Need help
 

Hey guys i have been on this forums for a while now just reading about peoples problems and even trying to help them when i can but today i need your help ;). On my x5 the gear indicator light doesnt show up it shows in the cluster like when i put it on D R N P but when i put it in manual or sport mode it doesnt show up in the cluster. The cluster has been changed due to pixel issues. I changed it my self and i recoded it. Did i forget to code something? The indicator never even worked with my old cluster. Any help would be appreciated.


2006 X5 4.4i

I have no idea, sounds like you forgot to do something but I can suggest that you put a brief description of your issue in the Thread title. I normally skim past the "Need Help" threads.....

Well thank you. Next time will do that sir. The problem is that, it never use to work, is there fuse for it? in the glove box or in the trunk?

agree with bulk on the title....

the pixels are not fed through a fuse, there is a ribbon cable inside the cluster that might be either pinched, or, more likely, corroded. When you say it did not work in theold cluster, did ever work in the gear selector, where your gear lever is?

the cluster illuminates the gear selections via the telegram from the transmission control

Transmission program display (automatic transmission)




Since 5/97 an instrument cluster has been phased-in which features the plugged-on instrument cluster electronics (IKE ) integrated in the display unit (AE ). This instrument cluster can replace older instrument cluster versions.
The instrument cluster is connected to the transmission control unit by means of a separate data link. By way of this data link, the transmission control unit informs the instrument cluster electronics (IKE ) which drive stage is engaged, which drive program is switched on and whether the transmission is in the emergency program. If the transmission signals "emergency program", the signal is transferred to the light check module (LCM) as a bus signal. If the instrument cluster is coded for automatic transmission, the program and selector lever display for automatic transmission is activated.
In the case of the integrated version of the instrument cluster, phased-in as from 5/97, the coding data defines whether the transmission data is routed via the CAN bus from the transmission control unit or via separate data links from the transmission control unit to the instrument cluster.

No i can see the P R N D through the cluster like when i switch but when i put on manual/sport it doesnt go to either manual or sport, the gear selector not in the cluster but in the center console that indicator never lights up thats what the problem is

Ok, lets further define what is happening and what is not happening - i am a bit mentally retarded and need things spelled out... lol...

there are two places where the indication is happening - one is at the lever itself, there are actual LEDs lit up individually, and the other one is at the cluster, where the information is iBus controlled.

When the car's physical gear is

P - the indicator on the console shows P (yes/no) - indicator in cluster shows P (yes/no)
R - the indicator on the console shows R (yes/no) - indicator in cluster shows R (yes/no)
N - the indicator on the console shows N (yes/no) - indicator in cluster shows N (yes/no)
D - the indicator on the console shows D (yes/no) - indicator in cluster shows D (yes/no)

S - the indicator on the console shows S (yes/no) - indicator in cluster shows S (yes/no)
M# - the indicator on the console shows M# (yes/no) - indicator in cluster shows M# (yes/no)

just reply back, and indicate which ones are working (yes) and which ones are not (no) and we take it from there...

P - the indicator on the console shows P (no) - indicator in cluster shows P (yes)
R - the indicator on the console shows R (no) - indicator in cluster shows R (yes)
N - the indicator on the console shows N (no) - indicator in cluster shows N (yes)
D - the indicator on the console shows D (no) - indicator in cluster shows D (yes)

S - the indicator on the console shows S no - indicator in cluster shows S no
M# - the indicator on the console shows M# no - indicator in cluster shows M# no

Sorry if it was my bad English that i could not explain it to you.. :P Isnt the M/S one thing on the the console? The problem i m having is the Lever doesnt light up for each one. If i understood it correctly.

so, it seems that there is NOTHING lit up next to the gear lever itself.

Let's test what is going on there first -

the gear selector light (module E82) is connected via couple connectors.

One of them is connector X1600. this is a 3-pin connector, pins 1 and 3 are engaged.

