Some E39 questions

[Lukasss]

Well, I just purchased a 99' 528i. Manual, Sport package, yada yada yada
Car has 170k on the clock. Runs smooth for the few days Ive had it.

Im pretty car savy, and worked at a BMW dealership ( as a porter ) for a little over a year in FL before moving out to Cali. Unfortunately, its hard to explain problems over the phone.

So i figured i'd just ask here.

1.) AC blew cold when i test drove the car, when i picked it up it no longer blows cold.
Went to charge with the gauge and R134a, as soon as the gauge is hooked to the low side, it goes straight to the red. Seems like blockage or an over charge possibly?

Second question might tie in to prior.

2.) Everything on the gauge cluster seems 'off'. RPM is the only thing that really works well.
Gas - seems spotty
Water temp - seems about right, never goes past OT
MPH - does not work at all
Digital display - MPG stays at 5.9, Temp stays at -40*, MPH ---*---, and miles till empty is definitely inaccurate. Vehicle mileage doesn't change, Trip stays at 000.1
Vehicle schematic - depicts both tail lights are out, although neither of them are.

I read as much as possible online, and seems the -40* usually means the ambient temp sensor is messed up. I looked at it, cleaned it, checked for wire damage, still nothing.
I read the ATS has a correlation with allowing the AC to get cold as well.

If theres anything you guys suggest, please let me know.

[powerstroked99]

bout a 97 528 auto on lowering springs car looks great but it is a gigantic piece of crap has 200k miles electrical problems out the wazoo will never by another

[prod0660]

bout a 97 528 auto on lowering springs car looks great but it is a gigantic piece of crap has 200k miles electrical problems out the wazoo will never by another

have owned a few e39s and e34s all over 170K on the clock, never had serious issues, besides the cooling problems that they are known to get. as for the -40 temp gauge, when i removed my sensor for outside temp it immediately went to -40 degrees. so im guessing the sensor itself is bad. as for the cluster IDK about that other than swapping in a new cluster. and did you check all the bulbs in the back , as stupid as it may sound i always go to the dealer for bulbs, just cause i heard stories where wrong wattage and or filament and brands and whatnot trigger dash lights.

[prod0660]

Well, I just purchased a 99' 528i. Manual, Sport package, yada yada yada
Car has 170k on the clock. Runs smooth for the few days Ive had it.

Im pretty car savy, and worked at a BMW dealership ( as a porter ) for a little over a year in FL before moving out to Cali. Unfortunately, its hard to explain problems over the phone.

So i figured i'd just ask here.

1.) AC blew cold when i test drove the car, when i picked it up it no longer blows cold.
Went to charge with the gauge and R134a, as soon as the gauge is hooked to the low side, it goes straight to the red. Seems like blockage or an over charge possibly?

Second question might tie in to prior.

2.) Everything on the gauge cluster seems 'off'. RPM is the only thing that really works well.
Gas - seems spotty
Water temp - seems about right, never goes past OT
MPH - does not work at all
Digital display - MPG stays at 5.9, Temp stays at -40*, MPH ---*---, and miles till empty is definitely inaccurate. Vehicle mileage doesn't change, Trip stays at 000.1
Vehicle schematic - depicts both tail lights are out, although neither of them are.

I read as much as possible online, and seems the -40* usually means the ambient temp sensor is messed up. I looked at it, cleaned it, checked for wire damage, still nothing.
I read the ATS has a correlation with allowing the AC to get cold as well.

If theres anything you guys suggest, please let me know.

is your compressor good?

[Lukasss]

Compressor is good.
Lets take the bulbs out of the equation.

Ive been told the temp sensor being bad wont allow the AC to get cold due to the vehicle thinking its actually -40 outside and it doesnt want to ice over the compressor.

So ill have to replace that sensor and see what happens from there.

Additionally i think the LH side wheel sensor is bad, causing the rest of the problems. Well have to see what happens after replacing them.

[Exami]

Couple ideas, the AC control panel works fine? so belt drives the compressor fine? as for the instrument cluster, check the groud wires. can you go check the error codes with OBD reader?

The outside temp thing its shows -40 if its not connected, but if i remember correctly still the AC should work, in scenario that car cannot 'detect' the temp sensor..

But definetly seems that you have issue with speed sensor if i remember correctly passanger side rear wheel has the speed sensor?

I didn't have any instrument cluster errors or anything like that on my E39, bought it when it had 140 000km's on meter sold it when i had 250 000km on meter..(so i had it for ~70k miles)