I think I need a final stage resistor because when I have the interior fan at full power, it is only blowing out air like its at 1/2 way. Is removal and installation an PITA . Mileage is at 128,xxx. By next weekend, I am going to order the radiator, expansion tank, water pump and fan clutch as I am getting near the 150K mile mark. I might as well get it out of the way now just before I hit 130K. I changed the belts, hoses and thermstat at 110K miles. Should I buy all four 02 sensors since they haven't been changed when I purchased the car with 79,944 miles or wait till the check engine light comes on? Gas mileage is great, thanks to the tune up a while ago and the car has been running fine.
Final stage is mighty easy. Remove passenger side console carpet piece with one screw, unplug final stage unit, undo one screw (might be Torx) and pull final stage unit out. Installation is reverse of removal. Also make sure your cabin filters are clean. Leave the O2 sensors until they give you errors. They won't hurt the car when they go bad because normally they start to give errors that they are aging (an actual code.)
Thanks Paul. I'll order that when I get the coolant parts. The cabin filters? I haven't changed them since I got the car! I should order those as well. Do you think putting in new filters will fix the fan problem or does the FSR need to be changed anyway?
Pull the cabin filters and see if it gets back to 100%. If not, order a new final stage. Hell, most of them fail in a way that kills the battery overnight, so you may want one anyway!
FSU instructions These are great instructions: http://www.540i6.com/finalstagereplacement.html It's a bit of a pain to wiggle it out, but I wouldn't call it difficult.
Must be a glich in the Matrix. I cannot believe you just said that. You of all people should know that AutoZone does not give out correct codes for BMW's! The light went out last night and didn't come on driving to work today. I'll bring it to my mechanic Saturday morning. When we had a 99 528i the CEL came on and I went to AutoZone and they gave me a 02 sensor code. My indy mechanic hooked the car to his computer and it was a vacuum hose or something minor like that. Paul, you dissappoint the whole BMW community
They will scan OBD2 codes and report them to you. Do not assume that they can tell you what they actually mean. OBD2 codes are standarized, but the what causes them to trip is not necessarily a fault in the part itself. You got a code that told you the O2 sensor was out of range. They thought you needed an O2 sensor, when you actually needed to fix a lean condition. They may be dumb, but they will read and clear fault codes for free. You want the code number so you can look it up in your Bentley manual, not what the trained monkeys at Auto Zone think the code means. Get it
I got it . Though my mechanic will check it out for free. Thanks for the input. Why is it that CEL comes and goes? Lets say its one of or a few of the O2 sensors, wouldn't it cause the light to be on at all times?
Normally it won't go away until it sees the problem gone. It could be a flaky sensor, or (more commonly) an EVAP code (since there can be evap system leaks when cold that seal up when warm.)
Hmmm. I should admit that on Monday morning it was like 1 degree. I started the car and it felt like crap. The CEL came on and the car was shaking a bit. I drove to the gas station (1/4 tank) and filled up. The car was smooth and the CEL turned off. Tuesday was fine, no CEL. Then yesterday it came on but didn't come on last night. Has been off since. I should have been honest from the start
You need a final stage unit for sure then. If I were you, I would unplug the old one whenever you need to leave the car sitting more than an hour or so. It will turn the fan on while you are not in the car and run down the battery.
Its park right in front of his shop . I am lucky to have made it home with that battery light on. Well better to happen to me and not have it towed than having the family in the car with it stalling on a highway.
UPDATE I just ordered the radiator, water pump, fan clutch, expansion tank and the porcupine. My mechanic is going to order the alternator for $275. Should get it back by Friday. Fan clutch is on back order so it won't reach his shop until Thursday .
