Is there a quick way to disable "TCS" & "Slip" dash lights?

[TViking]

Before I get badgered about just fixing it, I will preface that this pertains to a Florida garaged, maintained, pearl white 94' Q45t that I have had for the last eleven years and everything works perfectly. It's stock in every respect except for Tokico Blues and a front tower brace. I'm not trying to jury rig, I just want to spend the remaing $ this car deserves in the right area.

Over time when first starting the car I noticed a quick high pitched groan coming from the right front fender area. It only happend when cold and went away. Well gradually it got worse and when I put my hand on the TCS actuator I could feel it giving a quick grind noise. Now my Slip and TCS Off lights are on all the time except for when I do a cold start and it occasionally resets, does the grinding sound thing again from the actuator and then turns the "Slip" and "TCS off" lights on.

I'm just starting to investigate using Alldata and other info but I greatly suspect the TCS actuator has gone south. If I do diagnose that the TCS actuator is bad, is there a way to turn off the lights "Slip" & "TCS Off" without disabling anything else?

I live in Florida and the ability to prevent rear wheel spin is hardly a concern. This car has the Hicas and I obviously want to keep ABS. Is there a simple fuse or relay pull that will turn off the lights?

I love my Q but buying a new $$$$ TCS actuator is not going to happen for this old BMW beater.

[Infinitiguy19]

Short answer: Not easily

You have to remove the instrument console and then remove the TCS OFF and SLIP light bulbs.

But I would just find a low millage junker and pull the TCS actuator, removal is simple per FSM.

[silver2k2]

local pick and pull has a 80k Q I can check on a price if you want, pull the dash and the light bulb

[qsiguy]

SLIP light is easy. In the TCS controller harness in the trunk. Still need to figure out the TCS OFF light. The diagram is in the FSM page EL-45. The SLIP light is green/red and was the only one I noticed in the TCS/ABS controller harness in the trunk. After it was cut the SLIP light was gone.

The TCS OFF output wire is Yellow/orange. I found two yellow/orange wires in the harness but the TCS OFF light stayed on after cutting them both. Something else is keeping the light on but I didn't see it on the diagram on EL-45. My car is not operational at the moment so I can't do all the tests I wanted to.

I mostly wanted to loose the SLIP light myself, TCS OFF is no biggie because even when it was working I always shut it off.

Here's a shot of the SLIP wire cut in the harness in the trunk under the rear deck.

[Infinitiguy19]

Wouldn't removing the lights be easier?

Hope you never sell it.

[unknown007]

Yeah takes 1hr the first time once you do it the 2nd it's easier or maybe your lucky.I've done it 4times.

[qsiguy]

How is removing the instrument panel and pulling lights easier? Took me about 5 min to find this wire and cut it. Will take about 2 minutes to reconnect it if I want to.

Have you noticed all I've done to my car? A cut SLIP light wire is extremely insignificant in caparison should I ever decide to sell.

Or are you referring to changing out the actuator?.....

[Infinitiguy19]

No I just mean that I don't like cutting an spicing the cars harness because I have heard to many things go wrong from people that don't know what there doing, But you obliviously do, But I am talking about people who aren't as electronically experienced as you.

And I just don't like cutting anything factory unless easily replaceable.

But pulling the lights behind the dash seems like a better solution because when you remove the lights nothing happens, But if you were to cut then reconnect the wire you might run the risk of intermittent problems due to an intermittent connection, Again that does'nt apply to you but others.

No disrespect meant.

[unknown007]

How is removing the instrument panel and pulling lights easier? Took me about 5 min to find this wire and cut it. Will take about 2 minutes to reconnect it if I want to.

Have you noticed all I've done to my car? A cut SLIP light wire is extremely insignificant in caparison should I ever decide to sell.

Or are you referring to changing out the actuator?.....

Well in your case i'd do the same.Just cut it but in the other guy's case i'd remove the instrument.

[viso]

I assume that you've already checked out the posts regarding Slip and TCS lights staying on? If both come on at the same time, you may have simply blow your little blue relays nestled underneath your batter.

This happened on my 94Q. The relays cost $30 CAD each and you need two of them. The part number is 25230-89981. As mentioned, they are blue relays.

Remove your battery and the battery tray. Off the edge of the metal under-tray, you will find both relays attached to a couple of metal tangs. After much struggling you will remove both relays and, after more struggling, separate the relay boxes from their plugs. Replace the relays and hook the battery up again.

As soon as I did this, both of my lights went off and my TCS came back to life. Apparently, this is quite a common problem.