M42club.com - Home of the BMW E30/E36 318i/iS
DISCUSSION => Electrical => Topic started by: fixierider84 on November 27, 2010, 09:14:39 PM
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Okay, here goes:
I just took care of my vague steering by following the forum and tightening the brass nut underneath the dash panel. While I was working, I got adventurous and changed out the vacuum lines and cleaned out the manifold. Now, with everything together, the car runs like a champ, and the steering is like-new tight! But, the SRS light is on, the manual description of 5 minutes of blinking and then steady on...could I have bumped something here when I was under the dash? Or is there something I could have hit when I was taking off the intake manifold? All fuses look good...any help is appreciated. Thanks!
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Okay, here goes:
I just took care of my vague steering by following the forum and tightening the brass nut underneath the dash panel. While I was working, I got adventurous and changed out the vacuum lines and cleaned out the manifold. Now, with everything together, the car runs like a champ, and the steering is like-new tight! But, the SRS light is on, the manual description of 5 minutes of blinking and then steady on...could I have bumped something here when I was under the dash? Or is there something I could have hit when I was taking off the intake manifold? All fuses look good...any help is appreciated. Thanks!
Your aibag is going to explode, be careful
j/k :D you probably just have a loose airbag sensor connection.
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I actually had a pang of fear for a second there! Would the sensor be located under the dash in and around where the steering column nut is?
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There are several connections. The airbag actuator is under that little plastic plate in the middle of the lower steering column cover. The sensors are mounted on the wheel housings, the computer is buried in the dash behind the headlight switch (with the ABS computer too).
You can't miss most of those connectors...most of the system is a lurid orange. I'd disconnect the battery and wait ten minutes or so if I was messing with that system and connectors...we don't want that going off unexpectedly.
An airbag light reset needs the dealer's computer, or maybe Carsoft/GT1 something like that.
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Okay, Disconnected the battery, checked the two sensors atop the wheel housings, then checked the connector underneath the column panel. Cleaned what I could, checked for loose wires and damage. It all looks good. Is there something I could have bumped in or around the brass nut on the steering column?
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You have an e36, right? Sometimes the ABS computer just dies. Your local BMW dealer can troubleshoot but it'll be expensive. Once the light is on, I don't think it can be reset by cleaning contacts. The dealer must reset the light.
On my e30, when my ABS computer died I just replaced the old airbag wheel with a convertible's sport wheel. Any late model e30 or early e34, e36, e38 (with the 22mm bolt & fine spline column) can supply a decent leather covered wheel. It isn't as safe but about 300% more comfortable. You'll also need the non-airbag control stalks. The airbag stalks come further out to suit the thicker airbag steering wheel. IMHO it's a great time to wire up an e30 with a 13-button OBC and a cruise control setup.
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Hi Dave,
I have an E30. I was just hoping I didn't do anything stupid when I was fiddling about underneath the dash, or with those pesky vacuum lines. Perhaps its coincidental that it died while I was working on it. I did both projects without bothering to start it up in between so honestly it could have been either cases. I have been toying with the idea of going non-air bag and using a different wheel. I ask:
How hard is it to put non-airbag stalks on the car, and also did you remove your SRS sensors and Lights afterward?
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(http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=560118795423&set=a.534919694623.2147843.14221685)
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You can fix it! It's not easy but it can be done. I have a friend at the local dealer and they couldn't do it.
I had my wheel off, which meant the air bag sensor was disconnected, and while putting the wheel back on I needed to get the locking mechanism to move out of the way soooooo I turned the key on:rolleyes:.....bad bad bad idea!:eek: That is what set off the SRS light.
Here is the link for the fix. I also have a hand written sheet somewhere that I'll have to look for with more notes.
http://www.bmwtis.com/tsb/bulletins/bulletin_graphic_temp/SI1991-3338g.htm
Cheers,
~Ralph
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CarSoft might work on resetting the light too, but it's dicey. I unplugged my SRS panel. New stalks are very easy. It's hard to find a set that is in perfect shape though. Find an e30 iC and strip the whole deal at once...I did just that at Maroney's last time I checked, maybe he has another one? The wheel is still there, and in decent shape, unfortunately no key, it's locked to the steering column.
Taking the wheel & stalks off is really easy. After dropping the knee bolster & lower trim panel it's only the 22mm steering wheel nut, then four screws for the column covers, finally another four screws for all the stalks. I had a few zipties that had to be cut as well. I'd say a half-hour at the most. The only trouble I had was getting the wire bundle all gathered together again.
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Thank you both Ralph and Dave for the suggestions. Ralph, I will look into your link tonight when I get a moment.
