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      05-30-2015, 07:45 AM   #1
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Diy Bleed Brakes 2011 Bmw X3 (f25) 35xi

DIY BLEED BRAKES 2011 BMW X3 (F25) 35XI


Do this at your own risk! Although this is somewhat an easy task, you are dealing with the brakes on your car! I take no responsibility for the mistakes that you make and this is just a guide for those who want to do the work themselves.
Well there are 3 ways to do this job. The first way is easier but more expensive [$103]. This is the way I chose because I was doing two vehicles. The second is more along the lines of what I would have chosen if I was only doing my X3 [$74]. And the third would be my only alternative if I was on a tight budget or had a second person to help [$15].

You will need the following to make it easy:

Paper Towels
Rubber gloves ( protect your hands!)
17mm socket (For lug nuts)
Jack and Jack-stands ( For lifting and supporting the vehicle)
Turkey baster (optional for transfer of fluid/cleanup) $1
Schwaben Pressure Bleeder “Level 3 brake bleed kit” [ $102.75]
-Schwaben 11mm bent bleeder wrench (used on Front &Rear Brake caliper)
-Schwaben catch bottles ( for old fluid…comes with two of them)
-Pentosin Dot4 (265º) 1 liter or alternative ATE TYP 200 Dot4 (285º) 1 liter brake fluid

Or alternatively you could get the motive bleeder for $58.95 + brake fluid for approximately $ 14.95+ your own bottle catch
for about a total of $74
Or alternatively you could just get the brake fluid for $14.95 and an assistant to pump the pedal and your own 11mm bleeder wrench + catch bottle for a total of $ 14.95

-------------------------------------------------------------------- Instructions 1 /Instructions 2 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Take your 17mm socket and wrench and crack loose the bolts on your wheel. Just crack them loose. Do not completely loosen the bolts since your car is not jacked up. This is much better than trying to loosen the bolts while the wheel is spinning when it's up in the air.

2. Once every lug is cracked loose, then jack up the X3. Support the SUV with jack stands.

3. Once the wheel is off then it will look like this.
4. Open the hood and remove the cowling panel that hides your brake fluid reservoir by removing the 6’ of rubber seal and a portion of the 5 foot section of rubber seat. Then pinch the tab and pull up.
5. Remove the OEM brake reservoir cap and replace with the Schwaben or motive special BMW cap. I thought about using a turkey baster to suck up the old fluid to make it an even faster job, but I could not figure out how to take the protective screen out so I moved on.
6. Fill your Schwaben with fluid through the orange cap location using the whole liter of brake fluid. (Do not remove the main black hand-pump cap)
7. Attach the hose to the Schwaben container and place the pump on a flat location. I chose the area near the headlight.
8. Attach the quick-fit end connector onto the special BMW cap on the reservoir.
9. Pump the Schwaben until it reaches 10-15PSI while ensuring that there are no leaks at the special BMW cap. If there is then press the pressure release ( orange cap) and retighten cap. Do not exceed 20PSI.
10. Now you can move to the caliper and connect the catch-can. Hang the catch-can above the bleed screw. Remove the protective cover on the screw and put the wrench over the screw, and then connect the catch-can’s black rubber nipple. The Schwaben catch-can has a tight fitting rubber 90º and you may need to use some force at first use.
11. Open the bleed screw by turning counter clockwise and pay particular attention to how much you have to open it to get fluid to come out. Wait until the fluid looks clean and then close the bleed valve.
12. Keep the pressure steady on the Schwaben before moving to the next wheel. I have seen people recommend starting at the right rear, left rear, passenger side, and then driver side. I opted to ignore it and just do what was convenient. A tip for removing the 90º rubber fitting is to lower the catch-can and pinch the line so no brake fluid drips out and onto your garage floor. Gravity has a way of reminding me it’s around.
13. When you are done with step 12 for all four wheels, then go to the Schwaben and release the pressure by pressing the orange cap. Disconnect the line using the quick release connector at the special BMW cap. Keep some paper towels around and clean up any mess. When you remove the special BMW cap, the reservoir is going to be full. Use either paper towels or a turkey baster if you have one to remove some fluid to level it out, then replace the OEM cap back on.
14. Reinstall all wheels, lower vehicle, reinstall the cowling panel, rubber seals, confirm the brake fluid cap it tight.
15. Reset your indications:
Push start button once ( no start)
Door closed and seat belt buckled
Press and hold the instrument cluster button ( large one left side)
The service menu will show up
Press each time to go to the Service you need
Press and hold until it asks you to reset
Press and hold confirm.
Reconfirm the reset in I-drive.
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      05-30-2015, 07:46 AM   #2
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-------------------------------------------------------------------Alternative Instructions 3----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
( Two people needed)

