I will update with more information on a regular basis and link back to this thread.
Engine
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Engine Fan - These can shatter and cause major problems for the radiator, pulleys and the drive-belts. A common thing to do is to remove the engine fan and fit an after-market one in its place.
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Idler Pulley - Some of the M52 engines had the pulley installed incorrectly. This causes belt noise and excessive wear. If this occurs, remove and install correctly ASAP. Check the belt for wear as this may need to be replaced.
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Water Pump - Due to containing a plastic impeller, over time these become brittle and can fail. This can cause huge problems for the cooling system, i.e. plastic can get into the engine. Replacement ones are available with metal impellers. It's not a major task to replace and one worth doing! They can make a whining noise which can indicate it is on its way out.
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Idle Speed Control Valve - If you have a poor erratic idle this can be caused by the ISCV. Remove and clean using carb-cleaner. If the problem persists it could also be the oxygen sensor or maybe the VANOS unit. Apparently the erratic idle is common in the BMW Z3 as well.
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Brakes
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ABS Pump Relay - Prior to May 1996 the pump motor relay could become faulty which would switch on the ABS warning light on the dashboard.
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Rear Wheel Speed Sensors - These are known to have a bad connection where it is soldered. Check for a date code of "0801" or older. This will need replacing if it’s older.
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Steering
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Power Steering Hose - This can leak and cause total failure. If this happens you will notice a dramatic loss of power steering.
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Tie Rod Ends - If you experience a juddering under braking this could be the cause. Check the brake discs first, as this is a similar feeling. If the rod ends are worn, you will need to replace.
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Suspension
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Rear Shock Absorber Mount - Apparently this is a common fault. It can be identified by a clunking from the rear end when going over bumpy ground. If these are not replaced, the bolts can shear off from the mount. At worst they can seriously damage the area surrounding the mount on the turret. If you replace these items you can upgrade using the E46 mounts and Z3 reinforcement plates.
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Outer Ball Joints - A common solution when replacing these is to opt for the older E30 control arm. These are stronger than the E36 units which are known to be weaker.
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Inner Control Arm - The rear bushes are known to be weak spots. Replacing with a 1996 or newer item is a common fix.
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Electrics
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Coils - The older ones had Zundspule and Bemis units installed. When they fail they can cause major problems to the ECU. Check as to which ones you have installed. If they are the Zundspule or Bemis ones then replace straight away to a newer Bosh item.
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Connectors - A known problem is with the smaller sensor wires with 2 and 3 pin connectors. They have a seal which comes away allowing debris into the unit. This causes false reading and can give miss-leading error codes. Try to check these if you have any warning lights that come on. You can buy contact cleaner which will help to prevent this. It has been known for BMW dealers to replace them with gold plated units which help to give a true connection.
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Electric Windows - I have an issue when closing the window where it gets to the top and then opens again by about an inch. This is a result of the magnet coming out of position from the motor. It can be easily re-aligned. Other symptoms of this are for the windows to open and close in stages.
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Comfort Relay - If your windows or sunroof stop working check this first. There are a few guides online to replace this with ease.
Boot Wiring - For ages my boot light would not work. Upon inspection it was caused by bad wiring in the boot hinge area. The wires get flexed and over time can come in contact with each other. This can cause blown fuses and faulty operation of boot-end items such as my light.
I pulled back the covering and pulled out as much of the wire as possible. I cut off the bad sections and soldered in new wires. Then I covered with lots of heat-shrink tubing! Problem seems to be fixed now. So check yours too, it doesn't take long.
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Air Conditioning - A common problem is for a capacitor to fail in the control module. This stops the blower motor from working. This can be fixed without replacing the whole unit.
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Brake Light Switch - This is a common problem and is an easy fix.
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Alarm - Have you got a standard E36 alarm system? If the battery has run out in the remote, you will need to re-program the fob.
Follow these instructions to carry out the reprogramming.
1) Ensure all doors are closed as well as the bonnet and boot.
2) Sit in the drivers seat and close that door too.
3) Turn the ignition key to position 2, pause and return to the off position.
