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Thread: DSC & Brake Light

  1. #1
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    DSC & Brake Light

    I was driving home from dinner and the DSC & Brake Light went on at the same time. I pulled over and turned off and turned on the car again. A few seconds of driving it came on again. What gives?


  2. #2
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    You won't know for sure until you put a scanner/code reader on the system.
    Dan "PbFut" Rose

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by PbFut View Post
    You won't know for sure until you put a scanner/code reader on the system.
    Ok I will put the scanner to it first thing in the morning.

  4. #4
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    Same problem I had and it was a bad wheel sensor... (2001 M Coupe)

  5. #5
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    Wow, your car has only 28.5k miles? I want!

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by GBPaterson View Post
    Wow, your car has only 28.5k miles? I want!
    Thanks! Yep I got it with 23k miles, the PO was an older lady who only used it on the weekends.

    Quote Originally Posted by Chuck Norris View Post
    Same problem I had and it was a bad wheel sensor... (2001 M Coupe)
    I'm gonna try to use brake cleaner to clean each one first. Then if the DSC and Brake light still show up then i'll order new ones.

  7. #7
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    I am experiencing the same problem about once a month. It goes away after I turn off the car so I haven't been able to get a code reader on it yet. Everything points to bad ABS/wheel position sensors. If I can read the code, will it let me know which one is going bad or will it give a more general error message?

  8. #8
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    For me, at first, it was once in a while. Sometimes it would turn off on its own, sometimes it would turn off only after I shut the car off and turned it back on. After that, it would come back as soon as the car stopped moving and in the end, for it to go off, I had to be rolling, pop the clutch, shut off the car and turn it back on while rolling... That's when I decided... Hummm maybe I should do something about this... I'm a mechanic you know, most of the time, when I get home, I want to DRIVE lol

  9. #9
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    I went to get my morning cup of joe and nothing. I even drove hard through corners, it's completely normal now no DSC or brake light.

  10. #10
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    These cars are getting old enough that junk is likely staring to build up on the sensors. Probably not a bad idea to take an afternoon and clean. Easy job. I would not use brake cleaner on the part. Though really good stuff for cleaning, it will damage plastic and rubber. If it sits on the part for more than a minute, it will for sure damage. I would blow off or carefully wipe off. Remember, it's magnetic and there will be metal dust from pads or rotor wear. With enough build up, it will throw the sensor off.
    Dan "PbFut" Rose

  11. #11
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    wheels ABS sensor

  12. #12
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    So this morning I went to get coffee and my rear passenger tire was completely flat, I tried to fill it with air but it wasn't holding it. So I jacked the car and removed the tire, there was a big 2 inch cork nail in the tread. So perhaps that's why the warning lights went on in the first place? It took a while to fully deflate.

  13. #13
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    Same issue for me today. About 43.5K miles. Brake and DSC/ABS light on. I'll try cleaning the sensors first. Might be rusty or gooped up. The Peake scanner will not work for this I gather. Does not show any codes.
    Steve
    '02 Z3 3.0i

  14. #14
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    If you have access to a GT1 it will save you some time. Cleaning the wheel sensors is usually the best, and most economical, bet. However, if it continues there could be an issue with the yaw sensor or the steering angle sensor.

    If you are using GT1 while the car is stationary, but the yaw sensor is showing wildly fluctuating result - you've found the problem.

    The steering angle sensor can be thrown off by changes in suspension or significant fluctuations in temperature throwing the tire pressure off. Google how to "reset" the steering angle sensor. It's quick and $0.

  15. #15
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    My DSC and brake light came on. Turned out to be the yaw sensor* under the drivers seat. A good way to rule out a wheel speed sensor is see if the ABS still works. If it does all the wheel sensors are good.

    *This is like $450+ from a stealer. Found one in a junk E46 (same part number) for $9. No special coding is needed, it's just a plug and play part.

  16. #16
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    Thanks for the responses. I will look into those as possible causes. The DSC works until the ligh comes on. It has come on while slowing on onramps, or coming up to a red light on a curve. Might be the sterring angle sensor. I will go through these things one by one. I don;t have a GT1, so I have to do it the hard way. Thanks again.
    Steve
    '02 Z3 3.0i

  17. #17
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    It's been a fun month... I pulled all sensors and they look brand new. ABS always works. If I press DSC once, the amber brake light warning never lights. If I leave the DSC on, the DSC light and Amber brake light come on when making hard turns, going on or off feeeway ramps, or taking any curves. I have tried the full left to full right, then center wheel reset many times and it does not turn off the lights and does not help.

