[Ralph11]

Dear all, I am Ralph from Germany and I really like my e83 X3 3.0D very much, but unfortunately since some months I have the well known 3 lights on (ABS, Brake and 4x4). I tried some other forums but without success and from reading through the posts I guess this forum is most advanced for getting the right tips and help... I already changed all ABS wheel speed sensors and the rings, exchanged the VTG actuator, overhauled the complete VTG and did various other tests....
I mainly have these two failure codes:
5DEC: DSC: VTG temp failure (my free translation)
5E5C: DSC: Wheelspeed sensors rotation recognition (my free translation)
I suspected some issues with the sensors, but could not find issues initially (similar speed reading), finally I found somebody with Delphi who could help me with reading out more details. All wheel sensors show driving backwards, in both directions, so this seems to be the issue. I am still not clear if all the new Ridex sensors are bad (hard to believe), or the issue is somewhere else, like in the DSC/ABS, or return switch or ???.
The ABS/DSC repair shops I contected did not know about the two codes as a typical failure for the ABS/DSC control unit, they meant rather not the ABS/DSC unit....
Sorry for my long text, but I spent a long time so far on this.
Any help is very much appreciated, thanks for any feedback in advance!
Kind regards Ralph

And if anybody has a procedure to take out the ADC/ABS unit, which looks very very complicated, that would be great, even I would prefer to apply a different fix for above and avoid this ;-)

[Ralph11]

One thing i forgot to mention: if i go reverse, backwards, the sensors show backwards but i still get the lamps on….. one check i could not do is, to verify the sensor direction before the lamps go ob….. thanks and kind regards Ralph

[Ralph11]

Sorry, one more thing i forgot to mention, sometimes the lights go off during driving most of the times they come back on during acceleration, but really rarely they go off…..

[Ralph11]

Hi all, nobody has an idea? Maybe the car is already too old, or the owners ( including me &#128521…… This issue could be on other BMW types too…. THANKS!

[Ralph11]

Looks like I am the only one with that fault, need to find other help since no feedback at all here…… all the best!

[Phangnga]

Hello Ralph,
I am also a new member here with a recently purchased used 2007 X3 E83. It was in very good condition with just over 200K miles. Now, having just replaced the electric water-coolant pump, some of the hoses and the thermostat (successfully and no leaks), and completed the 2nd change of front differential fluid (stinky), I am continuing with new front knuckles, CV shafts, bearings, hubs, tie rods, rotors and calipers.

My current worry is attempting to understand how the ABS sensor in each knuckle gets its signal. Neither side of my new bearings appear to be magnetic, and there are no visible "tone rings" on the new CV axles. Some of my research suggests that the E83's bearings are not magnetic and that there is something machined into the CV axle just under the knuckle's sensor hole. I hope that's true...I will know when I get all this together and begin road testing.
Wishing that there were more posts on this ABS/sensor/bearing/CV axle topic.
Over...

[Ralph11]

Hello Phangnga,

Just wondering why you exchange so much, do all the parts you listed show wearing/noise/faults?

My car has abs rings at the outer drive shafts in the back, those are right under the abs wheel sensors and these rings have a pattern (metal/hole/…), like a comb, which creates the signal for speed and direction. Mine were rusted big time and I exchanged both, it is quiet some work but doable….

When my lights came up first (plus tire pressure) I also had a non working speedometer, so I was kind of sure that my issue is the rear left sensor, replacing it solved the speedometer issue and the tire preasure warning, but still the 3 lights are there ……

For the front i have not these abs rings on the drive shafts, i did read that basically the same is done with the installed bearings…
Dont know why bmw did not use this for the rear as well, since it looks more reliable.
Cheers
Ralph
.

[Ralph11]

Hi all, last try to get hopefully some help…..
I borrowed Delphi diag and did some tests…

I put back 3 of the original sensor, front left, front right, back left and had to keep one ridex sensor on back right.

