Check engine light missing? (no provision for the light!)

[zoner]

Took the car in to get smogged today and it failed because the tech. said that the engine light didn't function (something I never noticed until today) and that the filler cap was bad (total BS- I replaced it two days ago with a brand new one, but that's another story). So figuring that the CEL bulb was burnt out, I removed the cluster to find that there wasn't even a bulb in the location that corresponded to the "Check Engine" placement on the cluster (see photo below)


When I shine a flashlight behind the cluster, the space where the CEL should be is totally black (it's supposed to be the space to the left of the turn signal indicator). Now, there is a provision for a light that just says "Check" (the red circle to the right of the turn signal indicator- you can sort of see the "k" if you look closely, but I'm not sure what that is and when I screw a working bulb into either hole, I get nothing when the ignition is turned on.


I know the guy I bought the car from had replaced the cluster at some point and the manufacture date on the cluster is 5/93. But a '93 model year car would have been required to have a CEL. I'm wondering if maybe this cluster is not from a US spec. vehicle? Anyone else ever encounter this issue on a cluster? The last time I had it smogged, the tech. apparently did not catch this on the visual inspection. Any help is appreciated... Thanks!

[1996 328ti]

Those are odd looking warning lights.
I would look up the part number in realoem or bmwfans.info to see what the cluster belongs in and take it from there.

[J!m]

That is a US cluster (note MPG gage and MPH units). Euro has KPH, as does Canadian. That is not a ti cluster either (because it has the MPG gage). What engine are you running?

Very strange that it has 'no light'. I have to assume someone put something in the bulb location to black it out.

I suggest getting another used cluster (maybe borrow one?) and see if things light up as they should.

NOTE: If you borrow a cluster, don't put any miles on it (don't drive) or you could misalign the coding plug and illuminate the "true mileage unknown" light on the person loaning it to you...

[zoner]

I didn't even catch (again) that the ti did not have the MPG gauge- no wonder it has never worked!

I'm running an M42 engine and everything seems to work fine except for the airbag light, which stays on continuously (even after resetting it a few times), but I've always attributed that to the fact that the original seats were swapped for vaders.

Yes, the warning lights are a little funky- I have no idea what the light is between the fuel injector light (?) and the turn/hazard signal light.

I think I may have a line on a ti cluster to swap into it so I can get it smogged; I'm not worried about the odometer reading with the DMV, as that was already screwed up with this cluster the last time I had it smogged and I don't plan on selling the car anyway.

Thanks for the help!

[J!m]

If you mean the light that is lit up white, that is for the convertible top in those models.

The gear with the '!' inside I'm not sure; could be the glow plug light for diesel models??

Anyway, I have a good used ti cluster as well if your other source does not pan out. 6X,XXX miles on it and all lights work.

You probably need the passenger seat occupancy sensor replaced, or plugged in. Common failure...

[zoner]

Is this what you mean by the Passenger Occupancy Sensor?




It is under the passenger seat and is plugged in, but if it is the POS (!), that sounds like it could be the problem w/ the airbag light. Before the light remained constantly on, it would take 20-30 seconds after starting before it would go out. Sounds like maybe a resistor or something in the unit was slowly failing?

[J!m]

#24 in the diagram above. It's an occupancy sensor (tells the car there is someone in the passenger seat and fire the air bag in a crash)

[tehadriaan]

My 318ti has no CEL either, it has the icon but when i've put in a bulb, there's nothing. it's a '95 assembly, '96 registration. The lights above (in order are) Diesel Preheat time, EFI control, Convertible Roll-Over protection system, Trailer turn indicators, Automatic Transmission **** electronics, Check control.

[1996 328ti]

Originally Posted by tehadriaan

My 318ti has no CEL either, it has the icon but when i've put in a bulb, there's nothing. it's a '95 assembly, '96 registration. The lights above (in order are) Diesel Preheat time, EFI control, Convertible Roll-Over protection system, Trailer turn indicators, Automatic Transmission **** electronics, Check control.

Could depend on your market.
Do you have an owner's manual? I wonder if shows a CEL there?

[tehadriaan]

Mine's a JDM import, I've only got the 3 Series owner's manual from my 323i, which has it. I can't seem to find a copy of the 3 series OM for the ti anywhere online. I think it's odd that it doesn't considering that the cluster is wired up for the light and that it has the icon, but it just doesn't work.