Dear God, Why Do E30 Brake Pad Lights Always Stay On?

[Ben Carufel]

Is there seriously a common fix for this that I have somehow never heard about? Is there a weak point in the solder on the circuit boards or something?

All of the E30's I've ever owned have had the brake pad warning light stuck on. Hell, in my '85 I can hit the dash to make it turn off, but it comes back on a few bumps later.

What the hell? This is driving me batty.

[Bluntheadtrauma]

just ditch the sensors and complete the loop. left front and right rear wheels

[Ben Carufel]

just ditch the sensors and complete the loop. left front and right rear wheels

You think it's a sensor issue??

I've replaced the sensors when I did the brakes. I can verify that the sensors are perfectly intact.

Why would eliminating the sensors help if I know they're like new?

[Bluntheadtrauma]

You think it's a sensor issue??

I've replaced the sensors when I did the brakes. I can verify that the sensors are perfectly intact.

Why would eliminating the sensors help if I know they're like new?

sorry ben, i just did a quick read thru and assumed the sensors were bad.
if youve replaced them it may be something im unaware of

[I3uller]

They are the biggest annoyance ever. I tried completing the loop with the sensors and the light is still on.

[bokes]

electrical tape is your friend..

[S.Spec]

I had the same issue and it turns out the sensor WAS the problem, even after it had just been replaced with the rotors/pads. I'd say check the sensor again, because after I replaced it a 2nd time the light went back off.

[Bahnbaum]

I currently have 3 e30s. Not a single brake pad warning light on any of them.

Alex

[joeuser528e]

yea, mine is on sometimes too! How hard is it fix that sensor?

[Ben Carufel]

I currently have 3 e30s. Not a single brake pad warning light on any of them.

Alex

See, what gives? My '88 doesn't count because it was parted out and had recently had a new SI board before I bought it...

...but the '85 and '90 both suffer from the problem.

I'm thinking I might try getting some aerosol contact cleaner and spraying it into the connection between the sensor and the main harness...since that connection sits in the wheel well I assume it's pretty prone to stuff getting inside it.

[Ben Carufel]

yea, mine is on sometimes too! How hard is it fix that sensor?

There is no sensor to "fix", we're talking about the brake pad wear sensors...which you replace when you replace the brake pads (they clip into one pad on the front left and rear right corners).

[Ben Carufel]

Though now that I think about it, the fact that the light will turn off and on in my '85 when I smack the dash leads me to think that maybe it's a circuit fault or solder break on the instrument cluster board...I mean, hitting the dash wouldn't affect corrosion in a sensor which lives in the wheel well.

[gt40mk2]

All of the E30's I've ever owned have had the brake pad warning light stuck on.

Mine too. Nice to know I can ignore it.

[SVORLY]

A mechanic told me mine is a problem in the cluster.

[x68monkeyx]

My Brake Lining Light is on...but thats it...anc i cant figure out why its on

[gothicaleigh]

My brake lining light is on too.

Of course, my brakes are also shot at the moment... :p

[Anhizer]

i have the exact same problem as listed above. i do remember reading somewhere that there is a problem with a the wire that goes to the sensor in the cluster (the one that determines if the light is lit or not.) apparently it breaks loose or something. i havent looked in to it yet, but that could be the problem. someone rip their cluster out and see if thats the problem

[x68monkeyx]

ok ill do it monday when i dont have work

[SWISS]

We should change the thread title to "Is there anyone that doesn't have a brake sensor light on ?" (besides Bahn Baum)

[Itsnotme1988]

My light was stuck on when I bought the car because the wire just before the connector for the sensor were shot. Cut in some new ones and it works fine.

[joeuser528e]

Yea, I said sensor, I was actually looking for a different word. I don't know, how hard is it to fix the circuit or wire or whatever it is behind the cluster?

[turningermanese]

Mine comes on and off in the rain. But that's probably due to my insanely low pads. That really need to be replaced.

[jeffberg]

ummm.... if it helps, my brake sensor warning light never comes on...... I have a low oil pressure warning light, but there is no lightbulb in it

[bokes]

like i said, i always just took apart my clusters, and put black electrical tape over the light. cant even notice its there. i always know where my brake pads stand as far as wear. you are a tardbag if you dont check them frequently.

[joeuser528e]

Yea... I guess when I replace my cluster I'll take out that stupid bulb.