Oh, you just can't beat a good old piece of after-market crap to hold up an already tricky repair. This video demonstrates how highly-skilled diagnosis in the first instance can save you hours replacing unnecessary parts. First-class job!
I have to say I am so happy I stumbled across this video. It described the exact symptoms I experienced. I, however, was leaning towards a faulty airbag module as I could not communicate with the module at all and I've seen problem stem from the K bus on Z4's. So I was actually trying to find the best way to remove an airbag module and your video came up afterwards...The attention to detail was impressive, the wiring diagram made perfect sense, and made me check my vanity mirrors and such. Of course I had much more going on than I thought. So I checked the voltage at the electronic ignition switch, and of course i had low voltage at the accessory wire. Picked up a new switch, installed it myself, cleared all trouble codes, and Voila...everything worked properly!!! Also you saved me $$$, as a new airbag module is approximately $440, but the switch was only $72. so i would have wasted $440 and still had the same problems. Thank you so much for the insight.
just wanted to thank you. I was experiencing these exact same symptoms. your method of diagnostics and proof of work is a great lesson. I performed this exact repair and car is fixed.
Makes a change to see a road test on the left side of the road, so used to seeing ERIC O driving on the right, great repair video, found another good mechanic to watch.i will accept a tenner for my review LOL.
Thank you for taking the time to do this. I found your video a few months ago but somehow lost track of it. I was SOOOO happy to have found it again. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU.
Great diagnostics Rob, this is the stuff I like to watch. Why are these aftermarket parts such bad quality, there not cheep and they wernt always this bad years ago.
Yeh with you there. The ones that make you go Woah are more interesting to resolve. I've heard Lucas is still around and is real bad now. Not used Lucas for years
My parents bought a Triumph TR-250 new in 1968. Picked it up at the factory in Coventry. The Lucas windshield washer crapped out before the car made it back to the U.S.
Brilliant job Rob , its issues like that which leaves me thinking what the fudge is going on here ? Nice diag and direction process , this sort of job i tend to leave alone in fear of making things worse !
Rob, funny you should experience that with gsf pattern parts. I bought a 2006 vw Passat 1.9tdi for £100 originally for scrap (it had a 2 week old battery and full tank of derv lol). It had a months mot, so I ran it as my own car had a gear issue. for mot to pass, it wanted 4 tyres, number plate. brakes were sticking but the sliders had seized, and an electric handbrake motor was u/s. I bought a caliper for the rear at considerable expense. I have a diagnostic reader that will cycle the brake. it wouldn't work. took it back, took ages to get refund. went to breaker £80 later job sorted. few months later, the temp gauge was messing about, rough running, I was worried as it had covered 300k. I changed the thermostat with genuine vw as that was cheaper, but the temp sensor was a lot dearer than gsf. I set myself a budget of no more than £600 before I called it a day. Sensor came, with new maf made by v-tech. put them on, cleared codes drove 5 miles it cut out never to re-start. towed it home, remembered an old trick with citroen hdi. pulled wire off new maf bingo it fired. sent parts back, got money back in the end, but it put paid to my bargain banger. I went to breaker 18 miles away and grabbed the 2 sensors off that. put them on, bingo sorted. We had already bought a newer car. l will never buy anything other than named off them again. and its sometimes worth that extra bit more for genuine. bloke I sold it to has plated it as a taxi again and has done 6k trouble free already grrrrrr
Great diagnosis Rob. I really enjoy the electrical content videos. What in particular gave you direction on this one? I note you did quite a bit of background research off camera. I would have loved to have followed you through the troubleshooting/thought process as this is what swamps many techs who could easily get overwhealmed with all those troublecodes.
I just look at a wiring diagrams, power distribution diagram & fault codes to try to find a link between all the failing items. I don't do it with the camera on mainly cause I end up chatting rubbish lol. I have to concentrate, its bad enough loosing your train of thought with customers coming in & phone calls. Glad you liked it.
nice vidmate been there done that lol yeah it's surprising sometimes how cheap aftermarket parts can be I've had a couple of cases recently where the aftermarket prices were more expensive than the genuine great vid mate
The Germany bit made me laugh! My Arse, Definitely China I would say. BMW part made in the Czech Republic... European quality. E46 suffer from ignition switches also I believe! Great video as ever.
done few bmw ignition switches over last few years, ones I normally use are febi bilstein branded and made by SWAG germany, they between 30 and £40 pending on the day and status ... Has to be online and next day or 2 day delivery as none of my local factors stock that brand or can match price and local stocked options from gsf ecp barum autoquip etc seem junk :-/ quite annoying have part option local same day but always junk :-( Least online parts options and shipping improved massively which tends help offset the standard autofactor poor quality and poor stock range/prices to some extent .
Dammit just fitted a Vemo cam sensor to my v12 BMW 760, haven't even tested it on the road yet. Looks like I will be doing it again very soon. I've had bad luck with some aftermarket parts except for the known quality brands like Delphi or Bosch etc.
Well just returned from a nice drive in the Cotswolds in 30 degree heat and the car runs better than it has for a long time. Had a fantastic meal on the price difference.
Purple wire (5v measurement) was a 12v return from the switch? Was trying to work out how you were condemning the switch from what the meter was saying
Could one of the accessories on that wire being faulty have pulled that voltage down? I know the switch was the problem, trying to work out how to be 100% sure before replacing it.
No just voltage drop caused by bad connection in the switch. To be 100% you could jump a 12v wire straight to the purple to confirm the switch at fault.
Hi there,I think your troubleshooting skill are very excellent because the problem was huge, I need to ask you something i have a 2007 bmw 530i that the emergency lights go on every 5 min if you happen to have one of these problems can you make a video about it?
Hi, i have a traction control light and the gear with ( ! ) this in the middle of the gear light is on. “Transmission warning light” and stuck on 4th gear. Any idea?
I hate the long technical videos, but yours I did watch to the end, thank you for the video. Please can you tell me what is your diagnostic device ? It is a wireless ?
please did the transmition light come again ? because I have the same problem I drive my car e39 I get this warning light transmition warning light ,but what happens afterwards when turn off ignition and then turn back again the warning light dissapears and the shifts normal do you have any idea thank you Regards Saleh
VEMO is an OEM supplier to BMW so the factory part could be the same except for the logo. I'd still go for OEM anyway. How many times do you replace the switch in the life of the car?
hello Rob.. nice video. can u tell me the name of broken switcher? I am from Serbia so I need to now the right term if I need to buy this switcher, so they need to know what I'm looking for. sorry for my broken English. cheers mate
Touch wood, I've never had a car with electrical gremlins. I think it would freak me out haha lesson of the day, don't put shit in your BMW! They don't like it :)
Haha mine doesn't like it either. On the odd occasion when I'm stuck and can't get OE parts, you can almost see her twitch lol they're moody divas but so worth it ;)
