Hello everyone! First of all thanks to all of you who are so willing to give advise. I look forward to the day hen it's less about "hey, can you help me....." and more about " how can I help you...". Anyway, I've owned 3 E28"s up until 2.5 years ago when I bought an E39. It's a 530i. There's always been a problem with the radio, it's loud and audible whenever I start the car then immediately afterward, I can barely hear it. If anyone has had experience with this then I appreciate your input. Now, recently, the A/C fan has been acting strange, like it has a mind of it's own. First off, while the AC is on i'll hear a second fan thats spinning at a higher rpm than the one that's cooling the cabin. Okay, I can deal with that. It's just when this fan comes on after I've turned the car off. AND!!! This continues through the night while the car sits. What I mean is, the cabin fan will run at a low rpm on and off, while the car is off. This is draining my battery. Any suggestions on how i can stop this from happening?
The AC fan problem is a common issue with E39's, and simple to fix. I've had two E39's and both had this problem. I suggest you deal with is ASAP otherwise you will lose the battery. This problem is commonly referred to as the "I came home from a trip and my car would not start at the airport" problem.... Anyway, you need to replace the Blower Resistor (Bavarian Auto part info below). It costs about $60 and takes 20 minutes to install (if you' know where it is). (Click for a larger image) Same as 64 11 6 923 204 and 64 11 6 920 365. Part Number Description Price Qty. 351321511 Blower Resistor - Behr $ 52.95
Here's a link showing how to access and replace this item: http://www.540i6.com/finalstagereplacement.html Can't help with the radio, other than to suggest a thorough exam of all the trunk mounted components to make sure everything is connected correctly. There is a guy in California who will swap out the radio module for $125 plus shipping if you don't get any other ideas. Let us know how you make out!