Trip computer buttons jammed

[Harls]

Hi all

My OBC (On Board computer) has its buttons jammed and stuck. I can't push them in or activate the funtions. This is for most of the number buttons 1 10 100 1000 and a few of the modes.

How do I unjam them?

Also, my temp sensor was missing last year. I replaced it with a new temp sensor (second hand) and wired it to the wires behind the front bumper as per usual. Unfortunatly its still not reading (saying -35 degrees C all the time) Is theer another reason this mnay be occuring?

Cheers

HM

[nighthawk]

if your careful, you can open the OBC and free the buttons, as for the temp sensor I would just replace it with a one from another BMW, check Pelican Parts - Porsche Parts & BMW Parts - Automotive Parts and Accessories - Porsche & BMW

good luck!!

[Tassie_328i]

How did you get the buttons jammed Harls?

Still no joy with the temperature sensor?? that's been an ongoing problem for you!

Dont know if this helps you or not but....

My sensor was reading 15degC in the garage (getting a bit chilly here), so taking it off the car the resistance of the sensor was about 7000 ohms.

Warming the sensor resulted in a decrease in resistance. Its quite reactive to temperature change.

So hopefully if you've got a multimeter you can test if your sensor is faulty.

After turning on my ignition without the sensor plugged in i got the -37d C on the obc and i could only get rid of this (after plugging in the sensor) by unplugging both of the looms out of the back of the obc (counting to ten) and plugging it back in, after which the correct temp was displayed.

So my theory.... (if your sensor isn't faulty)
temp increase = resistance decrease therefore
temp decrase = resistance increase
open circuit would be read as extreme resistance and therefore displayed as the lowest temperature it can (ie -37)

So to cut a long story short i reckon you've got an broken wire somewhere in there if your replacement sensor isn't faulty. Time to do some wire tracing.

[Harls]

Hey Tassie.

Long time no see!

Yeah the temp sensor is still giving me the shits nearly a year on. After we had our last discussion I went and got a second-hand temp sensor. But it seems fairly crazy that it would be busted too!

I'll get hold of a multi,eter and give it a shot. I dare say there must be a break in the wiring.

And don't ask me how my buttons got jammed. I have know idea. A couple were like that when I bought the car last year and now they're all getting like that.

Cheers

HM

PS Thanks Nighthawk!

So

[Tassie_328i]

Originally Posted by Harls

And don't ask me how my buttons got jammed. I have know idea. A couple were like that when I bought the car last year and now they're all getting like that.

I wonder if the buttons being stuck are fouling up the obc?? Dont ask me how but just a theory.

Can you still scroll through the functions?

[Harls]

When you say scrolling through, do you mean using the indicator stalk button to select your different modes? If that's what you mean, it does do that.

Cheers

[Tassie_328i]

No i was thinking just pressing the buttons directly.. eg. temp, distance etc (obviously the ones that aren't stuck)

[Harls]

Yeah the one's that aren't stuck are fine. It's only the ones that are stuck that I cannot access without using the indicator stalk.

Cheers