Anyone here have experience replacing their general module? Particularly E46 3 series and other BMW's around that era that used these magic boxes.
This is the computer that essentially controls the locks, windows, and pretty much everything that makes life easier. Mine was bad when I bought it, and they swapped one in from a wagon (mine is a sedan), I'm starting to think that a proper sedan GM should have been used and is causing some odd issues. Any ideas or thoughts? I could purchase a used one, but being that cash is tight these days, I would like to make sure that I am headed down the right road of electrical annoyance.
What is yours doing that is not correct? Helpful to know.
Well when I got it, the locks, windows, mirrors, trunk release, etc would not work. Doors wouldn't even open with the handle from inside, nor the console door switch. Only the driver side would work. So we figured it out that the GM had gone bad. They pulled another from a 2002 wagon (mine is a 2003 Xi sedan) and it largely solved the problem of the locks, but now the car keeps thinking that the trunk is open (it's not) and the mirrors stopped functioning and the alarm no longer beeps/arms (which I believe just needs to be coded again at the GM level since it was reset). From my understanding, the recoding won't solve the trunk or mirrior issue. I see a used box on ebay for $100 (new ones are over $800!) from a 2003 sedan. Worth buying and trying?
redhookfern wrote:
Well when I got it, the locks, windows, mirrors, trunk release, etc would not work. Doors wouldn't even open with the handle from inside, nor the console door switch. Only the driver side would work. So we figured it out that the GM had gone bad. They pulled another from a 2002 wagon (mine is a 2003 Xi sedan) and it largely solved the problem of the locks, but now the car keeps thinking that the trunk is open (it's not) and the mirrors stopped functioning and the alarm no longer beeps/arms (which I believe just needs to be coded again at the GM level since it was reset). From my understanding, the recoding won't solve the trunk or mirrior issue. I see a used box on ebay for $100 (new ones are over $800!) from a 2003 sedan. Worth buying and trying?
I would probably try it, but I would also make friends with someone in your area who can do coding. I found a few guys locally on E46Fanatics.com when I had my coupe that were happy to do it for a few beers.
Coding should take care of the trunk issue, I had that specific problem a few weeks back after installing an early e46 GM into a later e46.
