Board Computer

The Board Computer on my 91 535i doesn't seem to be "ON". The "BC"
switch on the turn signal lever doesn't do anything and there is an
empty patch on the instrument panel that should light up with
somethin' but doesn't. All of the fuses look OK. I do have the area
on the panel that tells me that the "license plate light" is not
working, and that's true but I don't care about that. Any ideas out
there in BMW expert - land?

The Board Computer on my 91 535i doesn't seem to be "ON". The "BC"
switch on the turn signal lever doesn't do anything and there is an
empty patch on the instrument panel that should light up with
somethin' but doesn't. All of the fuses look OK. I do have the area
on the panel that tells me that the "license plate light" is not
working, and that's true but I don't care about that. Any ideas out
there in BMW expert - land?

Maybe the backlight has died. Is there a very faint reading?

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Perhaps you should fix the failure item before attempting to get other less
useful information from your computer.

Think of "usefullness" from the perspective of the computer that is trying
to inform you of a safety/legal problem. You are asking it to ignore the
safety and obvious legal issues and tell you about fuel consumption rates
and average speed. You may find this information useful, but the computer
may think that burnt out bulbs is a greater hazard to you and those around
you.

If the computer is able to report that the bulb is burnt out, then the
computer itself functions. Another poster suggested that the back lighing
had gone away in the display, and I thought of that one as well. But, if
that was the case, then you would not be aware that the plate lights had
burnt out.

Fix the plate lights, then see if the display returns to normal.




"noobiedoobie" <robinLdillon (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote

The Board Computer on my 91 535i doesn't seem to be "ON". The "BC"
switch on the turn signal lever doesn't do anything and there is an
empty patch on the instrument panel that should light up with
somethin' but doesn't. All of the fuses look OK. I do have the area
on the panel that tells me that the "license plate light" is not
working, and that's true but I don't care about that. Any ideas out
there in BMW expert - land?

On May 18, 2:59 pm, "Jeff Strickland" <c... (AT) verizon (DOT) net> wrote:

Perhaps you should fix the failure item before attempting to get other less
useful information from your computer.

Think of "usefullness" from the perspective of the computer that is trying
to inform you of a safety/legal problem. You are asking it to ignore the
safety and obvious legal issues and tell you about fuel consumption rates
and average speed. You may find this information useful, but the computer
may think that burnt out bulbs is a greater hazard to you and those around
you.

If the computer is able to report that the bulb is burnt out, then the
computer itself functions. Another poster suggested that the back lighing
had gone away in the display, and I thought of that one as well. But, if
that was the case, then you would not be aware that the plate lights had
burnt out.

Fix the plate lights, then see if the display returns to normal.

Okay, good idea. I didn't realize that this was the board computer
display. There seems to be some space to the right of this on the
instrument panel (lower right corner) that looked like it wasn't "ON",
but you're probably right about the computer thinking that the license
plate light is priority, because when I push the reset button on the
panel itself, all that happens is ... blank...license plate warning
goes back on..instead of any other information.

"noobiedoobie" <robinLdillon (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote

On May 18, 2:59 pm, "Jeff Strickland" <c... (AT) verizon (DOT) net> wrote:
Perhaps you should fix the failure item before attempting to get other
less
useful information from your computer.

Think of "usefullness" from the perspective of the computer that is
trying
to inform you of a safety/legal problem. You are asking it to ignore the
safety and obvious legal issues and tell you about fuel consumption rates
and average speed. You may find this information useful, but the computer
may think that burnt out bulbs is a greater hazard to you and those
around
you.

If the computer is able to report that the bulb is burnt out, then the
computer itself functions. Another poster suggested that the back lighing
had gone away in the display, and I thought of that one as well. But, if
that was the case, then you would not be aware that the plate lights had
burnt out.

Fix the plate lights, then see if the display returns to normal.

Okay, good idea. I didn't realize that this was the board computer
display. There seems to be some space to the right of this on the
instrument panel (lower right corner) that looked like it wasn't "ON",
but you're probably right about the computer thinking that the license
plate light is priority, because when I push the reset button on the
panel itself, all that happens is ... blank...license plate warning
goes back on..instead of any other information.

In the interest of full disclosure, your '91 5 Series is different in this
respect than my '94 3 Series. If your message display for the busted/burnt
out lamps is different than the display of fuel consumption and remaining
distance on the fuel load, then your problem is very likely to be the lamps
for the back light. On my car, all of this information comes on the same
display ...

On May 18, 5:19 pm, "Jeff Strickland" <c... (AT) verizon (DOT) net> wrote:

"noobiedoobie" <robinLdil... (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote in message

news:1179516686.782783.316280 (AT) p77g2000hsh (DOT) googlegroups.com...





