Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 26 to 38 of 38

Thread: "check brake linings" gremlin

  1. #26
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Alexandria, VA
    Posts
    9,049
    My Cars
    ‘01 540’00 528T’03 525T
    Quote Originally Posted by Spirit Force View Post
    I gotta ask, do you have any clue what you are talking about? Greasing everything ain't gonna fix it. The only way to fix it is to find out the issue. This means OP needs to check the wiring for continuity. If everything was well there wouldn't be a light in the first place. Besides you can't see the pad thickness without removing the wheel (the inside pad, which you should always check). You do realize the inside pad wears more quickly than the outside pad with one piston caliper? You won't be able to check the inside pad thickness without removing the wheel on E39.
    This is the same guy who on a timing chain guide thread, told the guy wondering if he should do his guides, that if he dropped his oil pan, and there were no broken pieces of chain guides, that he didn’t need to do the chain guides..... That’s some stellar advice right there....
    Set the controls for the heart of the sun

  2. #27
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Location
    Virginia,USA
    Posts
    3,144
    My Cars
    528i, 525iT, M5
    Quote Originally Posted by mattmar1 View Post
    agree with this completely. the pad sensor is a metal "loop", when the pad thickness get down to a certain level, it breaks, opening the circuit and triggering the light.
    This really all those sensor do. One front, one rear. They do not show brake forces, temp, etc. They were engineered to resolve the clients who NEVER open a hood or have service work done until a "light" comes on. Think of it as an IDIOT light for brakes....

    Can you hack them to stay off, Yes. Why you would is another conversation. One where the obvious answer should be Never. I think that solution area goes with duct tape.

    Is PRICE an issue?
    ULTRA-POWER5S8416{#34351163066} $2.39 www.Rockauto.com
    Last edited by StephenVA; 06-18-2019 at 04:59 PM.
    Current Garage Highlights
    2003 525iT TiSilver
    2002 M5 TiSilver
    1998 528i KASCHMIRBEIGE METALLIC (301) (Goldie)

    Former Garage Highlights
    2005 X5 4.8is
    2004 325iTs (2x)
    1973 Pantera L
    1971 Dodge Dart Swinger "Lite Package"
    1970 Dodge Challenger T/A 340 Six Pack Alpine White
    1970 Dodge Challenger T/A 340 Six Pack GoManGo Green
    1969 Road Runner 383
    1968 Barracuda Formula S 340 Sea Foam Green

  3. #28
    Join Date
    Oct 2017
    Location
    Beaverton, Oregon, USA
    Posts
    1,694
    My Cars
    2001 E39 540i A, 207 k
    Yep, it is the "idiot sensor".. No BS assistant needed...!! :-)

  4. #29
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Buenos Aires, Argentina
    Posts
    4,542
    My Cars
    '97 523i5 - 99' 540iA
    Well it did a stellar job, if its mission is to find idiots. It found me some and then more.
    More reasons to keep it.
    Diehard E39 driver.
    I'd rather die or take a walk before driving an E60 or any BMW made after Y2K.
    ​"Your momma's so ugly she makes Bangle cars look nice"

  5. #30
    Join Date
    Oct 2017
    Location
    Beaverton, Oregon, USA
    Posts
    1,694
    My Cars
    2001 E39 540i A, 207 k
    Hi jcaino,OP

    I just tried both hacks on my car, to get rid of the gremlins. And they work.

    On the front driver side, I yanked off the sensor from the pads, cut it with a scissor, then connected the 2 wires with a piece of electric tape. So the sensor is still on the car, but shunted from the pads. And a closed circuit.

    On the rear right side, I completely removed the sensor and threw it away. Then I cut the wires at above the plastic cage box, as I am suspecting a bad connector. Then same procedure, separated the 2 wires and taped them with black electric tape to close the circuit. So, no sensor.

    Test drove for 50 miles, There...no more "check brake lining" red light gremlins, and I will never hear again of that stupid "idiot pad sensor"....!!
    Last edited by Chedley; 06-20-2019 at 12:13 AM.

  6. #31
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Buenos Aires, Argentina
    Posts
    4,542
    My Cars
    '97 523i5 - 99' 540iA
    My car doesn't do that. If you splice the wires together you still get the fault.
    Maybe it's like the RDC where my car has the in-wheel antennas and US spec'd cars relay on the DSCIII comparing rotational cycles on the tires to guesstimate wether one tire's smaller or deflated. But the wear sensors are the same... so I'm dumbfounded.

    Since I take meticulous care of my cars, I would consider the idiot light delete if it keeps on bugging me. Maybe, as you suggest, the corroded pin is is from the plug up, and that's why the system gets cranky and I don't get solid results splicing wires together.
    Diehard E39 driver.
    I'd rather die or take a walk before driving an E60 or any BMW made after Y2K.
    ​"Your momma's so ugly she makes Bangle cars look nice"

  7. #32
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    NW suburban Chicago
    Posts
    16,302
    My Cars
    hiss by my window
    Quote Originally Posted by jicaino View Post
    My car doesn't do that. If you splice the wires together you still get the fault.

    .
    I suspect your splice isn't any good. A new sensor is only a few bucks.
    Last edited by ross1; 06-23-2019 at 10:29 AM.

