Desperation

[talukka]

Hey!

I’ve made a couple of posts earlier but I still haven’t figured this out.

the car in question is a 2011 123d e82

So I’ve had strange electrical problems with my car for the last couple of months…

The most notable problems are that I have a check control message about brake light failures on both sides and also error codes from both in bimmerlink (A8B6 and A8B7) In reality they both are working. However the biggest problem is that the car randomly goes complitely black. Fob not opening the doors, lock doesn’t take the fob in so no electronics at all.

The only advice I’ve got so far was to check the IBS and it wasn’t the solution. I’ve also checked the battery grounding and the terminal relay.

I’ve tried to look through different forums but haven’t found anything quite like this.

So again if you have an idea about what could be the solution just throw it out there.

Screenshots of the different error codes attached.

[deyrag]

How old is the battery?

[jdog006]

I don't know if this is helpful or not. But once upon a time, I had a gallon of water spill in my trunk and it shorted out my RDC in the passenger rear wheel well. It caused all sorts of electrical problems. Navigation would come and go, lights would come and go, etc. Unplugging the bad RDC resolved all of the issues. I now wrap my RDC in a plastic bag to prevent that ever happening again.

[talukka]

Originally Posted by deyrag

How old is the battery?

The battery is 4 months old.

[talukka]

Originally Posted by jdog006

I don't know if this is helpful or not. But once upon a time, I had a gallon of water spill in my trunk and it shorted out my RDC in the passenger rear wheel well. It caused all sorts of electrical problems. Navigation would come and go, lights would come and go, etc. Unplugging the bad RDC resolved all of the issues. I now wrap my RDC in a plastic bag to prevent that ever happening again.

Actually I had a similar situation too. I spilled maybe half a litre (sorry I am e European) to the right side of the trunk. The water destroyed the comfort access module but everything else was fine.

A pretty important detail I forgot to tell you was that touching the fuse box brings back the power. Currently trying to access the fuse box to check the wiring to it.

Also cursing the hell out of whoever had the idea to place the fusebox in such a place (behind the glove box)

[Fishee]

Bad FRM?

[talukka]

Wouldn’t it show some kind of error code in bimmerlink? Also the thing about shaking the relay (fusebox and the wiring around it shaking, bad contact somewhere?)

Worked the car for 5 hours and couldn’t access the back of the fuse box. I am losing my mind.

[Fishee]

Not entirely sure, but a bad FRM can throw a variety of codes:

