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      07-03-2016, 06:05 AM   #1
plymjack
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Drive stabilisation error.... with tyre pressure & hand brake...intermittent

OK...so on holiday in France and yesterday got a 4x4 drive stabilisation error and tyre pressure & hand brake warning. Says to drive moderately.

Any one had this before. Car is driving fine and the faults keep clearings then coming back. No logic. Do I wait till I get home or try French BMW pitstop?
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      07-03-2016, 06:24 AM   #2
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Since "faults" are not related - I take it problem is in electronic monitoring system - no real mechanical fault.

I would drive home - moderately. If not worse, I would even "finish" what I set out to do in France.
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      07-03-2016, 06:24 AM   #3
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Sorry I can't help as I have not come across that error! Do you have connected drive, as you could ask the question, but I suspect they would suggest you get it checked out at a dealer! I hope you get it sorted!
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      07-03-2016, 06:28 AM   #4
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Pls keep us posted - we would like to know that you made it.
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      07-03-2016, 06:41 AM   #5
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Yes does appear random? When I turn engine off sometimes get a seat restraints air bag error !

I did hit a small kerb not long before it all started so maybe this a dislodged a plug?
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      07-03-2016, 06:46 AM   #6
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In your situation I would start by checking tyre pressures and wear characteristics - are they all about the same ? I suspect this would have been the first thing you did though....
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      07-03-2016, 07:20 AM   #7
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Tyre wear? Yes the rear off is more worn (about 4mm othets are all 6mm) then the others...would that be an issue?
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      07-03-2016, 09:15 AM   #8
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Most 4wd vehicles need the tyres to be of equal circumference or one tyre will try to turn faster than others and break the various parts of the transmission. The car will warn if it finds one wheel turning consistently at a different rate to others, hopefully before anything breaks.

This is why X3 and X5 4wd are so picky about their tyres, especially when staggered - they all need to be the same circumference which is not easy to achieve when you have different aspect ratio front to back. The star BMW use to delineate "approved" tyres (i.e. those with matching circumference) also provides a revenue opportunity

Last edited by poiuytre111; 07-03-2016 at 09:41 AM..
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      07-04-2016, 02:07 PM   #9
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The last time my 2011 28i has the DSC + 4x4 error BMW Canada replaced the mechatronic unit......
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      07-12-2016, 11:38 AM   #10
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just to update - drove 800 + miles and no issues.
Dealer had it today and said it was a front wheel speed sensor, but as a precaution also want to replace both rear tyres. So hopefully that will be sorted.

The main thing to note is that it was no problem to drive with the warnins.
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      07-12-2016, 12:34 PM   #11
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Thanks for feedback.

Tyres having slightly uneven wear does not count in my book.

If anything, monitoring system is "no good"- should have detected a bad sensor.

I will keep my 9000 MY-97 Turbo for many years....
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      08-19-2016, 12:27 PM   #12
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DIY approach

2011 2.0d xDrive SE auto, 75,000 miles. Recently, I got the same error messages and dire warnings as the OP, (must be something in the West country air). So was very pleased to find this thread, and to learn that the culprit might be nothing worse than a faulty wheel speed sensor. Many thanks to plymjack for posting.

For anyone interested in the DIY approach, I hope the following may help.

Replacing the sensor is fairly simple, but first you have to find which one is faulty - not so easy, as I found.

Removing the sensors They’re a bit fiddly to get at, a torch may help. First remove the wheel. The sensor head is held in the hub by a single screw (5mm hexagon key). Ease the sensor from its socket with care. Release the cable from the various clips and restraints. Its electrical connector is housed in a protective black plastic box, which may also house the connector for the brake pad wear sensor.

On rear sensors, the box was obvious and easy to get at and its lid unclipped at the bottom. On front sensors the box was hidden behind the wheel arch liner and I had to undo several liner fixings - 3 plastic nuts (10mm) and 4 screws (8mm), and flex the liner quite a lot. In this case, the lid unclipped at the top. A torch and mirror definitely helped. On re-assembly, ensure the liner is correctly located over the studs for the nuts before inserting any fixings.

Testing the sensors Searching the web produced some ideas for testing which involve disconnecting the sensor at its electrical connector and attaching a multimeter across the two sensor pins. You either do a diode test (didn’t work for me), or measure millivolts when you rotate the wheel (inconclusive for me).