    If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue

  8. #33
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Buenos Aires, Argentina
    Posts
    4,542
    My Cars
    '97 523i5 - 99' 540iA
    Quote Originally Posted by ross1 View Post
    I suspect your splice isn't any good. A new sensor is only a few bucks.
    And what does Sir Splicealot do when 3, 4 or any given amount of new sensors are thrown at it and you still get the fault?
    Diehard E39 driver.
    I'd rather die or take a walk before driving an E60 or any BMW made after Y2K.
    ​"Your momma's so ugly she makes Bangle cars look nice"

  9. #34
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Buenos Aires, Argentina
    Posts
    4,542
    My Cars
    '97 523i5 - 99' 540iA
    Oh I just realized this started after I power washed the engine bay...

    I'll have to chase a wet harness or plug or something. If anybody knows where are those wires routed to, I'd greatly appreciate the tip. It will save me hours of diggin thru wiring diagrams.
    Diehard E39 driver.
    I'd rather die or take a walk before driving an E60 or any BMW made after Y2K.
    ​"Your momma's so ugly she makes Bangle cars look nice"

  10. #35
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    NW suburban Chicago
    Posts
    16,302
    My Cars
    hiss by my window
    Quote Originally Posted by jicaino View Post
    And what does Sir Splicealot do when 3, 4 or any given amount of new sensors are thrown at it and you still get the fault?
    Seems to me that moniker fits you better.
    In answer to your question; I find the fault. This is about the simplest circuit on the entire car, two wires.

    If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue

  11. #36
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Buenos Aires, Argentina
    Posts
    4,542
    My Cars
    '97 523i5 - 99' 540iA
    Update: I can't quite solve this yet. It's getting annoying. I have a bunch of codes regarding the DSC module, CAN/DSC timeouts and such. The only thing I can find is that the brake sensor flicks on and off and sometimes it stays on with the IKE light next to the park brake light on. As you could foresee on a 20 years old brittle plastic bit, replacing several sensors caused the male connector (the one that stays in the body harness) to crumble to bits.

    Is there a P/N or repair pigtail? If so, could somebody that has already gone thru this give me a P/N? Thanks.

    The DSC module on my car is fairly new (got it in 2015 I believe, a new unit, and it was properly coded, and it's not showing any telltales of DSC module failures which I'm familiar with because I had to diagnose it when I changed it)

    No jerky transmission operation, no traction control issues, some lag on acceleration and pedal position lazyness, but I do believe I can chalk that up to the early stages of throttle body failure (DBW - this is the '99 540i)

    It's all peaches until you go over some uneven terrain or turn the steering into a tight corner and it gets nuts and starts to flicker the brake linings light on and off and on and off and sometimes it stays on, most of the time it keeps going on and off at larger intervals. I'm clearly having a sporadic short or grounding somewhere but I'm dumbfounded, as the only thing that I could do is remove the entire coverings and wiring harnesses going from the rear right and front left wheelwells to the e-box.
    Diehard E39 driver.
    I'd rather die or take a walk before driving an E60 or any BMW made after Y2K.
    ​"Your momma's so ugly she makes Bangle cars look nice"

  12. #37
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Missouri
    Posts
    690
    My Cars
    '02 540i/6
    Just my two cents. I had mine go off after getting my M Sport rear bumper put on. Totally unrelated right? One of the harnesses to the taillight was loose. As soon as that was firmly plugged back in, everything was good again. Doubt it helps in this case though.
    2002 BMW Titanium Silver 540i/6-speed Sport - ZHP Shift Knob - M5 Clutch/TTV Racing 15.6lb Flywheel - M60 Intake Manifold - N62 84mm TB - Dinan Intake Tube - 4" MAF Tube - DUDMD Tune - Magnaflow Resonator - Eibach 18mm Rear Sway Bar - Powerflex Front Sway Bar Bushings - CDV Delete - UUC SS Brake Lines - Koni Yellow Shocks/Struts - Eibach Springs - Zionsville Radiator & FDM

  13. #38
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Buenos Aires, Argentina
    Posts
    4,542
    My Cars
    '97 523i5 - 99' 540iA
    Quote Originally Posted by Iamthebull View Post
    Just my two cents. I had mine go off after getting my M Sport rear bumper put on. Totally unrelated right? One of the harnesses to the taillight was loose. As soon as that was firmly plugged back in, everything was good again. Doubt it helps in this case though.
    It sure has something to do with having massaged and handled the wiring loom in the engine for replacing the VCGs then washing the entire engine bay. It was good before that.
    Diehard E39 driver.
    I'd rather die or take a walk before driving an E60 or any BMW made after Y2K.
    ​"Your momma's so ugly she makes Bangle cars look nice"

Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12

Similar Threads

  1. E39: Turning off the Check Brake Linings warning on the Instrument Cluster
    By NickG in forum General BMW Mechanical Help sponsored by RM European Auto Parts
    Replies: 18
    Last Post: 09-08-2016, 09:46 PM
  2. Errasing the "Check brake linings" code
    By Darkness in forum 1995 - 2001 (E38)
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 04-07-2004, 03:28 PM
  3. Check Brake Linings & Lowering ?'s
    By Magnum in forum 1995 - 2001 (E38)
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 02-27-2004, 06:17 PM
  4. Check Brake Lining
    By toropoki in forum 1995 - 2001 (E38)
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 10-04-2003, 02:06 AM
  5. Check brake linings, how do I reset??
    By jayb79 in forum General BMW Mechanical Help sponsored by RM European Auto Parts
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 08-10-2003, 04:08 PM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •