Dealing with an intermittent cluster (fixed!!)

[J!m]

Hello fellow swappers...

I have been running with a '95 instrument cluster since installing my engine, and it has been intermittent (eBay special...).

I since acquired a brand new cluster from the dealer for the 1998 M3 (the year of my car), but the dealer was unable to code it. All that shows up when installed in the mileage display is: CODE and none of the gages work.

Since then, I purchased another cluster of eBay (1997 model this time) that was supposedly tested and working well. But I stumbled across a piece of information that solves the problem with bad clusters for us, and the inability to code them for good...

On the back of the cluster, on the left side as viewed from the rear, there is a small rectangular plastic piece that is protruding from the back of the cluster. It is about 1.5 X 3 cm, and on the left of this protrusion is a small arrow pointing to a smaller rectangular opening; just right for a small screwdriver to fit into.

Inserting the appropriate screwdriver and prying up gently, the molded 'cover' can be popped off the coding chip (it cannot be replaced, but the chip is secured in the cluster without the cover). Remove this chip from the intermittent cluster, remove the un-coded chip from the new cluster, and pop the coded chip into the new cluster. Now it works!

A few notes of caution here: Make sure you use similar year clusters when swapping chips. I did not even attempt to install the '95 chip into my new '98 cluster. The '95 does not have traction control, and I'm not sure if this matters (it may not, but I was not going to risk my $300+ cluster to find out). A second thing to be warned about is the TMU (true mileage unknown) dot. This small, red dot will appear just below the odometer to warn those 'in the know' the mileage may not be correct. My cluster now shows significantly less mileage than my '95 cluster did, which was significantly higher than my car's actual mileage, which was significantly higher than the engine's mileage. Confused yet?

I do not know if the swapped chip will allow it to be properly coded at the dealer or not. Since it's working correctly now, I'm not messing with it.

I will be adding this info to my swap document...

[JedzE36/5]

nice info!

[gneus]

hi, everybody. I was wondering lately if i can find a way to fix the problem with my odometer. My car I got 3 years ago with 130,000mi today it has 156,000mi. 2 winters ago, due to cold weather (i think) my odometer randomly showed pretty faded digits or it showed just the upper part of the digits. That was happening in the mornings in the cold that is why i assume it is from the cold. Suddenly, one day it was already showing weird symbols that could not be read starting with first digit 2(2xxxxx)...that was readable plus maybe few others.it showed something like 2x9xxx, which can be 289xxx or 209xxx or any other. This is how everyting is today too, the only difference is that i put almost 20,000mi since then. Apparently, the odometer counts millage, but I never paid much attention because i knew it is wrong. My trip meter works fine and it was my guide to when to change my oil. Just recently it went over showing 210xxx. I don't think that is correct millage but few questions came on my mind.

1/ Is it possible that I bought the car with manually tweaked down or "fixed" odometer from the dealer (used car dealer)? Personally, I don't think that is the case but I can't be 100% sure.

2/ I went to the bwm dearership and they straight told me they don't know (or won't) how to deal with that problem. There is nobody else to ask except for here at the 318ti.org.

3/ I was wondering if a new(used) odometer cluster is installed, would it read correct millage. Any suggestions would be greately appreciated.

[J!m]

1/ Is it possible that I bought the car with manually tweaked down or "fixed" odometer from the dealer (used car dealer)? Personally, I don't think that is the case but I can't be 100% sure.

You can be 100% sure it was not tampered with if the small red dot (TMU dot) is not aparent above the mileage readout. No dot; no tamper.


2/ I went to the bwm dearership and they straight told me they don't know (or won't) how to deal with that problem. There is nobody else to ask except for here at the 318ti.org.

They know EXACTLY how to deal with the problem.
1) order a rebuilt replacement cluster from BMW
2) Install cluster
3) code cluster
4) collect money from customer



3/ I was wondering if a new(used) odometer cluster is installed, would it read correct millage. Any suggestions would be greately appreciated.

If a used cluster is installed, it will work fine. However, it will show the mileage of the replacement cluster, not your car's mileage.

These clusrers (E36 models) are notorious for being intermittent. I have had problems myself with them. The dealer knows this. Have it changed by the dealer, and if they give you problems, go to another dealer...

