[outdoorsy]

I'm new on here, happy to have found you as my little 3 series is testing me to the limits. Car has 128,000 on and full BMW service up until 90,000. Had this 2001 car two years this month and the past two months I have had no end of new parts and problems, not to mention labour costs. New radiator, water pump, oil leak fixed and oil service, new alternator, rear brake discs, pads, shoes and levers, bushes and wishbone arms.

Brakes still rubbing and cable popping under car, mechanic tells me I now need new disc plates to solve this but he had told me I needed new cable to solve it, then said it wasn't the cable its now the plates, so cables went back and plates on order. ABS light, anti skid light and handbrake light have been on for about 6 months now and still on. ABS sensor on order.

To top it all my ignition barrel failed, two hours of wriggling and manipulating key to finally accept it wasn't going to work. Mechanic came and to cut a long story short I am now starting my car with a screwdriver awaiting my new barrel from Germany.

This morning my EML came on yellow and hasn't gone out, tonight driving home my car just cut out whilst driving along, had to stop on a main road hold key over reader and start car again with screwdriver...nightmare! Nobody gives you 5 seconds to sort yourself out, they are far too busy honking their horns.

Got home eventually and couldnt wait to get out of my nightmare on wheels. Please can you tell me is the cutting out and EML due to my ignition switch as neither happened before my ignition switch failed, any help appreciated

[floydarogers]

Originally Posted by outdoorsy

I'm new on here, happy to have found you as my little 3 series is testing me to the limits. Car has 128,000 on and full BMW service up until 90,000. Had this 2001 car two years this month and the past two months I have had no end of new parts and problems, not to mention labour costs. New radiator, water pump, oil leak fixed and oil service, new alternator, rear brake discs, pads, shoes and levers, bushes and wishbone arms.

Brakes still rubbing and cable popping under car, mechanic tells me I now need new disc plates to solve this but he had told me I needed new cable to solve it, then said it wasn't the cable its now the plates, so cables went back and plates on order. ABS light, anti skid light and handbrake light have been on for about 6 months now and still on. ABS sensor on order.

To top it all my ignition barrel failed, two hours of wriggling and manipulating key to finally accept it wasn't going to work. Mechanic came and to cut a long story short I am now starting my car with a screwdriver awaiting my new barrel from Germany.

This morning my EML came on yellow and hasn't gone out, tonight driving home my car just cut out whilst driving along, had to stop on a main road hold key over reader and start car again with screwdriver...nightmare! Nobody gives you 5 seconds to sort yourself out, they are far too busy honking their horns.

Got home eventually and couldnt wait to get out of my nightmare on wheels. Please can you tell me is the cutting out and EML due to my ignition switch as neither happened before my ignition switch failed, any help appreciated

Unfortunately, you have posted in a forum dedicated to the most recent model of the 3-series. Some of the people here will have no idea at all on what is going on... even I, who had an E46, aren't exactly knowledgeable on the problems you're having (although I would have been doing the brake work myself and probably wouldn't be in your pickle there.)

Try the E46fanatics forums - www.e46fanatics.com. Also, the bimmerfest and bimmerforum websites have e46 specific forums:
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/for...sprune=-1&f=98
http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/fo...1999-2006-(E46)

Good luck.

[cncmastr]

For what it's worth, when you are at those upper limits of mileage, things start to break and need to be replaced. The E46 isn't an E30. I feel your pain, my E53 is virtually brand new with all the new parts I threw at it.

[outdoorsy]

Thank you for coming back to me, I appreciate it. I will try your link. Its definitely nearly a new car again with all the new parts, its painful that's for sure. Thank you!