CODE ERROR MESSAGE

0x9CA8 Internal error
0x9CA9 Clamb 30A connection faulty
0x9CAA Clamb 30B connection faulty
0x9CAB a clamb 15 missing
0x9CAC Brake light switch defect
0x9CAD Energy saving mode active
0x9CAE colourswitch defective
0x9CAF stage light switch 1 defect
0x9CB0 stage light switch 2 defect
0x9CB1 Dimmer potentiometer defective
0x9CB2 LWR potentiometer defective
0x9CB3 Front level sensor defect
0x9CB4 Rear level sensor defect
0x9CB5 Battery deep discharched
0x9CB6 LWR coil break
0x9CB7 LWR driver error
0x9CB8 prevention battery deep discharge: switch off parking light
0x9CB9 prevention battery deep discharge: switch off parking light
0x9CBA Communication with LIN control defective
0x9CBB short-circuit
0x9CBC short circuit door contacts front
0x9CBD short circuit door contacts rear
0x9CBE Control error
0x9CBF Communication with StepperEngineBox left disturbed
0x9CC0 Communication with StepperEngineBox rigth disturbed
0x9CC1 Attention: Electronic at the left headlights (SMC) reports an Error
0x9CC2 Attention: Electronic at the rigth headlights (SMC) reports an Error
0x9CC3 Communication with mirror driver side defective
0x9CC4 Communication with mirror Passenger side defective
0x9CC5 mirrorheating driver side defect
0x9CC6 mirrorheating Passenger side defect
0x9CC7 Hallsensor Power window driver door defect
0x9CC8 Hallsensor Power window passenger door defect
0x9CC9 time window Power window driver door defective
0x9CCA time window Power window passenger door defective
0x9CCB Relay Power window driver door defect
0x9CCC Relay Power window passenger door defect
0x9CCD Drive Mirror driver side defect
0x9CCE Drive Mirror Passenger side defect
0x9CCF Drive flap in Mirror driver side defect
0x9CD0 Drive flap in Mirror Passenger side defect
0x9CD1 Comparison vehicle identification number ALC with SMC at the left is different
0x9CD2 Comparison vehicle identification number ALC with SMC at the rigth is different
0x9CD3 inconsistency: Software version and coding index
0xA8A8 Left high beam defective
0xA8A9 Right high beam defective
0xA8AA Dipped headlight left defective
0xA8AB Dipped headlight right defective
0xA8AC Corner light left defective
0xA8AD Corner light right defective
0xA8AE Fog light left defective
0xA8AF Fog light right defective
0xA8B0 Indicator front left defective
0xA8B1 Indicator front right defective
0xA8B2 Left rear indicator defective
0xA8B3 Right rear indicator defective
0xA8B4 E70: Corner light front left, R56: Colour-Switch orange defective
0xA8B5 E70: Corner light front right, R56: Colour-Switch blue defective
0xA8B6 Left brake light defective
0xA8B7 Right brake light defective
0xA8B8 Center brake light defective
0xA8B9 Tail light left 1 defect
0xA8BA Tail light right 1 defect
0xA8BB E70: Tail light left 2, R56: Corner light front left, rear right defect
0xA8BC E70: Tail light right 2, R56: Corner light front right, rear left defect
0xA8BD Registration plate lift defective
0xA8BE Interior light defective
0xA8BF Left rear fog light defective
0xA8C0 Rear fog light right
0xA8C1 Left back-up light defective
0xA8C2 Right back-up light defective
0xA8C3 Break force display left defective
0xA8C4 Break force display right defective
0xA8C5 Day driving light left defective
0xA8C6 Day driving light right defective
0xA8C7 Clamb 58g defective
0xE584 Bus wire error K-CAN
0xE587 Bus coummunication error K-CAN
0xE594 Telegramm steering angle timeout
0xE595 Status AHM telegram timeout
0xE596 Telegram high beam assistant Timeout
0xE597 Telegram Status DSC Timeout
0xE598 Telegram Status driving ligth Timeout
0xE599 Telegramm speed timeout
0xE59A Telegramm yawing rate timeout
0xE59B Telegramm clamb status timeout
0xE59C Telegram PT-CAN steering angle Timeout
0xFFFF Unknown error location

[talukka]

Originally Posted by Fishee

Not entirely sure, but a bad FRM can throw a variety of codes:

CODE ERROR MESSAGE

0x9CA8 Internal error
0x9CA9 Clamb 30A connection faulty
0x9CAA Clamb 30B connection faulty
0x9CAB a clamb 15 missing
0x9CAC Brake light switch defect
0x9CAD Energy saving mode active
0x9CAE colourswitch defective
0x9CAF stage light switch 1 defect
0x9CB0 stage light switch 2 defect
0x9CB1 Dimmer potentiometer defective
0x9CB2 LWR potentiometer defective
0x9CB3 Front level sensor defect
0x9CB4 Rear level sensor defect
0x9CB5 Battery deep discharched
0x9CB6 LWR coil break
0x9CB7 LWR driver error
0x9CB8 prevention battery deep discharge: switch off parking light
0x9CB9 prevention battery deep discharge: switch off parking light
0x9CBA Communication with LIN control defective
0x9CBB short-circuit
0x9CBC short circuit door contacts front
0x9CBD short circuit door contacts rear
0x9CBE Control error
0x9CBF Communication with StepperEngineBox left disturbed
0x9CC0 Communication with StepperEngineBox rigth disturbed
0x9CC1 Attention: Electronic at the left headlights (SMC) reports an Error
0x9CC2 Attention: Electronic at the rigth headlights (SMC) reports an Error
0x9CC3 Communication with mirror driver side defective
0x9CC4 Communication with mirror Passenger side defective
0x9CC5 mirrorheating driver side defect
0x9CC6 mirrorheating Passenger side defect
0x9CC7 Hallsensor Power window driver door defect
0x9CC8 Hallsensor Power window passenger door defect
0x9CC9 time window Power window driver door defective
0x9CCA time window Power window passenger door defective
0x9CCB Relay Power window [...]

