PDC problem
 

I've read all of the PDC problem threads and never though it would happen to me but it did. :( I felt like since I did the installation myself it would be trouble free. :tsk:

Symptoms:

When I put it in reverse, the PDC turns on and the front speaker emits a long beep even when there is no object in front. The PDC light flashes. The rear sensors do not detect anything.

Troubleshooting attempted:

I checked all of the sensors and they are wired up. There are no scratches or dirt on the sensors. All sensors are in place. I removed the control unit and inspected it. No problems with the unit itself and I replugged in the plugs. I checked the connection of the wiring harness for the rear sensors and the harness inside the spare tire well. All good there.

I am thinking it might be the control unit itself. I have read that it has been the source of problems. I'd love to swap out my control unit with someone elses to confirm or eliminate it as the problem but I don't know anyone with PDC on their X5. Has anyone experienced the same symptoms?

yes. On the M3. Control unit was replaced. would they cover it under your extended maintenance?

Mine has been doing the same for the past month, Ii'm just ignoring it...

I've had problem with mine aswell. My indecetes that there is something in front of me when there is not.

But it comes and goes. Some times it does and some times it works. Whats wrong with mine? So enoying!

Mine was intermittent then just ended up being a continous problem, they replaced the control unit set the system back up and everything was golden again:)

Beware if you have a front license plate frame!
This may come in the way of the front PDC sensors if it is too big...

I was told by my BMW dealer that this was a recurring and known problem.

It sounds like the symptoms I am experiencing are common. A new control unit will be in order. Let's see how the dealer does on this one.... In the meantime I have been driving around with my spare tire and spare tire holder out because I took it apart to get at the PDC guts. I wonder if the dealer will take my word for it and let me swap out the control units. It's easier than having the X5 in there for half a day.

Good luck Kevin, and let us know how you make out.

Once in a while, I get a steady false alarm from the rear sensors when the PDC is activated - but no flashing indicator light that I've ever noticed. Very annoying (and embarrassing when someone else is in the car with me), but it's very intermittent... which almost makes it worse :mad:

If it happens again, maybe I'll just push for a new control unit too.

directional question about PDS
 

2003, 4,4 sport/p here.
PDS works ok. I installed bull nose and....blue it ,.. does not work properly with the bull-nose ...it actually create sound, as well as something in the front all time ( and it is , all time -- bull nose!) + some parallel sounds from rear sensors as well. Yes, it is possible to varify in this chaiotic sounds difference , when u backing up on somethimg , but too noyzzy , awfull ! I remooved bull nose.
Hrert is the questin is it possible to disconect ONLY front sensors..without interuption of normal work of the rear ones ???
thank you

It's my understanding that if any of the sensors go south, the system does not operate and it does the long BEEP at the beginning to indicate PDC is not working ?

I had a PDC sensor goe bad. Dealer read the codes and one of the sensors was bad even though everything was there, etc. Nice thing about the diag equipment is that it tells you which sensor is bad.....hope this helps

Thanks! I need to get to the dealer. :tsk:

Hey I have the same problem now. How did you end up on the issues? Was it the control unit? If so does anyone know what they are worth ?


Shanks :)

can we get our hands on one of these BMW diagnostic tools, or is it like some sort of big computer that they can look everything up

It turned out to be a bad sensor. Each one is about $100 from the dealer. I'm sure they can be sourced for less. The problem is that a DIYer wouldn't know which sensor is bad and I'd hate to have to play a guessing game with 8 sensors that aren't all that easy to get to.

PDC goes crazy
 

Well since we're on the topic of PDC, i would like to state that im not impressed with how early the beeping begins when im not even close to an object or car. I find this very annoying and misleading sometimes, espeically when im pulling out of a parking space. My front two sensors go nuts and start beeping very fast. It almost makes me feel like im gonna hit something beause the beep is so quick. Before my dad bought the X5, I was driving a chyrsler pacifica and the thing i liked about chyrslers sensors is that they had a digital display of how close you getting to an object. there would be a green, yellow and then red sections for when your about to hit something. I wish BMW had thought of that.

OK gonna try to figure this out myself. If not I will get my mechanic to scan it. But, here is my question.

If you guys can remeber, when you had the constant beep was it always from the back. Mine is from the back so I am thinking it is one of the back sensors.

Let me know

thnks

You might have reduced your odds and work by 50%. I just checked my records and mine was beeping from the front and it did turn out that a front sensor was bad.

Good thinking! :thumbup:

Sweeeet thanks for the info. I'll let ya know how I make out.

Oh does anyone know if these sensors are specific to X5's? And do I have to reset anything when i switch one?


Shanks again.

can we confirm this and make sure that the specific problem either comes from the front and or back

and also would u have to reset anything if u swapped one of the sensors?

OK have some kinda cool news here. I will try to write it up later to try and trouble shoot.

Here goes.

If the beep is from the rear it IS one of the rear sensors.

I took one of the good front (only the two center sensors will work, the side sensors have a different connector/ it has a 90 degree bend)

So I took one of the front sensors and took one of the back sensors and swapped them out. Same result, beep from the back. I then moved to the other three sensor one by one until I found the bad one. Which was far right passenger side.

