Intermittent Electrical Problems...

[vrcplou]

Three words no ZHP owner wants to hear! Anyone have any experience with this? My 2004 ZHP started doing odd electrical things this summer. It seems to involve the iPod connection (aftermarket, I'm pretty sure), signals inside the car (they either don't appear to work at all, or they stay "stuck" on regardless of stalk position), digital display (dimmed), and steering controls for the stereo. All will be well, when suddenly all of that goes haywire. If you are listening to the iPod, it shuts off, but the radio still works. The signals inside the car don't display or they stay on even after you've made the turn or put the stalk in neutral position. Outside signals are thankfully not affected; they work just fine, despite what's happening in the cockpit. All of this will go, for no apparent reason, and then just as suddenly everything will start working normally. It's weird. I have it at a trusted mechanic right now for a window regulator (yes, it seems to be my summer of discontent) and he's trying to troubleshoot it, but is already telling us we might want to take it to the dealership. Which I dread, because they will bleed us dry! We are in North Texas which is extremely hot this summer. All of my cars are glitching right now and part of me wonders if it's the heat just frying circuits or something. Anyway, thought I'd throw this out there and see if anyone else has had this problem. We are at 77k or so for miles, all routine maintenance taken care of...

[jon0886]

First things first, if the iPod connection seems suspect or even remotely related, have it removed.

[Mtnman]

I agree. the ipod connection is not factory. remove it. maybe floating ground? but I would start with anything that is not factory installed first. how is the ipod connection wired in? how does the ipod plug in? Im sure we can help you through the removal of that at least....before you go dealer and spend potentially hundreds.

[vrcplou]

it's wired in to the factory radio through the glove box - it was there when we bought the car and hasn't given us problems in 4 years. But that's the only audio function that seems affected, although I haven't popped a cd in there to see if that works when everything is fritzing. The mechanic we use fixed the window but was flummoxed by the electrical issue and sent it over for eval at BMW dealership. They came back with headlight module and programming to the tune of $900+. Apparently this module controls various and sundry electrical things in the cockpit? We're probably going to bite the bullet and get this done in the next week or two. At times the problem includes the a/c, which is sucky. Might see if we can get someone to take out the iPod connection first, before shelling out $1000 to the dealership... I'll keep you posted.

[vrcplou]

Oh, and SOMEONE managed to lose the on/off/volume button for the radio, put an older one on there that's clearly worn and doesn't work right and tried to pawn it off as the original just "going bad". it was fine before and it's clearly WORN, not like the one that was there. Small beans, but grrrrrrrr...

[aurelius]

Interior electrical stuff is consistent with a known E46 issue, that being the voltage regulator (VR).

In order to determine which VR you need, first you must verify which make & model alternator your car has. ZHP's seem to all have the 120-amp Bosch alternator but there were several alternator models used in US-spec E46 models, as per realoem.

See Post #66 HERE to see what I did to determine which alt model I have. Posts 81 & 82 are also worth reading.

You are also welcome to drop by and I'll have a look. PM me, if interested.

What is your a/c system doing? Or not doing, as the case may be?