[bmw] Re: Sometimes you just have to laugh at yourself!

["J. Cash" <j.cash@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Thanks for that - and in return you can take solace that you are not alone.

Reminded me of when my wife and I were on a driving trip and decided to pull
over and check the map.

We were in my 82 528, and the year was about 1985.  Since I was very
interested in all the workings of the car I had made a copy of the ETM, and
had some of the main wiring diagrams in a folder in the trunk.

Well, back to the story. After consulting the map for a few moments we
decided to start out again, only to get that "nothing" reaction to the
turning of the key.

Tried several times and then thinking - I know what to check.
After checking various connections under the hood and finding nothing I
tried the key again - with the same "quiet response".

Then I remembered that I had the drawings so I got them out and started to
follow the wiring diagrams thinking that they would give me a hint as to
what to check.
AND THEY DID - as soon as I got to the relay that was controlled by the
shifter position I thought to myself - maybe I should glance slyly at the
shifter. Yep - it was in drive.

Now the question was - how do I fix it and make it look like it was a fault
that I corrected.  Naaaa - wife is too quick for that - I just said "good
thing I brought this drawing - it is telling me it is time to put the car
back in Neutral before starting" - we both laughed at that one as we drove
off.

By the way - the latest cars still have to have it in P or N, but all that
does is put the transmission in that position. The transmission then has to
inform its computer that it is in one of those gears (this is an electrical
process) and the transmission then has to inform the instrument cluster what
gear has been selected. That is reflected by the readout in the cluster.  So
if for some reason you have the shifter in P or N, and the car is still not
starting then check the readout in the cluster. It must also show P or N, if
not then there is a communication problem and this will prevent the car from
starting - it is the cluster that gives the OK for the engine computer to
start the car.

Cheers
Jim Cash
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