POGI

I bought my '04 530i used from an infinity dealership here in dallas,tx. When I got the car it had an SOS malfunction (triangle on the dashboard). So I had my car serviced at a bmw dealership to have the sos malfunction fixed together with the loose muffler hanger, broken rear vent and "A" pillar cloth coming off. I got a call from my advisor yesterday telling me that my windshield broke while they were in the process of fixing the cloth on the A pillar and they will replace it free. Now I got another call from my advisor telling me that I have to pay $100+ for the SOS malfunction diagnosis because he said the tech found out somebody removed the fuse that caused the sos malfunction and it is not be covered by warranty. Is there really a fuse just for the SOS? <_<

the-oneil

Not sure about this, but I will check the fuse box and let you know if I find something.

the-oneil

I looked up the chart in the toolbox (boot/trunk) and there is no mention of a specific SOS fuse.

I have the same problem and took it to the dealer who said they will have to order a Telematic Control Unit (TCU), which has now arrived and I am going in next week for that.

I'd say your dealer is trying to take you for a ride :thumbsdown: , don't let them get away with this.

my $0.02

POGI

maybe because they accidentally broke my windshield and now they looking for something that they can charge me for. And for just those things that I complained to be repaired, my car is still at the dealership, I brought it tuesday and they said it will be monday when they will be done with the car. I think that's too long for such minor problems.

the-oneil

No, it is even more indication of their lies. They will have to replace the TCU and that will require re-programming the vehicle with the new software. This process - as discussed in many threads before - is lengthy and many dealers prefer to do it overnight.

If it was the fuse, this is a 2 minutes job. The windscreen is a couple of hours job. Unless there are more things to be done to the car?
If not, I would go pick up the car on monday (IF it is ready) and ask the dealer to show me the location of the fuse they replaced, so if it goes off again, I know where to look and replace it myself , If he shows it to you, UNPLUG it and start the car to see if the SOS error pops up again.

I could again be wrong, if I am I am sure someone here will come up with the answer. But I could not find this fuse on the chart.

pa550

I believe the SOS is on a different direct circuit from the battery than the rest of the electronics of the car. This is necessary becuase in case of a severe accident, there is a fusable link that pops to shut down all power to the car. Becuase SOS needs power in the event of an accident, there needs to be a redunant, second circuit. I know this becuase when my car was new, the SOS wasn't working. My car was on display at the 2006 Detroit auto show, and they discconnected the SOS circuit so no one would activate it. Before deliering it to me, they forgot to hook it back up, and it wasn't until after I bought it did the tech at the local dealer figure it out.

POGI

I will probably try to ask my service advisor where the fuse is and from there I'll see if sos really have a fuse. Actually when I first met my advisor and told him about the SOS he told me that most of the time the will have to replace the telematics but it's on backorder (about 800 ahead of me). Then all of a sudden he called me back and say it's just a missing fuse.

the-oneil

Same was said to me here in the UK, it is on back order and will take 3/4 weeks to arrive from Germany.