I had to take each sensor and move it to the front as i tested them. When I took the bad sensor and plugged it to the front, the beep came from the front.

And Bingo was his name ' O

There ya go,

Takes a bit of doing but it can be done. If you decide to try and take them out from the outside, be very careful. They are a biatch to get out without breaking. Much better to get them from the inside.

One other thing. I have found out they use the same sensors on the 5 series and the 7 series.

Not sure on year swapping or what year is good from what to what... still working on that.


Like I said, I will try to take pics and do a write-up if anyone thinks it is worth it.

Mine has also started doing this. Do you need to remove the front bumper to replace the front sensors?

I had a bit of a go trying to pry them out with my fingers but no luck.

Nice work, Andrew. :thumbup:

Were your phantom false positive beeps intermittent, or did it happen every time PDC was engaged?

It happened every time PDC was activated.

My friend says he has a list of years at work for me on what years mix with what year. I will post it when he sends it over :)

Ok here is the info on what sensors can interchange.

Also, I am getting a few PM's on how to remove them from the outside of the vehicle. I have used a Door Panel Clip removing too. It has been raining here but as soon as it clears up I will take pics and do a formal write-up on how to find and fix PDC :)

Here is the chart for now. You should be able to buy them from an auto wrecker for around $20 - $30 Beats the $112 from the stealer.

http://www.shinerbock.com/sensor.jpg

keep us updated man thank you!!

any new info andrew?

Good work, I wanted to try that but was not sure if it would work. My dealer is gonna get me for one sensor I guess. It's there right now.

CPO will not cover the sensor even if it's due to sensor failure and not parking damage.

i still wanna know a way of removing the sensor from the outside.

And also i have learned that, the PDC sensors should make some sort of noise like a clicking sound if u put ur ear to it.
but i dont hear that noise out of any of my sensors.. i listend to my dads range rover to see what noise it makes, and i deff hear it on the range rover..so i know what im supossed to listen for

So if NONE of my sensors make a noise.. and my PDC goes into a constant beeping mode and the light flashes..how should i go about DYI'ing it

I have been tryin to get out and get some pics of how to remove the sensors. It has been raining here like crazy and it seems like every time I try to get out and do some pics I get pulled in 4 different directions. I will get a detailed how to done shortly.

I am not sure on the clicking sounds.... I will give it a listen and try mine.


As far as the front sensors, I got the center one out without removing the bumber... the sensors on the sides I know are different. The have a 90 degree bend in the connection so I stayed clear of those.

I should have something written up by this weekend :)

PDC Replacement
 

Hello. I am looking for replacement sensors for a 2004 X5. I believe one of my sensors is broke (after I hit the side wall) and now my PDC is not working. After everything I have read, I do believe this sensor is bad. I would like to purchase one for the front side and one center sensor. Can anyone tell me where I can pruchase these. I live in Spain and going to the BMW dealer here and asking for one is like asking them for the first 5 children (impossible). also as the sensor is on the side of the front bumper, has anyone round an easy way of removing and replacing this sensor, or would I have to remove the bumber? Any help would be a great help.

as far as i know.. the side sensors are nearly impossible to remove due to them being on the side and being installed at an angle so u would have to remove the bumper...


Andrew u still need write up that thing please on how to DYI on removing the sensors that are possible to remove

Sorry guys, so much going on at the radio station and to top it off I have been sick the last two... yes two weeks. I never get sick... but when i do... whamie.

I'll try to get to it this week.

anyone end up making a write up on this?

-mike

I had a faulty sensor replaced last year around August and all was fine...for a while, now it started again from the rear, the sensors think something is behind the vehicle when in fact there is nothing. The dealer logged no fault found at the service last week.

Sorry guys, been asleep on this one I guess. Anyway, it is supposed to warm up here in the next few days. I have to work on the X for a bit so I will try to take a few pics then for sure. I have to do the water pump and a front wheel speed sensor. Not looking forward to the wheel speed sensor as I just did a rear one and it was a bi#ch!

I'll get to it soon... promise.

Andrew

P.S. Happy New Year everyone :beerchug:

PDC Sensors use echo location technology, so you can hear a clicking sound from working ones, the sensor that does not emit a clicking noise is the faulty one, saves swapping them..

Desperately looking forward to finding out how to remove the sensors.. I have one as well. Please can someone update on how to remove a PDC sensor in the rear, as I only just got the car 2 days ago and dont want to drive in case i hit something, feels like I am driving bigfoot!

from what i remember when i installed my mufflers,
they just pop into place, have two clips, they are not very sturdy, so i'd be very careful when removing/installing them, i wouldn't feel comfortable with removing and installing them a lot of times, if you know what i mean.
i don't remember if you can access them by not removing the bumper cover, since i had to remove it anyway in my proccess of installing mufflers. if you do need to remove it, it's pretty easy, there's a diy on this site, if you don't need to remove it then it's just the rear difusser that you need to drop down.
hope this helps, i just don't remember on top of my head atm lol