BMW E91 335i Touring, Le Mans Blue
Discussion
helix402 said:
That’s a good place to start; used ones are plentiful on eBay etc.Has the diversity antenna been checked? That wouldn’t have anything to do with the lights / windows since they’re controlled by the FRM but it could have something to do with the locking issues.
Court_S said:
That’s a good place to start; used ones are plentiful on eBay etc.
Has the diversity antenna been checked? That wouldn’t have anything to do with the lights / windows since they’re controlled by the FRM but it could have something to do with the locking issues.
That's good to hear. The Diversity Antenna Module (under the boot spoiler, yeah?) was changed early on, as the radio was only receiving white noise. Sadly it didn't sort the C/LHas the diversity antenna been checked? That wouldn’t have anything to do with the lights / windows since they’re controlled by the FRM but it could have something to do with the locking issues.
RE this module. I've noted that as a new item, they're pretty pricey. Looking on ebay I can see two options, a repair service for £30 here
or, a second hand unit for £60 here
Are there any pros and cons to either? Would having it repaired mean the car's not drivable whilst it's away? Would a repair likely sort the issues? Finally, I note in the repair ad it states - Most common symptoms of FRM3 module failure: 2. Central lock is not operating - could this then possibly be the smoking gun RE the remote central locking issue?
Any thoughts gladly received.
or, a second hand unit for £60 here
Are there any pros and cons to either? Would having it repaired mean the car's not drivable whilst it's away? Would a repair likely sort the issues? Finally, I note in the repair ad it states - Most common symptoms of FRM3 module failure: 2. Central lock is not operating - could this then possibly be the smoking gun RE the remote central locking issue?
Any thoughts gladly received.
Fermit said:
RE this module. I've noted that as a new item, they're pretty pricey. Looking on ebay I can see two options, a repair service for £30 here
or, a second hand unit for £60 here
Are there any pros and cons to either? Would having it repaired mean the car's not drivable whilst it's away? Would a repair likely sort the issues? Finally, I note in the repair ad it states - Most common symptoms of FRM3 module failure: 2. Central lock is not operating - could this then possibly be the smoking gun RE the remote central locking issue?
Any thoughts gladly received.
To have them repaired you usually need to send them away. I know a guy in Birmingham who can repair them. You might be able to leave the car with him and head into Brum to kill some time whilst it’s being sorted. or, a second hand unit for £60 here
Are there any pros and cons to either? Would having it repaired mean the car's not drivable whilst it's away? Would a repair likely sort the issues? Finally, I note in the repair ad it states - Most common symptoms of FRM3 module failure: 2. Central lock is not operating - could this then possibly be the smoking gun RE the remote central locking issue?
Any thoughts gladly received.
Are replacement ones plug and play if they’re the same version or do they need coding? I’m not very up on FRM’s.
Court_S said:
To have them repaired you usually need to send them away. I know a guy in Birmingham who can repair them. You might be able to leave the car with him and head into Brum to kill some time whilst it’s being sorted.
Are replacement ones plug and play if they’re the same version or do they need coding? I’m not very up on FRM’s.
Could you let me know (on here/ PM) the details of your Birmingham guy?Are replacement ones plug and play if they’re the same version or do they need coding? I’m not very up on FRM’s.
Court_S said:
To have them repaired you usually need to send them away. I know a guy in Birmingham who can repair them. You might be able to leave the car with him and head into Brum to kill some time whilst it’s being sorted.
Are replacement ones plug and play if they’re the same version or do they need coding? I’m not very up on FRM’s.
They are coded to the car.Are replacement ones plug and play if they’re the same version or do they need coding? I’m not very up on FRM’s.
I would just replace as they are very cheap used, especially if you don't need the higher end models like xenon or adaptive. Unfortunately I threw a spare one out recently as I'd upgraded the one in my pre LCI E91 and it had been sitting in the garage since. My current LCI has adaptive so needs a higher end model, so I figured there was no point in keeping it as a spare - if it had been a month or so ago I'd have happily sent it to you 
pmorg4 said:
I would just replace as they are very cheap used, especially if you don't need the higher end models like xenon or adaptive. Unfortunately I threw a spare one out recently as I'd upgraded the one in my pre LCI E91 and it had been sitting in the garage since. My current LCI has adaptive so needs a higher end model, so I figured there was no point in keeping it as a spare - if it had been a month or so ago I'd have happily sent it to you
Not to worry, you can't keep everything! Mine is a Xenon model. Sam, I'll give the guy a shout, ta. Back from the walnut blast, with a wallet twice as drained as planned. In addition to the wb they identified that the oil filter housing gasket needed changing, as did the oil cooler gasket, and the rocker cover gasket, AND 6 intake manifold gaskets. £500 instead of £250 then, but they sent me photographic evidence of these jobs, and yeah, they needed doing.
