Not joined yet? Register for free and enjoy features such as alerts, private messaging and viewing latest posts and topics.

electrical gremlins - please help!! Airbag Ecu? Edit... Fixed

Discuss problems you have had or are having with your Z4
jamie_z4
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 4621
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2010 9:38 pm

electrical gremlins - please help!! Airbag Ecu? Edit... Fixed

Post by jamie_z4 » Mon Apr 09, 2018 4:00 pm

Hi guys

Weird problem the indicators on the outside of the car all work fine

The relay no longer clicks though and the indicator signs on the dash don't light up when I'm indicating or the hazards are on

Everything else electrical works including hrw so it's not in transport mode.

Anyone any ideas? Thanks Jamie

Edit.. Fixed. Airbag module was wet through
Last edited by jamie_z4 on Wed Apr 11, 2018 6:53 am, edited 2 times in total.
18 Z4s owned to date.

Current: 2.5i Titan silver

Daily driver: 480bhp M140i Shadow edition.

jamie_z4
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 4621
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2010 9:38 pm

Indicator relay not clicking and dash light not working

Post by jamie_z4 » Tue Apr 10, 2018 8:30 pm

cars having all sorts of electrical issues now.

electric windows don't work
roof doesn't work
full beam indicator lamp doesn't work

I left the roof down last week and doing some research - points to the airbag ecu in the centre consol behind the handbrake.

anyone have any experience replacing these ? If so did they need coding?
18 Z4s owned to date.

Current: 2.5i Titan silver

Daily driver: 480bhp M140i Shadow edition.

Scooba_Steve
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 5277
Joined: Wed Feb 19, 2014 3:01 pm
Location: NW London

electrical gremlins - please help!! Airbag ECU?

Post by Scooba_Steve » Tue Apr 10, 2018 10:00 pm

Are you sure your battery is ok?
3.0si Sport: F10 Illuminated ZHP, Retrofit Cruise, OE Stubby, Gaptech RCH+, Kenwood BT73DAB + Handsfree, HIDs, LED Sidelights, OE LED Number Plate Lights, Custom LED strip bootlight.

jamie_z4
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 4621
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2010 9:38 pm

electrical gremlins - please help!! Airbag ECU?

Post by jamie_z4 » Tue Apr 10, 2018 10:06 pm

Scooba_Steve wrote: Tue Apr 10, 2018 10:00 pm Are you sure your battery is ok?
yeah it is new. all issues still present with a mains battery charger connected too.

had the Gm5 module out - replaced with one from another car

removed LCM / headunit checked for wiring breaks,

removed main fusebox and checked all connections / earths - all good.


had car on a 'launch' diagnostic machine - car is not seeing half the ECUs - car thinks there is no roof module/immobiliser/window wiper module etc
18 Z4s owned to date.

Current: 2.5i Titan silver

Daily driver: 480bhp M140i Shadow edition.

Scooba_Steve
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 5277
Joined: Wed Feb 19, 2014 3:01 pm
Location: NW London

electrical gremlins - please help!! Airbag ECU?

Post by Scooba_Steve » Tue Apr 10, 2018 10:41 pm

Why does something about the instrument cluster ring a bell? Does everything go through that?
3.0si Sport: F10 Illuminated ZHP, Retrofit Cruise, OE Stubby, Gaptech RCH+, Kenwood BT73DAB + Handsfree, HIDs, LED Sidelights, OE LED Number Plate Lights, Custom LED strip bootlight.

User avatar
Ducklakeview
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 6362
Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2016 4:08 pm
Location: Merseyside

electrical gremlins - please help!! Airbag ECU?

Post by Ducklakeview » Tue Apr 10, 2018 11:49 pm

Battery is fine. I had it on a BSU so voltage remained at 14v throughout the whole time.

GM5 appears OK, getting good 12v and ground inputs. However in diagnostic only 3 of the 20 or so modules are communicating on the can bus network.

Think this is gonna take a little bit of thought and investigating..

Mike

User avatar
Ducklakeview
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 6362
Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2016 4:08 pm
Location: Merseyside

electrical gremlins - please help!! Airbag ECU?

Post by Ducklakeview » Tue Apr 10, 2018 11:54 pm

Scooba_Steve wrote: Tue Apr 10, 2018 10:41 pm Why does something about the instrument cluster ring a bell? Does everything go through that?
There appears to be some kind of short between the lcm and the binnacle. When the ignition is turned off, the binnacle backlights stay on, even with key out. Disconnecting the lcm turns them off.

Very weird. I'm thinking either a faulty module cluttering up the can bus with rogue data, a bit like my faulty gap-tech, a poor ground causing the system to track back through the binnacle to a 0v and illuminating it in the process, or a faulty lcm...

