Couple of E39 questions from a new guy.

[Wilmington]

I recently inherited a 2001 E39, 66k miles

It has two issues that need to be addressed:

(I used the Search feature and found a few similar threads but no direct answers. And I'm not a mechanic so I can't fix this.)


1)The AC/Heater fan (blower) does not work. All control displays seem normal and a trace of cool air can be felt at 25 mph and above. When the controls are cut on, at idle, I can hear a very faint electronic sound almost like switch cycling on behind the steering column or under the hood, can’t tell exactly where the sound is coming from or if it means anything.


2) There is bleating sound when the steering column is adjusted.

If a member can give me some advice as to what these might be, and if they are expensive and dealer only repairs, I would greatly appreciate it.

Beyond these two things I love the thing.

----
Byron in Wilmington NC

[Teh Prof]

1. You need a new final stage unit. Very common problem. Run a search of this message board with the words "final stage unit."

2. sounds like a messed up adjustment motor? Don't know, this isn't very common.

[Wilmington]

Thanks Prof -

Is the final stage unit an easy or inexpensive fix?

The adjustment motor seems to function just fine, it's just a little noisy.

The car has a 3 month old wiper motor, are these symptoms of greater electrical problems to come?

-B

[Teh Prof]

We do have some electrical system issues, but nowhere near as bad as the E38 7 series is rumored to have.

Common electrical gremlins will include pixels going out on your cluster's display, finicky alternators, and a few other things, but they're generally ok.

Final stage unit replacement involves taking apart most of your dashboard, so it's pretty labor-intensive, but I don't think the part is all that expensive.

[Wilmington]

One final question for today. When I take this in and they ask me whats wrong do I simply ask them to check the final stage unit or does the BMW shop call it something else?

[Teh Prof]

They should know what you mean when you say final stage unit. That's the official name of the part.

However, my cousin, who lives outside Colerain, has had ROTTEN luck with dealers in eastern North Carolina. He's got a 2000 528i.

[Wilmington]

Just arrived home from dealer and I’m happy to say that Teh Prof was dead on with the diagnosis.

Knowing what the problem was before I checked in, about an hour of lounging in the air-conditioning with an ice cold Diet Coke, the Summer Olympics on HD in the waiting area, plus what I thought was a very reasonable charge, all made my afternoon much easier.

Thank you.

[Teh Prof]

Glad we could help.

Now don't be a stranger. We have more to offer than intel on dead final stage units.