Dash Waring Lights - Need Clarification

[mwagner10702]

When I turn the key to the first position the Park Brake, Anti-Lock and Oil lights come on. Immediately thereafter the Anti-Lock light goes out. Once the car is started the remaining two lights go out. Is this normal operation?

https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aub4lVJs5CwQgeNVbEPYSPmxRYHj1A

Thank in advance.

- Mark

[Austin]

does the "park brake" light illuminate, even when the parking brake is not engaged? seems odd to me that the others (brake fluid, alternator + light, brake lining) don't illuminate, upon turning the key to position 2...would question the health of the instrument cluster board if so. seems unlikely that all those lights would be burned out.

A

[Mick]

That's different from what my street car does. With key on I get all lights except brake lining. The they all stay on, including ABS, until it's started and throttle blipped.

[mwagner10702]

does the "park brake" light illuminate, even when the parking brake is not engaged?

Nope. Park Brake light does not light if the lever is NOT pulled up.

Here is a video during startup. You will see the Brake Fluid light briefly flash and the Brake Lining light illuminate and then go out. Car starts fine.

https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aub4lVJs5CwQgeNW...J4NIA?e=xIoe2X

[mwagner10702]

With key on I get all lights except brake lining.

This is what I would have expected.

[Austin]

that's quite interesting, indeed. i'd start with replacing all the bulbs along the lower section of the cluster (cheapest place to start), but would suspect a failing SI board, should that not fix the issue.

[mwagner10702]

Problem solved!

My warning lights all work properly now. Seems the problem was a combination of a couple issues.

Last Monday I took the car for a drive. I get 2 miles down the road and while waiting at a stop light the engine started running rough and stumbling and the tach started swinging wildly across its arc. I was able to get through the light and pull over to the curb. I shut the engine off and then tried to restart and nothing . . . apparently the battery had been drained to the point where there was not enough voltage to turn the engine over.

Called AAA and once the truck came out, I asked the driver to connect his jumper cables and see if I could start it. He did and the car started fine. With the engine running he disconnected the jumper cables and the engine started stumbling again. Looks like my alternator took a dump. At the time I really did not pay any attention to the dash lights as I was more concerned with getting the car home and back into the garage. Of course, being MLK day I assumed the shop I normally take the car to was closed so back home we went.

I ordered a new alternator (AL140X Bosch) as well as a new battery (Bosch S4569B) and installed it over the weekend. Car fired right up and the warning lights on the dash ALL WORKED as they should. Tested voltage at the various points (battery, alternator B+ post, etc.) Everything looked good. While the alternator was off, I inspected the two exciter wires (D+) thinking if one of them had come loose the alternator would not have put out a charge and maybe that is why the battery went flat on my short drive. Fortunately, both wires were secure in the ring.

So why did the warning lights all start working again? I had the battery disconnected while installing the alternator and I suspect this caused the ECU to "reset" if there is such a thing. Once power was restored to the ECU everything returned to normal. Fortunately, the ECU was not damaged nor was the SI board.

I still need to get it out on the road for a good test but for now I am happy, and the warning light issue is sorted.

- Mark

[Austin]

Problem solved!

My warning lights all work properly now. Seems the problem was a combination of a couple issues.

Last Monday I took the car for a drive. I get 2 miles down the road and while waiting at a stop light the engine started running rough and stumbling and the tach started swinging wildly across its arc. I was able to get through the light and pull over to the curb. I shut the engine off and then tried to restart and nothing . . . apparently the battery had been drained to the point where there was not enough voltage to turn the engine over.

Called AAA and once the truck came out, I asked the driver to connect his jumper cables and see if I could start it. He did and the car started fine. With the engine running he disconnected the jumper cables and the engine started stumbling again. Looks like my alternator took a dump. At the time I really did not pay any attention to the dash lights as I was more concerned with getting the car home and back into the garage. Of course, being MLK day I assumed the shop I normally take the car to was closed so back home we went.

I ordered a new alternator (AL140X Bosch) as well as a new battery (Bosch S4569B) and installed it over the weekend. Car fired right up and the warning lights on the dash ALL WORKED as they should. Tested voltage at the various points (battery, alternator B+ post, etc.) Everything looked good. While the alternator was off, I inspected the two exciter wires (D+) thinking if one of them had come loose the alternator would not have put out a charge and maybe that is why the battery went flat on my short drive. Fortunately, both wires were secure in the ring.

So why did the warning lights all start working again? I had the battery disconnected while installing the alternator and I suspect this caused the ECU to "reset" if there is such a thing. Once power was restored to the ECU everything returned to normal. Fortunately, the ECU was not damaged nor was the SI board.

I still need to get it out on the road for a good test but for now I am happy, and the warning light issue is sorted.

well, what an interesting turn of events, but i'm glad you got it all sorted!!!! now that you've said all that, it makes sense.

[mlytle]

Problem solved!


So why did the warning lights all start working again? I had the battery disconnected while installing the alternator and I suspect this caused the ECU to "reset" if there is such a thing. Once power was restored to the ECU everything returned to normal. Fortunately, the ECU was not damaged nor was the SI board.



- Mark

none of those lights are controlled or influenced by the ECU. an ECU "reset" was not part of the solution.

[mwagner10702]

none of those lights are controlled or influenced by the ECU. an ECU "reset" was not part of the solution.

Hi Marshal,

Purely a hypothesis on my part, so it sounds coincidental. What else could have caused the lights to start working correctly again? Only the alternator and starting battery were replaced. Failing voltage regulator on the old alternator perhaps? Prior to removing the old alternator, I did check and the D+, B+ and ground wire and they were all tightly connected. The old battery tested on the lower end of the scale around 12.32v.

Would appreciate any thoughts on the matter in case there are other electric gremlins in need to chase.

Thanks,
Mark

[RAD2LTR]

I've had my voltage regulator die a couple times and this was exactly what would happen. You would think that a bad alternator would throw a battery warning light, but As I , instead it does this weirdness. As I said, its happened twice and both times I couldn't remember what the cause was from the last time until the battery fully died. Surprisingly I could drive the car for a good week with the battery not charging before it would die like yours did.

Will

[mwagner10702]

Exactly like what I experienced. No battery warning light prior to the engine stumbling. Appreciate the verification.

[hardtailer]

keep your old generator and repair it as it is specific to the S14.

More info on the charging circuit and dashlights
https://s14net.vbulletin.net/forum/s...hlight-problem

[mwagner10702]

keep your old generator and repair it as it is specific to the S14.

Well, unfortunately a week too late on that recommendation (thanks anyway!) I sent it back to the vendor to get my core deposit back ($95). Even though the car has only 66k miles on it I am not even sure it was the original alternator.

What makes these specific to the S14?

There are two remanufactured alternators available from Bosch, AL46X (80 amp) and AL140X (90 amp). Externally they appear the same. Also have the same connections on the back. I chose the AL140X as it seemed to be the one that most vendors indicated was correct for the M3.

[hardtailer]

The M3 alternator has the correct holes to fit the rubber bushings that are required to prevent the alternator to survive the buzzy nature of the S14.
Non M3 alternators are 'hard mounted' due to the lacking possibility to fit those bushes.