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Thread: compatible rear ABS sensors

  1. #1
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    compatible rear ABS sensors

    I bought a 330Ci cabrio last fall. So far it's been great with the usual upgrades that a BMW with 100 k miles always need. leaks, cooling system and the like. Now I've hit an odd problem. I started to get the three dash lights that most folks say means new rear ABS sensors. So I bought two from ESC Tuning according to their web page. When I got them the sensor part that goes into the hub was shorter than the originals. I figured ESC knew what they were doing and I installed them. When I went for a test drive the lights were still there and the speedometer had quit working. I then put the old ones back in and the speedometer worked, but still the intermittent lights and the accompanying ding.

    I talked to ECS and they said that the ones I bought must have been wrongly packaged. So they said they'd send me the right ones when I returned the ones i had received. When they finally arrived, holiday and all I checked them against the ones in the car and they were the same as ECS had sent before. Much shorter than the originals. Needless to say I'm sending them back for a refund.

    Are there multiple sizes of rear hubs available for an e46? I'll post a picture of both the new ones and the old ones. The ends of the probes on the new ones are between a third and a quarter of an inch shorter than the originals. How do I find the right length sensors? ECS was adamant they sent me the right ones. I have the sport suspension package. Does that make a difference? I have worked on ABS sensors before in my truck and they have to be very close to the ring to work. The ones I received from ECS today are nowhere near close to the ring. Am I ordering incorrectly? Does anyone have an idea why the ones that ESC told me fit all e46s since 2001.

    Any help will be appreciated. It doesn't make sense to me. I'm not new to BMWs. This is my third one. For some reason my jpeg won't post. Sorry.
    Last edited by curry; 05-30-2017 at 05:44 PM. Reason: Picture wouldn't post

  2. #2
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    Punch in last 7 of your VIN on realoem and see what part # is specc'ed for your particular car. Also, don't just replace sensors because "folks say"... Have the actual error codes scanned. While it may be one of the sensors sending a funny reading, you got 4 of them.

  3. #3
    dworthy's Avatar
    dworthy is offline Wagon meister :) BMW Tech Expert
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    Also, ABS/DSC codes do not clear themselves with a new working sensor. You will need to get them cleared to get those lights turned off on the dash.

    So go ahead and get the ABS/DSC ECU scanned to find out which one is bad, or it can be something else wrong, and all you are doing is throwing expensive parts at the car.
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  4. #4
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    The code will not clear, but when the correct sensor is replaced the code will go from active to shadow and the lights will turn off after about 30 yards of driving.

  5. #5
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    I realize that, but I took them out and they are a mess. The ones that ECS sent me are not the ones in RealOEM. However they are still on the ECS site as fitting all e46s. They don't. There are ones just for the 330s. FCP Euro has them. Apparently ECS doesn't.
    Quote Originally Posted by Mless5 View Post
    Punch in last 7 of your VIN on realoem and see what part # is specc'ed for your particular car. Also, don't just replace sensors because "folks say"... Have the actual error codes scanned. While it may be one of the sensors sending a funny reading, you got 4 of them.

  6. #6
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    There are different size axles across the E46 platform. With that being the case, that means there are different size diameter ABS tone rings. See the picture. The top is a 325 axle and the bottom is a 330. You probably got the wrong sensor for the size axle you have.
    Capture.JPG
    Last edited by dhurley34; 05-31-2017 at 12:20 PM.

  7. #7
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    I realize that. I was just pointing out that ECS didn't seem to know that even after several phone calls. I specifically asked them if there were different sizes and they said no. One size fits all as far as they think.

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