Subject: 1997 740i E38 electrical glitch, need help Author: nick740 : member since November, 2009 : 60 posts Posted on: 2009-11-05 10:14:57

Hi everyone.
It's my first post on bimmerboard and I'd like to congrat everybody here for providing so great advices for our lovely cars.
My name's Nick, I'm 23 and live in south of France. I'm a bimmer addict since I'm a kid and already had various BMW's (but this should take place in another post ).

I recently bought a 1997 740i in Germany, and I have a strange issue with my car. As I start the car "cold" (like after standing the whole night in the parking place), the GPS/TV/Radio screen stays black, the phone stays off, the sunshade (I don't know the english name of that option...sorry) on the rear window doesn't go up or down, the power windows doesn't works properly, the horn doesn't work either and the interior lights switches on and off.

For getting everything working good again, it seems that I have to let the engine run a little while, then cut it off and turn the ignition key two or three times.

Also, when the car is hot (like after driving around 20 mins), it seems easyier to get eveything working as it should.
Then when everything works fine, the car have really no problem at all. I mean that the problem doesn't appears while driving, it's definately after the car have been stoped.

All my fuses are clean, and so far, I have the feeling that something is maybe wrong in the ignition switch, because when I turn the key very slowly, and a bit up, all the elements I talked about are correctly working.

Do you think my problem could come for the ignition switch ? If not, what could it be ?

I apologize for my poor technical English skills and hope to get some answers from yo guys.

Nick

• 1997 740i E38 electrical glitch, need help - nick740 2009-11-05 10:14:57 (87 views)
  • Here's 2 websites you should SAVE so that you can check & verify BMW part nbrs.. (pic) (url) - Q 2009-11-06 10:12:22 (55 views)
    • Re: Here's 2 websites you should SAVE so that you can check & verify BMW part nbrs.. - nick740 2009-11-06 10:59:05 (15 views)
      • I meant, not VIN decoder but ETK. My bad. (nt) - nick740 2009-11-06 10:59:41 (13 views)
        • Great...and you're right...Realoem shows that the ignition switch changed ... - Q 2009-11-06 11:18:52 (11 views)
          • Re: Great...and you're right...Realoem shows that the ignition switch changed ... - nick740 2009-11-06 14:28:21 (10 views)
            • Re: Great...and you're right...Realoem shows that the ignition switch changed ... - medic1 2009-11-06 20:27:59 (9 views)
              • Re: Great...and you're right...Realoem shows that the ignition switch changed ... - medic1 2009-11-06 21:05:42 (7 views)
                • Re: Great...and you're right...Realoem shows that the ignition switch changed ... - nick740 2009-11-07 17:16:42 (3 views)
    • oops...edit last sentence above image in my post above to read: - Q 2009-11-06 10:17:17 (8 views)
  • The English name for the rear sunshade option is 'rear power sunshade' (nt) - stevekc 2009-11-06 05:14:20 (17 views)
    • Thanks ;o) (nt) - nick740 2009-11-06 05:18:23 (13 views)
  • Re: 1997 740i E38 electrical glitch, need help - medic1 2009-11-05 22:26:00 (17 views)
    • Re: 1997 740i E38 electrical glitch, need help - nick740 2009-11-06 05:03:46 (11 views)
      • There are year differences - my 95 is 61 32 6 901 961 (nt) - RobinK 2009-11-06 05:50:11 (13 views)
  • Re: 1997 740i E38 electrical glitch, need help - medic1 2009-11-05 16:25:39 (13 views)
    • Re: 1997 740i E38 electrical glitch, need help - nick740 2009-11-05 16:50:53 (16 views)
      • I think that is halarious ... definately the iggy switch ... and welcome aboard (nt) - aaron00740il 2009-11-06 07:10:01 (17 views)
        • Re: I think that is halarious ... definately the iggy switch ... and welcome aboard - nick740 2009-11-06 08:56:34 (11 views)
          • Sorry your first experience was bad. I try to see the humor side. I would LMAO - aaron00740il 2009-11-06 09:38:44 (6 views)
            • Re: Sorry your first experience was bad. I try to see the humor side. I would LMAO - nick740 2009-11-06 10:11:22 (9 views)
              • Absolutely ... put some pics and car details in your account signature. - aaron00740il 2009-11-06 15:36:04 (5 views)
                • Will take more pics of her on this weekend - nick740 2009-11-06 18:14:21 (3 views)
  • Similar problem, ing switch salution. (url) - scubaa1 2009-11-05 15:04:00 (31 views)
    • Good to know, Steve. If you reported back before I missed it (nt) - sdmike 2009-11-05 22:48:21 (12 views)
    • Re: Similar problem, ing switch salution. - nick740 2009-11-05 15:41:31 (16 views)
      • Shipping would be just 14USD. (nt) - scubaa1 2009-11-05 16:15:21 (12 views)
      • Always get a new one and only from the dealer (nt) - Edwin™ 2009-11-05 16:05:14 (14 views)
  • Yes, sounds like a worn ignition switch... (url) - RobinK 2009-11-05 11:02:00 (22 views)
    • Re: Yes, sounds like a worn ignition switch... - nick740 2009-11-05 14:10:41 (14 views)
      • Dealer always say a new module bcs they now sh*t about our cars (nt) - Edwin™ 2009-11-05 14:13:44 (16 views)
        • Re: Dealer always say a new module bcs they now sh*t about our cars - nick740 2009-11-05 14:20:07 (12 views)
          • Re: Dealer always say a new module bcs they now sh*t about our cars - nick740 2009-11-05 14:52:35 (15 views)
            • No need to do that!!! (nt) - Edwin™ 2009-11-05 15:11:19 (14 views)
              • WOOHOO ! - nick740 2009-11-09 16:49:35 (3 views)