Hi all, I own a 2000 328 Ci & my headlights "flicker" intermittently while parked or driving. A good/reputable mechanic told me to replace the "Light Switch Assembly (LSZ)". Well i did & now they "flicker" like a bad a strobelight. I think I need to "reset" the headlights. Can anyone tell me how to do this? I'm figuring it has to be something simple. What keyed me to this is the small "dot" displayed next to my trip meter on my HUD.
I think that's called the "tamper dot", it lights up when there's a discrepency between the mileage stored in the cluster and the mileage in the computer, you haven't swapped clusters or anything have you? seems odd that it would come on
Nope, I haven't swapped out anything other than the LSZ. I know my passenger headlight bulb (low-beam) needs replacing also but that shouldn't have any effect. Should it?
That dot is indeed a tamper warning, illuminated when the vehicle data stored in the instrument cluster (including the odometer reading) does not match the redundant copy. In 1999-2001 E46 vehicles, the LSZ is the redundant storage site. Replacing the LSZ triggered the indicator, and you cannot reset it on your own. You need to visit a BMW dealer or indie shop equipped with the BMW GT1 diagnostic computer (or an equivalent) to have the new LSZ recoded from the instrument cluster. When the redundant copies match again the indicator will go out. It is not a DIY fix. If I were you, I'd seek the advice of a certified BMW tech before proceeding any further. The flicker might indeed be correctable by recoding the LSZ, or it might suggest the replacement LSZ is also bad or it could be something else entirely. You're going to be stuck for a repair bill no matter what, so get your money's worth. That little dot is screaming "possible odometer fraud" right now, so don't try to cheap out on getting it corrected properly.
From what I hear from someone who's gone through this with his LKM, it is NOT cheap to get it recoded. You're probably better off with an indy that has this computer, as they tend to charge less per hour.
I've been using an indy shop for a few years now. I only go to the dealership when the indie shop can't handle it or they're overbooked.
