[FCaz]

2011 BMW X3 28i with 200K+ miles, gifted to me after a hard life driven by a relative's family, so I do not know the complete history. Brake pads were just replaced, but repair shop did not replace the brake sensors, and told them they were broken and needed to be replaced. I order some new ones and go to install, but on 3 of the wheels, there isn't even a receptacle to plug them in to! Below is a picture of the empty spot where the receptacle should be in the right front wheel well. Same thing in the two rears. Only front left was I able to successfully install a new sensor.

I'm guessing somewhere along the line someone just ripped them out and got the warning to reset without sensor wires even present? Is there a way to just turn off the brake sensors at the ECM or something? At the very least I need to get the brake lights reset so I can pass inspection, and for now the vehicle won't let me do that, which I am attributing to the fact that there isn't even a receptacle for the brake sensor, much less a sensor wire to bypass.


https://www.dropbox.com/s/aowyco9s6l...e%202.jpg?dl=0

[pungo]

Welcome to the forum...
Just so you know, there's only one front and one rear sensor LF/RR

[FCaz]

Originally Posted by pungo

Welcome to the forum...
Just so you know, there's only one front and one rear sensor LF/RR

Thanks! Guess I have extras for next time! As you can tell, I'm new to owning a BMW. Nevertheless, I'm still flummoxed about what to do about the rear sensor. As I said, there is no receptacle in the RR. Looks like someone ripped it out. Any thoughts?

[pungo]

I can't believe someone would completely remove the wires from the chassis
Look for the wire, maybe it's just cut, if so, strip, twist 2 wires together and use some rtv to seal the bare wire. May need to reset bakes through the instrument cluster and or diag scanner.

[FCaz]

I can't believe someone would completely remove the wires from the chassis
Look for the wire, maybe it's just cut, if so, strip, twist 2 wires together and use some rtv to seal the bare wire. May need to reset bakes through the instrument cluster and or diag scanner.

Thanks! Went back to the RR and followed the other sensor wire under back and noticed a wire stub sticking out. Spliced the two ends together and was finally able to reset the rear brake sensor. No more brake light! To prove I'm not crazy, below is a picture of what I found. Notice the new sensor wire I installed has nothing to plug into in the receptacle housing. The lose wire (my finger is pointing to) looked to be clean cut, so I'm pretty sure someone did this on purpose. Why they didn't splice the wires together, I'll never know. Maybe it was a unscrupulous shop hoping to charge again.


https://ibb.co/QnMvb4w

[frisbeeguy]

Originally Posted by pungo

I can't believe someone would completely remove the wires from the chassis

Gotta go wireless! It's 2023.