Tri (Quad?)fecta lights?

[jgold47]

on the way into work I randomly got 4x4/DSC inactive with yellow lights on dash and then ABS and Brake in yellow with Tire Pressure.

The car drove fine, but I was almost to work, and didnt go that far/fast.

From doing the reading, it sounds like this could be the wheel sensor, although i dont recall the speedo not working.

I've read some of the articles related to the e39 and testing the wheel sensors at the ABS module, but does anyone have any e53 specific advise?

I have a lit CEL from a missing O2 sensor wire (dont ask), but I havent scanned it since i got this lite to see if there were any other errors.

I do have a GT1 at home I will hook up, but its in German and often of little help because

The only other two nuggets:

I'm due for an alignment, but the car/wheel is not that far out of wack
I dont drive very far regularly, but in the last 2 weeks I have probably done 600 miles of driving.

thanks in advance for any advice

EDIT: the tire pressure may be a clue, I'll check those at lunch, but I recently equalized. However, if the speed sensors are not measuring right, perhaps it also shows the tire is flat (out of sync to the rest of the car)


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[Clockwork]

how is your voltage? is the battery fine?
Normally you get the trifecta when you loose batt power (by disconnecting OR bad batts)
How is your alternator?

[jgold47]

Battery is less than 90 days old. Alternator seems to be within range. I have a 4th light.

Went out at lunch and lights out, took to gas station on corner, tires all in sync.

Had a bad storm last night and car was outside. I'll start looking for some weird water infiltration.

Will report back after I drive it further

[upallnight]

Just connect a scanner to it, there should be a shadow error code(s)

[g300d]

Last trifecta I had was a steering angle sensor.

GT1 would show it if it were.

But the tpms as you mentioned could be a clue, as it reads off difference in wheel rotation as you said...it could be a wheel speed sensor I agree.

EDIT: you wont necessarily lose your speedo as only one of the sensors is used for that IIRC.

Maybe try checking the connection boxes where the sensors plug into, the ones in each wheel well area, and the actual sensors and wires themselves. Hopefuly it's just a loose/compromised connection somewhere there and not something harder to find.

[jgold47]

an update:

The lights stayed off over the weekend.

I scanned the car with INPA (I dont think GT1 works on my laptop anymore, I have a really old version of the install) and got a speed sensor error. It didnt specify which one (again, my INPA spits out in German) or maybe it did but either way I cleared everything, and on my merry way.

This morning, I got the same lights, in almost the spot on the way to work, but I can definitively say that the speedo is not working either, so I think that narrows it down.

Can anyone confirm which side (passenger/driver) the speedo sensor is?

[upallnight]

Left rear wheel sensor

[jgold47]

Originally Posted by upallnight

Left rear wheel sensor

thanks but I suck at this. PAssenger or driver (I'm american)

[David.X5]

Left is US drivers side. Unless someone says otherwise (like Left when looking at the engine), Left and Right are from the perspective of someone sitting in the drivers seat.

[upallnight]

Originally Posted by jgold47

thanks but I suck at this. PAssenger or driver (I'm american)

If I was in the UK it would be the passenger side, but that would be the wrong side for you. That is why I stated the left rear wheel sensor. Left is the same whether you are in the UK or you are in the USA.