Pin 1 receives signal from Steptronic switch S224 (pin 4 from connector X1561) and the pin 3 is connected to the EGS, the transmission module. The other 2 pins from connector X1561 are going directly to EGS module.

it seems that this is the one connector (X1600) that is responsible for the M/S light function.


connector X1599 is the one that actually receives the signal from the lever indicating in which gear the lever is and pinout for 6-pin connector X1599 is

pins
2 - PARK
3 - REVERSE
4 - NEUTRAL
5 - DRIVE


study the pictures attached, and see if you can pull the leather boot surrounding the gear selector, and take a look inside - check to see if the connectors are connected, check to see if the connectors are corroded, check for coca cola or coffee spills...

connectors of interest are X1599 and X1600 and switch S224 for the M/S function and S224 for the regular PRND function.

Thank will do this tomorrow and report what happened

1 more thing as i said PRND works in the cluster but M/S doesnt work in the cluster is it still the connectors?

the PRND is wired separately from M/S in the gear selector, so there is a chance that if something works out in the center console, it may work in the cluster... the cluster is illuminated via the telegram on the iBus, that is coming from the LCM, the GMand the ESG (not sure which one specifically is responsible for the generation of that telegram).

Lets see what happens when you look into the center console

OK to get everything started this is what I did and thats what it took me so long. I took out the whole(yes i mean the whole center console apart even broke some of those plastic clips) i scanned it with my eyes and saw what those 2 connecters that are supposed to be connected to the gear selector thing arent connected and are tucked behind the console. I dont know why or who did that but the previous owner maybe did not like the red dot or something. Well it took me another 40-50 minutes to put the console back, not to mention i took out the front 2 seats as well. This is all thanks to u terminatorx5 if it was not for those 2 pictures i would have never guessed there were connectors there. Thank you again.

WOW, you took half of the car apart!!! Kudos to you, I would be too scared to do something like that... lol...

So... in the excitement, I think i missed it - did you get the lights working? in the console? in the cluster?

It is not as hard as you think about it the hardest part was with the parking brake you had to bring it up and then release it so u can take that thing out!!!! took me 2-3 hours to start. I have 1 question for you... I have the wood trim and i was wondering do you know how to take that off? Because i want to put carbon fiber over it. Yes both of them worked even the cluster showed up with the indicator thanks,

excellent!!! i am so glad that another project on this forum comes to fruitful resolution!!!

as far as trim goes - no, i have not taken it off myself, and do not have a procedure... sorry... :(

but there is a thread floatng around here, recent one, about wrapping vinyl for a trim, them folks might have some pointers...

Now i just have to fix the 4x4 light with the triangle on top............ I like any pointers for that?

tell me more about it - does it stay lit all the times, does come and go, when you start engine, it goes through light bulb check, then continues to stay on, or it shuts off, then comes back... does speedometer work fine? odometer? tripometer?

Everything works fine that light is there once u turn the key all the way and start it never turned off as i got the car even when i press the dsc off it doesnt do anything to the light i m talking about the light thats int he middle of the cluster. Everything else is fine works normal

was it working with old cluster?

Nope

check fuse #1 in the glove compartment.

do you have means to read the fault codes from the OBD? not an Autozone code reader, but something like GT1 or INPA?

can you check the front wheels' speed sensors? do you have multimeter with diode function?

Yes i have a bmw scanner 140 i think it will do the same thing as gt1 or inpa dont you think so?

i am not sure about this scanner. did you read the ABS module? any errors?

this article suggest to check the steering angle sensor. definetely need to read the code!!!

