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.

I bought this truck from my uncle whom i'm close to so I'm not worried about getting the shaft... but I am a bit confused. Does anyone know how to check the Speedo sender? Or what ohms it should read and when? The manual says take it to have the dsc serviced... OH! I'm not sure if I mentioned that the DSC button will not do anything at this time. It does seem like a strange electrical problem, but the computer will not log MPG, average speed, but the speed limit chime works... very strange.. i'm thinking gauge cluster malfunction...

It's possibly a bad wheel sensor. You may need to take it to a dealer to have them hook it up to their diagnostic computer. The OBDII scanner doesn't provide information on the DSC components, only the engine management.

Do you know if there is a way to purchace a computer scanner that bmw would use to diagnoss this issue, or am i dreaming?

I had this happen, lost my speedo and as this was part of the input for other functions (ie DSC etc) it meant a number of other functions were lost.

I am sorry to say it was a fault issue and the dealer replaced the cluster... completely I think.

You would be wise to check it at your dealer at the very least. Whether you do the swap with some second hand parts is up to you, but at least get them to identify it.

I had the problem of DSC intermittently turned on and off before. I took it to BMW services and they said the control unit is faulty. It costed me US$1500 to replace the control unit.

it is a wheel sensor imho. check the wheel sensors.

Ok, I'm going to run to the dealer today, and from what I have learned from this post is that it is probably...

1. It is probably A speedo problem.
2. Could be the wheel sensors
3. May have to get the DSC computer replaced
4. Could be the Instrument cluster.


These all seem like good ideas, and now I will kind of know what to expect from the dealer. Thank you all very much and Hopefully I can still afford rent after this afternoon!


Mike

Ok, took it to the dealer.. they are booked for the next MONTH!!! Luckily I ran into an old friend that as it turns out is a salsmen there so they will look at it on firday. I talked to the service tech and he says it may be the speedo sensor, it made sense to him but we'll see... Does anyone know where to get an actual BMW service book for my 01 X5? I'd love to have one. Thanks for all your help, it's much appreciated!!!

Mike

I bought a manual on ebay.... forget who I got it from but it was on cd and has everything I will ever need... and more. I will dig a little more and see if I can find the seller.

Hello all... I have good news, the BMW dealer diagnosed my X5.. the left rear wheel sensor.. Good job with that prediciton! They wanted 240 to fix it but i found the part for 120.00 so I'm just going to do it myself. I have two questions for you at this point. (63.00 just to diagnoss on top of it)
1. Is it possible to get the diagnostic tool they used to diagnoss the problem?

2. The service guy said that 50% of the time the bad wheel sensor will send a signal to the DSC computer and smoke it. He said he would not know untill he replaced the wheel sensor and then re diagnosed the truck. 1299.00 to replace DSC computer.

.. I dont buy this, .. intermittent problem to me indicates bad wheel sensor, considering the computer had 20 bad readings in it form that wheel sensor. any suggestions? Also i dont think it's going to be that hard to replace the wheel speed sensor, anyone do this before?

You guys have done a great job at helping me throught this problem, and it was the wheel speed sensor proving you know what your talking about... Thank you all so much, I look forward to being part of this forum :thumbup:

I had one of my front wheel sensors go out and it was a simple plug-n-play swap to resolve it. I was given the same warning about potential damage to the DSC module but the simple replacement of the wheel sensor cared for everything.

Theoretically it's possible to get your hands on a grey-market BMW diagnostic computer. But they aren't easy to locate and not cheap. In my opinion, for what you'd spend on it versus the value you get out of having it, probably not worth the effort.

Glad you are close to having it resolved.

Excellent, I'm glad your DSC computer was fine, makes me feel better about replacing the sensor myself.
Your probably right about the grey market BMW cpu reader, but i'm sure to look into it... I have a problem with going overboard on my projects so something tells me I may need it in the future.. of course if it's like thousands of $$ then i obviously won't be able to afford that... but if I could find one cheep .. free diagnostics.. for everyone i know... sweet!!..... Thanks!!!! :thumbup:

Found a computer code reader for 2100 euro, and 2700 usd. looks cool but your right very expensve... here's the link-

http://www.mavericktechnology.co.uk/...arsoft_bmw.htm

here'sthe manufactur link for the computer reader

http://www.carsoftinternational.com/bmwpackage.htm

Question for ZX6RRMCKEE
 

OK, it was in fact the left rear wheel speed sensor. And I did not replace it right away after getting the cpu read and cleared at bmw. When the error started happening again i just replaced it and everythogn worked fine. No computer reset requred. Just plug and play. It couldn't hurt having it cleared so the next problem you may have is easier to identify, but other than that i see no reason to reset the cpu.

Mike

Thank you
 

Alrighty then!

Thank you for your reply. Wish us luck! :)

good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!:thumbup: