Help!! DSC Problem!!
 

Hello all I am new to this forum, just purchasing a used 2001 X5 with sport package. It has 75k on it. I just signed up to your fourm on friday, and when i got in my new ride for the ride home from work the DSC light came on, the brake and abs lights are on, the speedo reads zero, and the MPG guage is not working !!! I checked the manual it says go to the dealer.. figures.... I'm not new to mechanics, but i'm new to BMW's.. any suggestions? I dont want to go to the dealer!!

Mike

Did the battery die at any time? If so you might be able to cure this by turning the steering from lock to lock with the engine running.

battery did not die, and I'm not sure if it makes a difference but it's a 4.4i. Ironically enough I got in her this afternoon after she as sit for a day and all the lights are off. It makes no sense at all. I was thinking bad ground, or maybe I took a corner to fast but I wish I know what happened. thanks for your reply though, next time i'll try it.

Mike

check the battery and alternator. A low voltage hickup can make the dash do some really odd stuff.

did any other messages come up on the screen? Also, if there are any other local guys, you might want to have the fault code read. That should tell you exactly what's going on. Find a BMW independent or purchase a OBDII scanner such as the FCXII (Peake research) is a good one. BTW.. from your screen name, Sounds like you got a ninja? congrats on your X5.

Thanks on the X5 purchace.. I love it!! And yes, had a 2003 ZX6RR, traded her in (with 18,000miles) for an 05 ZX12R,(which has 15k on her already!)- but I've used my 6RR screen name since then so i'm just keeping it... Anyway I got in the X5 again this morning and there goes the darn dsc lights again, no speedo the whole works. It's rather frustrating, no miles will log, nothing. I had to drive 300mi this morning w/o a speedo, trip guage, odometer, computer... but somehow cruise controll still worked. I'll Look for that scanner online, see if I can find it.. Will the dealer read the code for free? Or will autozone etc? BTW thanks for the post, I'm totally new to the BMW scene...

Mike

As soon as i get home from work today i'm going to put the voltmeter on the alternator, and the batt and make sure that they are ok. Thanks for the tip... would make sense, i was thinking maybe a bad ground, so it definately makes some sense...Thanks

Mike

Ok, I went to auto zone and barrowed thier code reader and Read the CPU with the code reader and there are no fault codes. I called Peake research and they say that the problems I have cannot be read with any of thier code readers. I checked the battery voltage, it's at 13.0. When the Engine is running at any RPM the voltage from the alternator is a steady 13.9-14.0. I'm at a loss... any more advise? Please help!!!

Mike

I have not seen a failure on an X5 yet, but check the "Speedometer Impulse Sender" That has very similar symptoms as you descried on E36 and E46. It’s located on the rear diff housing on the 3’s. I don’t have my X here at work today or I’d go check the location for you.

The other option is the dreaded cluster failure that is so common on E36. Again I have not seen it hit the X5 yet.

hmm...cluster...maybe its not working properly...meaning maybeeee someone changed the cluster...or pulled it out for whatever reason....check the vins...because dsc lights and brake light...i would say faulty brake line or brake changing...or lack of fluid...but you would tell automatically if there is no pressure in the brakes...next..the speedo not clocking...would ck the accelerator or throttle to see why its not sending a message to the car, but it seems simple...the cluster may not be in properly...problably forgot to plug in a harness...like when you do the chrome guage rings =D
sorry for any generalizations...but i had a friend that bought a great car from a not so great dealer.