» Site Navigation | | » Recent Threads | | | | | | 02-04-2009, 09:51 PM | #1 | Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Lenexa, ks Posts: 67 | Fuel Gauge, Temp Gauge, and clock...oh my! Ok, so all was going smoothly until heading home for lunch, out of no where my fuel gauge went from full to empty, and my temp gauge went from normal to cold, and my factory digital clock blanked out. Restarted the car and no change. I read on here someone with similar problem, but I did not have a chance to check my brake lights yet. I noticed that if i hold the clock button the clock will come on for a few seconds then blink off again. What gives????? Any Ideas? __________________ godlessSAVAGE | | | 02-04-2009, 11:15 PM | #2 | Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: asdfasdf Posts: 10,002 | have you checked the fuses? | | | 02-04-2009, 11:48 PM | #3 | Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Lenexa, ks Posts: 67 | my fuses are all good, and i also have no brake lights. JOY. __________________ godlessSAVAGE | | | 02-05-2009, 12:12 AM | #4 | Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Lenexa, ks Posts: 67 | Ok i totally missed it, it was fuse 46 (brake) change it out, all is working as it should once again!!!!! Keep you posted. __________________ godlessSAVAGE | | | 06-30-2010, 02:00 PM | #5 | Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Dublin, Ireland Posts: 47 | Hi all, I'm having exactly the same problem (not sure about the clock because I retrofitted an OBC). However, my problem is not permanent. I'll be driving along and one dial will die ad then come back again. Sometimes they both die but more often, they go independently. I've checked all fuses and all seem fine. I totally removed 46 to scrutinize it before plugging it back in again. Any suggestions C | | | 07-14-2010, 12:30 PM | #6 | Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Southern ME Posts: 22 | Me, too, exact same problem. ANYONE? EDIT: Found an answer on Bimmerforums.com: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...=obc+temp+fuel Last edited by bird67; 07-14-2010 at 12:38 PM. | | | 07-15-2010, 02:08 AM | #7 | Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Southern ME Posts: 22 | Further update. No. 46 fuse was blown. Replaced it; blew again. Checked the taillight bulbs, 3 in total were out. It seems the bulbs provide resistance, and when the bulbs blow there is insufficient resistance - causing the fuse to blow. This fuse controls the speed control, gas gauge, temp gauge, and obc/clock. Replaced bulb, replace fuse, voila. No more problems. | | | 07-15-2010, 09:18 PM | #8 | Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Bouncing off the rev limiter in CT! Posts: 3,156 | Well, a bulb does provide resistance, and when it blows, that resistance becomes infinite (open circuit), so I don't see that as causing the fuse to blow... Generally a fuse will blow because there is too little resistance (short to ground- higher amperage draw than the fuse's rating). In the referenced post at BfC, it was noted that one filament came loose and shorted across the other inside the bulb. Strange failure, but plausible. Replacing the bulbs and fuses fixed it. One other thing to keep in mind with these tail light related electrical problems: Other E36 cars have had serious wiring problems with the trunk harness. The wire insulation rubs through and the wires short to one another, and in extreme cases, cause a fire in the trunk! I have not heard first-hand that this has happened with a ti yet, but the wiring is the same vintage and from the same vendor, so the potential is there. So, if bulbs and fuses don't get you up and running again, you have to carefully check the wiring harness in the hatch and trunk area for wear/defects. | | | 01-27-2012, 09:02 PM | #9 | Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: norcal - 94590 Posts: 3,186 | Going to bump this thread as proof that searching is the key to success! Just had this happen yesterday on the way home from work, fuse 46. Fuse box lid says it's for Cruise, doesn't mention all the other related components... took less time to search and fix the issue than post and wait for a response for help... __________________ James 95 active w/leather interior and sport interior conversion, Vaders, full M-Tech exterior conversion. Now m50 swapped* Eibach sway bars, D2 Coilovers, Depo's w/AE's, blacked-out sides and grills, LeatherZ console and door armrests, 1 series starter button mod, and custom finished Style 5's <--- in this color! Named "Roddy": *M50 6 cyl. swap with fan delete, S50 cams and chip, AFE stage 2 intake, M3 clutch and 11.5 lb Fidanza flywheel, 3.15LSD, battery relocated to rear and complete custom exhaust. Sweet! 