Icon light up dashboard of E46

**BMW 3SM** · 27-06-2006, 01:26 PM

Hi,

Car did not come with manual so want to confirm the meaning of this icon - the description is a box with wave like positioned on left bottom of dash board lighting up in yellow once awhile. Going for a long drive up North so need to confirm this is non-critical.

Thanks

**piggyboyz** · 27-06-2006, 01:35 PM

Take a picture of the icon with ur phone and post it here so that we can be more precise in telling u what the icon means...

**BMW 3SM** · 30-06-2006, 10:24 AM

Thanks for the reply;
I topped the water tank and so far the light did not reappear anymore, even though the tank was 3/4 full.

Is there a sensor for water level?

Without manual even basic things will be uncertain! Wonder where to get a manual

**mustaffalj** · 30-06-2006, 12:50 PM

It better to have your mechanic check before travelling far north, it an experience with me previously, It might have a small leaking on your expand plastic radiator which is common for E46,

Regards

**piggyboyz** · 30-06-2006, 01:22 PM

Reading the initial post again, i realised that it is your radiator water level light that has come on...

And U mentioned that u going to malaysia. Please get it check cos if there is sufficient water and the light came on, it's not a good sign. I got exactly the same problem but when i check, there is sufficient water... Then the expansion tank burst !!!

The sensor rely on some magnetic field and it's under the expansion tank, which is kept dry. The reason it light up, according to the Road Side Assistance Team, is that it sense that there is not enough water, due to the expansion.

It only cost $80 if u buy a OEM one...

**yendor** · 30-06-2006, 03:06 PM

once the light comes on, it is a signal that the water level has dropped below the min. Sometimes it results in an air pocket forming in the Cylinder head. When you top up the expansion tank, release the bleed screw slightly and check if the water level in the tank goes down. if it does then you've just released the air. Thereafter close the screw and top up the tank to the necessary level.

cheers

**kenntona** · 30-06-2006, 03:20 PM

OT a bit, what about the yellow light with the circling arrows and "A" in the middle? Some ASC/DSC related stuff? Mine lit up intermittently recently.

**shaaz** · 30-06-2006, 04:10 PM

Originally Posted by kenntona

OT a bit, what about the yellow light with the circling arrows and "A" in the middle? Some ASC/DSC related stuff? Mine lit up intermittently recently.

that means ur DSC was working its ass off to keep u frm sliding!!!... haha.. okok..

serious serious.. it really does mean that during that time u saw the light come on and off , the tyres were slipping abit, dsc came in to cut abit of the power to get ur tyres back on traction.. no biggie..

P/S: BRO.. i hope u do noe this and just playing blur hor... but nvm.. i still ans for u ...

**kenntona** · 30-06-2006, 04:13 PM

Originally Posted by shaaz

that means ur DSC was working its ass off to keep u frm sliding!!!... haha.. okok..

serious serious.. it really does mean that during that time u saw the light come on and off , the tyres were slipping abit, dsc came in to cut abit of the power to get ur tyres back on traction.. no biggie..

P/S: BRO.. i hope u do noe this and just playing blur hor... but nvm.. i still ans for u ...

I read this somewhere, remember it linked to the DSC stuff. Just wanna reassure myself nothing to do with anything else...... it popped when I was trying to reach home before one of the World Cup games, and the road was not exactly even......

**martmode8850** · 30-06-2006, 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by yendor

once the light comes on, it is a signal that the water level has dropped below the min. Sometimes it results in an air pocket forming in the Cylinder head. When you top up the expansion tank, release the bleed screw slightly and check if the water level in the tank goes down. if it does then you've just released the air. Thereafter close the screw and top up the tank to the necessary level.

cheers

yendor has the correct procedure to top up radiator water...

got my coolent replaced last week at PML... those buggers tightened the cap until a small fellow like me too weak to open it... call them to complain... they got their emergency service to come down... tech said it is not meant to be opened... he said BMW dont need to top up water... huh??? he loosened the cap and put an indicator mark to make sure that it must be tightened to it... he advised that if we just pour water without releasing the bleed screw, we might just trap air... so the process must be adhered to... cheem man...