Dave,
Carsoft sounds like a bad idea if it is going to be dicey...that light is more of an annoyance esp at night then anything else. Steering wheels are aplenty, I will cruise ebay for stalks, perhaps a spring project. I like the look and appearance of the non-airbag wheel, and to be honest if anything were to happen (Not me the other guy :-)) I don't know if I want to get hit in the face with a first generation airbag. (2nd gen airbags hurt enough, I have had the unlucky pleasure of feeling that)
Lastly, are there differences in steering wheel diameter? Why is an Mtec so expensive?
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Mtech wheels are rare, I guess. I had an Mtech1 & liked the sport wheel better. The larger wheels are usually on the 5-series. They had a similar-looking wheel, so be sure it's the smaller e30 fine spline. I don't recall how big they were. OTOH, the smaller e30 sport wheel in my e34 made the whole car seem smaller. It's not a big difference IIRC, maybe 10mm max?
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Ralph, Did you successfully fix your SRS light using this procedure? It looks...daunting... Man o' man that sport steering wheel is looking tempting...
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Yes I did;-) I agree that it doesn't look fun but it is the only way to get rid of the SRS light. If you bring your car to the dealer they will most likely charge you out the a$$ and probably won't accomplish what you can do yourself. I had a friend of mine in the service dept. have his guys hook up the machines they had and they failed. Then my buddy who is a master BMW technician found this fix I sent you and he helped me do it.
Good Luck....
Cheers,
~Ralph
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Hi Ralph, can you please post the fix again? The link you posted is now dead :(
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I can't find it myself. Lemme see if I can dig it up in TIS.
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I found this, which actually supercedes the other bulletin that was posted:
http://content.chiltonsonline.com/TSB/displayTSBHandler.ashx?assetID=15430&key=6kAUBD5BruOJf%2f3tgozUqjXM3RdbjcQqW4sVWiE%2fp2IojfpfKqM07dr61%2bQAWHtTpI%2bxEmkijBikAqcpspj7KND3NPaKpj0ekHR23E9sPexSwRH4qauSVlFT3iklEa%2bDk2pK%2bidKsaDit56gh%2fPhaQ%3d%3d
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Nice link...BTW, TIS didn't have anything. Either that, or I'm a total incompetent. Likely the latter, as TIS isn't easy to use.
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Colin, Sorry I just saw this post but missed the other one.
That is the exact info that I have which you posted the link for.
Just make sure that if you ever have to take your steering wheel off that you unplug the SRS first with the key in the "off" position, or disconnect the battery, otherwise you will be doing this fix again.....ask me how I know:cool:
Cheers,
~Ralph
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Thanks Ralph, so this fix actually worked for you? Did you back-proble the ABS connector as shown in the illustration, or did you disconnect the harness halves and run jumpers to the ABS conputer side of the harness?
Also, are there any other tricks, like grounding it for 5 seconds to clear the codes?
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It did work. I back probed just like in the illustration.
It was pretty straight forward. I have access to a GT1, so I cleared the codes through that. Not sure if they will clear through the 5 sec route.
Cheers,
~Ralph
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Thanks Ralph. I don't have a tool so I will have to come up with some other way to clear out the codes.
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http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=173007&highlight=SRS%2A+reset
http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=244346&highlight=SRS%2A+reset
http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=88112&highlight=SRS%2A+reset
http://www.e30tech.com/forum/showthread.php?t=94365&highlight=airbag+light
After tripping the SRS light on my car, I searched for threads regarding an SRS reset. According to the OP in the first link, "evil twin" reset the SRS light in a '90 and '91 325 by grounding pin #6 in the diagnostic plug.
I tried the process described and had limited success by grounding Pin #6 and turning the key all the way to start the engine. This put the SRS module into diagnostic mode. I was able to retrieve "323", aka, "Don't you feel stupid turning the key with the battery connected and the airbag disconnected?" code.
I have scoured all the ETMs and the SRS schematics are the same for all E30s, but following his procedure won't reset the light in my car.
Now I'm pondering the questions:
-Is the SRS wiring for the E30 318is different from the 325?
-Is the SRS schematic wrong in our ETM?
-Is the (SRS) wiring in my car FUBAR?
Has anyone else tried evil twin's procedure? If so, what were your results?
I haven't been able to work on the car since last Saturday and I won't be home until this coming Sunday. What I'm thinking of doing next is to ground pin #6 at C240 and see if that resets the light.
Thoughts?
UPDATE: I ended up replacing the SRS module with a spare I took out of my project car and that cleared the light.