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There are several symptoms:
1.) Everytime after I switch-off the air condition, there is a musty smell come out of the vent persisting for several minutes. I orginally thought this should go away after a while. But not, even after 700 miles. And the funny thing is, it only happens for the ~ten minutes after I switch off the air condition each time.
2.) The air coming out of the vent is always kind of warmy, if the air condition is off, even when the outside temperature is quite chilly. (I always leave the temp setting between 72 and 75, and open the air circulation from outside)
3.) After I turn-off the engine following a short drive with air condition on, I can hear a not-too-loud but persisting "clicking" sounds coming out from somewhere inside the car, for few minutes after the engine is off and key is out. And, this sound doesn't happen if the drive was with the air condition off.
I searched the previous messages in this forum for this sort of problems. I found a couple of previously reported incidences seems similar (e.g. attached below), but no solution was mentioned.
648 of 1760 Air Conditioning by rshaw11 Apr 02, 2003 (5:57 pm)
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I have had my 2002 325i for almost a year now and still can't figure out the air conditioning system. I have to keep the temperature set at 62 degrees, or lower to make the interior comforatble; when the center vent control is on the two blue dots the air gets louder and softer at different times, must be some type of air distribution system, but the manual doesn't explain it. After I shut off the air, I get a REALLY bad smell. And the car doesn't cool down without the air conditioner being on very well.
#649 of 1760 Air conditioning. by kdshapiro Apr 02, 2003 (6:22 pm)
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I push the manual override to send the air through the center vents. Move the wheel on the center vents that contains the red and blue dots, downward past the notch to the locked position, until the three blue dots are in the center.
If your air doesn't blow ice cold after you press the snowflake button, bring it in. I keep the air at 69. Set the recirculate button to the position, where a green led is light on the left.
The softer/louder noise you hear is the automatic air distribution system.
i have had it for 2 years with 18" m3 alloys on it.
I started getting shaking from it last month when i braked so i had new discs pads , lower rear suspension arm bushes. still the shaking was there so it went in to bmw, they changed the steering column lower and upper because there was play in it.
Still shaking, so i have just brought new 18" csl alloys and avon tyres and it is not as bad but still shakes.BMW do not know what it could be , it been on the jigs etc
If i hit bumps in the road or the white lines it bounces through the steering wheel .this can happen at 40mph or 50 or 60mph it also wanders-please can any one help :sick:
Ihave had it for 2 years with 18" m3 alloys on it.
Istarted getting shaking in the steering wheel last month when i braked and when driving between 30mph and 70mph so I had new discs pads , lower rear suspension arm bushes. still the shaking was there so it went in to bmw, they changed the steering column lower and upper because there was play in it.
Still shaking, so i have just brought new 18" csl alloys and avon tyres and it is not as bad but still shakes.BMW do not know what it could be , it been on the jigs etc
If i hit bumps in the road or the white lines it bounces through the steering wheel .this can happen at 40mph or 50 or 60mph it also wanders-please can any one help
Sensors, meters, etc.... definitely a weak point.. No problem under warranty.. hate to see what they cost otherwise...
regards,
kyfdx
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1) Given that all of the four cylinder BMWs that I've rented in Europe have had smaller brakes than even the smallest that we can get here in North America, I suspect that the unsprung and rotational mass of 18" wheels is well beyond the design spec for a 316. As such, I'm guessing that you "Hot Spotted" (or "Hard Spotted" depending upon where you live) your rotors. Assuming that is the case, you will need to buy new rotors to temporarily eliminate the pulsing. I say temporarily because if you leave the 18s on your car, you will most likely need yet another brake job a year or two down the road.
2) I'm guessing (although I don't have any experience with an E46 316) that the 316 has a lighter weight suspension than say an M3 or a 330i SP, and as such, the extra mass in the wheels is what caused you to need to replace your suspension and steering components. Having said that, I don't think those work components had much (if anything) to do with your pulsing/shaking problem.
Best Regards,
Shipo
Thanks,
Mike
Nowadays the fuel pump is part of what is referred to as a Fuel Delivery Module (FDM) [insert your own words for the letters here] which also includes the float and sending unit.
I wouldn't be all that worried about them having to drop the tank. It shouldn't be a big deal for a dealership.
I'm not convinced it's the sending unit however. It could be multiple things that could cause an error in the reading. I'm curious as to what they eventually find out on it.
Please keep us posted.
Thanks for the advice
1. Starting early Feb. this year, my winshield wiper has stopped working for three times during the rain. Each time, the wiper worked fine when I turned it on, but after a while, it suddenly stopped working and totally lost all wiper actions regardless which position I put the lever at. One dealer where I did a major service ran a thorough diagnose, but could not find any problem. Other dealers told me that if I can not reproduce the problem, they can not fix it. But I don't know when it will happen. In the last several weeks, every time I tested the wiper, it worked fine.
2. My engine stopped at low speed. This is also an intermittent problem. It happened 3-4 times in the last 6 months. Each time, I was driving on a local road (not certain if I applied brake or not), all of a sudden, all lights came up and the car was dead. I had to restart the engine. I always warmed up my car and the weather in California is no where close to cold.
I love the car very much. However, these safety problems make me start to think of replacing it with a Japanese car (Acura TL or Infinity G35), which usually is more reliable, especially with electical parts.
Any help is very much appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
thanks
Best Regards,
Shipo
Newer E46 vehicles use BMW "lifetime" coolant. While I don't expect it to last 20 years, changing it at the end of the 4 year free maintenance cycle (which doesn't include coolant changes) should be fine.
The car definitely gets a brake system fluid change at 2 years from production date along with the annual oil change. I would get new wipers, too, as two years in the sun will wear on the rubber inserts.
Jim
Best Regards,
Shipo
any info would be really appreciated
Seriously though, if you're only getting water in the footwells with the sunroof cracked while it's raining, it seems like there is a pretty easy fix to this.
It would be impossible (not to mention pointless since the E90 is now out) to redesign the car because you have the sunroof open while it's raining.
Best Regards,
Shipo
thanks.
Just a thought..
kyfdx
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and would the reinforcing things you mentioned be better than or in addition to a roll-cage?
Any thoughts regarding warranty, lease terms and longevity of the vehicle ? (I'll most likely keep it at lease end)
Regards,
Rob
I have recently become aware that immediately after I start my car -- before I start moving -- the beep one hears every now and then from the steering wheel comes on exactly 8 times -- I don't recall this happening when I first got the car (its 6 mnoths old) -- no scary lights come up on the dashboard, everything seems normal -- what does the beeping signify(if anything)? or is it the case that the beeping is normal and I've just been off in another world...