Weird Electrical Problem

digitalcassette · 06-30-2011, 07:50 AM

Was driving to work this morning (2007 Z4 roadster 2.0i) and as I accelerated to get onto the highway my Air Bag Sensor light went off (I'm staring at it going... is this ABOUT to happen?) then my tire pressure sensor started blinking. I pulled over and checked the tires. Then I turned off the vehicle because I thought I heard a hissing sound (tire air leak). When I turned the vehicle back on the radio clock was reset (--:--). I was like "crap ok gotta get to work and call the mechanic". So I drove back to work and when I was almost there I realized I had no turn signals, and then quickly realized none of my lights worked except my brights. Very fearfully worried my tail lights didn't work. AC Compressor wasn't working. Trunk button didn't work till I turned the car completely off. After I got to work I fiddled with a few things. Unplugged my iphone charger. And restarted the car. Now everything is working again. Obviously something electrical is wonky. I called my wife while I was driving and she searched around and the closest issue she could find was a video on you tube where a guy had similar problems and it ended up being his ignition switch.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Yesterday I took the car to a mechanic for a scraping noise, need new front brakes. Wanted to throw that out there as well.

Kimo · 05-15-2012, 04:15 PM

I realize that this post is from almost a year ago, but was wondering how you resolved things as I'm now having similar issues.
Thanks.

ZStig · 05-15-2012, 04:38 PM

The first thing to check is the battery connections and health of the battery in general

Kimolaoha · 05-16-2012, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roffle Waffle

The first thing to check is the battery connections and health of the battery in general

Thanks for the reply.
Yes, the battery has been tested by the Dealer and found to be fine.
Despite all of their diagnostics, they are currently stymied.

ZStig · 05-16-2012, 09:24 AM

If you can afford to, I'd replace the battery anyway if you run out of things to check. Wierd ABS, TC, Check engine lights flashing and radio cutting off and resetting the clock is a fairly common topic here, and all have been resolved with a fresh battery

RichardP · 05-17-2012, 10:36 AM

Battery, Ignition switch or an iBus fault (often caused by a 3rd party iBus device, for example iPod interface) are possible causes.

Kimolaoha · 05-17-2012, 10:49 AM

Thanks for the responses.
Dealer states that the SRS (Airbag) light had extinguished for one day and then re-illuminated. I do have a gapTech module installed (interfaces with the K-bus, and provides remote control of soft top) but the module has performed flawlessly for over a year, and the inventor indicates that it would be extremely unlikely to cause such faults even if it had malfunctioned.
I suppose my next step will be to retrieve the car, disconnect the gapTech module, and then replace the 4 year old battery.
Note that all of this has happened exactly THREE DAYS after the car went out of original warranty -- now on CPO.

elerner61 · 05-17-2012, 01:32 PM

I would go cold turkey on it. Remove any of these non-stock items you mention and get to a point where you don't have any of these failures. Then add things back in one-by-one with a period of time in between them.

4 years has been my back of thumb rule for car batteries for many years running. In other (older, less tech laden cars) beyond 4 years is when the probability of the battery not starting the car after it's been sitting, on a cold morning, etc... increases dramatically. On our Z's (and I'm sure many current cars) things just start going wonky!

Oh how I sometimes yearn for those trouble free days of Miata ownership (had 3 good ones in a row!).

Kimolaoha · 05-21-2012, 12:53 PM

Looks like it was indeed a malfunction of the gapTech module, as I removed it and all abnormalities appear to have resolved EXCEPT the SRS light -- which must of course be reset by the dealer or appropriate tool/software.
Perhaps I'm a glutton for punishment, for I have now RE-ORDERED another module. Yes, I do like it THAT much.
Thanks for all of the troubleshooting assistance.

