2005 E53 PDC not working

[PLH-BMA]

Hi everyone , Im a new member, recently purchased 2005 X5, absolutely love the car!!! Had quite a few niggles with different things not quite as they should be, but have sorted everything except for PDC !!! Ive read numerous posts on forums about this problem but none seem to answer the question!! When selecting reverse the pdc light flashes and a long single beep, which sounds like its from the rear, the light continues to flash when selecting Drive for a short time! Ive tried the recommended listening to the sensors for ticking whilst the system is in operation, with nothing from any sensor front or rear.
I purchased and fitted a second hand PDC module with exactly the same results !!
Am i to believe that all 8 sensors have failed or am i missing something?
Hope you super techy people out there can help!!
Cheers
Paul

[Clavurion]

All it takes is one failed sensor and the system is in that fault mode. Proper diagnostics will show trouble codes.

[Purplefade]

Had the same issue with mine, got in the car one afternoon, popped it in to reverse and got the one long beep followed by non-working PDC...


To this day I have no idea how it happened but when I inspected each sensor I found my passenger side front had a huge scratch across the face of it, nothing on the bumper at all, directly on the face of the sensor itself and to this day mine remain in fault mode because I refuse to take the bumper off to replace that sensor. (Though when I had my fog lights out to replace the bulbs the other day I got a hair-brained idea that I still need to go back and check out a bit more.)


Something you can try, and it's a long shot, but my wifes care will get a film on her sensors, kind of like when a headlight fogs up, and every now and then I'll take a little bit of alcohol and clean each sensor really well, fixes hers right up!

[PLH-BMA]

Thanks guys, I obviously need to get these checked out!!
Does anyone know if the OBD wifi plug in will diagnose the problem or do I need a BMW
dedicated unit??

[Jps1995m3]

I know there’s little videos that you can watch to test the sensors see which ones are pulsating.


I’ve had a problem were the sensors on the front bumper the wires were pinched pretty much flat and when they reinstalled the front bumper if you want you could check your harness once I did that reinstalled everything it worked

[PLH-BMA]

Thanks guys, I'm gonna check all these things out as soon as it stops raining here!!!!

[DacidSalin]

When active, you should hear each of them clicking, just a slight tick tick tick. Basically sonar. Your car is a bat.

I'm missing two of them because some fool installed the wrong hitch and they pulled two out so they didn't hit. I've got a new hitch and covers ordered. Hoping the sensors I bought work with what's already installed.

Good luck!

[PLH-BMA]

Yeah Ive read so many posts saying that the ones working will give a ticking sound as you've described, but i get nothing from any of mine!! I've checked all the connections and the loom on the rear as its easy to do. Next step is to remove the front bumper and check everything from there! Ive also tried an OBD plug in diagnostic but it doesn't show any faults so I'm hoping the bumper removal will bring some results!!!

[Clavurion]

Try to find someone local with INPA, DIS or ISTA. No point guessing.

[PLH-BMA]

yeah your right, could save me a lot of hassle !!