[chrisGB]

Does anyone know where I can buy a replacement LED Indicator/Switch for a standard Dealer fit 3G EWS alarm system - 1999 vintage E36. It's the LED that sits in front of the gear lever, next to the ASC disarm button, and does two jobs (or it did) - obviously flashing to indicate the alarm state, but it also acts as a switch to disable motion detectors when we leave dogs in the car - press and hold it down until it flashes.

My LED lost an argument with a particularly powerful vacuum cleaner, and although I've recovered all the bits, it won't go back together.:frown

My local dealer tells me the part is now discontinued by BMW. I can find simple LED's elsewhere, but nothing that acts as a switch also.

Thanks in advance for any ideas/suggestions.

 

[joylove]

Is it one of these?

http://www.bmminiparts.com/PartDetails.aspx?InventoryId=1E04EA33-C908-480C-B0A4-07EE8AEF3A64
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/partxref.do?part=82+92+9401797&showus=on&showeur=on

http://www.bmminiparts.com/PartDetails.aspx?InventoryId=43DB30D6-F506-4822-8B8D-3FE3C081D64D
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/partxref.do?part=82+92+9401935&showus=on&showeur=on

Snooze you loose with bm mini parts. They may never get stock again of that part.

 

[billywhizz1984]

You are in luck, this guy has some new-old stock genuine LEDs...

[url]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280641444305&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:VRI[/URL]

 

[chrisGB]

Many, many thanks Joylove and Billywhizz - I've just purchased the part suggested by Billywhizz, as it looks identical to the one digested by our Vacuum.

I've also made a donation to the running costs of this excellent resource, on your behalf - thanks again.

 

[billywhizz1984]

Thanks. It is nice to help a new member who appreciates us!

 

[chrisGB]

Just updating this thread after fitting the new LED, for the benefit of anyone in the future who may want to do the same job.

The LED is wired back to the alarm control unit, accessed by removing the complete glovebox. Now there may be a special technique (or tool) for removing the three old connectors from the connector block on the alarm module, but looking at the new connectors, I concluded that I was never going to be able to remove the old ones without damaging something. I therefore decided to cut both the old and new cables, and splice the two together - the old, still connected cable, to the new LED cable. Soldered joints would have been best, but I used a connector block, and it worked just fine - everything is working as it should again.

With the benefit of hindsight, if I were to do the job again, I'd firstly leave the glovebox well alone, and start by removing the OBC unit, then the trim below, which actually houses the LED (both have to come out anyway to access the LED) and having a good look at how much spare cable I can gently pull through from the glovebox area - there is plenty in there, it's quite long.

If you can get enough 'old' cable to work on, I'd do the cutting/splicing at the LED end, leaving the connector block behind the lower trim when you refit it. There's plenty of room behind there, you just need to make sure the connector is not directly underneath the new LED - otherwise it will push the LED out as you push the trim back into place.

A fiddly, glovebox out, job becomes a ten minute, join three wires job, and on my particular car, there was more than enough spare 'old' cable to do the job at the LED end. Hope that helps someone in the future.

 

[Ronnie]

Cheers for the update Chris, great post. :thumbsup

 

[billywhizz1984]

If you can't find a genuine LED there is a workaround as shown here....

[url]http://www.bimmerforums.co.uk/forum/f8/1991-e36-318i-alarm-led-last-thing-to-t45729/[/URL]

 

[Cataclysm]

Thanks for that little guide, helped me to replace mine just now, took me literally 10 mins start to finish!!