I have a 90 740 GL 220,000+ miles. When you turn the key to position I the SRS light comes on, as well as the seat belt light, oil light and check engine light. (So obviously a lot of lights aren't coming on at all.) When you turn it to II (run) the seat belt light, oil light and ck engine light go out, the SRS goes out after 6 seconds. When driving the car intermittently one of the lights in the center very dimly glows for a second, I'm not sure if it is the alternator light or the SRS malfunction light, it is red. I haven't been able to get it to glow today before I got on here to write this. Can a bad alternator cause this or is it a short. I checked the warning panel fuses. Also there is no fuse in one hole that is labeled SRS test. Should there be? We are original owners I assume there never was one. Thanks for suggestions, dealer can't look at the car for a week, I need to send it back to my son at college. Also, how do you know when it is time to put one of these out to pasture? It looks great, runs great, just seems to need a lot of minor and semi-major things done to it lately.

Pasture? I'm in a 1985 745t that doesn't look great (some rust at bottom of doors, rocker panels now "holey"), starts and runs great, and has some woooooorn seats. Like anything else you do a cost benefit analysis based on your needs and wants; if the cost of maintaining a car you now own completely (figure couple grand a year) is greater than the cost of paying off a new car under warranty (figure couple grand a year) then sell it and upgrade. If the reverse keep it.

If your looking for your kid then stick with the brick. You won't find many cars with the kind of safety that the brick provides in terms of sheer indestructibility. I don't like all this plastic crap going on these days, and it makes me feel good to know that I'm sitting in a giant piece of steel when I'm hurling down the road at 80mph. Of course and air bag would be nice, but 1985 technology wasn't that sharp. ;)

As for the lights:

1. Check all grounds. This includes the dash grounds under the fuse panel, etc. I would even just check ALL the grounds, including all theones in the negine compartment, the ones in the back for the lights, and the one under the floor by the driver's rear wheel well for the fuel sender. You should do this anyway to make sure it is in tip top, so why not now.

2. Jiggle the key a little (slight turn off position 1 or 2). Do you get a change n the electronics? if so your inition switch is worn. This happens over time, and is especially likely iwth heavy keychains. You need to replace the silver "revolver chamber" looking thing on the back of the ignition switch assembly (pull cluster, look down on right).

3. Check the wiring at the fuse panel for wear, disconnection, slips, etc. Make sure all female connectors are tightly affixed to fuse tray prongs on underside.

4. Check the warning lamp relay. Its the round one in the back left of the relay tray, at least it is on my 1985. If that relay is going you might see those types of problems. You might replace it with a junker one or a new one and seeif that makes a difference (hard to test it).

Post with a follow-up.

-rt