[PARANOlD]

Was trying to get to my hidden menu to check my running battery voltage, and I've tried the usual way to get to the "lock" step, but my console won't get there.

I've tried holding odo button for 10+ seconds with key in, with ignition on and car off, and with car running. The warning symbol comes on when I initially press, but it eventually goods dark again.

If it was strobing or something the initial screen would keep coming up, but it goes dark. I've made this work on other 3 series but not this one. Maybe it has nothing to hide?

Thanks for any ideas.

[ctuna]

Do you have a tune ? If you do does it have a bypass map?

[PARANOlD]

Yeah, I have a Cobb tuner with an E30 map. Wasn't aware of that causing issues with hidden menu. Now I'm wondering if one of the gauges can be set for battery voltage. I'll check that today, thanks.

[ctuna]

This will also cause issues if you take it into a BMW dealership
and they try to run diagnostics unless it has bypass settings.

[pedro2u]

From past experience - it could also be a problem in the cluster since this sounds exactly like the problem I had on my 2005 E46 ZHP.

Worth considering this.......

I couldn't access the E46 menu there either, and the problem turned out to be the odometer push button on the cluster had internally broken tabs (those nubs sticking out mid way down the shaft - see the picture) - and that's what contacts the switch. The plastic gets brittle with age and the tabs snap off.

And with that not working, you couldn't access anything. The E9x has 1 of these buttons while the E46 has more functionality requiring 2 of buttons in the cluster

50sKid did a great video for fixing it on the E46 which is what I had to do, and I'm guessing it could be the same design on the E9x. Ignore that he describes it as not being able to set your clock, he was addressing the E46 right hand button - but the 2 plastic buttons themselves are identical