4) Carry this out 5 times in a row within 45 seconds
5) The alarm LED should light up to confirm the process has been successful
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Body / Interior
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Headlights - Dull headlight lenses are common over time. The lenses can be cleaned and improved using rubbing compound (similar to paint work)but you might just want to replace them, or why not upgrade to a paid with built in angel-eyes. Once restored or replaced they can be protected in a similar fashion to paint by using wax. On non EU models the lenses are glued on to the unit. If you are brave you can place in the oven to soften the glue. On EU models the lenses have clips that need to be released.
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Noises - The E36 over time starts to develop rattles and squeaks as do many cars. Get an assistant to pin point them when driving and then use foam padding or rubber grommets to eliminate unwanted noises.
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Trim - Due to the nature of plastic used in the car and being subject to varying temperatures, over time the trim clips become weak. This causes them to snap off when trying to remove them. There is no way to fix this, but be prepared to replace pieces if you remove them to fit entertainment / alarm units.
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Sagging Headliner- Over time, a common problem with the E36 is that the headlining material starts to sag and droop. This is due to the glue coming weak.
There are two options really. Replace the headliner with a new/second hand one, or repair/re-cover the old one. Guide can be found here
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I hope this is of use to you. If you have any common BMW E36 problems and solutions to add to the list please feel free to comment.
great list. thanks
ReplyDeleteMY 1992 320I E36 HAS BEEN A FANTASTIC CAR NOW WITH ME FOR TEN YEARS. HOWEVER MY ALARM IS VERY VERY UNPREDICTABLE IN THAT EVEN WHEN NOT ARMED IT IS SOUNDING OFF AND ALSO SCREECHING IN A VERY LOUD WAY AND FORCES ME TO HAVE TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY IN ORDER TO AVOID ANNOYING THE NEIGHBOURS AT ANY TIME OF NIGHT OR DAY.CAN ANYONE PLEASE HELP ME ,URGENTLY.
ReplyDeleteThe alarm steps above are incomplete, here is the correct procedure:
ReplyDelete1. Close the doors, hood, and trunk with car unlocked.
2. Open the trunk lid.
3. Open the driver’s door.
4. Sit in the driver’s seat.
5. Close the driver’s door.
6. Put the key in the ignition. You must do these first five steps within 45 seconds.
7. Cycle from the off position to the (“almost start”) second position five times. Do this step within 10 seconds (end with the key off).
8. Open the driver’s door.
9. Close the driver’s door. The alarm light on the console will turn on.
10. On the remote: Press one of the buttons, the alarm light on the console will turn off and on.
11. Repeat steps 8-10 for additional remotes. Up to four remotes can be recognized by the car’s alarm system.
12. Open the driver’s door.
13. Get out of the car.
14. Close the trunk lid.
15. Close the driver’s door.
16. The alarm light on the console will turn off, the programming is complete.
To disable or enable the audible alarm, hold both buttons down until the light flashes or the alarm chirps. When you are disabling it, there is no chirp, when you are enabling it, there is.
ReplyDeleteCorrect instructions for re-programming the key fob.
ReplyDelete1) Close the doors, hood, and trunk with car unlocked.
2) Open the trunk lid.
3) Open the driver’s door.
4) Sit in the driver’s seat.
5) Close the driver’s door.
6) Put the key in the ignition. You must do these first five steps within 45 seconds.
7) Cycle from the off position to the (“almost start”) second position five times. Do this step within 10 seconds (end with the key off).
8) Open the driver’s door.
9) Close the driver’s door. The alarm light on the console will turn on.
10) On the remote: Press one of the buttons, the alarm light on the console will turn off and on.
11) Repeat steps 8-10 for additional remotes. Up to four remotes can be recognized by the car’s alarm system.
12) Open the driver’s door.
13) Get out of the car.
14) Close the trunk lid.
15) Close the driver’s door.
16) The alarm light on the console will turn off, the programming is complete.
can any one please tell me if heater blower run through a relay aswell as a fuse
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This was a very old model.New models are just wow. I myself have BMW 5 Series F10 63117316187 and its a lovely car.I will share my own blog with details very soon.
ReplyDeleteI have BMW 5 series F10 and few times ago I was facing issues with my car headlight.Its xenon headlight was just lighting downward and both rings had stopped working at all. I replaced it's headlight driver module, Part number BMW 63117279625 and now it's working absolutely perfectly. I hope it will help you too.
ReplyDelete