As for the Walnut Blast. The main difference I can sense is that it seems to climb through the rev range more smoothly? Obviously, the combustion chamber was full of carbon deposits, and it isn't now, so that can only be a good thing now I'm heading towards modding instead of preventative.
Anyone have a recommendation for who's best around the Midlands for a gearbox service? I'm thinking one is probably a good idea, without evidence of one being done historically.
Edit to add, I'm getting a bit pissed off now chasing my tail with this b
d central locking. After hours changing the actuator and re-building the barrel with a repair kit Sarah called me from the allotments as fking thing wont open by key, and it's not even got working remote access. Bought a car break in kit off Prime (seen them used this week, when I locked myself out) which will come tomorrow.
The only car I've ever kicked in sheer frustration was my 172 Cup, having failed its MOT on brakes for the third day running having spent £500 on them. This blue bd was nearly the second tonight.
As for the Walnut Blast. The main difference I can sense is that it seems to climb through the rev range more smoothly? Obviously, the combustion chamber was full of carbon deposits, and it isn't now, so that can only be a good thing now I'm heading towards modding instead of preventative.
Anyone have a recommendation for who's best around the Midlands for a gearbox service? I'm thinking one is probably a good idea, without evidence of one being done historically.
Edit to add, I'm getting a bit pissed off now chasing my tail with this b
d central locking. After hours changing the actuator and re-building the barrel with a repair kit Sarah called me from the allotments as fking thing wont open by key, and it's not even got working remote access. Bought a car break in kit off Prime (seen them used this week, when I locked myself out) which will come tomorrow. The only car I've ever kicked in sheer frustration was my 172 Cup, having failed its MOT on brakes for the third day running having spent £500 on them. This blue b
d was nearly the second tonight.Edited by Fermit on Thursday 28th September 20:02
Edited by Fermit on Thursday 28th September 20:03
Good to know your car is running better after the walnut blasting. 
Although that's one of the reasons I only wanted an N52 engine when I went searching for a 330i!
It's possibly a different problem to yours but the central locking systems on these cars seems to behave in strange ways. I took my 330i for an MOT and was relieved to get a pass now it's 18 years old.
Went out to drive home and the driver's door was locked. Remote wouldn't open it or lock the other doors, but it did open the boot and arm the alarm. Couldn't try the key as the car hasn't had a barrel in the drivers door since I bought it!
Got in and the interior handle wouldn't open the door and the button on the dash did nothing. Starting the engine made no difference and throughout all this the petrol filler flap was locked. Tried disconnecting the battery in the hope it would reset but that made no difference so I clambered over and came home to book it in with my Indy.
They discovered the fuse on the central locking had blown so they fitted a new fuse, which worked for about 10 minutes until that blew too. There were no fault codes stored but they eventually found a short-circuit in the nearside rear door lock. One new rear door lock and all good again.
As I said it might be a totally different problem but checking the fuse might be a good start.
Hope it isn't too involved anyway.
Although that's one of the reasons I only wanted an N52 engine when I went searching for a 330i!
It's possibly a different problem to yours but the central locking systems on these cars seems to behave in strange ways. I took my 330i for an MOT and was relieved to get a pass now it's 18 years old.
Went out to drive home and the driver's door was locked. Remote wouldn't open it or lock the other doors, but it did open the boot and arm the alarm. Couldn't try the key as the car hasn't had a barrel in the drivers door since I bought it!
Got in and the interior handle wouldn't open the door and the button on the dash did nothing. Starting the engine made no difference and throughout all this the petrol filler flap was locked. Tried disconnecting the battery in the hope it would reset but that made no difference so I clambered over and came home to book it in with my Indy.
They discovered the fuse on the central locking had blown so they fitted a new fuse, which worked for about 10 minutes until that blew too. There were no fault codes stored but they eventually found a short-circuit in the nearside rear door lock. One new rear door lock and all good again.
As I said it might be a totally different problem but checking the fuse might be a good start.
Hope it isn't too involved anyway.
