Help Required

[Agakhan]

Hi All,

Newbie here and first post.

 I have a 05 750i sport E65 since new with 99k miles.While it is not my main car it has sentimental value and I am very attached to it.

It has been laid up since 2015 and in 2019 I left it in to an independent BMW guy to give it a service and check it over as three or four warning lights came on.He checked the module at the base of the drivers side footwell and found it had rust due to water getting in.He tried leaving it in a solution overnight but the warning lights remained.

 I put it through MOT just prior to the first lockdown in the knowledge that it would fail but wanted to know if there were any other problems.Everything else was ok.

 I brought it back to the mechanic and asked if he could take out the module and get me the part number so that I could get a replacement from a company breaking a similar car as he told me a new part would be approximately £1k.

Now for my problem.

The car had been at the mechanics property but no progress made due to him being ill. I called recently to get an update and to my horror was told he had passed.As he was a one man operation and worked only on BMW the garage has closed.

 I now have the car back home but still have not got the module out.The faults are as follows.

1)Dynamic Drive Failure 2)Brake/Drive Fault (Drive Moderately) 3)Parking Brake Fault 4) PDC Failure.

 I would be willing to have a try and get the module out but can find nothing on the internet to help.I am guessing that the above four faults are related to the module and if I could get any help or direction to Web etc it would be much appreciated.

 

 

 

[Greydog]

Morning Lawrence

Welcome to the Forum

You say the drivers footwell is your car Left Hand drive ? The LCM/FCM is normally in the left side footwell, removal is fiddly and awkward but not beyond the scope of anyone with some basic tools. So it doesn't need a BMW specialist to remove it from the car any competent garage or home mechanic could do it. You can get the part number by using www.realoem.com put the last 7 digits of your Vin into the search box and it will bring up your model, then search the relevant section for what you need. When you find the unit and part number double click the part number and it will call up a list of alternative part numbers and models that you could use.

When refitting the replacement module it will need coding to the car if it isn't you will see a tamper dot beside the mileage on the dash. Everything will work without issue just the tamper dot will be there, BMW will tell you "only They" can program a unit and it has to be a new one purchased from them. They are wrong all you need is someone with a copy of PASoft BMW 1.4.0 or similar (I find BMW 1.4.0 the easiest to do this with though there are others) I have recently carried out the swap on my X5 on 2 x 1 series and 5 series.

Good Luck

Dave

 

 

[Agakhan]

Hi Dave,

Thankyou for your prompt reply.
It is right hand drive and was led to believe module was at R/H footwell. I went onto the realoem site but when I put in LCM/FCM it came up with (Specified part cannot be found)

Am I mixing these up? Is LCM/FCM the same as footwell module.

Kindest Regards 

Laurence

[Greydog]

Hi Laurence

When you go into realoem look in the section for Vehicle Electrical System there is a sub section for all control modules

For "how too" try www.pelican parts.com its an American site so steering on the wrong side but modules are normally all in the same place.

I have never poked around in a 7 series so they may have positioned it there 

Dave

[Agakhan]

Hi Dave,Thankyou for your reply.I got the modules on realoem but there are so many I don’t know which one I need.What software do I need so that I can diagnose the problems and get the exact part.

Also Dave do you have any tips on how to fix foggy headlights?

Thanking you in Advance 

Laurence

[Greydog]

Morning Laurence

First software there are now several alternatives to Dedicated BMW software like INPA/ISTA which can be fiddly to set up. Others such as Icarsoft, Foxwell, Carly for BMW (this is subscription though) PASoft BMW 1.4.0 are available online. I use BMW 1.4.0 for our Vintage of car and INPA/ISTA for newer models. 

The module I think your mechanic talked about is the Light Control Module (sometimes referred to as the LCM or FCM or FRM) A word of caution as your car was laid up there could be issues with other modules such as ABS due to corrosion. Don't panic there are several companies out there that can repair the modules a few offer 48hr turnaround.

However a diagnostic session is the way forward it will save a lot of time/money in the long run. Any of the systems above will cost about the same as a single Diagnostic Session in a garage so good investment for the future.

Headlights, are they suffering from condensation inside or cloudy outside ? If it is condensation inside then bulbs out and a hair dryer or heat gun on a low setting should clear it. If it is greyish road film on the outside of the lens then there are several Lens cleaning kits out there online or from Auto Factors just google it they work really well just take your time and if you do it on the car make sure you mask around the lamp to protect the paint.

Dave

 

[Agakhan]

Top man Dave, Thankyou,I’ll let you know how I get on.

kindest Regards 

Laurence.

[Agakhan]

Can anyone help with locating the PASoft 1.4.0 for E65?

 

[Greydog]

Morning Lawrence

Google or Ebay should help

Dave