Tested the wheels by turning right (front) and left (reverse) and all wheels only show reverse status in both directions and they also show the stop status…

I think this is the main issue and reason why i get the 5e5c fault and all the lights…


Does anybody had same issue or knows where the signals get after the sensor to interpret the direction?

Is the reverse switch overriding everything?
I checked and the reverse light goes on when i select R but there could be a mechanical issue. Put the reverse fuse off with no impact.

Does the car only know from speed sensors which direction or is there anything else which shows the car the direction and might overrides everything (geer sensor, ect…)?

As a next test
- I would disconnect right back ridex sensor and test again the 3 wheels, maybe the ridex has an issue, which impacts direction detection, not sure…
- i would disconnect the geer sensor in addition.

.Thanks for any help and best regards
Ralph

[Ralph11]

No feedback/help at all?
Did the tests mentioned above plus disconnected SG‘s to see any impact, but still only reverse status in both directions…..

Then i found out that reverse gear signal is always present, rear lights and rear gear status only turn on when I select R….

Looks like this is overriding everything , need to check switch on gear and wirings to sg……

[Ralph11]

Please remove me from this platform, I can talk to myself without typing / using this forum!

[ShaneMan]

Originally Posted by Ralph11

Looks like I am the only one with that fault, need to find other help since no feedback at all here…… all the best!

Hi Ralph, I just joined and my car has had the same issue. Did you fix yours ? basically will be nothing wrong with brakes or ABS generally, the 4 x 4 error is because the solenoid module in the transfer case has had it's plastic gears go bad. You need that repaired with a cheap rebuild kit you can get from Ebay....easy fix, only around 30 Euro for the kit. Removal is around 15 minutes, repair and refit another 45 minutes at a transmission or other decent mechanic shop. once fixed, refit and clear the codes....did you notice any slow speed shuddering from the wheels or resistance? that is the clue that it is the transfer case....Let me know how you went, sorry it is a long time since your post, but i only just joined.

[GT4560]

I too have joined recently but this is my first participation message.
I have the e83 1st Gen. I have read this post...painful. I have
the "3 lights". I also feel your pain and frustration.
Let me 1st say this post is very difficult to read.
From my own experience and research...
Id offer the solution of simply calibration of the transfer case
namely the actuator which houses the gear wheel
so you and I will need a scanner that can accomplish this task
Namely the Foxwell 510.
As you know there are other scanners too that can do this job ...but they are on the high end$.
Please keep in mind what I'm suggesting is not failsafe.
Could be other solutions to your trifecta problem.
I hope this helps and is the answer.
Finally, when you googled the fault codes what were the results?
Good luck!

[Ralph11]

Hi and thanks for your feedback! As mentioned i did overhaul my tc completely with a new actuator, calibrated it, which did not help…. All my wheel speed sensors show reverse and fluctuate with stationary, no matter which direction i drive or turn…. The actual speed which they show is equal plus minus…. I think most likely the dxc/dsc itself is the issue since all wheel speed sensor get in first. Even all repair shops never seen rhat issue based on failure 5Dec and 5e5c (plan to exchange dxc as soon as i get a adequate used one) or maybe the automatic sg has an issue since it shows with Delphi always reverse signal is active or present ….. would be good if somebody in forum could check with Delphi if this is normal? Also it would be good if somebody has experience if the wheel speed sensor on e83 should show reverse and forward by turning or driving? Thanks and best regards Ralph

[Glene]

the issue is caused by a worn out gear inside the TC actuator. Open up the motor and replace this gear, you'll be back on the road. Watch youtube to see how to replace it.

https://www.amazon.com/RegulatorFix-...s%2C101&sr=8-4

[Simon73]

Hi
Just experiencing the same issue. Bought Ridex ABS sensors that are causing 5E5C.
I have a Delphi scanner and could see alla 4 wheel sensors all speed ok but rotation reversed going forward and vice versa.
I could re use one Sensor Today I ordered a new one by the local shop. Will get it tomorrow.
My story of the famous lights:
Opened the TC and found the chain elongated everything else ok. Replaced it and still lights on. A lot of forum reading pointed me at abs rings and new sensors both sides rear, the code was right side. Now I only got 3 lights and they did not come directly.
The reverse sigen on the ABS sensor, which i checked and confirmed.
I will update tomorrow.
Regards Simon

