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      06-26-2021, 04:03 PM   #1
TridenTBoy
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Exclamation Mirror Compass + Horn not working intermittently

I noticed this first when my radar detector wouldn't turn on - it taps into the power at the rain sensor area. It was stuck off and seemed to have no voltage coming at all when I tested the leads. And then I noticed the compass on the mirror was off. And then I noticed my horn wasn't working anymore either when using the steering wheel.

What could be the reason? It's intermittent - so a blown fuse wouldn't make sense. What's weird is that sometimes it does work when I am away from the car for a bit and turn the ignition on. It all comes on.. and then I start the car and after a couple minutes - it all turns off again.

Could it be a symptom of a bad battery?? That's the only thing left in my mind but it seems so weird that the car mostly runs fine otherwise.
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      07-08-2021, 11:21 PM   #2
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Not just mirror compass and horn... but pretty sure it's all things related to mirror (dimming, compass, etc.), horn, rear parking sensors don't work at all (doesn't even show up when backing up), and mirrors on the side don't dim either. I didn't try moving them yet...

I feel like I'm likely missing even more stuff.

I can't tell if it's bad battery or not. My battery said 12.2v when I checked it. Which doesn't seem below the standard 12v measurement.. Charging, it is at like 14.5v.
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      11-27-2021, 04:17 PM   #3
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Still haven't figured this out. It has only become worse as time goes on. It basically doesn't function almost ever now. It comes back - and varies a lot with RPM/load. Sometimes you hit just the perfect little mix of RPM/load and it'll stay on but otherwise it goes away. Hard driving can also bring it back or not as well.

Guessing it's the battery. It is the original battery still from a 2013.
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      11-27-2021, 08:12 PM   #4
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Check the posts on this forum for ground strap corrosion. This can cause intermittent electrical issues.
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      11-27-2021, 08:16 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TridenTBoy View Post
and varies a lot with RPM/load.
This seems like a key finding.

I'd go w/ the battery (and the corrosion as mentioned by Lester ), on the upside at 8 years old yes it could be fine but it's not a stretch to believe it could be misbehaving not a huge waste of money to have replaced it.
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      11-29-2021, 04:49 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lester View Post
Check the posts on this forum for ground strap corrosion. This can cause intermittent electrical issues.
Where can you check this? I've been looking but I don't see any cable that is very noticeable and looks like a bare metal wire near the steering column and the driver's side engine mount.

Is it viewable from the top of the engine bay without removing anything? How does one view this cable?

What is it supposed to attach to and where?
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      11-29-2021, 05:19 PM   #7
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This might help: https://www.1addicts.com/forums/show....php?t=1317003
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      11-29-2021, 05:33 PM   #8
TridenTBoy
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Yeah, I looked but I feel like I'm missing something. I didn't see anything... but maybe I need the picture up while I'm looking. lol.
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      11-29-2021, 05:41 PM   #9
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Found it. Covered up by some stuff. I have some extra bracing/metal-work around this particular thing that almost completely covered it up. That plus it being nearly black from being in an engine bay for so long made it impossible to see... Anyway - looks connected and not like it's snapping apart. I can try to disconnect it (will be difficult), barely file it a bit, and reconnect it but skeptical. Can't see the other side where it's connected at all. Shoved my phone down there but didn't see where it connected to the rest of the car.
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      02-18-2022, 01:38 AM   #10
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I replaced my battery and thought this solved it. As my battery was definitely on its way out for the last year. It was the original battery on a 2013... and it almost lasted to 2022.

That said - this issue has come back. I thought maybe a fuse had blew when my windshield was replaced but then I saw the mirror come back on for a moment today.

Will check the ground strap *again*... But honestly, this is a huge PITA. I'm very upset because no mirror, no parking sensors, no HORN, and no radar detector is a huge fucking PITA.
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      02-18-2022, 05:22 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TridenTBoy View Post
I replaced my battery and thought this solved it. As my battery was definitely on its way out for the last year. It was the original battery on a 2013... and it almost lasted to 2022.