06-30-2011, 07:50 AM	#1
digitalcassette New Member 1 Rep 14 Posts Drives: 2007 Z4 3.0i Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Southeast USA iTrader: (0)	Weird Electrical Problem Was driving to work this morning (2007 Z4 roadster 2.0i) and as I accelerated to get onto the highway my Air Bag Sensor light went off (I'm staring at it going... is this ABOUT to happen?) then my tire pressure sensor started blinking. I pulled over and checked the tires. Then I turned off the vehicle because I thought I heard a hissing sound (tire air leak). When I turned the vehicle back on the radio clock was reset (--:--). I was like "crap ok gotta get to work and call the mechanic". So I drove back to work and when I was almost there I realized I had no turn signals, and then quickly realized none of my lights worked except my brights. Very fearfully worried my tail lights didn't work. AC Compressor wasn't working. Trunk button didn't work till I turned the car completely off. After I got to work I fiddled with a few things. Unplugged my iphone charger. And restarted the car. Now everything is working again. Obviously something electrical is wonky. I called my wife while I was driving and she searched around and the closest issue she could find was a video on you tube where a guy had similar problems and it ended up being his ignition switch. Thoughts? Suggestions? Yesterday I took the car to a mechanic for a scraping noise, need new front brakes. Wanted to throw that out there as well.
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05-15-2012, 04:15 PM	#2
Kimo Lieutenant 40 Rep 525 Posts Drives: E31 E90 F25 MCS Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Maryland iTrader: (0)	I realize that this post is from almost a year ago, but was wondering how you resolved things as I'm now having similar issues. Thanks. __________________
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05-15-2012, 04:38 PM	#3
ZStig instagram 997turbotom 279 Rep 7,377 Posts Drives: Interlagos Z4MR Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Delray Beach, FL iTrader: (4)	The first thing to check is the battery connections and health of the battery in general __________________
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05-16-2012, 09:24 AM	#5
ZStig instagram 997turbotom 279 Rep 7,377 Posts Drives: Interlagos Z4MR Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Delray Beach, FL iTrader: (4)	If you can afford to, I'd replace the battery anyway if you run out of things to check. Wierd ABS, TC, Check engine lights flashing and radio cutting off and resetting the clock is a fairly common topic here, and all have been resolved with a fresh battery __________________
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05-17-2012, 10:36 AM	#6
RichardP Lieutenant 51 Rep 591 Posts Drives: E39 M5 & M6 Gran Coupe Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: North Yorkshire, UK iTrader: (0) Garage List 2013 BMW M6 Gran Coupe [10.00] 1980 E26 [10.00] 2003 BMW M5 [10.00]	Battery, Ignition switch or an iBus fault (often caused by a 3rd party iBus device, for example iPod interface) are possible causes.
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05-17-2012, 10:49 AM	#7
Kimolaoha Enlisted Member 6 Rep 43 Posts Drives: 2008 Z4 3.0si Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Maryland iTrader: (0)	Thanks for the responses. Dealer states that the SRS (Airbag) light had extinguished for one day and then re-illuminated. I do have a gapTech module installed (interfaces with the K-bus, and provides remote control of soft top) but the module has performed flawlessly for over a year, and the inventor indicates that it would be extremely unlikely to cause such faults even if it had malfunctioned. I suppose my next step will be to retrieve the car, disconnect the gapTech module, and then replace the 4 year old battery. Note that all of this has happened exactly THREE DAYS after the car went out of original warranty -- now on CPO.
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05-17-2012, 01:32 PM	#8
elerner61 Major 157 Rep 1,107 Posts Drives: '07 Z4M Roadster Join Date: May 2011 Location: Mount Kisco, NY iTrader: (0)	I would go cold turkey on it. Remove any of these non-stock items you mention and get to a point where you don't have any of these failures. Then add things back in one-by-one with a period of time in between them. 4 years has been my back of thumb rule for car batteries for many years running. In other (older, less tech laden cars) beyond 4 years is when the probability of the battery not starting the car after it's been sitting, on a cold morning, etc... increases dramatically. On our Z's (and I'm sure many current cars) things just start going wonky! Oh how I sometimes yearn for those trouble free days of Miata ownership (had 3 good ones in a row!).
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05-21-2012, 12:53 PM	#9
Kimolaoha Enlisted Member 6 Rep 43 Posts Drives: 2008 Z4 3.0si Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Maryland iTrader: (0)	Looks like it was indeed a malfunction of the gapTech module, as I removed it and all abnormalities appear to have resolved EXCEPT the SRS light -- which must of course be reset by the dealer or appropriate tool/software. Perhaps I'm a glutton for punishment, for I have now RE-ORDERED another module. Yes, I do like it THAT much. Thanks for all of the troubleshooting assistance.
	Appreciate 0 Quote