Battery died again. I have a 810 millampere draw

[dave_in_VA]

with everything shut off. If I pull fuse number 4 it drops to 210 millampere.

According to the sheet fuse 4 feeds passenger compartment and trunk lights as well as the windshield washer. It isnt listed but I noticed that it also feeds what ever controls the auto up and down of the steering coloumn when the ignition is turned off.

Any ideas?


Dave

[kowached]

I noticed that it also feeds what ever controls the auto up and down of the steering coloumn when the ignition is turned off.
Dave

I know that the steering wheel adjustment is controlled by the Driver's Side Seat Controller (Crevier BMW Driver's Seat Controller 61.31-6 910 717 $55.00, for a MY98 540i). The controller also controls the adjustment of the drivers seat (duh), and is located directly behind the those adjustment buttons. See if your lower seat panel is loose at the outside rear, if it is, then I would suspect that it has caused the conector to the controller to fail (very common problem) and possibly short out, causing your draw.


Below is all the info that I have on file about the problem:
You can get the side panel off without moving the seat if you just want to inspect whether the connector is secured to the back of the control module switch.

To remove the side panel do the following.

- remove 2 torx screws (one at upper point where seat bottom and seat back meet, the other is in a recessed hole in the front upper area of the seat panel)

- remove 2 plastic push in pins (one at lower front corner and the other at the rear lower corner partially under the rear panel. If you need to remove the rear panel you have to push the bottom of the panel strongly toward the centre console while pulling outward on the other side of the panel - when released at both bottom sides then lift up to release upper clips)

- remove a 3rd plastic push pin from a plastic arm the goes from the bottom of the panel to seat frame - at the side centre)

Now the panel will pull away from the seat and you can see the module and connector. If broken away then that will likely be your problem.


Otherwise I would suspect a wire issue under the seat.

The bolts to the floor can be tricky to get to - but possible I think.

You need to remove the plastic rail covers:
- remove the torx screw in the top of the cover then slide the cover backwards and twist lift to free it - then forwards to lift the front end off.

Now you should be able to see the main bolts and remove as best you can.

Failing that I would try to release the piviting bushing bolts at the rear so you can partially tip the seat forward. Looking under the rear you will see 2 metal arms come down (not the seat belt brackets) and there will be a horizontal bolt in the end of each arm - where it pivits on the seat rail section) The bolt on the inboard side of the seat is accessed through an opening in the seat frame.

If you can remove those then the seat will tilt forward and you may be able to inspect some of the wiring harness.

This will all be fiddly - and you may be better off getting a dealer to assist - of course you will be into some $'s.

There is also the possibility that you have a motor that is defective and causing the fuse to blow - just so you realise that there might be more to this.

Normally a fault in those components will leave error codes in memory which make it easier to sort out - but with the power out I do not know if they will be able to check the codes - depends on which module they are stored in - if it is the GM then you may be better to have them check.

[McCandless]

On my 99 528i Fuse 4 also supplies the little blower(sucker?) that pulls the cabin air into the Climate Control Panel for temperature measurement. Maybe it's froze up or bad?

[Toxic]

with everything shut off. If I pull fuse number 4 it drops to 210 millampere.

According to the sheet fuse 4 feeds passenger compartment and trunk lights as well as the windshield washer. It isnt listed but I noticed that it also feeds what ever controls the auto up and down of the steering coloumn when the ignition is turned off.

Any ideas?


Dave


Don't know if this could be related, but I have 9V across my windscreen washer pump with ignition off. Pulling fuse 4 kills that 9V. Now my pump is shot so it wouldn't be drawing any current, but if it was working I'm sure it would be. Can you post that drawing you have so I can take a look at it for ya?

[kowached]

I think that his Final Staging Unit was so shot that it was operating the blower fan on low even with the ignition off. Maybe he'll be kind enough to report back.

http://www.540i6.com/finalstagereplacement.html (http://)

[Toxic]

I think that his Final Staging Unit was so shot that it was operating the blower fan on low even with the ignition off. Maybe he'll be kind enough to report back.

http://www.540i6.com/finalstagereplacement.html (http://)


Whats the FSU? IS that what they call the General Module?
I think I have a problem with mine also in that it is operating the washer pump on low (9V) even with the ignition off and it burned out the pump and will continue to do so even if I put in a new pump.

[Ågent99]

Whats the FSU? IS that what they call the General Module?
I think I have a problem with mine also in that it is operating the washer pump on low (9V) even with the ignition off and it burned out the pump and will continue to do so even if I put in a new pump.

FSU is the final stage unit. I'm not sure exactly what its purpose is but when it fails, the classic symptons are the inability for you to control the fan speed for A/C or heat in the car. It acts like it is possessed and runs at whatever speed it feels like regardless of the number of bars you set. You can normally still turn the fan off or on but you have no control over the speed.


Chris

[kowached]

FSU has no relation to the General Module. The FSU basically varies voltage to the heater blower motor to allow for different blower speeds (one for each bar of your blower speed indicator). More info on the FSU at the link below.

http://www.540i6.com/finalstagereplacement.html (http://)

[dave_in_VA]

It was the FSU that had gone bad, the blower was continuing to run and blowing air to the footwells.

One $63 part later the problem was fixed. It was covered by the CPO warrente so the part and the $30 labor only cost me the $50 deductable.

[C Blood]

Regarding the general module, has any had success fixing it themselves? I have my mechanic quoting me almost $500 for the repair.