Mystery BMW X3 brake issues
Discussion
Long post but it's a complete mystery and I feel I am going to get shafted for new brakes and no way around it.
BMW X3 on ~18k miles, 3 litre diesel mild hybrid. I bought the car as an ex-demo from BMW on 6k miles. It has only been serviced at the dealer I bought it from. The brakes have not been replaced in my ownership.
Since buying the auto-hold fails to release on occasion. This only seems to happen when the car has been driven, is stationary for 0-2 hours, then driven again and only then the first time the auto hold comes on.
It's on the third warranty visit for the same issue.
BMW dealer said there are no faults logged in the car (of course) but the brake pad wear all around is almost zero and the rear pads are non-genuine. Discs are 'heavily corroded'.
This suggests to me the brakes aren't working properly and I know I am very light on brakes anyhow.
They are at the point of fobbing me off, and I can see why.
After 18k there should be a fair amount of brake pad wear, and the non-genuine pads suggest a change. That's just not happened since I bought it and I am absolutely baffled. They have suggested even if the pads were changed before I bought it they would be more worn than they are now - ergo I must have changed them, ergo not their problem.
No idea if anyone here can help shed any light on this at all, but any help appreciated.
BMW X3 on ~18k miles, 3 litre diesel mild hybrid. I bought the car as an ex-demo from BMW on 6k miles. It has only been serviced at the dealer I bought it from. The brakes have not been replaced in my ownership.
Since buying the auto-hold fails to release on occasion. This only seems to happen when the car has been driven, is stationary for 0-2 hours, then driven again and only then the first time the auto hold comes on.
It's on the third warranty visit for the same issue.
BMW dealer said there are no faults logged in the car (of course) but the brake pad wear all around is almost zero and the rear pads are non-genuine. Discs are 'heavily corroded'.
This suggests to me the brakes aren't working properly and I know I am very light on brakes anyhow.
They are at the point of fobbing me off, and I can see why.
After 18k there should be a fair amount of brake pad wear, and the non-genuine pads suggest a change. That's just not happened since I bought it and I am absolutely baffled. They have suggested even if the pads were changed before I bought it they would be more worn than they are now - ergo I must have changed them, ergo not their problem.
No idea if anyone here can help shed any light on this at all, but any help appreciated.
Go to a different dealer ?
18k is not a lot of miles for rear brakes.
But if you are saying there is rust that is not getting cleared on the discs, then something may be seized....although that would then contradict them sticking on, if they were seized off.
My van has an auto hold feature....it is one of the most annoying things about it. If only it could be turned off completely.
18k is not a lot of miles for rear brakes.
But if you are saying there is rust that is not getting cleared on the discs, then something may be seized....although that would then contradict them sticking on, if they were seized off.
My van has an auto hold feature....it is one of the most annoying things about it. If only it could be turned off completely.
Dealer relaxed their view and said that non-oem pads are ok (by BMW's own approved used policy) and it wasn't an issue. Nobody knows what it has non-oem pads fitted at under 7k miles but as not concerned with it for warranty they stopped worrying if it was me who had them fitted.
They found no issues with the auto-hold but have noted it again in case it is diagnosed at a later date. Same as last 2 times.
A drive back from the dealer with some left foot braking and the discs almost look new, it must just be a combo of how I drive and the regen for the mild hybrid, I genuinely barely use the brakes.
As to why I like auto-hold? I've been rear ended 3 times and would hate to drive into someone else or out into traffic as a result. I also hate sitting behind brake lights in traffic and therefore happier not doing that to others. I think I'm alone in that though.
They found no issues with the auto-hold but have noted it again in case it is diagnosed at a later date. Same as last 2 times.
A drive back from the dealer with some left foot braking and the discs almost look new, it must just be a combo of how I drive and the regen for the mild hybrid, I genuinely barely use the brakes.
As to why I like auto-hold? I've been rear ended 3 times and would hate to drive into someone else or out into traffic as a result. I also hate sitting behind brake lights in traffic and therefore happier not doing that to others. I think I'm alone in that though.
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