330 coupe brake pad light still on.

[TJC46]

Hi guys i had the yellow brake pad warning light come on yesterday. I knew the front and rear pads wanted replacing as i had an advisory at the last m.o.t. I have changed all the pads today, but the yellow light is still on! This should go off now i have fitted new pads, anyone any ideas why its still on? thanks Tom.

[blondini]

The reset procedure is simply to switch on the ignition without starting the car and if all is well the lamp should go out in 10-20 seconds or so. Some sources say to hold down the brake pedal whilst doing this but I don't think this matters.
Having said this, if you didn't replace the affected warning sensor the process may not work until you do. Worth a try though.

ETA this is for e46.

[Gunk]

If it is an E92 it is a simple procedure, just Google service indicator reset E90

[nixon1]

on my 330ci ('03) the brake pad light remains on. I took t to a good inde who had a look. He confirmed that the pads had plenty left on them and that a lot of water had got into the sensor. He dried it out and all was ok until it got a bit damp and the indicator light came on again. With the recent weather it has just stayed on!

My point is that you might have the same problem. I assume replacing the sensor & wire would solve it, although to be honest I never asked what the situation is as i have plenty of pad left and that is all that I was concerned about. Due a service soon so will enquire then.

[blondini]

AFAIK the sensor is sacrificial as a small loop of embeded wire is worn through and a circuit broken when the sensor head wears against the disc. Any broken or poor connection to a sensor lead or sensor head will trigger the lamp.

[4rephill]

blondini said:

AFAIK the sensor is sacrificial as a small loop of embeded wire is worn through and a circuit broken when the sensor head wears against the disc. Any broken or poor connection to a sensor lead or sensor head will trigger the lamp.

+1 on this . Had this same problem intermittently on My previous E30 325i sport.

Every now and again the brake pad wear indicator would flicker on and off and then sometimes would stay on for a while then go off again.

It was eventually traced to a break in the sensor cable at the point where the cable goes through the wheel arch, inside a rubber grommet. Trouble was, every time BMW tried to trace the fault, the cable was making a good contact so they couldn't track it down!. Perseverance paid dividends in the end though as the fault presented itself to them on one visit and a new cable fixed the fault.

[TJC46]

Thanks everyone. Have ordered a new front and rear sensor as im unsure which one was compromised as both front and rear pads were at the limit.