DSC Failure/Brake Service Warning

[Cozy]

Hi all,

Strange one, drive car and all was good, stopped and turned off and then quickly back on again to adjust my parking. When I turned it back on again the DSC Failure warning came up and said to book into BMW to rectify. I turned car off and went for lunch, then came back after 2hrs and the warning has gone BUT now it tells me my brake pads are low. I've checked and they all have about 8mm of meat on them so what's the deal?

Is it my hydro/DSC Pump? The DSC failure warning would certainly suggest it but why has that warning now gone?

When the DSC failure came up my dash had a permanently illuminated DSC icon but now it looks like this with a permanently illuminated brake/parking brake icon...





The only fault ony iDrive is the brake service one, nothing to do with DSC at all. My Cobb AP picks up nothing either.

The only thing that has changed since I last drove it are, BMW PE which required no work or fiddling around the brakes and LCI tails, is there anything in the wires of these that could have done this?

Also just before our destination I had to swere suddenly on a freeway at 60mph to avoid a lane drifter, maybe that upset something?

2008 135i 6MT

Thanks

[Dackelone]

This has happened before. Usually on e87's. Your ABS block/pump is bad. Your looking at a 2K+ repair job. I would have a shop check for codes. Normally your ABS brakes will not be working properly as well.

IF it is the ABS block... there is a German shop that repairs them... www.tachopix.de

[Cozy]

Is this what you mean, Dackel? http://www.babybmw.net/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=38732

Was originally a 2k fix but now there's a £150 repair kit for the DSC pump.

I believe the DSC and ABS pump are the same thing, right?

I've also read it could be a bad brake pad wear sensor: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=666038

What do you think?

[smellthebeans]

I would bet on the pads and sensors.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by JamJay

Is this what you mean, Dackel? http://www.babybmw.net/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=38732

Yup! That is what I meant.

First check for thrown codes and go from there. I am curious though... have you been changing your brake fluid? In the states it is every two years. Over here BMW AG says to do it yearly.

It could also be a brake pad sensor problem. Like I said you first need to check for any codes. But usually when its the DSC/ABS block the ABS light and traction control light stay on all the time. Probably just your pads (sensor?).

I used that TachoPix.de place to repair my dead pixels on my e39 instrument panel. They sent me this thick catalog with all the other things they also repair... like Radios and DSC/ABS pump/block. I was kind of surprised they would do such repairs. I guess its not the states with all the crazy lawyers! lol


Dack

[Cozy]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I forgot to say that the initial problem where the brake icon and DTC light popped up and the iDrive stated DSC failure, the icons wrre amber and in together but at no point did I get an ABS warning. Now there is no DTC icon at all, just a red brake icon.

We've had a lot of rain the past week, I wonder if that made the sensor sh-t it perhaps. Fluid was changed at 26,000 so that is still good and I believe in the UK it's 2yrly.

Should I try and reset the OBC via the odometer trick or just go right for new sensors and then reset it via odometer?

It's weird how this happened, I wonder if the DTC had a blip and threw the sensors out of whack. I can't see any codes on my Cobb AP but I am under aftermarket warranty so I might try and go for DSC pump replacement through that.

[smellthebeans]

You should be able to pull the sensors and inspect the pads yourself. Start with the easy stuff.

[Cozy]

Pads are good, I've checked them all so I'll get the wheels off and see the sensors are ok tomorrow.

It's ok to drive the car, right? It still stops on a dime.

[Cozy]

On another note, if I proceed with DSC pump replacement can it be done by a garage other than BMW or does coding need to be done?

I tried to reset the brake service light today but it won't let me as the sensor has been tripped. I'll check the sensors this week and retry to reset it.

[Cozy]

Just to conclude for anyone searching this issue, I rectified it with new brake pad sensors. At the same time though I decided to just get the pads replaced so I start fresh.

I'm not 100% sure why the red brake warning tripped but I would suggest a bad brake pad wear sensor. For the record the OBC wouldn't allow me to reset the brake pad service warning until the sensor was replaced.

[Theoneman]

Literally just picked up my new 2013 135i today and at mile 22 the DSC/brake failure light came on and told me to go get it serviced. It no longer has Hill Assist or traction control. :-(

[Cozy]

Man that sucks but it could just be a bad brake pad sensor. Turn your car off, leave it for a few hours and then on again, has the DSC warning gone and left you with the brake pad service? If not then it might be the DSC/ABS pump, although uncommon on the E82 is a cheap fix even out of warranty (you're covered, so don't worry ).

Sorry to hear this but it's only the fault of over engineering by BMW if you ask me, electronics can go bad any time.

[Maina]

Hello guys, I just got this happen to me a few days ago, but when I turned off the car for half a day and turned it on again everything was fine. Then it happened again today with the DSC warning gone and just the brake light being on in yellow. Are those the brake pad sensors? Thanks!

[Kizzu]

Sorry for thread jacking but this happened to me yesterday with the difference that my dbc lit on together with the dsc before the permanent red braking lights. Could this be the same problem?

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by Kizzu

Sorry for thread jacking but this happened to me yesterday with the difference that my dbc lit on together with the dsc before the permanent red braking lights. Could this be the same problem?

It could be. But you will never know until you read the ECU for thrown codes.

Btw... did you have your battery cable recall done? That could also cause weird dash lights to come on,

[Kizzu]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

It could be. But you will never know until you read the ECU for thrown codes.

Btw... did you have your battery cable recall done? That could also cause weird dash lights to come on,

no, the car was imported here so they won't recall mine I guess I have to get that fixed. thanks for the info though

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by Kizzu

no, the car was imported here so they won't recall mine I guess I have to get that fixed. thanks for the info though

IF your car is a US spec car... it doesn't matter, where the car is physically. A local dealer can do the recall.

Like for "us" military guys in Germany, we have US spec cars, and any German bmw dealer can do the US recall for free. But a EU spec car would not be part of any US recalls. Does that make sense?

[Kizzu]

Yes. It makes cause mine is a uk car so I believe that mine does not have that issue. Anyways coding will be done by next sat and update the post thanks dack.

[Kizzu]

got the car today as I was too impatient to wait. The code was for worn up sensors. Mechanic told me that the previous pads were replaced without replacing sensors so they threw me these codes, put new sensors on and it's good to go