    I've researched the "trifecta" posts and the e46 stuff sort of applies and sort of does not.

    I am tempted to buy a C110 scanner, but these mostly seem to be from China at $50 to $60 bucks and some dude that sells them for $200 claims the cheap ones will fry the ECU. Is this BS or real?

    I really don't want to pay some guy $200 just to tell me the bad part that I can replace myself. I see the "GT1" scanner from anywhere from $500 TO $10k. Can't do that. I guess i am stuck with taking it to a mechanic and hoping not to get bent over too badly.

    I doubt it is a wheel sensor. It isprobably the yaw sensor, because it happens only on turns. I hope it is not the steering sensor. I do not look forward to pulling the bags and wheel...
    Steve
    '02 Z3 3.0i

  18. #18
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    As far as the GT1 software, there are some reputable and irreputable places where you can download the software onto a laptop then connect to your car using a special cable. BM Technic made a great setup, but they were shut down. However, if you Google BM Technic you will get some good guidance (especially from the M3 and M5 crowd) on how to obtain the software and the proper table. It's a PITA for sure, but it is more than worth it in the long run.

    The link below speaks a little bit to the yaw sensor, but also has great instructions on testing/resetting your steering angle sensor:
    http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=501786

    I can't find all my notes, but I believe this is the yaw sensor you want... this was the cheapest I was able find on eBay. If you can find one for $9 life Chesire... buy it; put it on a chain around your neck; and call it Precious as you stroke it. The online price goes up to $1,400+ for no particularly good reason. I paid about $120 for mine (used).
    http://www.ebay.com/itm/121185747951
    http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-Z3-M_Co...sor/ES2599138/
    Last edited by SGs54MC; 03-01-2014 at 03:39 PM. Reason: Because it just feels good.

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by SGs54MC View Post
    As far as the GT1 software, there are some reputable and irreputable places where you can download the software onto a laptop then connect to your car using a special cable. BM Technic made a great setup, but they were shut down. However, if you Google BM Technic you will get some good guidance (especially from the M3 and M5 crowd) on how to obtain the software and the proper table. It's a PITA for sure, but it is more than worth it in the long run.

    The link below speaks a little bit to the yaw sensor, but also has great instructions on testing/resetting your steering angle sensor:
    http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=501786

    I can't find all my notes, but I believe this is the yaw sensor you want... this was the cheapest I was able find on eBay. If you can find one for $9 life Chesire... buy it; put it on a chain around your neck; and call it Precious as you stroke it. The online price goes up to $1,400+ for no particularly good reason. I paid about $120 for mine (used).
    http://www.ebay.com/itm/121185747951
    http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-Z3-M_Co...sor/ES2599138/
    Thanks for the tips and links. MOst I have found are about E46s, 5 series, etc. It's been raining a lot here, so I have had a chance to do easy skid tests w/o having to drive like an idiot. In no traffic, I can pull a hard right and trigger the DSC and everything is cool. Soft right turns (as in normal - not pull a lot of Gs) result in the trouble lights. Lefts do not. I have tried the left/right/center reset many times and no dice. SInce I don't have a Wintel laptop (only a Mac), I figure either I need to get a C110 scanner, or just pry open the wallet and pay a mechanic. I've heard there are some good ones in the area I live that will not be too expensive. Worst case is I will jsut drive with it failed for a while.
    Steve
    '02 Z3 3.0i

  20. #20
    Join Date
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    [SIZE=3]Same symptom. Bought and installed module from 325i (is that E46??)
    Checked coding and had to re-code 8 parameters to match Z3. Was getting 5E26, now getting 5DF2.Did I miss doing something needed? Any help appreciated.

  21. #21
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    You may be fighting the infamous broken solder joint on your abs module. I had it happen twice on my 99 2.3. It set a "abs pump fail" code. If so check module master in Idaho for repair. If yours is compatable for repair its around $150 w/5 yr warranty. Or you can fix it yourself if handy

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