Re: Weird Operations (archive)

The complete automotive resource for buyers, sellers, and owners like you.

In Reply to: Weird Operations posted by Len Cacioppo on February 07, 2000 at 18:43:13:

: I am looking for others experiences here�I have a 1994 CSi (have had it less than three weeks). I finally received my owners manual which is supposed to cover the 840Ci, 850Ci and the 850CSi. I am noticing some discrepancies between the owners manual and what the car actually does:

: 1. The instruction manual states that the theft alarm can only be activated/deactivated by the remote. However, if I use my keys in the door, the alarm chirps on (one chirp) and off (two chirps) accordingly.

On my 1993 Ci I can acivate / deactivate the alarm with the key, but the alarm does not chirp.

: 2. In the section for remote control, it states under �convenience opening� that I can open the windows and sunroof by continuously holding the unlock button on the remote. No dice.

: 3. In the section for remote control, it states under �to lock� that I should press the lock button once to arm the alarm, tilt sensor and lock the doors. It then states that if I need to disable the tilt sensor, I should press the locking button again. My experience has been that pressing the button once locks the doors (only), pressing the button a second time sets the alarm (the alarm chirps), and pressing the button a third time causes the LED on the center console to light for an extended period of time and then start blinking again (I assume this is disarming the tilt sensor, but I have not come up with a good way to test this yet).

: 4. When I get out of the car & attempt to use the remote, sometimes it works & sometimes it don�t (I have to then lock the car manually with the key).

Sounds like a low battery. This is going to sound silly, but, hold the remote against part of your body (such as forehead) and see if it increases the range.

: 5. My speedometer is off by quite a bit (varies with speed, but up to 8 mph) but within the rather wide tolerances allowed by BMW. Does anybody know of a way to fix this?

My speedo is of by a linear amount, i.e., 3 mph at 30, 6 mph at 60, and 9mph at 90. I always thought it was due to non stock tires (255/40/zr17). Maybe a speedo calibration shop can help. Try nhspeedometer.com

: 6. When I set the middle knob on the air vents (central ones above the MID) all the way to the red dot, the air coming out of the vent is not as hot as I would expect it to be, nor does it act the way my wife�s car does (1998 328ic).

This works the same on my 93 850 as my 96 328, i.e. hotter air on red and colder air on blue.
:
: I know this is quite lengthy and apologize. I was just expecting more when I finally received my owners manual. My local dealer knows less about the car than I do (I service rep I was talking to was insisting that the car could not be a CSi because it is a �94, and CSi�s were not imported that year. Dolt!)

Questions, comments, or problems, please visit the Roadfly help desk.