1. Take your 17mm socket and wrench and crack loose the bolts on your wheel. Just crack them loose. Do not completely loosen the bolts since your car is not jacked up. This is much better than trying to loosen the bolts while the wheel is spinning when it's up in the air.

2. Once every lug is cracked loose, then jack up the X3. Support the SUV with jack stands.

3. Once the wheel is off then it will look like this.
4. Open the hood and remove the cowling panel that hides your brake fluid reservoir by removing the 6’ of rubber seal and a portion of the 5 foot section of rubber seat. Then pinch the tab and pull up.
5. Remove the OEM brake reservoir cap and try to remove old fluid if you can, but most likely the filter screen will not come loose. So top it off at max and move to the wheel / brake caliper location. I have seen people recommend starting at the right rear, left rear, passenger side, and then driver side. I opted to ignore it and just do what was convenient.
6. Use a ¼ OD clear hose and home-made catch-can and connect it to the caliper. Hang the catch-can above the bleed screw. Remove the protective cover on the screw and put the wrench over the screw, and then connect the catch-can’s clear hose to the caliper nipple.
7. Open the bleed screw by turning counter clockwise about ¼ to a ½ turn to break it loose and then close it softly.
8. If your brake fluid is black in the reservoir or you are overly cautious, I recommend that you follow this step. Place a folded towel under the brake pedal to limit travel of the pedal during the brake bleeding session in step 9. Old dirty fluid can build up in the master cylinder and can cause seal problems when bleeding due to the piston travel being extended more than normal.
9. Have an assistant push on the brakes slowly and pay particular attention to how much you have to open the bleeder screw to get fluid to come out. Have the assistance make slow continuous pumps. Fast short pumps on the pedal are advised against. After about 4 or 5 pumps recheck the fluid level in the reservoir and refill as necessary.
10. Wait until the fluid looks clean in the clear hose and then close the bleed valve. Move to the next wheel / caliper location and repeat step 9 for the four wheels.
11. Reinstall all wheels, lower vehicle, reinstall the cowling panel, rubber seals, confirm the brake fluid cap it tight.
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      05-30-2015, 07:50 AM   #3
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Reserved for PDF (with pics in correct order. )
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      05-30-2015, 10:38 AM   #4
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Nice DIY and pictures, thanks !
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      05-30-2015, 02:41 PM   #5
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I'm impressed.

That said, I hated doing it 40 years ago, so I'm not going to do now! I won't even do it on my bikes!

P.S....include auto trany filter and fluid.
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      04-27-2021, 02:30 AM   #6
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I know it is an old thread but... Don't forget to flush and prime the DSC pump with ISTA as it will still have old fluid in it.
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      04-27-2021, 08:41 AM   #7
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Also adding to this old thread for anyone inclined to buy the Schwaben pump. I have one and have used it multiple times, and it is as clean as the day I bought it because it has never had a drop of fluid in it. It's so much simpler to just use it as a pressure reservoir to pressurize the system and just refill your brake fluid reservoir before you bleed each wheel. Then you don't have an oily tank and hoses to clean.
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