WHAT THE HECK DOES GENERAL MODULE DO? IS MINE FAULTY?!
 

Ok I have had a lock issue going on my drivers side for months. Had to use my key to lock it. Now im getting massive issues. Is this a voltage regulator or general module issue? I have no clue how to check either or what a general module does. Please help. Here's my issue

1.) No function on remote ( No alarm or locking)
2.) Central locking in cabin does nothing
3.) Front wipers dont work
4.) Interior Dome out (map lights work)
5.) Tail Gate does not work

Please help guys.

first, check the voltage of the car... wait... first - how are your technical abilities?

0 - i have hard time finding the keyhole to start the car

10 - i can take apart and put back together an engine from the space Shuttle program...

i know, i know, there isnot much room between the two extremes but a regular screwdriver stuff, like taking out the door panel, or peeling back the carpet or unscrewing the seats would rank in the vicinity of 3 to 6, changing wipers would be 1, changing brakes - 6 or 7... this a totally subjective scale, with absolutely arbitarily chosen numbers, which i just pulled out of thin air... lol...

but, you would need check the age and the condition of your battery, then pull the onboard tests and check the voltage of your charging system when you drive... if the battery is old, or had been discharged and recharged a couple of times, it is a good idea to replace it, even if the battery is not a problem...

if the voltage in the charging system is out of whack - too low, or too high - you need to pay closer attention to alternator and possible repair or change it...

if the electrical system proves to be OK, then you need to play with the symptoms to narrow down the issues... you may have the GM acting for real, but you want to start small, and then move to big issues...

i don't think you can drive a car without the GM - this is the reason they call it GM, as it controls many things in the car...

was there ANY work done on the car before the problems started to appear??

Well you answered both of your own questions, the GM controls all of those things, so I would say yes it's bad. I along with many others here on the sight have replaced mine, you can get yours repaired by the guy in the link below, they are not cheap unless you get a salvage/used one so he is your best option. You would think something with no moving parts would be more reliable, but they're notorious for failing, gotta love BMW.:rolleyes:

BMW General Module 5 (GMV, ZKE V)

I would say im a 6.5-7 as my ability

Well the battery was replaced about 3 -4 years ago.

Well the guy at bmwg5.com says its fine to drive without the GM3. I guess you send it in and he repairs it for roughly $150. This module controls almost all the issues i have. But maybe I should have the voltage cahecked at Autozone or something first?

Yeah how long was the turn around when you had that guy repair yours? Like from sending out to receiving back? Also did his repair fix all the issues or just one? The site says it does not fix all things, not sure whats meant by that.

And it also says you can drive with the GM removed...True???? Thanks man

do you know how to pull the TEST mode in the cluster? there are many posts floating on this board - search for hidden menus, check the HOW-TO section... if i remember right, TEST6 is the one that pulls the onboard voltage... when car is running, the voltage should be around 13-14V, ocassional dip to 12V and maybe ocassional spike to 15V... anything below or above those dips and spikes - issue with battery and/or alternator... a dying battery can trick the GM into many things... and the battery can have bad cells, which the autozone or whatever the battery place can check for free, and if you have the warranty that is over 5 years, they can prorate you on the new battery...

regardless, it is a good idea to start the electrical troubleshooting with the battery... if the battery is good, then move onto the GM... if you have a BMW scanning software/tool, you might be able to interrogate the GM to see if there are any internal errors stored there - they would not set off the check engine light, as they have nothing to do with the engine, like burned sunroof motor or whatever... a really faulty GM modulemay not show errors, as the error reporting might be compromised but you are trying to make an informed decision, so more information you can take in, more informed your decision will be...

Turnaround was pretty quick, he's in L.A., yes you can drive without it, the main thing you'll be missing are the wipers. I see you're in rainy Oregon so you may want to get it to him before the rainy season sets in up there, not sure about the not fixing everything, mine works fine in all aspects.

Rainy season? Didnt know it ever stopped? hahahah No Im kidding its a exaggerated how much it rains here from a national outlook. But yeah rain does not scare us. But indeed I should fix it asap!

Kado1976, try to contact Scott and explain the situation. he can probably help you out if it's the General Module, heck, he even knows how to repair it. Here is his web page.

X5's GM & Central Body Electronics (ZKE) Functions
 

If you like to educate yourself more about the General Module aka "GM III" (it's the main controller for the ZKE functions)...then download the PDF at the following link: http://www.bmwmotorsports.org/BMW_do...lectronics.pdf

By the end of reading through this BMW document...you should have a greater grasp of a lot of the electronic systems in your car...including EWS/DWA/FZV (immobilizing sytem/central locking system/anti-theft alarm siren system)...and the seat/mirrors/steering column operations etc.

You can see in the topology chart below...how the GM III is the main control module for multiple systems around your vehicle...and if you download the PDF (at the link above)...it will go into detail how all these systems communicate & interact with each other.