E30 Zone

hey folks, I've just bought a sport and everything seems in as good an order as I was expecting.

theres a button above the drivers elecy windows whith a red line around it when its up. Doesnt seem to be doing much. whats it meant to be doing?

the front headlamp wash/wipes don't work, from what I hear this is quite a common problem, how are they meant to work? what makes them come on?

did all sports come with 2 computers or did some come with the clock in the dash instead?

the sunroof doesnt open, I think the motors fried, again I take it its a fairly common problem?


thats it for now cheers folks

the button abone the elec window switch should activate or deactivate power going from elec window switches to electric windows, it may do more but that is all it does on my sport.

Yes some sports came with a clock instead of 2nd on-board computer which i believe was an optional extra?

My headlight washer do not work either, something on my too do list, from what i gather they can be a nightmare to repair, maybe somebody on here can advise on this?

As for the sunroof cant comment as mine works but can be quite slow opening think my motor is on the way out.

Yeah the red-lined button is the killswitch for the 'leccy windows.

If you take your lights out, you can put the wiper motor across the battery to see if it is the motor, or the wiring.

Try swapping the sunroof switch (or cleaning it out) as sometimes the copper contacts get 'gunked' up.
(you might be able to test it with a 'leccy window switch, can't remember if they are the same)

Hope this helps, Ian.

cheers lads, I'll have to test these out next time I get a few hours free.

what makes the washers come on? what button? is it activated with the windscreen wipers?

yeah, you push the stalk in for intensive clean

intensive clean, lol, does a lad with a power washer pop out of the glove box and give it a shampoo while your going down the motorway?

No, just a hot chick in a bikini with a couple of sponges!!

I'll be pushing that stalk alot more then, lol

the intensive wash wipe is easy there are links on here to show how its done basicaly one motor supplies power to the other if this one stops so will the other ...the main problem is water running along the wiper shaft getting past the seal and into the motor and rusting the tube which the shaft goes through they are easy to strip and the shaft can be cleaned with a wire brush and the tube by a drill bit then re-grease it all and they will start to work again

cheers gazza. will have a look.


one more, is the petrol cap door thing meant to pop out with a button? cos mine can just be pulled out, there seems to be a little latch thing but is stuck in??

I think that'll be the lock that pops out (engages) when you use the central locking...

People used to syphon-off petrol from cars in the 1980s, when times were hard, so locking caps (or flaps if you were posh like BMW) were introduced.

ah its activated with the locking, I'll have to check cheers mr curry lol

another stupid question, do the back lights (red ones, not the brake lights) stay on all the time or are they mean to just come on with the lights? cos mine come on when I start up even if the lights arnt on

slinky2000 wrote:ah its activated with the locking, I'll have to check cheers mr curry lol

just checked the petrol flap and it locks when the car locks! something that works lol

slinky2000 wrote:another stupid question, do the back lights (red ones, not the brake lights) stay on all the time or are they mean to just come on with the lights? cos mine come on when I start up even if the lights arnt on

No lights should be on all the time (except possibly on Swedish market cars ).
Which red lights do you mean? Fog, brake or tail lights.

There's no seperate control for the headlamp wash wipe. It's supposed to work every fifth time the screen washers are used with the lights on.
For testing purposes, do as someone said further up this thread - disconnect their plugs on the back of the headlamps and power them up from a 12V source.
Brown is earth, red is wipers run continuously, black is wipers finish their sequence and park, and fourth pin on one motor only is the washer pump feed.

gazza wrote: one motor supplies power to the other if this one stops so will the other

Not quite. The wiper motors are powered separately from the same source, and one can fail without the other. It's the headlamp washer pump that's controlled by one of the motors.
Your description of the problem and cure is correct though.

cheers brian, my tail lights are on allt he time from start up. seems a bit dodgie to me, lol

slinky2000 wrote:cheers brian, my tail lights are on allt he time from start up. seems a bit dodgie to me, lol

Just need the brake light switch adjusting mate.

?
why would the brake light switch affect the tail lights?

because its the brake lights that are coming on

I bet if he pulls the pedal up by hand they go off.

buster wrote:because its the brake lights that are coming on

so why does he say his tail lights are on?

buster wrote:because its the brake lights that are coming on

I bet if he pulls the pedal up by hand they go off.

I'll try this and let ya know, hopefully its the simple solution

orangecurry wrote:
so why does he say his tail lights are on?

Hopefully because he's mistaken!
Simple reason for brake lights to be on. I know of no reason whatsoever why the tail lights should be on, especially without the parking lights at the front!

hopefully I am, I'll check it out tonight

slinky2000 wrote:the sunroof doesnt open, I think the motors fried, again I take it its a fairly common problem?

Motor may not be fried - the roof seal can become stuck to the roof if not used for some time. Try washing it.

tail/brake same bulb ,dual filament

try not to brake that seal though i had to get a new one. from bm they are not cheap!!!

timmyboy wrote:try not to brake that seal though i had to get a new one. from bm they are not cheap!!!

Did you get the two piece or one piece (lengthwise) version. Correct one is the two piece, but the one piece is far cheaper.

two piece from what i can remeber, £80 including my bmw loyalty discount.