MyE28.com

Hi Folks,

I've got an 88 M5 which has a red and yellow light permanently on where the service lights are. I thought the service lights were only supposed to be temporarily on before you start the car and then disappear. Is this normal? I'd post a pic but can't figure how to do that. When I click on the tab for inserting a pic, it posts [img] on the screen, but no way to follow through.]

Thanks!

If by "normal" you mean "intended" operation, no. It's "normal" in that the SI board and lights frequently end up malfunctioning. You can disconnect them or go about fixing the board if it's important to you to have the function.

For the picture issue, please read the FAQ: https://www.mye28.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=147488

Shawn nailed it. No, it is not normal for the SI board to stay illuminated. I have had my tach out a few times to replace bulbs, clean contacts, etc etc. The SI soldering points commonly get janked up. And the batteries are not lifetime parts. That said, it might be better for us, with cars getting very old now, to disable the SI board altogether. You really don't need the car to tell you when to service now do you? If you want this, the SI board needs to be resoldered, and batteries replaced, which need someone with soldering skills. Ivo Christov provides this service, if you send him the board or the entire tachometer.

Did you first check what a light that is on, either of them, is for, e.g. a brake light bulb (out or loose)? For my 88 M5 all the check lights work every time, the car has 182K miles.

Thanks, Roger

It is normal for the Yellow and Red light to stay on if your SII has been cycled to indicate a needed service. This cycled is indicated by the service needed being illuminated too. On whenever the car is on.

The Green light(s) will go out but the Yellow and Red lights stay on, constant reminder. A reset of the Service Interval Indicator might work to turn off the non-green lights.

Cycled SII is by usage (mileage, hot starts and such programmed into the system) or by time as the system cycles annually for service.

If you ignore the Yellow and Red lights with the Inspection or Oil Service light also on, you can get it to where the other indicated service illuminates, too. I'm rolling that way now, Yellow, 2-Red, Oil Service and Inspection are all lit up. Early SII has three Red lights that can illuminate and the third one comes on if I'm out driving around for a while but then doesn't light up next start up.

I'll reset it sometime, probably sooner if I drove the car at night a lot.