Steering angle sensor


General

In order to function, the DSC system requires the overall steering wheel angle. The overall steering wheel angle is measured by the steering angle sensor. As the software could not be accommodated on the DSC control unit for reasons of processor capacity, a separate control unit with its own fault memory has been developed.
Arrangement in vehicle

The steering angle sensor is mounted on the steering shaft.
Operating principle

The steering-angle sensor has two potentiometers offset by 90°. The steering-wheel angle determined by these two potentiometers covers one full steering-wheel turn; each of these values is repeated after +/- 180°. The steering angle sensor knows this and counts the steering-wheel revolutions accordingly. The overall steering wheel angle is thus made up of the current steering wheel angle together with the number of steering wheel rotations. In order that the overall steering wheel angle is available at any time, uninterrupted detection of all steering wheel movements - even when the vehicle is stationary - is required. In order to achieve this, the steering angle sensor is permanently supplied with power from Terminal 30.This means that steering-wheel movements are also detected with ”ignition off”. The steering angle detected by the potentiometers remains available even after interruptions to the power supply; the number of steering wheel revolutions, however, is not. In order that the steering angle sensor remains functional after power supply interruptions, software that calculates the number of steering wheel rotations on the basis of the speed of rotation of the road wheels (and, on some models, the steering wheel being turned from lock to lock) has been integrated. This process is referred to as initialization or imposition. If imposition does not succeed by the time a speed of approx. 20 km/h is reached from a standing start, the DSC is switched to passive mode, the DSC warning lamp comes on, and a fault is recorded on the DSC control unit. The imposition process is performed whenever the ignition is switched on if the number of steering wheel revolutions is not available. Four-wheel drive vehicles are an exception to this rule: The DSC system is immediately switched to passive mode and a fault entered in the DSC control unit memory if there has been an interruption in the power supply to the steering angle sensor. In contrast with conventional-drive vehicles, the imposition process is then not aborted on reaching a specific road speed, but rather continued until the DSC is receiving correct steering angle data. At that point, the DSC warning light goes out and the DSC is operational again. In both cases, there is no fault recorded on the steering angle sensor. As an additional safety measure, the DSC control unit calculates the steering angle on the basis of the speed of the road wheels and compares it with the information supplied by the steering angle sensor. This plausibility check prevents the vehicle operating on the basis of incorrect calibration. An incorrect zero position can result from incorrect calibration or alteration of the steering geometry as a result of damage or repairs. Another safety factor is precise assignment of sensor to vehicle. During calibration, the VIN number is stored in the EEPROM and then compared with the VIN number received from the instrument cluster whenever the ignition is switched on.
Replacing the steering-angle sensor

After replacing the steering-angle sensor, it must first be coded and then calibrated using the ABS/DSC diagnostic program.
Encoding

In order to perform its internal calculations, the steering angle sensor requires model-specific data which has to be loaded onto it by means of coding.
Calibration

Calibration permanently stores the current steering wheel position as the straight-ahead position in the steering angle sensor EEPROM. Therefore, the front wheels and the steering wheel must be set exactly to the straight-ahead position before calibration. In addition, the vehicle identification number is also read from the instrument cluster and stored permanently in the steering angle sensor EEPROM. On successful completion of calibration, the steering angle sensor fault memory is automatically cleared.
Calibration must always be carried out after the following operations:

• Replacement of the steering-angle sensor
• Replacement of the DSC control unit
• Adjustment work on the steering-angle geometry
• Any work on the steering or front suspension

Voltage supply

The steering angle sensor is permanently supplied with power from Terminal 30 which also has its own fuse. In addition, the steering angle sensor also receives a power supply from Terminal 87 or, depending on model, from Terminal 15. This supply is brought via a different fuse.
Frequency counter:

• When a fault is detected after ”ignition off” the frequency counter is incremented upwards by ”1”. The maximum value is ”31”.
• If the fault no longer occurs during the next trip, the frequency counter is reduced by ”1”. The minimum value is ”0”.

i remember seeing something about terminal 30 when i was using the scanner. hmm!!! will report on this asap after i hook it up to my computer. Thanks again. Your the man spasibo

Where can you pick up one of these readers? Might help me w some non start troubles.

Sorry for the hijack!

пожалуйста...

you are welcome... check the fuses in glove compartment, especially fuse 1, it is for the 4x4 light on the cluster... then we look deeper

i would recommend looking into INPA on ebay, that comes with a cable... the dude is somewhere in romania... the whole thing is about $40-50 shipped...

