E39 code reader
Discussion
My e39 523i is a January 2000 build car that was registered in June 2000.
Recently I had the air bag light come on and none of my local garages could deal with the dashboard lights. I spoke to a couple of BMW specialists and their equipment didn’t deal with such old BMWs
Finally I found a specialist who could and I took it to him and he turned off the light. £94 later I drove away having been told they had contacted another specialist who would be able to advise if it was a dashboard out job to rectify the problem.
Three hundred miles later and with the airbag light still off I took it for its mot which it passed without any advisories.
But as drove away I noticed the air bag light back on together with the engine emissions light on .
Rather than pay out for someone else to turn the lights off should I get my own code reader?
Can anyone recommend one, where to get it from, what sort of cost and how easy is it to use?
Recently I had the air bag light come on and none of my local garages could deal with the dashboard lights. I spoke to a couple of BMW specialists and their equipment didn’t deal with such old BMWs
Finally I found a specialist who could and I took it to him and he turned off the light. £94 later I drove away having been told they had contacted another specialist who would be able to advise if it was a dashboard out job to rectify the problem.
Three hundred miles later and with the airbag light still off I took it for its mot which it passed without any advisories.
But as drove away I noticed the air bag light back on together with the engine emissions light on .
Rather than pay out for someone else to turn the lights off should I get my own code reader?
Can anyone recommend one, where to get it from, what sort of cost and how easy is it to use?
Hopefully SF_Manta will be along shortly with advice, I know he had the BMW software (cant remember what it is called IN something?) He was able to read the gearbox on my E46 (similar vintage to your E39) you can buy it and connect the car to a laptop and it will give you much more useful data
I cleared the airbag light on my 2002 E39 yesterday using BMW Scanner v1.4 which is available on ebay for £15.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/305198934177?chn=ps&...
The software only works on Windows and does need some manual intervention to get the drivers working for the cable.
https://youtu.be/RonaL-HLKjA?si=8R2Of1cys71xBxLJ
These were the codes that were recorded;
SRS -> 70/20 - Seat occupancy detector, break of seat mat
02/40 - Driver's belt tensioner, resistance too high
03/40 - Passenger's belt tensioner, resistance too high
70/10 - Seat occupancy detector, connection to B+
50/20 - Power supply, undervoltage
Shadow-memory:
70/20 - Seat occupancy detector, break of seat mat
And after an extended drive after clearing the codes, the airbag light is still off, with the following still being reported in the Shadow memory
SRS -> Shadow-memory:
70/20 - Seat occupancy detector, break of seat mat
02/40 - Driver's belt tensioner, resistance too high
03/40 - Passenger's belt tensioner, resistance too high
70/10 - Seat occupancy detector, connection to B+
50/20 - Power supply, undervoltage
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/305198934177?chn=ps&...
The software only works on Windows and does need some manual intervention to get the drivers working for the cable.
https://youtu.be/RonaL-HLKjA?si=8R2Of1cys71xBxLJ
These were the codes that were recorded;
SRS -> 70/20 - Seat occupancy detector, break of seat mat
02/40 - Driver's belt tensioner, resistance too high
03/40 - Passenger's belt tensioner, resistance too high
70/10 - Seat occupancy detector, connection to B+
50/20 - Power supply, undervoltage
Shadow-memory:
70/20 - Seat occupancy detector, break of seat mat
And after an extended drive after clearing the codes, the airbag light is still off, with the following still being reported in the Shadow memory
SRS -> Shadow-memory:
70/20 - Seat occupancy detector, break of seat mat
02/40 - Driver's belt tensioner, resistance too high
03/40 - Passenger's belt tensioner, resistance too high
70/10 - Seat occupancy detector, connection to B+
50/20 - Power supply, undervoltage
Edited by rfsteel on Tuesday 5th November 14:34
Edited by rfsteel on Tuesday 5th November 14:35
Tazar said:
My e39 523i is a January 2000 build car that was registered in June 2000.
Recently I had the air bag light come on and none of my local garages could deal with the dashboard lights. I spoke to a couple of BMW specialists and their equipment didn’t deal with such old BMWs
Finally I found a specialist who could and I took it to him and he turned off the light. £94 later I drove away having been told they had contacted another specialist who would be able to advise if it was a dashboard out job to rectify the problem.
Three hundred miles later and with the airbag light still off I took it for its mot which it passed without any advisories.
But as drove away I noticed the air bag light back on together with the engine emissions light on .
