Weird ODO reading - United Bimmer Community

**twistd6** · 04-04-2010, 08:00 PM

Howdy folks! I'm a newbie here - just got my first ever Bimmer yesterday - 88 325iC. What an amazing machine! I drove it 90 miles home and the odometer & trip meters both logged maybe 15 of those miles. The speedo seems fine (a couple mph under actual speed). Been driving it around all day & same thing. Is the odo tied to the computer on these or maybe do I have a frazzed secondary cable? I'm kinda thinking that the 97K showing isn't even close to the actual mileage.

**Bimmerman4ever** · 04-09-2010, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twistd6

Howdy folks! I'm a newbie here - just got my first ever Bimmer yesterday - 88 325iC. What an amazing machine! I drove it 90 miles home and the odometer & trip meters both logged maybe 15 of those miles. The speedo seems fine (a couple mph under actual speed). Been driving it around all day & same thing. Is the odo tied to the computer on these or maybe do I have a frazzed secondary cable? I'm kinda thinking that the 97K showing isn't even close to the actual mileage.

From experience, of owning four E30 models 86, two 88s, & 89, is that the rechargeable NiCad batteries in the gauge cluster can cause improper readings when failing.

The fix is to buy a AA battery pack and two AA NiCad batteries from Radio Shack. Take the cluster out and solder in the +/- wires to the pack to the soldering points to where the old batteries are mounted.

This of course is after you take the old batteries out.

I only had this happen to my 86 and not my other E30s.

**twistd6** · 04-09-2010, 08:24 PM

I'll give it a shot. The odometer has completely died now. Thanks!