97 318ti sport, Alaska Blue, Contours, coilovers, Dove Vaders and custom black/grey interior named "Max" 95 318ti Active in Cosmos, S50 swap in progress... named "Pit" SUPPORT 318ti.org! CLICK THE LINK ABOVE! Hosting a forum like this is not free. 318ti.org is one of the best BMW forums on the web because it is member supported, not vendor supported. The cost to become a Supporter is a nominal $10.00... A YEAR! DO IT! NOW! | | | 03-24-2014, 03:40 PM | #10 | Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: GTA Posts: 34 | I just want to say thanks for this thread I was able to fixed the issue quickly, it's a mystery on how fuse 46 can cause all the other issue. | | | 06-11-2014, 09:05 PM | #11 | Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Southern California Posts: 25 | me too, thanks for the thread! just finished an M44 swap on a customer's ti that had been extremely overheated, got everything back together and no fuel gage, temp gage read hot all the time. was puzzled and started to look at wiring diagrams when the boss came to me with your find. sure enough fuse 46 was blown. | | | 06-12-2014, 03:02 AM | #12 | Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Wichita Falls, Texas Posts: 1,364 | Note to self: keep an eye on fuse 46! | | | 09-10-2014, 05:46 AM | #13 | Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 2,451 | I found this thread and got excited! Started the 97 Sport today after work and noticed by fuel gauge was totally empty, my temp gauge didn't work, the brake, park brake and service indicator were all lit. Clock is still working, all exterior lights are working. All fuses look intact. Drove home fine. After reading this thread, I checked: Fuse 46 is intact. Still does not work properly. Nothing obvious. Will still search, but if anyone has a clue, I'm all ears. Thanks! __________________ 1998 318ti Sport - "Cali" Schwartz II/Schwartz sport interior, Cali top 1998 318ti Sport - "Max" Schwartz II/Schwartz sport interior, S52 1997 318ti Sport - "Tiny" Schwartz II/Schwartz sport interior 1995 318ti Active - "Blanca" Alpineweib III/Schwartz leather interior Other Current Bimmers: 2006 530i / 2000 2.3L Z3 / 1997 1.9L Z3 / 1999 540it 1997 318ti Sport - "Huera" - RIP 1995 318ti Active - RIP 1995 318ti Sport - "Tiny" Sold 1994 325i Sedan - "Jade" - Sold 1991 318ic - "Bert" - Sold 1985 635csi sold 1984 533i "Max" Sold 1984 318i sold BMWCCA #160411 SUPPORT 318ti.org! CLICK THE LINK ABOVE! Hosting a forum like this is not free. 318ti.org is one of the best BMW forums on the web because it is member supported, not vendor supported. The cost to become a Supporter is a nominal $10.00... A YEAR! DO IT! NOW! Last edited by BlackBMWs; 09-10-2014 at 03:54 PM. | | | 09-11-2014, 03:55 AM | #14 | Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Wichita Falls, Texas Posts: 1,364 | Quote: Originally Posted by BlackBMWs I found this thread and got excited! Started the 97 Sport today after work and noticed by fuel gauge was totally empty, my temp gauge didn't work, the brake, park brake and service indicator were all lit. Clock is still working, all exterior lights are working. All fuses look intact. Drove home fine. After reading this thread, I checked: Fuse 46 is intact. Still does not work properly. Nothing obvious. Will still search, but if anyone has a clue, I'm all ears. Thanks! | This is a long shot, but check your battery connections. I had a similar problem once after I had forgotten to tighten the connections back up. Good luck, John | | | 09-11-2014, 03:56 AM | #15 | Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 2,451 | Thanks John! Gremlin... Gone totally this morning. I hate intermittent issues... I'll check, thanks! 1998 & 1997 318ti Sport Schwartz II 1995 318ti Active Alpineweib III __________________ 1998 318ti Sport - "Cali" Schwartz II/Schwartz sport interior, Cali top 1998 318ti Sport - "Max" Schwartz II/Schwartz sport interior, S52 1997 318ti Sport - "Tiny" Schwartz II/Schwartz sport interior 1995 318ti Active - "Blanca" Alpineweib III/Schwartz leather interior Other Current Bimmers: 2006 530i / 2000 2.3L Z3 / 1997 1.9L Z3 / 1999 540it 1997 318ti Sport - "Huera" - RIP 1995 318ti Active - RIP 1995 318ti Sport - "Tiny" Sold 1994 325i Sedan - "Jade" - Sold 1991 318ic - "Bert" - Sold 1985 635csi sold 1984 533i "Max" Sold 1984 318i sold BMWCCA #160411 SUPPORT 318ti.org! CLICK THE LINK ABOVE! Hosting a forum like this is not free. 318ti.org is one of the best BMW forums on the web because it is member supported, not vendor supported. The cost to become a Supporter is a nominal $10.00... A YEAR! DO IT! 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