Instrument Panel Batteries or Alternator?

Post Mon Apr 25, 2005 9:06 am

Yesterday, I went to start the BM, and it turned, clicked and then kept clicking... I put in a spare battery and it fired up straight away.
I put this down to the fact I had started the car lots of times without going anywhere, also I had been testing the foglights and the interior light had stuck on over night.

Anyway, I noticed when I had charged the battery and put it back, that the inspection light was on. I reset it, it went out and I went in!

On my way to work this morning, I noticed that the service indicator lights were on, and the MPG gauge was stuck over 50, nice if it was true.
The temp guage has been playing up and the fuel guage sometimes varies, but not like the temp guage.

When I got to the Motorway slip road and opened it up, as soon as it approached 3000 RPM, the service indicator lights went out and stayed out, the MPG dropped toward 0 until I eased off, the MPG went back above 50.

My question is, would the batteries for the instrument panel (a Motomania (SP?)) cause this, or is it a knackered alternator? or both?

Post Mon Apr 25, 2005 12:38 pm

OK, I have checked the alternator at lunch, and it is kicking out 15 Volts occasionally, generally 14.5V, so the alternator is fine.

Can the SI batteries really cause this kind of problem?

Post Mon Apr 25, 2005 8:25 pm

Surely someone must know, there's enough on here, is MPG only working at 3000 revs (b ut going to 0) and Service lights staying on until 3000 revs really an si battery issue?

Help please!!!

Post Mon Apr 25, 2005 11:26 pm

Dud SI batteries cause several peculiar faults on E30s. Dud SI batteries leaking their contents over the PCB cause even more weird faults.

Post Tue Apr 26, 2005 9:32 am

I have just phoned LaserChrom (local BM specialist) and they have a spare control set that they will put in tomorrow, and check all connections etc. Ãƒ”šÃ‚£20 for the instrument panel, Ãƒ”šÃ‚£20 to fit.

Seeing as I have had enough of working on the car for a while, that shouldn't be too bad, the breakers would have charged Ãƒ”šÃ‚£20 anyway, so it is just the fitting fee!

Lets hope it is the SI board

Post Wed Apr 27, 2005 3:38 pm

OK, I went to laserchrom today only to find that the instrument clusters he had were all knackered anyway, what a waste of time!!

Bakc to tying to check the batteries again!