Water In Dme Ecu - BMW Forum

mixalot · 03-11-2005, 10:35 PM

My car stalled out after a car wash. I towed it home and checked these forums. I was led to pulling my DME to look for moisture. Yup. The silver box had condensation on the inside, and the slot where the DME rests had moisture and debris. I'm currently airing out the DME with a fan.

AM I SCREWED? Or will this DME work again once the water is gone?

What a pain. You'd think that the most delicate of all components would be protected from a little underflush car wash.

Note to all of you: make certain your DME compartment is watertight! Don't give yourself a $500.00 car wash.

catalyst. · 03-11-2005, 10:55 PM

Damn that blows, thats always my worst fear when i wash my car.

Ive had electronics that have gotten wet and not worked at all, then after sitting for a while in a dry place theyve worked perfectly again.. its kind of a long shot, but it may work after its completely dry.

Try sticking it in a place with alot of dry/warm air circulating around, it never hurts to try.

jrhaile · 03-11-2005, 11:30 PM

water and electronics = bad mix. You're fucked. Start searching on ebay

mixalot · 03-12-2005, 10:33 PM

Well boys, I dried out the DME with a fan overnight. Plugged it in, works like a charm. JR, nice advice. Suck it.

jrhaile · 03-12-2005, 10:41 PM

ahhh

glad to hear it... you're one lucky SOB man. This is one time I'm glad to be wrong.

mixalot · 03-13-2005, 08:54 PM

Thanks bro.

drz · 03-13-2005, 09:30 PM

That is usually what will happen with wet electronic components. Water by itself is not conducting, and if the saline content is not very hogh, it is just slightly conducting. This means that the spurious currents that flow through your wet electronics are very low -- low enough that if you stop using them and wait for it all to dry out things should be fine. High power electronics are different: that is where the ligh shows come in.

I'm glad your ride rides well still.

thekid · 03-14-2005, 12:32 AM

We had a reminder about this from El Pres a year ago. I will give you all adivse which was El pres's warning, on this matter right now. When you wake up and go out to your car, I would like to call your attention to the lower corners of your cars windshields. More specifically the platic cowl piece that is undertneath your windshield wipers. Check out the corners. If the corners are not entirely whole, go pick up the $30 hood cowl from your dealership. It takes 20 mins to install tops. You just remove your windshield wipers, remove the 3 or 4 plastick screws and take off the old piece. Put the new one on, replace the screws, then put your windshield wipers back on. Be careful when doing this. When you reattach them they will want to slam down. Be careful. I have heard reports of windshields cracking from this.