I spent a long time faffing around at this and managed to convince myself that the right rear sensor was faulty. So I replaced it, but the error messages persisted…….

So I needed help. The good guys at my local garage (a general workshop, not a BMW specialist), plugged their diagnostic equipment into the vehicle and quickly established it was the right front sensor that was faulty. I replaced it, and the error messages and warnings went away, once I’d driven a few yards, and they haven’t returned since. (I gather that the error codes remain within the system, so I made a return visit to get them removed).

The right rear that I first replaced may or may not have been faulty. I’ll keep the original as a possible spare, anyway.

Overall I would say it’s not worth trying to test these sensors yourself, just find someone with the right diagnostic equipment to identify where the fault lies, before starting any DIY.

A final word on sourcing the sensors Realoem.com lists them under front and rear suspension, and it calls them “dxc pulse generator”, which is a bit confusing. Front and rear have different part numbers.

None of the usual motor factors stocked them for this vehicle. Buycarparts.co.uk offered them at a very favourable price, then decided they could not supply me, but they did eventually refund my money.

In the end, I used BMW supplier cotswoldgroup.com. Online price for the rear sensor was £83 including delivery, front sensor £90 incl delivery.
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      08-22-2016, 02:51 AM   #13
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Got the same error before going on a road trip, our X3 is the biggest joke of all times one of the 1st produced in 2011 bugged with problems last time ABS issue the wheel kept locking and this was some 200 km from home, yesterday was at home so lucky before we hit the road, had to switch to my cramped 5 series with 3 kids at the back, for the a family trip to the east coast.
All sensors needed changing just 6 months ago, the car received brand new tyres same as factory fitted, Just like above responses, I believe this is not related to tyres condition!
The error vanished this morning, our car is booked tomorrow for the Isofix recall, the sensors should still be under warranty since received new set this year. the sensors just like every part in the X3 are simply a big joke.
Find the quality of how the car is put together scary in comparison to our F10 it feed like a different brand all together.
Not sure we ever go back to an X car, I lost count of the trips to the dealer they call it the Sunday car produced before a bank holiday on the 1st week of production, lucky we had a good dealer looking after us, but it is simply a scary car not to be trusted.

Last edited by martin mustang; 08-22-2016 at 02:57 AM..
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      12-02-2016, 12:41 PM   #14
dgilson
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Update to DIY approach

Oops, spoke too soon! After I replaced the 2 wheel speed sensors, all was well for a while, but a few hundred miles later the same error messages and warnings returned.

So back to the local workshop, and this time their Bosch diagnostics showed both rear sensors were faulty. The right rear sensor was one that I’d just replaced …………. There was also an indication, possibly spurious, that a control unit might be faulty.

This needed specialist diagnostics, so, reluctantly, to my nearest dealer, BMW Plymouth. They confirmed that both rear sensors were indeed faulty, but they found no control unit problem. Even so, the bill was £360. In hindsight, if I’d kept faith in the Bosch diagnostics, I could have replaced the sensors myself again, with less expense and hassle.

If the error messages and warnings return again, I’ll just try replacing the one remaining original sensor. But so far, another 1200 miles has gone by without further problem, so I’m beginning to hope that may be the end of the story.

PS: When I contacted BMW Cotswold, who had supplied the faulty sensor, for a refund, they were very helpful. The eventual refund, via Plymouth, included the cost of fitting. I recommend BMW Cotswold http://cotswoldmotorgroupbmw.netdirector.co.uk/ for online parts (UK only), cheaper than over the counter.
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      12-03-2016, 12:52 AM   #15
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"something in the west country air" ? Rain?

I thought this thread was a bit confusing, until I realised, I had not read properly - we are talking "old" monitoring system= ABS based - not TPMS with pressure sensors.

Sorry.
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      05-07-2018, 03:47 PM   #16
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Front left or right?

Quote:
Originally Posted by plymjack View Post
just to update - drove 800 + miles and no issues.
Dealer had it today and said it was a front wheel speed sensor, but as a precaution also want to replace both rear tyres. So hopefully that will be sorted.

The main thing to note is that it was no problem to drive with the warnins.
Just picking up this thread as I now have this issue.
Do you know which front sensor left or right?
Many thanks
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      05-08-2018, 11:33 AM   #17
plymjack
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Hi it was the passenger side (uk car).
I did not say at the time but I think it was caused when parking and drove over a small boulder (100mm high). Dealer did not think this was relevant so did not comment at the time.
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