BMW 7 Series E32 (1986–1994) — common faults, maintenance guides and repair tips.
The most common cause is worn clutch packs (friction plates), which means the gearbox needs a rebuild. The packs can also be destroyed because the oil...
Common causes are a wiring harness fault, a speed sensor fault, a worn valve body and an internal gearbox fault, for example a bearing. In limp mode o...
EML controls the engine's two electric throttle bodies, and the engine has no throttle cable. It regulates the air quantity of each cylinder bank base...
See whether the compressor pulley turns when the A/C is switched on. There is a gap between the magnetic clutch and the pulley, which must close. If t...
On the M70 engine the weight of the intake manifold and throttle body housing rests on the gaskets, so they harden and leak. The original gaskets almo...
Common leak points are the plastic joint at the top of the radiator and a crack in the plastic end tank, the drain plug at the bottom edge, and an old...
Probably. On 750 models the booster is hydraulic, and its pressure accumulator does not hold pressure. The assist is missing until the pump builds the...
The most common cause is warped brake discs. They warp easily if they are worn below the permitted minimum thickness. The vibration is typically felt ...
The most common cause is a worn centre bearing or its rubber, which has stretched or shifted off-centre. Also check the driveshaft support bearings, t...
Usually one of the lock motors has stuck or shifted. The cause can be the driver's or passenger's door motor, moisture in the boot lock motor, or a st...
The most common cause is a stuck water valve that lets too much hot water into the heater. The valve often sticks open because of limescale deposits, ...
There is a sweet glycol smell in the cabin, the windows fog up with a sticky film and the floor or its insulation is wet. You can tell the film from w...
The alternator gets its excitation current from the ignition switch through the charging light. If the light does not come on, the alternator does not...
The most common cause is worn capacitors in the cluster. Symptoms are swinging or dead gauges, and a speedometer and tachometer that do not work, espe...
Play can be in the radius arm bushings, the tie rods, the centre rod, the steering shaft universal joint and the steering box mounting bracket. The fa...
Pentosin CHF 7.1 (mineral-based) or CHF 11 (synthetic). The fluids must not be mixed, and ATF oil must not be used. Febi 6162 corresponds to CHF 7.1 a...
Often it is. A pump that sticks intermittently makes the engine stall and run poorly. Replacing the pump fixes the fault. Tapping may make the pump wo...
The most common cause is either the blower series resistor (a speed controller, also called the "sword") or worn bearings in the blower motor. It is w...
The most common causes are wheel imbalance, incorrect wheel centring, loose suspension bushings and a worn propshaft. Check the tyres and wheels first...
The most common causes are worn or discharged accumulators (pressure reservoirs), leaking rear shock absorbers and hydraulic leaks. If the rear end fe...
The cause is often the light box's yellow relay, whose solder joints or pins have cracked. The fault can come and go randomly, and sometimes it shows ...
In the M30 engine the cause is often lack of lubrication to the camshaft, where worn cams break the rocker arms. The valve train is never completely s...