Brake light failure etc that I have aren’t listed in this tho. Gives a bit of hope that it isn’t the FRM.

I’ve never been this clueless in my life.

[talukka]

Contacted my local bmw service center to ask if the car had any recalls. Turns out there is a recall on the B+ cable. They will change it once the new cable arrives.

In the meantime if someone reading this has any more ideas please type them below.

I will update when the work is done.

[jwolf]

I am always hearing about the ground straps. I have one to install on my car for good measure.

[talukka]

Originally Posted by jwolf

I am always hearing about the ground straps. I have one to install on my car for good measure.

I’ve checked a couple of ground straps already. If it isn’t the b+ I will go after the other ones.

Going to the service center tomorrow.

[nevetstoj]

This is probably a long shot, but my E46 developed the weirdest brake light fault I've ever seen. It started with the brake lights and interior lights coming on whenever I flipped open either vanity mirror in the sun visors, then eventually they just just faulted and stayed on constantly. I replaced the brake light control module and the whole headlight switch assembly and it didn't fix a thing. Finally someone on the E46 forum suggested putting the car in accessory mode and pulling fuses one by one until the brake lights went out. The radio fuse (I think #43) was the one, yank it and the lights instantly turned off, put it back and they came right back on.

In sum, you could try this and save some money with diag, and go straight for a frm.

[talukka]

Originally Posted by nevetstoj

This is probably a long shot, but my E46 developed the weirdest brake light fault I've ever seen. It started with the brake lights and interior lights coming on whenever I flipped open either vanity mirror in the sun visors, then eventually they just just faulted and stayed on constantly. I replaced the brake light control module and the whole headlight switch assembly and it didn't fix a thing. Finally someone on the E46 forum suggested putting the car in accessory mode and pulling fuses one by one until the brake lights went out. The radio fuse (I think #43) was the one, yank it and the lights instantly turned off, put it back and they came right back on.

In sum, you could try this and save some money with diag, and go straight for a frm.

Yea I see it as a pretty longshot too since my brake lights are working perfectly. It’s just the check control message and error codes.

The next steps if the b+ change doesn’t solve it are now the ground straps and different modules like the footwell.

Useful information tho! Appreciate it!

[talukka]

Okay B+ cable change done. They test drove it and read the codes and nothing but the brake light failure remains.

Could the frm gone bad because of the power losses?

[nevetstoj]

Originally Posted by talukka

Okay B+ cable change done. They test drove it and read the codes and nothing but the brake light failure remains.

Could the frm gone bad because of the power losses?

Not sure, but to rule out next step would be looking at connectors and wiring to the light assemblies. Seen some posts about the Pins in the connectors to the assemblies getting rusty and breaking off inside the connector. Also, checking the loom from the trunk or (boot) for cracks/separation and exposed wires.

[talukka]

Originally Posted by nevetstoj

Not sure, but to rule out next step would be looking at connectors and wiring to the light assemblies. Seen some posts about the Pins in the connectors to the assemblies getting rusty and breaking off inside the connector. Also, checking the loom from the trunk or (boot) for cracks/separation and exposed wires.

Okay, will do! Thanks again.

Feels like it would be extremely bad luck since the both of them are ”faulty”. I will update.

[talukka]

Well, over the weekend no problems. I’m feeling pretty positive that the power losses were eliminated with the b+ change.

[talukka]

A week later no signs of the power loss.

So conclusion: If someone reading this in the future is dealing with a similar problem this could be a solution.

Yet to find the reason for the brake light failure check control message (they’re still working tho). I’ve gone through everything suggested in this thread excluding the footwell module.