I have a used stock ti cluster (that works) for sale if interested. It will show my car's mileage when it was removed, not yours. This will be much cheaper than the ~$235.00 for a reman cluster from BMW. It is easy to install yourself, but if you don't know what you are doing, it could set off the air bag when you remove the wheel... BMW will charge $90+ per hour for the swap and code (varies with each state), figure on 2 hours labor at least...

[zboot]

The coding plug stores odometer and engine specific information that the cluster uses. If your coding plug has gone bad, then replacing it should solve intermittent cluster issues.

That being said, one takes a chance assuming it's just the coding plug that is the problem. Given the cheapness of 318ti clusters, I'd suggest that gneus just buy a 318ti one and use the test mode to write his engine mileage to the cluster.

[J!m]

The coding plug RARELY goes bad. It is always the mechanical unit itself.

You would need an EMP to kill the plug I think, or a lightning strike to the car might do it too...

[gneus]

thanks to all of you for the quick responses.

J!m, I'd like to buy used cluster from 318ti member over one from dealer, but I'm not convinced that I know what I'm doing, trying to install it myself. Maybe I can find a mechanic to install it for me outside BMW dealership. Anyways, J!m what is the millage on your odometer for sale?

zBoot, you too offered your 142k mi odometer, but if installed won't it trigger the red dot alert.

Now about the airbags.....I have airbags alert every time I start my car although they never deployed, its just the stuped hands of incompetent used car dealer salesman who unplugged some wires under the passenger seat.

[J!m]

If you purchase my cluster, I will walk you through the swap process.

It is not that dificult.

I think my mileage is between 70 and 80K, but I don't know the exact number. It has not been in the car for five years at least...

PM me for further discussion, or e-mail me direct at jim[dot]leach[at]sulzer[dot]com.:biggrin:

[campaiar]

You would need an EMP to kill the plug I think

Great reference. Do you happen to know anyone with an EMP? haha....

[zboot]

zBoot, you too offered your 142k mi odometer, but if installed won't it trigger the red dot alert.


Any cluster you install will likely trigger that. I posted a link to a walk through on how to reconcile the odometers on an e36 cluster.

BTW, I just learned that my 318ti cluster apparently works fine with m52 engines :)

[gneus]

zBoot, you too offered your 142k mi odometer, but if installed won't it trigger the red dot alert.


Any cluster you install will likely trigger that. I posted a link to a walk through on how to reconcile the odometers on an e36 cluster.


If I got this right, in one case I will be driving with (current) incorrect millage showing cluster(no red dot) or I can replace it and make it show the correct millage but WITH red dot illuminated. Is that it what is going to happen?

zBoot where is that link you said you posted "how to reconcile the odometers on an e36 cluster"?

How to use the test mode to write engine's real mileage to the replacement cluster?

thanks

[gneus]

hi, everybody. I was wondering lately if i can find a way to fix the problem with my odometer. My car I got 3 years ago with 130,000mi today it has 156,000mi. 2 winters ago, due to cold weather (i think) my odometer randomly showed pretty faded digits or it showed just the upper part of the digits. That was happening in the mornings in the cold that is why i assume it is from the cold. Suddenly, one day it was already showing weird symbols that could not be read starting with first digit 2(2xxxxx)...that was readable plus maybe few others.it showed something like 2x9xxx, which can be 289xxx or 209xxx or any other. This is how everyting is today too, the only difference is that i put almost 20,000mi since then. Apparently, the odometer counts millage, but I never paid much attention because i knew it is wrong. My trip meter works fine and it was my guide to when to change my oil. Just recently it went over showing 210xxx. I don't think that is correct millage but few questions came on my mind.

1/ Is it possible that I bought the car with manually tweaked down or "fixed" odometer from the dealer (used car dealer)? Personally, I don't think that is the case but I can't be 100% sure.

2/ I went to the bwm dearership and they straight told me they don't know (or won't) how to deal with that problem. There is nobody else to ask except for here at the 318ti.org.

3/ I was wondering if a new(used) odometer cluster is installed, would it read correct millage. Any suggestions would be greately appreciated.



I did complete cluster test and when I did Test 9 - Distance reading, I saw only that: "------". I did it 4 times.

If you wonder, yes I did do test 15 prior to that to unlock tests 6-15.

Any ideas?