help please

[vancouverboy]

i posted these questions before but no on was nice enough to answer them so i am posting them again:)

hey guys, a couple questions:

1) sometimes when i am on the road and suddenly press on the brakes, the lights on the dashboard that come on when u first start the car come on and then turn off again..any idea wat is causing it?

2) same problem as some other owners here, everyday when i start the car..it turns off unless i press on the gas and hold it for about a minute..is it because of spark plugs?

thanks for your help

[Andycapps]

First of all what light(s) are coming on? If one comes on when you press the brake pedal..I'm guessing the brake fluid light comes on? It helps to know which lights are coming on.

[bananashley]

sounds like you might have a cluster/gauge problem, or a loose circuit somewhere if the lights that are coming on are NOT just the brake fluid light. you might as well replace the whole circuit, but to be sure, give it some more time and see what happens - ex - if the gauges start to kick out, etc.. this is a notorious problem with the e36 model. a new cluster runs about $500. but again, before this diagnosis, make sure that its not brake fluid, or another problem....

about the stalling before starting, i'm not sure.

[lesl2]

1. Cheapest thing to try is to remove the cluster and clean the connections with electrical contact cleaner. There is also a way on some models to run a diag test on the cluster. Don't know what model/year you have, but you could give it a try. Hold the mileage button in and turn the key to position 1.

2. Greatest possiblity is an issue with the ICV, the idle control valve. It needs cleaning or it's bad.

[DominguesE30]

2. Cold start?

[Pirate_copy]

1. I agree it could be a cluster problem, or possibly an earth problem somewhere. What year is your car?

2. ICV is most likely, do you have any loss in performance? do you lose a lot of oil or coolant?

[vancouverboy]

my car is a 95 BMW 318is, all the lights or most of them come on sometimes when i press the brakes and as far as the idle valve is concerned, i didnt have any problems without it at first. I didnt use the car for about 3 months and after that this problem occured where the car would turn off if i didnt held on to the gas for a about a minute..i am guessing the spark plugs cuz if it is the ICV then i should have had problems with it before i had the car parked for 3 months...thanks guys for all the help