E28 OBC question (where is it!)

My OBC ('85 UK M535i) has been showing PPPP since I bought the car, time
and date fns work OK but nothing else.

I'm really struggling to find the relay box for the OBC. I can find the
bonger and there's a space next to it in the rack under the steering
wheel that I suspect is for the module.

There's a space under it which has the UK/euro alarm (the one that needs
a second door keyhole for the magnetic key!), I initially thought it was
the relay module until I realised it had too many connectors.

Have tried tracing the wiring but to no avail as yet. I suspect the unit
is missing completely.

Can anyone tel me where it should be, even those with left hand drive
cars!

--
Who needs a life when you've got Unix? :-)
Email: , John G.Burns B.Eng, Bonny Scotland
Web : http://www.unixnerd.demon.co.uk - The Ultimate BMW Homepage!
Need Sun or HP Unix kit? http://www.unixnerd.demon.co.uk/unix.html
www.Strathspey.co.uk - Quality Binoculars at a Sensible price

A thought, I wonder if cars fitted with the BMW alarm had a modified OBC
relay box which combined the functions of the alarm and OBC? The OBC
box has blanks for other connectors and looks SO similar to the alarm
box.

--
Who needs a life when you've got Unix? :-)
Email: , John G.Burns B.Eng, Bonny Scotland
Web : http://www.unixnerd.demon.co.uk - The Ultimate BMW Homepage!
Need Sun or HP Unix kit? http://www.unixnerd.demon.co.uk/unix.html
www.Strathspey.co.uk - Quality Binoculars at a Sensible price

On May 18, 1:47 pm, John Burns > wrote:
> My OBC ('85 UK M535i) has been showing PPPP since I bought the car, time
> and date fns work OK but nothing else.
>
> I'm really struggling to find the relay box for the OBC. I can find the
> bonger and there's a space next to it in the rack under the steering
> wheel that I suspect is for the module.
>
> There's a space under it which has the UK/euro alarm (the one that needs
> a second door keyhole for the magnetic key!), I initially thought it was
> the relay module until I realised it had too many connectors.
>
> Have tried tracing the wiring but to no avail as yet. I suspect the unit
> is missing completely.
>
> Can anyone tel me where it should be, even those with left hand drive
> cars!

Can't directly help you, as I've never yanked one. But I am wondering
why you aren't over in www.mye28.com, where someone is sure to have an
answer. You'd love that bunch.
--
C.R. Krieger
MyE28 Post Whore #3 and Chief Smartass©

"E28 Guy©" > wrote in message
ps.com...
On May 18, 1:47 pm, John Burns > wrote:
> My OBC ('85 UK M535i) has been showing PPPP since I bought the car, time
> and date fns work OK but nothing else.
>
> I'm really struggling to find the relay box for the OBC. I can find the
> bonger and there's a space next to it in the rack under the steering
> wheel that I suspect is for the module.
>
> There's a space under it which has the UK/euro alarm (the one that needs
> a second door keyhole for the magnetic key!), I initially thought it was
> the relay module until I realised it had too many connectors.
>
> Have tried tracing the wiring but to no avail as yet. I suspect the unit
> is missing completely.
>
> Can anyone tel me where it should be, even those with left hand drive
> cars!

Can't directly help you, as I've never yanked one. But I am wondering
why you aren't over in www.mye28.com, where someone is sure to have an
answer. You'd love that bunch.
--
C.R. Krieger
MyE28 Post Whore #3 and Chief Smartass©
-----

It's on the inside of the glovebox. Roofside, usually behind a plastic
shield/cover.
What model E28? If it's a pre-87 528e, there will also be a green box in
there for the idle control valve. 87-88 528e had the ICV circuit integrated
into the ECU.

Bill in Omaha
'86 535i

Disregard!!! That was for the ECU. The OBC ties into the instrument cluster
and the alarm and temp chime. I don't believe there is a relay. The OBC
(several types world-wide) has an alarm function though. The coding chip may
be defunct. They plug into the rear of the OBC so that one OBC may be used
with multiple models.


