New to Bmw and few problems

kobei · 03-16-2013, 04:09 PM

i just picked up a 2004 M3 SMG

we were cleaning the car very throughly today and the battery was getting very low we think. We have the car sitting on a charger now

the driver side window doesnt drop the 1/8-1/4 inch when you go to open i thought it might need the reset so i tried one or two but they didnt work, is there a reset specific to the e46 platform.

on the dash the light for the door doesnt show up when you open the door, and the interior lights dont go on either, so it doesnt register that the door is being open

we took the entire door latch out and cleaned it

still not working but all other functions work fine

kobei · 03-17-2013, 05:26 PM

bump

David McMahon · 03-17-2013, 06:10 PM

The regulators are famous for going wrong, check to see if the plastic guides are holding the cable. For low battery there is a voltage regulator and heater blower resistor that goes wrong on them.

kobei · 03-17-2013, 06:46 PM

but if the regulator was going bad, then the window switches would work either right?

wildirish317 · 03-17-2013, 07:15 PM

Welcome to the club. Be prepared to drop a little (or a lot) of cash to get started. Check to see if the battery has a date stamp on it. The life span of a battery is 5 years, plus or minus 5 years. When they go bad, they cause a bunch of electrical problems that have no apparent cause before they degrade to the point that they won't start the car.

The cooling system has a life span of 75,000 miles, plus or minus 25,000 miles. Do a search for "Mango" and click on the cooling system link in his signature for details. Since it's your son's car you can wait for the first sign of trouble, and then replace the entire cooling system. It all fails in a six month period, so you might as well do it all at one time.

Tonight, order a PA Soft 1.4 scanner. It will read the codes that are thrown by the many processors controlling your car. It also allows you to program certain functions, like daytime running lights and other personal preferences. It's invaluable. There's a thread devoted to it on this forum.

mitfa911 · 03-17-2013, 10:37 PM

To fix your window problem, just lower the window and raise it all the way up. This resets the window.

David McMahon · 03-17-2013, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kobei

but if the regulator was going bad, then the window switches would work either right?

I found that my Port side reg was noisy in operation looked at it and secured cable ties (one large, one small) to hold the cable tighter, cleared up the noise

MY window sync is slightly out (window protrudes 1/2" at lowest setting so will try the down and up reset thing tomoz.

kobei · 03-18-2013, 09:01 AM

i dont think its a rest set that needs to be done i either think its the lock actuator or something else i edited my first post. the dome lights, and the diagram of the car that shows when the door is opened does,t show up.

besides the lock actuator is there any other sensors that signal the door is open or closed, cause at the moment the car think the driver side door is always closed

03-16-2013, 04:09 PM	#1
kobei Registered User Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: NY Posts: 8 My Ride: none View My Garage	New to Bmw and few problems i just picked up a 2004 M3 SMG we were cleaning the car very throughly today and the battery was getting very low we think. We have the car sitting on a charger now the driver side window doesnt drop the 1/8-1/4 inch when you go to open i thought it might need the reset so i tried one or two but they didnt work, is there a reset specific to the e46 platform. on the dash the light for the door doesnt show up when you open the door, and the interior lights dont go on either, so it doesnt register that the door is being open we took the entire door latch out and cleaned it still not working but all other functions work fine Last edited by kobei; 03-17-2013 at 07:34 PM.

03-17-2013, 07:15 PM	#5
wildirish317 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 1,067 My Ride: 2004 325Ci vert View My Garage	Welcome to the club. Be prepared to drop a little (or a lot) of cash to get started. Check to see if the battery has a date stamp on it. The life span of a battery is 5 years, plus or minus 5 years. When they go bad, they cause a bunch of electrical problems that have no apparent cause before they degrade to the point that they won't start the car. The cooling system has a life span of 75,000 miles, plus or minus 25,000 miles. Do a search for "Mango" and click on the cooling system link in his signature for details. Since it's your son's car you can wait for the first sign of trouble, and then replace the entire cooling system. It all fails in a six month period, so you might as well do it all at one time. Tonight, order a PA Soft 1.4 scanner. It will read the codes that are thrown by the many processors controlling your car. It also allows you to program certain functions, like daytime running lights and other personal preferences. It's invaluable. There's a thread devoted to it on this forum. __________________ “The test of the machine is the satisfaction it gives you. There isn't any other test. If the machine produces tranquility it's right. If it disturbs you it's wrong until either the machine or your mind is changed.”

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03-17-2013, 05:26 PM	#2
kobei Registered User Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: NY Posts: 8 My Ride: none View My Garage	bump

03-17-2013, 06:10 PM	#3
David McMahon Registered User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Suffolk, UK Posts: 348 My Ride: '98 E46 328i SGM View My Garage	The regulators are famous for going wrong, check to see if the plastic guides are holding the cable. For low battery there is a voltage regulator and heater blower resistor that goes wrong on them.

03-17-2013, 06:46 PM	#4
kobei Registered User Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: NY Posts: 8 My Ride: none View My Garage	but if the regulator was going bad, then the window switches would work either right?

03-17-2013, 10:37 PM	#6
mitfa911 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 168 My Ride: 2001 330 CIc View My Garage	To fix your window problem, just lower the window and raise it all the way up. This resets the window.

03-18-2013, 09:01 AM	#8
kobei Registered User Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: NY Posts: 8 My Ride: none View My Garage	i dont think its a rest set that needs to be done i either think its the lock actuator or something else i edited my first post. the dome lights, and the diagram of the car that shows when the door is opened does,t show up. besides the lock actuator is there any other sensors that signal the door is open or closed, cause at the moment the car think the driver side door is always closed