Front wheel bearing question

[curry]

Yes, I've searched. I have a 2002 330Ci Cabrio with the trifecta of death lights on the dash. While cleaning the front ABS ring I pulled the ABS. sensors. On the drivers side it was dusty and light brown in color . On the passenger side it was covered with black grease. I know one must be bad so I figure it's the one covered in grease. Can anyone confirm that? The rears were also a dusty light brown color.

Secondly could a wheel bearing going out cause the Brake light, DSC light, and the ABS light to come on. Could the wheel bearing be the cause of the trifecta?

Any information from anyone with knowledge of these would be greatly appreciated. I figure at this point I should order a new wheel bearing.

[MIKYZZ4]

Try this,Jack and remove the wheels. Disconnect the wheel speed sensor(s) from the harness in the wheel well. You'll need a digital volt meter (DVM). Connect the meter leads to the wheel speed sensor - polarity doesn't matter. Select the milivolt range (mV). Spin the hub and observe the meter. You should read between 1 and 5 mV when you spin the hub. No output = a defective and/or dirty sensor. Cheap and effective. Good luck.

[curry]

Thanks for replying, but you didn't actually address my question. I guess you just answered your own. I was asking about wheel bearings.

[dworthy]

Wheel bearing get loud as they go bad. Also you can raise that side up off the ground, grab the wheel at 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock to see if you have any play. The other way to know is to find a curve that you can go 20-30 mph in your case you will have to make a left turn. Does it get louder? Should sound like an old prop plane if they are bad.

[curry]

I think it's just starting to go. I'd really like to know where the black grease came from on the passenger side. All the other hubs show no grease at all. They are dry and dusty if you look through the hole that the ABS sensor fits into.

[dworthy]

There isn't much grease in those bearing, and for it to coat, would point me to that too. Typically I see bearing last anywhere between 150k - 1750k on the E-46's so if you are in that range I would suspect the bearing.

[curry]

It has 103k but I've ordered a new hub and bearing and I should get it on Wednesday. Whether or not this is what's affecting the sensors is a secondary issue. Important, but just an annoyance.

[Junglenut]

The black grease could be caused by a ripped or torn CV axle boot. You can check the rubber boot on the axle close to the hub for and holes or tears.

[curry]

It's the front right bearing on a 330Ci. They have no CV axle boots. I did change the bearing and the sound is gone. I still have the light trifecta. Still it needed to be done and is not that difficult an operation.

[dworthy]

In order to remove those lights, you are going to need to talk to the ABS/DSC ECU. It can be as simple as one of the ABS sensor, or who knows. Just take the easy way and get it scanned, worth paying for it.

[curry]

I'm trying to find an old Windows XP laptop to do the codes. The closest dealer I could go to is 50 miles each way. I have changed all of the ABS sensors, but the fault is still intermittent. But the wheel noise is gone.

In order to remove those lights, you are going to need to talk to the ABS/DSC ECU. It can be as simple as one of the ABS sensor, or who knows. Just take the easy way and get it scanned, worth paying for it.

[dworthy]

I use INPA on a Win-10 laptop, but it is 32-Bit. 64-Bit seems to have problems, over on the diagnostic sub-forum, somebody has figured out how. https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...allation-Guide

For everything else, I have a XP-Pro hard drive that I can slap in. Most of the time I just use INPA, so it's just easier that way.

[curry]

I have multiple Apple computers, but nothing that is old enough to run XP. I did have a PC desktop, but it won't start any more. Still looking for a laptop that will run XP.

I use INPA on a Win-10 laptop, but it is 32-Bit. 64-Bit seems to have problems, over on the diagnostic sub-forum, somebody has figured out how. https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...allation-Guide

For everything else, I have a XP-Pro hard drive that I can slap in. Most of the time I just use INPA, so it's just easier that way.

[Junglenut]

Pics of said grease?

[curry]

I don't have any, but it was coating the ABS ring. It was black and not the cream color grease that the replacement hub had. Maybe it got the black color from the black plastic that held the ball bearings in place. Or maybe the previous owner put in grease through the ABS sensor hole. It seems pretty odd that it was black.

Pics of said grease?

[dworthy]

Normally black grease is worn out grease.

[curry]

It's much quieter with the new bearings. The front bearings on the driver's side show no signs of black.

I don't have any, but it was coating the ABS ring. It was black and not the cream color grease that the replacement hub had. Maybe it got the black color from the black plastic that held the ball bearings in place. Or maybe the previous owner put in grease through the ABS sensor hole. It seems pretty odd that it was black.

[dworthy]

Then it would point me to believe that you have a pre-mature failure on a bearing is all. Not a common thing to happen, but it does now and again.

[dhurley34]

Wheel bearings are pretty good about absorbing minor impacts to prevent extensive suspension damage. Its quite possible that the vehicle was curb checked at some point in its life, leading to premature bearing failure.