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Thread: Intermittent Dash Light Trifecta

  1. #1
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    Intermittent Dash Light Trifecta

    It's been really HOT in LA lately, and I'm experiencing some fallout from the heat. The door-lock module is sometimes being a PITA (responds late to key fob, etc.), but my main concern is that I'm getting random, intermittent trifecta lights on the dash.

    Here's the scenario - 2002 325iT, 161K miles:
    That hard-braking situation, where the ABS kicks in and the pedal feels like the brakes are *grinding* - I get the trifecta;
    In the heat, just common low-speed braking will sometimes throw the lights on (along with the audible *beep*);
    I have no other symptoms of brake fading, or the car running poorly at all. In all of these instances, after turning the car off and restarting it, the lights all go out after half a minute or so. I have no way to plug in code-reading software, so not sure what to think of replacing. What do you think? Is it a wheel speed sensor? Failing ABS unit?

  2. #2
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    Front wheel speed sensor. Pull it out, clean it, put it back in.

  3. #3
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    You MUST scan it, anything else is a guess, which will have you spending more money by shotgunning parts.


    It can be any of the wheel speed sensors, the yaw sensor, lateral acceleration sensor, or the module itself.
    -Abel

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  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by 328 Power 04 View Post
    You MUST scan it, anything else is a guess, which will have you spending more money by shotgunning parts.


    It can be any of the wheel speed sensors, the yaw sensor, lateral acceleration sensor, or the module itself.
    I agree, and I may get to that point. But I'll try cleaning the sensor(s) first, as mdfiasco suggested above - easy and free. I have an indie BMW wrench who can scan it if/when necessary. My hesitation with that is that the problem is intermittent. Perhaps a scan will still show the problem, but I wanted to try cheap/free suggestions first.

    Thanks, guys.

  5. #5
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    My hesitation with that is that the problem is intermittent.

    Exactly why a scan should be the first attempt at diagnosis,
    as the error codes are stored.

  6. #6
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    You can take your car to autozone and scan it for free.

    They will scan your car at no cost to to you.


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  7. #7
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    YMMV, but I've never had a bad wheel sensor show up in a standard OBDII scan... MIKYZZ4, are you talking about a more in depth laptop software or something?

  8. #8
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    Yes, a generic OBD2 scan tool can not communicate with all the BMW systems modules,
    you'll need a BMW specific scantool/software to retrieve the stored codes.

  9. #9
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    e46, e39

    Scan tool for ABS

    I don't know if you've solved your problem yet. The Creator C110 Scan Tool will read the ABS module and individual sensors (through the module). If it indicates that it can't communicate with the ABS module at all, the module is probably bad. Not uncommon. Wire bonds or solder bonds get loose. The failure is often intermittent.
    The C110 costs less than $50. It's available on Amazon and other places. Various firmware versions are offered. Ver 4.4 worked on my 2000 E39.
    Last edited by danzee; 08-24-2018 at 11:30 AM. Reason: typo

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by danzee View Post
    I don't know if you've solved your problem yet. The Creator C110 Scan Tool will read the ABS module and individual sensors (through the module). If it indicates that it can't communicate with the ABS module at all, the module is probably bad. Not uncommon. Wire bonds or solder bonds get loose. The failure is often intermittent.
    The C110 costs less than $50. It's available on Amazon and other places. Various firmware versions are offered. Ver 4.4 worked on my 2000 E39.
    Great recommendation. Thanks.

  11. #11
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    Yes co$t$ more, but contains an array of functions besides just reading/clearing codes:http://www.foxwelltool.com/wholesale...installed.html

    Scroll down for all the features and functions.

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