On May 18, 2:59 pm, "Jeff Strickland" <c... (AT) verizon (DOT) net> wrote:
Perhaps you should fix the failure item before attempting to get other
less
useful information from your computer.

Think of "usefullness" from the perspective of the computer that is
trying
to inform you of a safety/legal problem. You are asking it to ignore the
safety and obvious legal issues and tell you about fuel consumption rates
and average speed. You may find this information useful, but the computer
may think that burnt out bulbs is a greater hazard to you and those
around
you.

If the computer is able to report that the bulb is burnt out, then the
computer itself functions. Another poster suggested that the back lighing
had gone away in the display, and I thought of that one as well. But, if
that was the case, then you would not be aware that the plate lights had
burnt out.

Fix the plate lights, then see if the display returns to normal.

Okay, good idea. I didn't realize that this was the board computer
display. There seems to be some space to the right of this on the
instrument panel (lower right corner) that looked like it wasn't "ON",
but you're probably right about the computer thinking that the license
plate light is priority, because when I push the reset button on the
panel itself, all that happens is ... blank...license plate warning
goes back on..instead of any other information.

In the interest of full disclosure, your '91 5 Series is different in this
respect than my '94 3 Series. If your message display for the busted/burnt
out lamps is different than the display of fuel consumption and remaining
distance on the fuel load, then your problem is very likely to be the lamps
for the back light. On my car, all of this information comes on the same
display ...- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

No, I think you were correct the first time. There must be one
display for everything. I checked the fuse (#5) and the bulbs
themselves and they seem fine. The bulbs are rated for 12 volts and
65 watts which seems high to me. Why so much power usage for tiny
little license plate bulbs? Or maybe this is simply the upper limit
for them and not the practical usage level...anyway, I am rather
stumped at the moment.

In article <1179588707.752517.140250 (AT) w5g2000hsg (DOT) googlegroups.com>,
noobiedoobie <robinLdillon (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote:

I checked the fuse (#5) and the bulbs
themselves and they seem fine. The bulbs are rated for 12 volts and
65 watts which seems high to me. Why so much power usage for tiny
little license plate bulbs?

Think you've missed out a decimal point. 65 watts is more than headlamps.

--
*Gargling is a good way to see if your throat leaks.

Dave Plowman dave (AT) davenoise (DOT) co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article <1179588707.752517.140250 (AT) w5g2000hsg (DOT) googlegroups.com>,
noobiedoobie <robinLdillon (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote:

No, I think you were correct the first time. There must be one
display for everything. I checked the fuse (#5) and the bulbs
themselves and they seem fine. The bulbs are rated for 12 volts and
65 watts which seems high to me. Why so much power usage for tiny
little license plate bulbs? Or maybe this is simply the upper limit
for them and not the practical usage level...anyway, I am rather
stumped at the moment.

Has it got parking lights operated off the indictor switch? Ie with the
ignition and lights off the indicator switch should select one front and
one rear light only - for parking on an unlit street. The panel lights and
the number plate lights don't come on in this condition so the number
plate light has a separate circuit to the other side lights. I'm not sure
how they achieve this on your model but some do it via contacts on the
indictor switch.

--
*Men are from Earth, women are from Earth. Deal with it.

Dave Plowman dave (AT) davenoise (DOT) co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On May 19, 1:13 pm, "Dave Plowman (News)" <d... (AT) davenoise (DOT) co.uk>
wrote:

In article <1179588707.752517.140... (AT) w5g2000hsg (DOT) googlegroups.com>,
noobiedoobie <robinLdil... (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote:

No, I think you were correct the first time. There must be one
display for everything. I checked the fuse (#5) and the bulbs
themselves and they seem fine. The bulbs are rated for 12 volts and
65 watts which seems high to me. Why so much power usage for tiny
little license plate bulbs? Or maybe this is simply the upper limit
for them and not the practical usage level...anyway, I am rather
stumped at the moment.

Has it got parking lights operated off the indictor switch? Ie with the
ignition and lights off the indicator switch should select one front and
one rear light only - for parking on an unlit street. The panel lights and
the number plate lights don't come on in this condition so the number
plate light has a separate circuit to the other side lights. I'm not sure
how they achieve this on your model but some do it via contacts on the
indictor switch.

--
*Men are from Earth, women are from Earth. Deal with it.

Dave Plowman d... (AT) davenoise (DOT) co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Thanks Dave, I don't know how to turn on the parking lights...I'll
find out...I have the automatic headlights so maybe there are no
parking lights...I have 3 settings on the instrument panel..the top
setting shows a light bulb so maybe that's it...I haven't driven it
past my neighbourhood yet because I have it listed as "unfit" and
"unplated" while I repair it. I have also prepared a hydroxy booster
which I am going to add next week.