Mr Tidy said:
Good to know your car is running better after the walnut blasting.
Although that's one of the reasons I only wanted an N52 engine when I went searching for a 330i!
It's possibly a different problem to yours but the central locking systems on these cars seems to behave in strange ways. I took my 330i for an MOT and was relieved to get a pass now it's 18 years old.
Went out to drive home and the driver's door was locked. Remote wouldn't open it or lock the other doors, but it did open the boot and arm the alarm. Couldn't try the key as the car hasn't had a barrel in the drivers door since I bought it!
Got in and the interior handle wouldn't open the door and the button on the dash did nothing. Starting the engine made no difference and throughout all this the petrol filler flap was locked. Tried disconnecting the battery in the hope it would reset but that made no difference so I clambered over and came home to book it in with my Indy.
They discovered the fuse on the central locking had blown so they fitted a new fuse, which worked for about 10 minutes until that blew too. There were no fault codes stored but they eventually found a short-circuit in the nearside rear door lock. One new rear door lock and all good again.
As I said it might be a totally different problem but checking the fuse might be a good start.
Hope it isn't too involved anyway.
Thanks for the reply and advice man. I'll re-read and digest in the morning, when I'm not a bottle of wine in, and ready to go all Basil Fawlty with a tree branch on a 335i.Although that's one of the reasons I only wanted an N52 engine when I went searching for a 330i!
It's possibly a different problem to yours but the central locking systems on these cars seems to behave in strange ways. I took my 330i for an MOT and was relieved to get a pass now it's 18 years old.
Went out to drive home and the driver's door was locked. Remote wouldn't open it or lock the other doors, but it did open the boot and arm the alarm. Couldn't try the key as the car hasn't had a barrel in the drivers door since I bought it!
Got in and the interior handle wouldn't open the door and the button on the dash did nothing. Starting the engine made no difference and throughout all this the petrol filler flap was locked. Tried disconnecting the battery in the hope it would reset but that made no difference so I clambered over and came home to book it in with my Indy.
They discovered the fuse on the central locking had blown so they fitted a new fuse, which worked for about 10 minutes until that blew too. There were no fault codes stored but they eventually found a short-circuit in the nearside rear door lock. One new rear door lock and all good again.
As I said it might be a totally different problem but checking the fuse might be a good start.
Hope it isn't too involved anyway.
That’s a pisser about the central locking. Have you a managed to contact Zed about an FRM repair / replacement?
I’d take the gearbox to a ZF place personally. If you look in the website, it’ll give you a list of ZF approved garages. Saying that, my BMW indy did mine and it was slightly more expensive but less inconvenient since they had the car anyway.
I’d take the gearbox to a ZF place personally. If you look in the website, it’ll give you a list of ZF approved garages. Saying that, my BMW indy did mine and it was slightly more expensive but less inconvenient since they had the car anyway.
Court_S said:
That’s a pisser about the central locking. Have you a managed to contact Zed about an FRM repair / replacement?
I’d take the gearbox to a ZF place personally. If you look in the website, it’ll give you a list of ZF approved garages. Saying that, my BMW indy did mine and it was slightly more expensive but less inconvenient since they had the car anyway.
I spoke with Zed the other day (Weds?) and he said he'd get back to me 'when in front of his diary'. Not heard back from him, so I'll give him another try later. I’d take the gearbox to a ZF place personally. If you look in the website, it’ll give you a list of ZF approved garages. Saying that, my BMW indy did mine and it was slightly more expensive but less inconvenient since they had the car anyway.
RE the gearbox, may need to wait a bit, as including todays auto locksmith coming this aft, the car has had approaching £600 chucked at it in 2 days. I'll be sure to research for a near ZF place when the time comes though.
Fermit said:
I spoke with Zed the other day (Weds?) and he said he'd get back to me 'when in front of his diary'. Not heard back from him, so I'll give him another try later.
RE the gearbox, may need to wait a bit, as including todays auto locksmith coming this aft, the car has had approaching £600 chucked at it in 2 days. I'll be sure to research for a near ZF place when the time comes though.
He might need a nudge; he does a decent job though. RE the gearbox, may need to wait a bit, as including todays auto locksmith coming this aft, the car has had approaching £600 chucked at it in 2 days. I'll be sure to research for a near ZF place when the time comes though.
The gearbox service will be circa £450 judging by the quotes I got.
Is it abandoned at the allotment for now?
Edited by Court_S on Friday 29th September 10:49
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