Warning lights appeared

[Trevj]

Today I went out to my Z3 (1.9, 2001) and started her up. I went to pull away and noticed two warning lights were illuminated on the dashboard. The first was orange, a triangle with exclamation mark. And the second, a circle with ABS also in orange. This morning I hard wired the dash cam into the fuse box. I only touched fuse 21 (5a). The other thing i noticed, the cigarette lighter socket stays on after the ignition is switched off. I never noticed this before. What the hell have I done !!!

I just noticed a clock symbol has appeared in the service display.

 

[Mint]

The cigarette lighter is live all the time so you haven't done anything to that.

 

[Mint]

Check your brake fluid level, that may be the yellow warning light. Ask me how I know that one

 

[Trevj]

How do you know that one ????

 

[Mint]

I had the same light on, then it turned to a red one due to the main front to back brake pipe springing a leak

 

[Trevj]

Scary, i will get it checked out. Thanks for that.

 

[jonco]

Fuse 21 which you have piggy-backed for the dash cam is on the on the ABS circuit. along with 10,26 and 38. You may have disturbed something or blown 5 amp - check connections and fuse. As already said by @Mint cigarette lighter is permanent live.

Edit - sorry just noticed you have 2001 model - fuses may be different

 

[mwpe]

The clock symbol means you are due a brake fluid change.

 

[Geophys]

Did you disconnect the battery or otherwise interrupt the power supply to the ABS ? I only ask because the same lights came on for me on my 2001 2.2 when my battery went completely flat while I was away. I took it for a short drive to see if they would go out and they didn't, but when I tried taking it up to speed and doing an emergency stop which activated the ABS, all of the lights went out and it's been fine ever since.

 

[Trevj]

The battery earth terminal came loose, the car wouldn't start, all power was dead. I tightened the earth terminal and the car started. This was Thursday, didn't notice the warning lights until today.

 

[Geophys]

Find a bit of quiet road and try the emergency stop, as I said worked for me. That was a couple of years ago, no warning lights since.

 

[Trevj]

Jonco, I owe you a pint !!! I found the fault- BLOWN 5a FUSE (21). However it was good fun doing emergency stops and spinning the wheels etc. I have checked the brake fluid level and it is slightly above max, the clock symbol is still illuminated. What do the service lights actually mean. Four are illuminated green, the little red thing at the end worries me.

 

[mwpe]

The green lights will go out one by one as you approach the next service. After the last one goes out the amber and the red will light up. The clock symbol needs to be reset with some kind of restetting tool, I have an old one which I bought for my E30 back in the early 90s. I don't know if it is easily reset with a code reader.

 

[jonco]

Jonco, I owe you a pint !!! I found the fault- BLOWN 5a FUSE (21).......... I have checked the brake fluid level and it is slightly above max, the clock symbol is still illuminated...........

Good news - the mistake that is easy to make is getting the fuses the wrong way round in the piggyback.
The clock is saying that you are overdue a brake fluid change - it is time based - normally 2 years - it has to be reset after the change either using reset tool or shorting wire.

 

[jonco]

@Trevj - if you don't have a hard copy of the owner's manual - this link may help
http://www.bmwz3club.fr/site/doc/manuel_Z3.pdf

 

[Trevj]

Thanks Jonco, I appreciate it.