Once again my DSC & Tire Pressure Warning Lights come on as a pair. They went off after not too long, but this is the third time it's happened.

The first time it happened last fall I ignored it. The second time it happened (in late November) on the way into the dealership for another service issue so I asked. I found out that warning light pairing causes a saved fault that equals a steering angle sensor failure. That sensor is for helping the DSC system know which way you're trying to go if you lose traction. The part wasn't in stock so I had to come back to get it fixed. That was December 6th.

Now it's April and the lights came on again. I'm assuming that the same pairing will equal the same failure. This is at least the third issue I've had with Sebby that has failed again after repair. I'm beginning to think I'm cursed! I love my car, but this is getting annoying!

Anybody else out there getting these lights or am I a random fluke?

 

>>Once again my DSC & Tire Pressure Warning Lights come on as a pair. They went off after not too long, but this is the third time it's happened.
>>
>>The first time it happened last fall I ignored it. The second time it happened (in late November) on the way into the dealership for another service issue so I asked. I found out that warning light pairing causes a saved fault that equals a steering angle sensor failure. That sensor is for helping the DSC system know which way you're trying to go if you lose traction. The part wasn't in stock so I had to come back to get it fixed. That was December 6th.
>>
>>Now it's April and the lights came on again. I'm assuming that the same pairing will equal the same failure. This is at least the third issue I've had with Sebby that has failed again after repair. I'm beginning to think I'm cursed! I love my car, but this is getting annoying!
>>
>>Anybody else out there getting these lights or am I a random fluke?

Hi NekoWoman and good to hear from you again (I remember you from the other board quite a while ago).

I have had some similar issues as well: I have had three types of instances:
Tire Pressure Warning (TPW) alone, DSC alone, as well as DSC & TPW.
I had not heard about the steering angle sensor. I had read instead about wheel rotational sensors having occasional moments of uncertainty, which could explain problems with TPW and DSC. These problems may appear after washing the car. However, I also remember reading that the DSC system 'recalibrates itself' occasionally, and that while it does, the DSC light and even the TPW light may come on but will go off again after a short time. This is supposed to be particularly likely if you run tight circles (parking house ramps) or spin wheels when dragging :smile:. In terms of the TPW light, numerous instances have been reported when the TPW comes on without any pressure problems. It appears to be not the most reliable of indicator systems.

It would seem to me - based on what your dealer told you - that if you only ever get the DSC and TPW lights on together, you may still have the steering angle sensor problem, but if they do not necessarily come on together all the time they do appear, you may just have the idiosynchracies we all have to live with in our MINIs.

Cheers,
Markus

 

Both sensors came on on three seperate ocassions. In fact, it just happened yesterday when I left the parking garage at my office. I guess the "parking ramp" theory is correct.

 

Daniel,

You might want to mention that your car did it to the dealership the next time you take it in. I also thought it was nothing (initially) and had heard the "parking ramp" theory, but IMHO it's just some armchair mechanic's theory as the computer in my car had stored an actual fault. It was a real problem and I got it fixed. The dealership didn't find the fault on other service visits until they were actually looking for it on my car so you might ask them to check next time you're there.

I'm mostly annoyed because it was supposed to be fixed and it's now happening again. I'll take it back in soon for a true diagnostic and report back, but I seem to be the queen of repeat problems. First my coolant issues (3 repairs), then my air bags and now my sensor issue... maybe another problem in there I'm forgetting. I've had about a dozen service visits since I got my MCS in August '02.

Personally, I don't believe the parking ramp or "damp" theories as neither situation was true in my case. I think they are just that -- theories. I am the type that believes 85% of what the mechanic tells me and 50% of what I read! I'm a scientist and I prefer to see the problem with my own eyes.

_________________
NekoWoman

 

This happend to me once. I was accelerating quickly from my parking lot at work while doing a left turn. I have DCS so I could have confused the sensor I guess.

:smile:

 

the dsc/tire pressure light problem is very common.

I don't know if the cause of the problem is known by BMW. A lot of people have had various sensors recalibrated and replaced, only to have the problem recur.

Several weeks ago, I put a post on mini2 asking if anyone who had this problem had it sucessfully fixed and got no positive reply.

Although some have regarded this as a minor anoyance, I'm not so sure. Clearly this fault involves the function of the abs and dcs controls, and I am unsure that these safety devices continue to function when faults occur.

 

same thing happened to me so i took it into the dealership and there's a national wide bulletin about it..

 

>>same thing happened to me so i took it into the dealership and there's a national wide bulletin about it.. >>


Do you know what the bulletin says?

 

This happened to me last night leaving the SFO parking garage. Both lights came on. Stopped car, restarted. Still on. Checked manual. Drove away. Went off in about five seconds.

Any word on the service bulletin?

 

I've had it too, but can't attribute it to a parking garage or dampness. Going to speak to the dealer about it in about 3k miles when its up for service. Also noticed the coolant is brown so I need to talk to them about that as well...

 

Happened to me last weekend at the Deal's Gap rally. First time was in the parking lot of the Fontana Inn friday, literally as the group was pulling out to do the dragon. Both lights on, didn't have any idea what was wrong but decided to drop out of the driver rather than risking my car or passenger. Sitting there trying to think what to do and noticed the lights had gone out, about 4 minutes later, and headed out for the drive anyway.

next time was saturday, after leaving the BBQ at Chris' place in Asheville. Stopped at a gas station to fill up and get a carwash and the lights were on. Pulled over and screamed then decided to drive on back, had to go somewhere.... lights went off in about 5 minutes. As I said, I had just washed the car in a drivethru touchless wash, but don't know if it had anything to do with it or not.

Am taking it in tomorrow to have new tires and brakepads installed and will have them check it then, will post back if I find anything out.