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Need Help 1994 E34 540i....

8K views 27 replies 6 participants last post by  sosro 
#1 · (Edited)
hi there, im new to this forum, wondering if anyone can help???

got a 1994 e34 540i 4.0 v8, auto, goes great just bought it 1 week ago, but noticed that lights on display keep coming on: brake light, tail light, brake linings, owners handbook, lic plate light...

brake light and tail light and lic plate light only come on when i turn on headlights, the other 2 always..
cant understand why? also dip beam error???
i checked wires in trunk, near hinge and found 5 wires bent and broken, but will fix that soon, do you think that has something to do with these errors?
also cruise control doesnt work...dont know wat that problem could be?

anyway, if someone could help me out here, would appreciate it very much....
by the way, anyone know where i can get a sunroof seal from? needs replacement..
thanks...

longdom..
 
#2 ·
Hi, When your wires are fixed all should be good, as for cruise it will only work above 30mph, as for a sunroof seal, dealer or a 2nd hand one from a breakers.
 
#3 ·
thanks for your reply...i tried cruise control on freeway today, and nothing...doesnt work.

sunroof seal, been looking, only imports around here, no local pieces it seems.
im in sydney, australia by the way..

and dip beam??? whats that?? isnt it with headlights?
so broken wires are at the back, shouldnt have anything to do with dip beam not working..
 
#8 ·
ok..
i looked at headlights, and...
yes i found that the wires behind the actual lights are so corroded and messed up...so my guess is that the fault is there.
ill fix them up and let you know, and also the wires in the trunk, theyll be fixed too...then all should be well in regards to lights..i hope...

that leaves me with this dead cruise control???
any ideas???
 
#10 ·
BMW 540i Questions

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#11 ·
ok,
so here is the summary...
i fixed the trunk wires that were damaged and the faults still remain..

when i dont turn my lights on, i get owners handbook and brake linings..
when i turn lights on, and only headlights not park lights, i get tail light, brake light, dip beam, lic plate light, ..
isnt that wierd???

what do i do?????
maybe they have to be reset or something...
 
#12 ·
#13 ·
thanks for info...
i read on forum about lkm...
could this be also the problem?

i found and pulled apart, but all looks good, actually, in very good condition...no cracks, old solder joints etc.

bulb failure relay?
whats that?
is that the actual globes are faulty, or is there something else i should look at?

thanks again for your help, im getting there...
 
#14 ·
I also have the same problem with a 530i. Initially, the problem begun with brake lights that does not switch off and all sort of warning on the dash. Found out faulty brake switch under the dash. Replace the 4 pole brake light switch which seems to solve the brake light on problem but the error messages remained. Next, check the LKM but all is in good condition. Also clean and replace all light bulbs and still have the same problem.

So far got no idea what cause the problem. Flawed system design?
 
#15 ·
changed lkm, got rid of dip beam error, and brake light error...but still have lic plate light and owners handbook, what the hell is owners handbook????

heater doesnt work, but got a new heater valve, should do the trick, i can hear whining coming from old heater valve, must be stuck or something...

cruise control is still dead, have no ideas as to why yet....

found cut brake sensor wire, so this explains the error...
found blown tail light bulb, explains that error too...

this is an update, but still working on other problems.............
 
#16 ·
Just bought both LKm and CCM from eBay. Hopefully, like you said it will fix the various light errors.

For A/C, I got various problems. For the defroster vents (near the winshield) and the footwell vents, I got hot air from the passenger side and cold air on driver side same regardless temperature setting. I have tried the over ride by turning the knob (until it clicks) on either cold or hot but it is still the same. For the main vents, I got hotter temperature on the passenger side and the heat does not work. Is this the same problem you are having? is it the heater core or the valve?
 
#17 ·
as soon as i change the heater valve ill know but i havent got any hot air at all, you at least are getting some...
i can feel the hot water coming from engine to heater valve in pipe, but the pipes coming out of heater valve, going to heater core are cold, so blockage in heater valve i presume on mine..we'll see soon..

and yes lkm and ccm got rid of 2 errors on mine, but cant get rid of lic plate error and owners handbook error???
 
#18 ·
540 Dash Warnings

Fear not, mine does exactly the same all the way down here in New Zealand. I have done all sorts to fix it but to no avail. I was last told it is the bulb sensor module so that is my next move. I think it is called PCC and is in the blackbox in front of the left wiper. I have even replaced all the minor bulbs with good quality German ones in case the Jap ones are lighter. During the day, fine but at night, as soon as you turn on the lights, bong bong (oh how I detest that noise) and up come the string of warnings as you describe. However, by accident, I may have done something to cure it. I used to just prod the re-set on the dash to make it go away for a moment but I read in the hand book you are meant to hold the button in for a All Clear message. I never got that message but it stopped doing it. Perhaps it was an old fault that was never cleared. If it has gone for good, I shall report back. Thanks.
 
#19 ·
Just replaced both LKM and CCM and also the brake light sensors.
The "stuck" or "on all the time brake light has stop" ever since I replace the brake light sensor under the dash.

What puzzled me is the various error messages that I still get when I stepped on the brake while the lights are on.
Any idea?

By the way, I also have a RHD 5 series V8.
 
#20 ·
I still get the error messages but the audible note only sounds once, which is a step forward. It still rolls the Brake Light failure, tail light failure, indicator failure messages past on the dash but no noise. Clear the massage by holding finger on re-set and it's all good ----until you touch the brake pedal again.
 
#21 ·
LKM and CCM error

Found the culprit to the LKM and CCM errors. It is the headlight height adjustment units that cause the problem. Removed the plug at the back of each of the headlight adjustment motor. Bada Bing....no more gongs..no more error messages...1 down more to go...next head light adjustment motors.
 
#24 ·
Previously I got series of errors: "lic plate", "dip beam", "brake lights", and "tail lights". For me, it did. From my understanding, the "dip beam" is the only items that uses straight 12 volts. When it goes, it gives the CCM lost of confusion.

Previously, I had another error that was very annoying that related to this "various error messages". After depressing my brake pedal, the "brake light" error appears (off course with other errors..they like to gang up together) and the brake light will be on even after I released the brake pedal. I fix this problem with a new brake light switch. Since my car is RHD, I have to open the glove box and etc...pain in the ***. From my understanding, it is very common problem for RHD version since the brake pedal has longer linkage (from right side all the way to the left side then to the booster on the left side of the firewall). Mechanically, it was a bad design. Can blamed BMW because not to many people drive on wrong side of the road.
 
#23 ·
well done...

i still have tail light error, and number plate light error, but the rest has disappeared. i changed bulbs on brake lights, and it seems to have fixed the error, dip beam error is in the lkm, which i changed for another used one, but still cant get rid of two errors.
will try your solution...lets hope so.
 
#25 ·
Thanks for the input. Mine is being stubborn so guess it needs to go to the dealer. It only faults when you turn the lights on. During the day, it is perfect. Turn on the park lights and the messages roll as described by SOSRO. Touch the brakes and it adds brake light then turn on dip heqadlights and it adds dip beam. Turn the lights off and they all go. I know an obvious answer presents its self but it can be a bit tricky in our dark southern nights. ????
 
#26 ·
That is the problem with in the Australasia. There is no transition between day a night. Six o'clock and you are suddenly in total darkness. No transition at all and nights are very pitch black. Thanks God that the Bimmer has a good bright light compare to the Toyotas.

Some times this week, I will try to find out on how to fix the motor.

Any one has a noisy 5 speed? Mine makes horrible noise.
 
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