Is my ABS module bad? How can I tell?

[Bill K]

First off, its a 2001 3.0 X5 (build date 11/00). When the car is started up, the following dash lights turn on: triangle (traction control), orange "brake", and "ABS".
Now this happens before I start rolling. It happens when the engine has just been started.
The cruise control works, the speedometer works, and everything else seems to work just as it should (except the ABS of course). Are these the typical symptoms of a bad ABS module? And if so, wheres the best place to send it out to for a repair? As I understand, a new unit will need to be coded to my car? Thanks for any help.

The brakes feel a bit softer than normal, could this be the ABS pump?

[luvmy03E53]

The infamous "trifecta of lights"...

First thing to do is get the diagnostic codes read. You may be able to have these read at your local auto parts store. Get back to the community with these codes, and we can help you from there. These modules do go bad, but it could be something else. I was getting these lights myself earlier this year, and I was able to fix the problem by cleaning the Mass Air-Flow Meter (MAF), of all things.

Lots of people here will be glad to help!

[racingbmwm3]

First, to correct you, the ABS module is actually the DSC module. ABS is a subroutine of DSC.
Pulling the codes from the DSC module will save a lot of time and especially money. I suspect a wheel speed sensor, but it could be quite a few things, and like luvmy03e53 says, it could be something totally unrelated to DSC. I'm not sure the parts store can read DSC codes, but its worth the cost of free to find out. Otherwise, you'll need to find an Indy or dealer and have the codes pulled using proper equipment. Or, possibly someone on this or another BMW forum lives near you who happens to have a GT1 or similar equipment that will help you pull the codes for a beer?

Most likely your soft pedal is just you looking for other symptoms, unless it's going to the floor with little resistance. Good excuse to do a brake flush if it's been close to 2 years though.

[Bill K]

Thanks. Thats an odd fix. One thing I forgot to mention was that the check engine light threw the cod P0500 Wheel speed sensor A. My research shows that a failing ABS unit might throw this code. Also, after clearing this code, it never came back on, even with the trifecta of lights still on

[racingbmwm3]

I'd suspect a failing wheel speed sensor before a failing DSC. But that's just me expecting all the cheapest parts to fail first.

[tmv]

If everything wheel speed sensor related works, you have a solder wire broke off in your ABS module. It happened to my E39. BBA Remanufacture is running a sell on eBay now for ~$97 fixed.

[Bill K]

ok, here's more: I read that the rear left sensor feeds the speedo and the rear right feeds the cruise control (read it on the internet, LOL), so I ordered one new front sensor. I replaced the drivers side and it didnt make any difference, so then I swapped the old drivers side to the passenger side. Unless both fronts are bad, that should rule them out.
By the way, I lean against the sensor issue because the lights come on without moving the car. I would assume, unless a wire is cut, that a bad or dirty sensor would throw the code as the car starts to move and sends off a signal to the main unit.