Another Brake Pad Sensor won't reset query

[snerkler]

Hi,

I've just had my Feb 2016 X5 x30d M sport front brake pads changed at my uncle's garage and the sensor/mileage won't reset. We've used brembo pads and genuine BMW sensor. We tried resetting using a snap on computer and another that I can't remember the name of. Both brought up all the details and service info but when we tried to perform the reset on the front pads it just kept saying reset failed.

Strangely sometimes when I first start the car there's no amber warning and it says 3100 until the nest service, however as soon as I start driving it goes back to the amber warning, yesterday saying 190 miles for the front brake pads and now today only 90 miles.

I saw this thread and tried the reset suggested in the second post (Va1o), but no matter how long I hold the reset button for nothing happens and it does not bring up any service values https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

On that same post it does say that if the rears are under 50% (which I believe mine are as they're showing 3100) then you can't reset the fronts, but this doesn't make sense to me as they're two separate sensors. Does anyone have any other suggestions how to reset it? Is it only something BMW can do, or is it right that you can't reset unless you have the rears replaced as well?

Any help would be appreciated.

[va1o]

snerkler said:

I saw this thread and tried the reset suggested in the second post (Va1o), but no matter how long I hold the reset button for nothing happens and it does not bring up any service values https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

I saw my name mentioned

Are you sure you don't have a faulty sensor, or perhaps it's been misfitted? It should definitely be letting you reset.

When I changed the pads on my M135i the sensor hadn't yet triggered so I was able to keep the old one, and just reset the computer. But it sounds like yours may have got more worn than that.

It's a weird setup as the countdown to when the car says they're due is almost completely fictional. The sensor is binary and doesn't give a reading on pad thickness, so the BMW Miles remaining figure is arbitrary and not to be relied on.

[snerkler]

va1o said:

I saw my name mentioned

Are you sure you don't have a faulty sensor, or perhaps it's been misfitted? It should definitely be letting you reset.

When I changed the pads on my M135i the sensor hadn't yet triggered so I was able to keep the old one, and just reset the computer. But it sounds like yours may have got more worn than that.

It's a weird setup as the countdown to when the car says they're due is almost completely fictional. The sensor is binary and doesn't give a reading on pad thickness, so the BMW Miles remaining figure is arbitrary and not to be relied on.

Haha, I didn't realise just by writing your name it'd notify you

We replaced the sensor. Initially we replaced it with a pagid one, but after we couldn't reset it then we wondered if we needed a genuine BMW one so bought and fitted one of those and we still couldn't get it to reset.

With regards to the reset you mentioned in the other post I did as you said, turned on the ignition (without starting the engine), waited for the service info thing to disappear, pressed and held the odometer reset button (I assumed you meant the BC button on the indicator stalk) and nothing happened. If I'm on the odometer reading then it reset that (but then does nothing after), but if I was on something else (such as average MPG) then nothing happened, it doesn't switch to the odometer and zero it or anything. According to your post pressing the odometer (or as I assume the BC button) should bring up a service menu which mine doesn't. Even if the sensor was incorrectly fitted and couldn't be reset I would have thought it would still have brought the service menu up? I've been in to the iDrive and gone through all the service requirements etc etc and can't find any option in there either.

The fact that the brake sensor is still counting down despite having new pads and a new sensor made me think that the mileage indication is fictional as you say

[va1o]

Ah I thought you'd got the menu up. I haven't got the car anymore but I'm sure it was just the odometer reset button, not the BC button on the stalk. It briefly resets the trip to 000 then it goes back to the original value, and then the menu appears



Found a video here which probably explains it better - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBBzM5zc4Qk

[snerkler]

va1o said:

Ah I thought you'd got the menu up. I haven't got the car anymore but I'm just it was the odometer reset button, not the BC button on the stalk. It briefly resets the trip to 000 then it goes back to the original value, and then the menu appears



Found a video here which probably explains it better - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBBzM5zc4Qk

Ahh, didn't even know there was a button there

I shall give it another go then, thanks

[Locknut]

The odometer button is the one on the speedometer which re-sets the trip meter, not the BC button on the stalk. I have successfully re-set the oil-change reading using the method described by you but pressing the odometer button. I have not tried a brake re-set yet. I did notice that the oil-change did not want to re-set at first because the bonnet was open, but worked OK when I closed the bonnet,

So, close the bonnet and also the doors and the boot, then use the odometer button and let us know how you get on.

EDIT: Looks like va1o got in before me!

Edited by Locknut on Thursday 24th January 20:18

[snerkler]

va1o said:

Ah I thought you'd got the menu up. I haven't got the car anymore but I'm sure it was just the odometer reset button, not the BC button on the stalk. It briefly resets the trip to 000 then it goes back to the original value, and then the menu appears



Found a video here which probably explains it better - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBBzM5zc4Qk

Just tried this and it says reset unsuccessful Out of curiosity I tried the reset on the rears (that say 3200 left) and that said reset unsuccessful too, which makes me think it is some weird glitch (or that it won't allow a reset until the rears are also changed) rather than the front sensor not being fitted right.

Unusual for BMW to make it awkward for you ;)

[Sardonicus]

You wont reset either end if there is a pad warning displayed already (one end upsets the other) try another new sensor on the front or better still check the continuity of the sensor wire and the plug and loom on the car itself

[snerkler]

Sardonicus said:

You wont reset either end if there is a pad warning displayed already (one end upsets the other) try another new sensor on the front or better still check the continuity of the sensor wire and the plug and loom on the car itself

The warning was only amber not red though, does this still make a difference? We've already tried two sensors. The car's going into BMW in just over a week for its MOT so I've asked them to reset it whilst it's in, fingers crossed they won't charge me for the privilege

[Locknut]

There are several threads on the 'net about trying to reset the brake sensors (often without success). Many of them mention that trying to re-set the sensor brings on a warning symbol consisting of a red car on a lift. Did you get that?

[snerkler]

Locknut said:

There are several threads on the 'net about trying to reset the brake sensors (often without success). Many of them mention that trying to re-set the sensor brings on a warning symbol consisting of a red car on a lift. Did you get that?

No, not had that