What is this trim piece?

[Bumpa]

OK you Z3 gurus. I am trying to rebuild the interior of my Z3 and have come across this curious plastic trim piece. I didn't take it off. The car was in the workshop being diagnosed for the DSC lights and they took out the seat and removed stuff so they could lift the carpet. I found this in the car. It is a BMW piece but I have no idea where it fits. Any ideas?

 

[Synclare]

It covers the DSC sensor on the n/s floorpan under the seat and carpet

 

[spurs fan in a coupe]

It sits over the yaw sensor I believe on the floor under passengers seat

 

[Bumpa]

Ah that makes sense and is also the reason why the garage removed it. Thank you both.

 

[Synclare]

Wot, no prize? I thought it was a competition . . . name that part!

 

[Sean d]

Looks like it has been sat in rusty water

 

[Grumps]

Looks like it has been sat in rusty water

That Sean is a good point. Well spotted.

 

[Stevo7682]

Looks like it has been sat in rusty water

Along with the sensors a poor design when they changed to dsc thankfully both of mine have asc so no sensors in floorpan .

 

[Ianmc]

Along with the sensors a poor design when they changed to dsc thankfully both of mine have asc so no sensors in floorpan .

My Z3 doesn't have ASC or DSC I am please to say.

 

[Sean d]

My Z3 doesn't have ASC or DSC I am please to say.

I,ve always found that rather odd that the most powerful Z doesn't have it.

 

[Ianmc]

I,ve always found that rather odd that the most powerful Z doesn't have it.

Our S54 MC does have DSC (and it has saved my bacon more than once over the years). Our Z3 (1997) doesn't have it, so less to go wrong with the run around car.

 

[Bumpa]

Looks like it has been sat in rusty water

It has! That was the whole cause of the problem that has kept the car off the road for about 8 weeks now. If I could move it somewhere else I would. It's the daftest place for it.

 

[t-tony]

It has! That was the whole cause of the problem that has kept the car off the road for about 8 weeks now. If I could move it somewhere else I would. It's the daftest place for it.

The problem is that the "sponge" under the carpets hold all the water and the surface of the carpet can feel "dry". I suppose you could move the items by extending the wiring but I guess it wouldn't be easy. At least you've found the cause Mike and can rectify it hopefully.

Tony.

 

[Dino D]

You can neatly cut the carpet and make an ‘inspection’ hatch so you can lift it up and check if wet in future.
My carpet is now a number of sections as I can’t be taking the whole interior out every time there is a leak (by the time you know you have a leak there’s bloody gallons of water in the sponges!).

 

[Bumpa]

You can neatly cut the carpet and make an ‘inspection’ hatch so you can lift it up and check if wet in future.
My carpet is now a number of sections as I can’t be taking the whole interior out every time there is a leak (by the time you know you have a leak there’s bloody gallons of water in the sponges!).

Brilliant idea. I'll do that before I assemble everything. I didn't take the whole carpet out but cut it along the tunnel top so I could get the passenger side out on its own. The cut will be concealed by the centre console once that is back in place.

I have wondered about trying to make a waterproof box around the sensors, but it's not easy to consider how best to do it.

 

[colb]

Is there room to fit the sensor in a small tupperware type box, if there is then you would have to make sure the bolt holes were sealed with rubber washers to stop any water finding its way inside.

 

[Sean d]

It has! That was the whole cause of the problem that has kept the car off the road for about 8 weeks now. If I could move it somewhere else I would. It's the daftest place for it.

Surely the best cure is to find the leak.

 

[Dino D]

Surely the best cure is to find the leak.

Yes but what if you like fish?

 

[Bumpa]

I hope I have found the leak and fixed it, but as with most convertibles, there is always the possibility of it leaking again sometime in the future, and you just don't know until it is too late. My carpets did not feel wet, yet there was literally pints of water absorbed into the foam beneath. The rain never got on the top of the carpet - it ran down the sill behind the plastic trim straight into the foam. If the sensor hadn't got fed up with swimming I would still be in blissful ignorance. Still I must have made the car quite a lot lighter, so the performance will have a boost.