[Ralph11]

Thanks Simon, looks we have similar issue, your direction is vise versa and my sensors always show reverse (fluctuating with stationary) in both directions ….. i could not fix even with the original sensors plus a new ATE sensor…. Could you please also check for that reverse gear signal, mine always show present and would be good to have your data for comparison? Thanks and good lut! Cheers Ralph

[Simon73]

Hi Ralph
My X3 is manual and my Delphi is not having the option of manual gearbox so I can not read the gear. Sorry.
Been driving mine for two days now and all is fine.
Hope U will solve the issue. Good luck! BR Simon

[Ralph11]

Hi Simon, thanks for your feedback and sorry, what did you do to resolve your issue? All your sensors sensed wrong direction so to change one sensor only cannot fix it? Thanks and cheers Ralph

[Phangnga]

Mornin' Ralph,
Many thanks for your patience and excellent posts.
Apologies that you were "dancing with yourself" for awhile....as I had lost my login password and it's taken awhile to get back into this post.

This is a brief update that might not directly address your issue.

I have accomplished quite a bit of rehab work on our 07 X3, so far with good results.

1. We, too, were getting the three lights and we realized that I had mistakenly ordered (Amazon) and pressed-in front wheel bearings that did not have the magnetized or otherwise readable "rings" for the ABS sensors. FCP Euro tech assured me that my new order of FCP's front bearings would be readable even though my "cellophane" bearing card reader did not detect the "rings" on either side of the FCP bearings. Once installed, and all three lights now out, I sent a thank you to FCP's tech. That was early summer, and no lights since.

2. Last 2-3 days, I removed the old drive shaft (vibrations) and whilst having so much room around the transfer case, I removed the old transfer case actuator (codes on my Foxwell 510) and installed my new actuator. Then drained and refilled the transfer case from my stash of Triax DTF-1. Then, installed new drive shaft and re-installed heat shield and re-attached exhaust. First (very slow, cautious) test drive indicates two problems:

a) sounds as though the heat shield is being rubbed by the guibo or one of the U-joints...will investigate today.

b) the transmission is not shifting, either in auto or manual...so I will work on "adapting" the new TC actuator with my Foxwell 510.

More to come...

Cheers!

[Phangnga]

Will try my Foxwell 510 on adapting new TC actuator.
Thank you GT4560

Originally Posted by GT4560

I too have joined recently but this is my first participation message.
I have the e83 1st Gen. I have read this post...painful. I have
the "3 lights". I also feel your pain and frustration.
Let me 1st say this post is very difficult to read.
From my own experience and research...
Id offer the solution of simply calibration of the transfer case
namely the actuator which houses the gear wheel
so you and I will need a scanner that can accomplish this task
Namely the Foxwell 510.
As you know there are other scanners too that can do this job ...but they are on the high end$.
Please keep in mind what I'm suggesting is not failsafe.
Could be other solutions to your trifecta problem.
I hope this helps and is the answer.
Finally, when you googled the fault codes what were the results?
Good luck!

[Ralph11]

Hi Phangnga,
Thanks for your writing, i am a little bit worried since I would not relate an uncalibrated vtg/tc actuator to be the reason that your transmission does not work/shift anymore, if the actuator gets deactivated by removing the fuse or the connector, the transmission still will work well….. maybe you did/forgot something else (connector, axles,…)
Hope you could fix it!
Cheers Ralph

[GT4560]

Got a code now of 5F3A looking at me.
Car will not drive without shuddering, very hesitant in turning the corners. I've removed the control unit...electronic board looks good. Front diff fluid changed 6 most ago.
Must investigate under car. Guuibo, drive shaft, center bearing. Just don't want to replace the TC.