How do I decipher the digital dash? - United Bimmer Community

**mincemeat** · 03-29-2006, 03:08 AM

When I start up my E36 318i, the following parts of the digital odometer part of the dashboard lighted up:

#1. odometer
#2. trip meter
#3. a circular symbol that looked like a clock
#4. seven squares at the bottom -
the rightmost green square was filled in, all the others were outlines.

The car didn't come with a users' manual so unfortunately I don't know what the #3 and #4 symbols mean...

Is that some kind of symbol for service intervals? If so how do I read it?

Thanks

**cainchapman** · 03-29-2006, 04:18 AM

#4 is the Service lights. They should light up when you start the car. They work from 5 green lights on down to 1 green light, then an amber and then the red to let you know when to get a Service. It should also tell you which service. i.e Oil Service, Service 1 or Service 2.

**tomctx** · 03-29-2006, 07:46 AM

#3 sounds like the transmission module light. Hopefully, you have an automatic transmission. It always lights up when the car is started, but should go out. If it's still on, need to check transmission. Looks like a circle with dots around and exclamation point inside?

**mincemeat** · 03-29-2006, 02:01 PM

No, it's a manual and the icon looked like a round analogue clock - its at the same row as the "service" and "inspection" indicators. It goes out the same time as the service lights below it...

**bitcore** · 03-31-2006, 11:57 AM

if the lights go out after the car starts, then everything should be fine and it's going through it's self-test.

**daki77** · 03-31-2006, 07:09 PM

This is a bit off-topic....but not that much...and I don't have intention to steal this subject from a guy who posted it, but I think I really shouldn't open new thread 'cause of my question and it's kinda related to the question mincemeat posted....

The thing is - I have a car for two weeks only (it's E36 325i 1993., Euro spec.) and I know my right turn repetitor is not working...so I am kinda worried if maybe there is another (more important?) light that is not operable....so, my question to you guys: what lights do you get lit up when starting a car? I get what mincemeat gets, of course, and with key in position 3, I get two red lights beside blue (high beam) light (its oil light and another one, I cant remember now...), plus in lower right part of a instrument board 3 more red lights come up lit and yellow abs light...and that's it?! Should there be one or two more?! And, when I had "tail light failure", I was also getting yellow "CHECK" light, but I fixed that by now, so the above mentioned lights are the only ones that get lit up. Of course, after the car is started, they "dissapear"...