Tricky one this. But I will get to the bottom of it.

Mike

jamie_z4
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 4621
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2010 9:38 pm

electrical gremlins - please help!! Airbag ECU?

Post by jamie_z4 » Wed Apr 11, 2018 6:27 am

Fixed it. Was the airbag module behind the handbrake that had got piss wet through. First thing I did after gettin in off nights is strip the interior to bits (and break everything in the process :rofl:)
18 Z4s owned to date.

Current: 2.5i Titan silver

Daily driver: 480bhp M140i Shadow edition.

User avatar
ph001
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 3870
Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2016 5:53 pm
Location: N. Yorkshire.

electrical gremlins - please help!! Airbag Ecu? Edit... Fixed

Post by ph001 » Wed Apr 11, 2018 7:50 am

Well found! How does water make its way into that module just out of interest??
2007 E85 Z4 3.0Si manual :driving:
19" CSL's | Eibach Springs | Aeroskirts | Z4M front bumper | Clear brake light | ZHP | RCH+| Stubby

2004 E46 M3 coupe manual - gone but not forgotten.

Image

User avatar
Ducklakeview
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 6362
Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2016 4:08 pm
Location: Merseyside

electrical gremlins - please help!! Airbag Ecu? Edit... Fixed

Post by Ducklakeview » Wed Apr 11, 2018 9:44 am

ph001 wrote: Wed Apr 11, 2018 7:50 am Well found! How does water make its way into that module just out of interest??
~When Jamie leaves the car out in the pissing down rain, with the roof down of course :D

Mike

User avatar
ph001
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 3870
Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2016 5:53 pm
Location: N. Yorkshire.

electrical gremlins - please help!! Airbag Ecu? Edit... Fixed

Post by ph001 » Wed Apr 11, 2018 10:13 am

Ah! :rofl:
2007 E85 Z4 3.0Si manual :driving:
19" CSL's | Eibach Springs | Aeroskirts | Z4M front bumper | Clear brake light | ZHP | RCH+| Stubby

2004 E46 M3 coupe manual - gone but not forgotten.

Image

jamie_z4
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 4621
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2010 9:38 pm

electrical gremlins - please help!! Airbag Ecu? Edit... Fixed

Post by jamie_z4 » Wed Apr 11, 2018 11:03 am

ph001 wrote: Wed Apr 11, 2018 7:50 am Well found! How does water make its way into that module just out of interest??
As Mike says says, my stupid fault!

It is a bit of a s**t place though, it's a big safety device located in a convertible sports car, just between the seats where water pools in the unfortunate event you accidently leave the roof down....
18 Z4s owned to date.

Current: 2.5i Titan silver

Daily driver: 480bhp M140i Shadow edition.

Rosco01
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 19
Joined: Tue Apr 10, 2018 3:17 pm

electrical gremlins - please help!! Airbag Ecu? Edit... Fixed

Post by Rosco01 » Wed Apr 11, 2018 12:54 pm

Having the same issues!

How do you remove the airbag module? And did you replace it?

Thanks

jamie_z4
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 4621
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2010 9:38 pm

electrical gremlins - please help!! Airbag Ecu? Edit... Fixed

Post by jamie_z4 » Wed Apr 11, 2018 3:02 pm

Rosco01 wrote: Wed Apr 11, 2018 12:54 pm Having the same issues!

How do you remove the airbag module? And did you replace it?

Thanks
Hi, you have to remove the whole centre console, there is a guide on here and it involves removing lots of screws etc but it's behind the handbrake under the plastic trim. It's only held in with one bolt though so just unplug it first to see if your issues go away as your removing it from the canbus network then and it will take away the gremlins theoretically like It did with mine.
18 Z4s owned to date.

Current: 2.5i Titan silver

Daily driver: 480bhp M140i Shadow edition.

Rosco01
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 19
Joined: Tue Apr 10, 2018 3:17 pm

electrical gremlins - please help!! Airbag Ecu? Edit... Fixed

Post by Rosco01 » Thu Apr 12, 2018 2:48 pm

Cheer's Jamie, just seen this. New to this forum stuff and keep missing reply's and responding on wrong thread's!

Managed to get it all stripped out with only a couple of rusty screwdrivers and a plastic shoe horn, absolute nightmare for a novice like me..😩🔫

Not removed the actual airbag unit as yet, need to get an 8mm socket as I thought the nuts were meant to be 10mm??

Anyway, removed the module wiring and started the car. Radio comes on and window's operable once again!! 😀👌

Was gonna get a used module off eBay, but can't find one with the same part number?

Post Reply