howdy, i have an annoying quirk on my '89 535 sport. Every time i start the car up, the display language changes. This means i can only understand any messages 2 out of every 7 times! english(uk)+english(us). It's more irritating than problematic and i suppose it's helping my foreign language skills! Any ideas?
-----
What language shows up upon reconnection with the battery power after all power has been removed for a time? There could be a power supply to the cluster problem. Or the battery needs changing due to low charge. Once the car is running, the alternator (generator) runs the system and it gets the power it needs. Anyone else on this one?
Bill in Omaha '86 535i
language defaults to german after i reconnect the battery. The car starts at the first turn of the key every time so i think the battery is ok. In connection with this language problem, my cd player also resets to default settings every time i turn the car off. The two things mut be linked? cheers
Know any Germans that want to buy a car?
Not THAT battery, the display has a small battery that makes it remember stuff like language settings.
Maybe it IS "that" battery.
I recently saw a Lexus version of the Toyota Highlander that used the clock to notify the driver that the battery was getting low. The car started and ran fine, but the clock would not remain set to the correct time -- my friend had to set his clock or watch it blink 12:00 -- every time he got in his car.
Anyway, I suggested that he have the battery checked since it was the original equipment part, and the car was closing in on 4 years old. It turns out, the battery wasd near the end of its useful life, and the clock knew it.
YOUR car is more than 4 years old, so it is on at least the second battery, perhaps the third. If the battery is near end-life, there's a good chance the displays (On Board Computer, Radio) could be sending you messages ...
Agree, it sounds like your instrument cluster might be starting to act up. Given that your car is an 89, there were problems with the instrument cluster in cars that year which may requires replacement. Unlike the earlier E28 and E24, which had batteries in the cluster, you can NOT change the battery on your dash board. It might be possible to change the capacitors:
Good Luck!
cheers guys, it's probably easier and cheaper just to learn a few words of french,italian,german and spanish!
MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.