scanned but nothing was there to fix.

Weird..... If I ever figure this one out I will keep you posted.

[PKR]

Any chance that I can determine the brand without removing the alternator?

[Audi 0000]

Any chance that I can determine the brand without removing the alternator?
A mirror and a light should do the trick.

[danewilson77]

A mirror and a light should do the trick.

+1

HTC Thunderbolt+TT

[billschusteriv]

Good stuff. In for updates.

BlackBerry. Tapatalk.

[aurelius]

Should be Bosch...no?

ZHP's seem to have the 120-amp Bosch alternator but there were several alternators used in US-spec E46 models.

See Post #66 HERE (http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=583423&page=4) to see what I did to determine which alt model I have. Posts 81 & 82 are also relevant.

[PKR]

This couldn't have happened at a more inconvenient time ... movers are here packing up for a move to FL ... so I'll have to delay acting on this. I will post again once I've learned more.

[PKR]

Still moving ... so I haven't been able to check the alternator.
In the meantime however I dropped an e-mail to a good friend describing what happened; he is a regional tech with BMWUSA. After providing him with my VIN he replied: "Replace fuse 34, 10 and 43. Make sure they are tight. Do you have a big ring of keys? The first 2 fuses power from the ign switch, and that would be the next thing to replace (or monitor.)" I replied saying that I didn't have but a single key on my keyring but that maybe the PO did. I think I see where his thinking is. So I'll replace the specified fuses and wait until things calm down.

[Oli77]

Those three are linked to the instrument cluster. See if that does it.

[lilcdkey]

lol i imagine these 4 beeps sounding like the 4 beeps in Halo.