Help... 84 528e

[PS28FL]

Hey all ! I'm new here, i just purchased an 84 528e. i have no clue what the lights on the dash are for.... there is a yellow triange light blinking, service light is on, and there are green leds on the left, and red on the right... the red ones are lit up, and my gas guage is erratic... the speedo or gas economy isnt working, nor is the mileage. also any clue where to buy parts for this car woudl be cool... and there is what appears to be a temp sensor under the steering wheel? located in the lower dash panel??? maybe for inside temp? i dunno.... honestly, and help with the guages, and what all the lights mean would be greatly appreciated thanks for your help also oil service light is on

[csieminski]

Those are all typical problems with E28 ('82-'88) 5-Series cars. The flashing triangle is likely due to a faulty brake light sensor or some other eroneous problem. If you look above the rear view mirror, you should see a "pod" with a bunch of labeled service issues--a red LED lights up to denote the specific problem. If the issue in question checks out, either its sensor is faulty or, not suprisingly, the entire check control system is shot. Anyway, there should be a button in the corner of that panel above the mirror you can push to cancel flashing light in the dash. Unfortunately, it only applies for that driving session, so you will have to get in the habit of punching that button as part of your car start-up routine like I did with my '86 528e .

The green, yellow and red LEDs in the dash are your oil service indicator lights. They are supposed to track how the car is driven and judge when the oil is to be changed. In my new 535i they do work, lighting up for a brief period after the car is started. However, the interval they indicate is too long in my opinion, not healthy for the engine. Again, with your E28, that system is likely broken and useless.

In your case, I would buy a completely new instrument cluster. There are so many problems with yours that would LIKELY be fixed with a new or good-condition used cluster. I got a used one for my 528 for $99 US. Sure the mileage was different, but overall it worked much better (I did this when my odometer stopped working). Replacement is probably something you could do yourself, although mine was done by my mechanic.

I don't know what the temp sensor under the steering wheel is--it sounds like an aftermarket piece. I would imagine that it is a coolant temp. sensor, necessary because the stock one in the dash probably doesn't work.

As for parts, you can always find some cheaply at junk yards. However, for new parts, replacement parts, upgrades, etc., I really like Bavarian Autosport in Portsmouth, NH. They have a free, quarterly sales catalog and an excellent website, www.bavauto.com.