As my elders said before "It is good to know more than 2 languages" Ye right now its like 11:00 pm i will check the fuse tomorrow first thing man you dont know how happy i am after i fixed the indicator specially in the cluster. That wasnt working for 1+ years since i had the car.

my Grandma spoke 3 languages fluently... i barely can manage two...:rofl:

Ok so i checked the 3-4 fuses none of them were out.. in your port i read that i need to calibrate, i m about to change my front tires because they are worn so when i do it should i do the tire thing were they use the husky or w.e it is called and calibrate it will it fix it?

ok, lets see...

you have checked fuse #1 with an OhmMeter, or visually?

What other fuses did you check?

The very basic calibration of the steering angle sensor is turning the steering wheel lock to lock, you don't need brand new tires for that...

Husky, w.e.? are those the alignment machines?

Preferrably, if you can find a shop that has HUNTER FORCE machine, it would be much better for the alignment. but we are not that far yet...

were you able to pull the error codes from the system?

I checked the fuses with the eye oh yeah thats what i meant to say alignment will that help the lock to lock doesnt help, i already tried that. there was not anything wrong with the fuses when i checked them. I havent got the codes yet from the scanner but will do in and hour or so.

May need to calibrate steering angle sensor. I have seen some with the internal fault come back after calibration. If it has the internal code, your more than likely going to have to replace it(have fun). If you read the code and it says calibration, or plausibility, allocation, you need to do a service function through a BMW scanner or equivalent. Usually after low batt voltage, after sitting for a extended period, or batt change you may have this occur. After a low voltage situation you can most likely steer the wheels lock to lock and it may reset.... If not, def need scanner

i suspect his angle sensor is unplugged - he already found an unplugged connector elsewhere...

but, we need to do the due diligence first...

Just to make it clear this car wasnt driven for a period of 4-5 months and i think it went into sleep mode!!!!! so the guy above is actually right but if he just knows how to calibrate it i have the scanner!

And to be exact where is the sensor located?

behind centre of dash on steering column


R33 - steering angle sensor

X1658 - connector

I cant get the picture in my head where it would be can you give me more details?

let me see if i can find a better pic... it might take a while


meanwhile, check fuses 12 and 51 in glove compartment - they are directly connected to the sensor

Even if it was unplugged, he would still have to calibrate it

:confused:

confused - elaborate, please...

If it was unplugged this whole time then the steering angle sensor(lew) will need to be taught into the dsc control unit ie:calibrated....my question is why would it be unplugged in the first place

By saying calibrate u mean write the EEPROM using the bmw scanner ?

And if you didnt read it my car before i bought it was sitting in a garage for 5-6 months

ninja, you do need the code before moving further, but here is a link to a DIY on bimmerforums, DIY: E46 Steering Angle Sensor - Bimmerforums - The Ultimate BMW Forum, it will give an ideai about the steering angle sensor

Man i wish it talked about how to code it.

did you have a chance to read the codes for the 4x4 light? we still do not know if the problem is with the angle sensor

I have it written but i am not home right now, will update tonight with the codes

When I say calibrate, I mean exactly that. You are basically telling the dsc module where the zero point is. By zero point I mean wheel straight ahead. This is how dsc know wheel position for things such as traction control activation, bi xenon swivel module movement, etc.... (The signal for headlight movement is a bus signal from the vehicle gateway which is the kombi aka instument cluster)

Now say the wheel is far off center while driving..... The dsc control unit looks at the LEW( steering angle sensor) and sees the wheel turned, then compares it to individual wheel speeds(during turning one wheel moves faster than the other... And the control unit can also tell the direction of turn just from these signals as well)realizes that this is not plausible( conflicting data) then sets the steering angle sensor plausibility fault. Steering angle is used for a lot of things, on the new cars it is also used for dynamic cornering lights( curb lights), turn signal deactivation( seeing the wheel turn then return to center)