That said - this issue has come back. I thought maybe a fuse had blew when my windshield was replaced but then I saw the mirror come back on for a moment today.

Will check the ground strap *again*... But honestly, this is a huge PITA. I'm very upset because no mirror, no parking sensors, no HORN, and no radar detector is a huge fucking PITA.
How long did the new battery resolve the issues?
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      02-18-2022, 12:12 PM   #12
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How long did the new battery resolve the issues?
One to two weeks
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      02-18-2022, 07:48 PM   #13
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Was the new battery properly coded and registered?
If not, that could explain what is going on.
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      02-18-2022, 11:28 PM   #14
TridenTBoy
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Quote:
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Was the new battery properly coded and registered?
If not, that could explain what is going on.
Paid the dude a lot of money. So, it better be.
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      02-19-2022, 04:49 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TridenTBoy View Post
Paid the dude a lot of money. So, it better be.
Well. let's hope so.

Here is what the experts say:
https://www.bimmer-tech.net/blog/ite...d-registration

Before we dig into the process of battery registration, let’s focus on what BMW battery registration actually is. To put it simply, battery registration is a process of updating your vehicle with information that a brand new battery has been installed in your car. What's important, it should be performed each time you change the battery in your 2002 or newer BMW.

As your battery gets on in years and gradually loses its charging capacity, the vehicle adjusts the amount of energy needed to recharge to operate at optimal levels. The older the battery the more charging it requires. Registering your battery lets your engine control module (known as DME — Digital Motor Electronics) know that a new one is installed and as a result, the vehicle will reset the old battery statistics and won’t try to overcharge the new battery thinking the previous one is still inserted.

Apart from the registration procedure, you also have to code your BMW computer. It’ll be necessary each time you replace your battery, no matter its specifications - whether your battery is similar or extremely different from your old one.

Why is battery registration important on BMW?
The electrical system of BMW models manufactured after 2002 got very sophisticated, as it started to adjust charging to the age as well as the type of the battery. If you’re changing your BMW battery for a new one having different capacity or type, your DME has to be updated with this info. It happens for example when you’re switching between batteries with lower and higher cranking ampere ratings or swapping a Liquid Lead Acid battery for an AGM battery. However, swapping your old battery for an identical one also doesn’t free you from the obligation to go through a BMW battery reset procedure, as your vehicle has to program the battery capacity again.

What happens if you don't register BMW battery?
Registration is required so that your car knows about the changed specifications and can adjust to the new battery settings. Otherwise, if you don’t properly code BMW battery, it could result in many electrical problems; the battery life may decrease, you could overcharge or undercharge your battery, or in the worst case scenario, cause considerable damage to your vehicle’s alternator and electrical system — at this point your battery may fail prematurely.

What are the electrical errors that might occur? Certain modules of your BMW may turn off as a consequence of your car presuming that the battery life is low and wanting to save it. So, at that point your windows and mirrors may not close/open, your radio and interior lights might not work properly, or other modules not needed for starting or driving a car can fail.

Which BMW models require battery registration?
All BMW models manufactured after 2002 require battery registration, as they are significantly more advanced in terms of electrical environment, which aims to improve the gas mileage. Models developed since 2002 are equipped with the system of Intelligent Battery Sensors (IBS) that contains micro processors monitoring and measuring charge, discharge, voltage, current and battery temperature.
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      03-03-2022, 11:15 AM   #16
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Alright. Figured it out. Took it to the guy - he plugged in his computer. He said one of the buses was down.

I have one of the carplay/android-auto after market modules plugged in. He said, "it could be something there doing it. It says the whole bus is down. So, maybe one of the cables is loose."

Sure enough - I went and checked one of the fiber optic cables - wiggled it a bit and it came back... but then it also went away as soon as I didn't touch it at certain points.

How annoying.

So basically, something is either bad inside the cable itself (I certainly hope not! That would be a huge PITA to replace) or the module (maybe even worse to replace!). I will be investigating further when I have time but needless to say - it's the carplay/android auto module I installed from aliexpress and the connections used there.

Pro-tip for future folks.
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