"Bill" > wrote in message
...
>
> "E28 Guy©" > wrote in message
> ps.com...
> On May 18, 1:47 pm, John Burns > wrote:
> > My OBC ('85 UK M535i) has been showing PPPP since I bought the car, time
> > and date fns work OK but nothing else.
> >
> > I'm really struggling to find the relay box for the OBC. I can find the
> > bonger and there's a space next to it in the rack under the steering
> > wheel that I suspect is for the module.
> >
> > There's a space under it which has the UK/euro alarm (the one that needs
> > a second door keyhole for the magnetic key!), I initially thought it was
> > the relay module until I realised it had too many connectors.
> >
> > Have tried tracing the wiring but to no avail as yet. I suspect the unit
> > is missing completely.
> >
> > Can anyone tel me where it should be, even those with left hand drive
> > cars!
>
> Can't directly help you, as I've never yanked one. But I am wondering
> why you aren't over in www.mye28.com, where someone is sure to have an
> answer. You'd love that bunch.
> --
> C.R. Krieger
> MyE28 Post Whore #3 and Chief Smartass©
> -----
>
> It's on the inside of the glovebox. Roofside, usually behind a plastic
> shield/cover.
> What model E28? If it's a pre-87 528e, there will also be a green box in
> there for the idle control valve. 87-88 528e had the ICV circuit
integrated
> into the ECU.
>
> Bill in Omaha
> '86 535i
>
>

> Disregard!!! That was for the ECU. The OBC ties into the instrument cluster
> and the alarm and temp chime. I don't believe there is a relay. The OBC
> (several types world-wide) has an alarm function though. The coding chip may
> be defunct. They plug into the rear of the OBC so that one OBC may be used
> with multiple models.

Turned out to be a dead display module, which is the first dead one I've
seen! There ARE to types of relay box, one for normal cars and one for
those with the factory alarm.

--
Who needs a life when you've got Unix? :-)
Email: , John G.Burns B.Eng, Bonny Scotland
Web : http://www.unixnerd.demon.co.uk - The Ultimate BMW Homepage!
Need Sun or HP Unix kit? http://www.unixnerd.demon.co.uk/unix.html
www.Strathspey.co.uk - Quality Binoculars at a Sensible price

"John Burns" > wrote in message
...
> > Disregard!!! That was for the ECU. The OBC ties into the instrument
cluster
> > and the alarm and temp chime. I don't believe there is a relay. The OBC
> > (several types world-wide) has an alarm function though. The coding chip
may
> > be defunct. They plug into the rear of the OBC so that one OBC may be
used
> > with multiple models.
>
> Turned out to be a dead display module, which is the first dead one I've
> seen! There ARE to types of relay box, one for normal cars and one for
> those with the factory alarm.
-----

And there you have it... mine doesn't have the factory alarm. If a working
display is needed, I may be able to help. We have a few here (Omaha, NE).
Are you sure it's not just a dead lamp? With the key "ON", you can see the
working/unlit display with a flashlight (torch). I also have the light
module, which slides into the OBC from the side. Just saying for the sake of
the uninitiated reader, since I'm sure you already knew this.

Bill in Omaha
'86 535i (without factory alarm)

> And there you have it... mine doesn't have the factory alarm. If a working
> display is needed, I may be able to help. We have a few here (Omaha, NE).
> Are you sure it's not just a dead lamp? With the key "ON", you can see the
> working/unlit display with a flashlight (torch). I also have the light
> module, which slides into the OBC from the side. Just saying for the sake of
> the uninitiated reader, since I'm sure you already knew this.

Lamp was fine, symptom was PPPP on a few of the functions. Most of the
online sources seem to say it's a bad relay box, so I was surprised when
I had to change the display unit.

--
Who needs a life when you've got Unix? :-)
Email: , John G.Burns B.Eng, Bonny Scotland
Web : http://www.unixnerd.demon.co.uk - The Ultimate BMW Homepage!
Need Sun or HP Unix kit? http://www.unixnerd.demon.co.uk/unix.html
www.Strathspey.co.uk - Quality Binoculars at a Sensible price