Rather than pay out for someone else to turn the lights off should I get my own code reader?
Can anyone recommend one, where to get it from, what sort of cost and how easy is it to use?
Creator C310 or 410 will do what you need:Recently I had the air bag light come on and none of my local garages could deal with the dashboard lights. I spoke to a couple of BMW specialists and their equipment didn’t deal with such old BMWs
Finally I found a specialist who could and I took it to him and he turned off the light. £94 later I drove away having been told they had contacted another specialist who would be able to advise if it was a dashboard out job to rectify the problem.
Three hundred miles later and with the airbag light still off I took it for its mot which it passed without any advisories.
But as drove away I noticed the air bag light back on together with the engine emissions light on .
Rather than pay out for someone else to turn the lights off should I get my own code reader?
Can anyone recommend one, where to get it from, what sort of cost and how easy is it to use?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/sspa/click?ie=UTF8&sp...
Anything more in-depth then the Autophix 7910 is very good; after that it's INPA/ISTA really
https://www.amazon.co.uk/AUTOPHIX-Automotive-Scann...
IMO the Creator C310 or 410 are worth their price; small enough to keep in the car too
Avoid Carly; it's not that good and bloody expensive for what it is. Bimmercode & Bimmerlink are much better; but they're limited re the E39
Tazar said:
So is the Autophix 7910 the one to have? I’m not sure if I’ve got that right. Can I just plug it into my car or is a laptop needed. If it is I’m back to square two and needing a garage that sort it
Get either of the Creator ones first; they're plug n play into the OBD portIf you have the 20 pin plug under the bonnet; you'll need that specific adapter
Either way; use that and see how you get on
As others have mentioned, PASoft BMW Scanner 1.4 is the best for the likes of the e39.
The other route to go down is INPA, but that can be a little trickier to install.
Having this kind of software and a cable pays dividends when you have a slightly older car.
£94 to clear an airbag light - I'm in the wrong trade
Did they even tell you what the fault was?
The other route to go down is INPA, but that can be a little trickier to install.
Having this kind of software and a cable pays dividends when you have a slightly older car.
£94 to clear an airbag light - I'm in the wrong trade
Did they even tell you what the fault was?
They weren’t sure but they were contacting a specialist who would report to them if they had seen this problem before and if it was taking the dashboard out to fix the problem. I certainly don’t want that expense or the uncertainty of it providing more problems.
Fortunately I’ve not heard back from them after three weeks.
Fortunately I’ve not heard back from them after three weeks.
There is a common issue on the e46 where the passenger seat sensor goes bad and this puts the Airbag light on. The ECU doesn't get the correct signal from the sensor, so it doesn't know whether or not it should deploy the passenger airbag in the event of an accident, hence the Airbag light comes on.
Not sure if the e39 is afflicted with the same issue.
For the e46 there are 2 solutions:
1. Buy a new seat sensor - these are quite expensive though.
2. Buy a dongle thingy that plugs in where the seat sensor plugs in, this basically fools the car in to thinking there is always a passenger.
Hope this helps.
Not sure if the e39 is afflicted with the same issue.
For the e46 there are 2 solutions:
1. Buy a new seat sensor - these are quite expensive though.
2. Buy a dongle thingy that plugs in where the seat sensor plugs in, this basically fools the car in to thinking there is always a passenger.
Hope this helps.
Olivergt said:
There is a common issue on the e46 where the passenger seat sensor goes bad and this puts the Airbag light on. The ECU doesn't get the correct signal from the sensor, so it doesn't know whether or not it should deploy the passenger airbag in the event of an accident, hence the Airbag light comes on.
Not sure if the e39 is afflicted with the same issue.
For the e46 there are 2 solutions:
1. Buy a new seat sensor - these are quite expensive though.
2. Buy a dongle thingy that plugs in where the seat sensor plugs in, this basically fools the car in to thinking there is always a passenger.
Hope this helps.
Yup; they can be. Same techNot sure if the e39 is afflicted with the same issue.
For the e46 there are 2 solutions:
1. Buy a new seat sensor - these are quite expensive though.
2. Buy a dongle thingy that plugs in where the seat sensor plugs in, this basically fools the car in to thinking there is always a passenger.
Hope this helps.
It can also be the seatbelt tensioner that causes the issues, easily sorted with a 2nd hand known to be working replacement. IIRC it needs to be coded to the car though (INPA/ISTA etc)
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