New to us '98 1.9 Z3

[Geputten]

Hi all, we just bought a 1998 5 speed 1.9 with 92K ONE OWNER. Beautiful car and we love it.

But all is interesting in the dash area.

1. This week the odometer went blank.
2. The radio, fuel and temp gauges stopped upon start-up but were back on after a short shut down-restart.

I did order the reset tool for the oil/inspection light and that is enroute.

Any ideas would be helpful!
Thanks in advance, Geputten

 

[colb]

Best invest in a code reader to add to the service reset tool and then check to see if any codes have been set.
Your instrument pod may be suffering from dirty or bad connections causing intermittent loss of power. You could try pulling the pod out and check out the connection on the rear, two screws hold the pod in place, remove them and pull the pod towards you and it will come out, you dont need to take the steering wheel off to do this there is ample room to pull it out and let you disconnect the loom plug that plugs into the pod. Clean the plug and socket on the plug with electrical cleaner spray and allow to dry. Check out the loom, they have been known to chaff on the metal dash frame where it passes over. Check out all earth connections you find under there are clean and they are tight.

 

[colb]

Further to my last post you may not be aware there is a hidden menu in the instrument pod that can perform a test sequence to check your guages, details here

Test Mode--Hidden Codes in your car!

Bimmerforums is the preferred online BMW Forum and community for BMW owners. At Bimmerforums, you will find technical how-to information maintenance specifics audio advice wheel and tire combinations and model specific details not found anywhere else. Our professionals are here to help make...

forums.bimmerforums.com

Give that a try before you pull it out and see how they perform.

 

[Geputten]

Further to my last post you may not be aware there is a hidden menu in the instrument pod that can perform a test sequence to check your guages, details here

Test Mode--Hidden Codes in your car!

Bimmerforums is the preferred online BMW Forum and community for BMW owners. At Bimmerforums, you will find technical how-to information maintenance specifics audio advice wheel and tire combinations and model specific details not found anywhere else. Our professionals are here to help make...

forums.bimmerforums.com

Give that a try before you pull it out and see how they perform.

Thanks! I'll give it a try. Hoping that the US version has the generic OBD system, I already have a scan tool.

 

[colb]

US version, I take it you are located in the USA, useful if you put your location in your forum Account details so it appears on the left hand side of your posts. It helps us answer some questions people ask if we know where in the world they are. Your car is around the time they changed the OBD system so you will have to try your reader with it plugged in to the 20pin round diagnostic socket in the engine bay. If you also have a 16pin OBD socket inside the car under the steering wheel that will only read the engine module. The round socket in the engine bay will read all modules. You may need to equip yourself with a 20pin to 16pin cable to plug your reader in. These cables are available on ebay.
UK source for a cable here https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-20-P...756065?hash=item3f9c17f7a1:g:q08AAOSwMqla8iFX

 

[jonco]

Hi and welcome to the forum. Agree with all the advice @colb has given you.