Brake Pads - Problems Resetting Brake Service Light - Now Solved!

S

Silverstar

Veteran
 Costa Del Sol
So yesterday my car bonged and says I need new front brake pads. Last week it was telling me I had some 20,000 kms left and yesterday I am down to 600Kms, strange I think!

Anyway having checked them they are low and need changing so the question is what pads are people using on their E89. In a recent thread the EBC Redstuff were mentioned but what other pads are recommended. Not looking at any track use just fast road with low dust.
 
Well I was going to go for the EBC red stuff but too many horror stories lurk around regarding suspect quality of EBC pads so in the end decided upon some Ferodo Racing DS Performance pads.
 
Silverstar said:
Well I was going to go for the EBC red stuff but too many horror stories lurk around regarding suspect quality of EBC pads so in the end decided upon some Ferodo Racing DS Performance pads.
Click to expand...

You might need a replacement wear sensor if the warning was a red one, if orange it should be resettable hopefully :thumbsup:
Rob
 
I think the horror stories regarding EBC pads are from those who expect them to be a full on track pad, and they just... aren't. i made that mistake with EBC yellows before... even though the yellows say 'Fastest Street, Race & Drift Racing Brake Pads' read a little further down the page, and they back track to say 'ideal for fast street driving and the occasional trackday' which is just as well, as they were all done after 2 trackdays normally.

EBC blues fare a bit better, since they're actually their trackday pads.

However, i would still happy run redstuff or yellowstuff pads on a road car that will never see a track. i think Ferodo DS performance pads will actually be similar to redstuffs or yellow stuffs, but they don't have a bad reputation as they dont pretend to be race or even trackday pads (they have DS2500 and DS3000 for that)
 
Smartbear said:
You might need a replacement wear sensor if the warning was a red one, if orange it should be resettable hopefully
Rob
Click to expand...

Ah! I have already ordered the sensor with the pads.

brillomaster said:
I think the horror stories regarding EBC pads are from those who expect them to be a full on track pad, and they just... aren't. i made that mistake with EBC yellows before... even though the yellows say 'Fastest Street, Race & Drift Racing Brake Pads' read a little further down the page, and they back track to say 'ideal for fast street driving and the occasional trackday' which is just as well, as they were all done after 2 trackdays normally.

EBC blues fare a bit better, since they're actually their trackday pads.

However, i would still happy run redstuff or yellowstuff pads on a road car that will never see a track. i think Ferodo DS performance pads will actually be similar to redstuffs or yellow stuffs, but they don't have a bad reputation as they dont pretend to be race or even trackday pads (they have DS2500 and DS3000 for that)
Click to expand...

It was more the stories I read on the net about the pads disintegrating or coming apart like in this video where the chap was running the redstuff purely on the road as they are supposed to be and in 5000 miles they just came apart.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhtlH_4IuE4

A few stories like that push me to Ferodo. As you say the DS Performance is on par with the Redstuff from EBC, for fast road use only and the DS2500 same as the Yellowstuff for very occasional track use.
 
You can find numerous horror stories about anything you choose to search for on 'tinternet'. The simple fact is, if any brake pad is dangerous it does not meet accreditation and you wont be able to buy it. Friction material coming away from backing plates can be caused by debris impact, dropping the pad etc creating a crack that then results in failure. I lost half a brembo pad on my C63 so nothings perfect.Just put EBC redstuff all round on my 35i, difference is amazing. They also come with a special 'bedding in compound' on the friction face. Part ceramic they are easier on your discs and produce very little dust. What dust there is has a light colour to it and no iron like conventional pads. It is this iron in the dust that gets hot, sticks to your wheel lacquer and then discolours your wheels.
They are also apparently the 'greenest' pads in relation to climate impact!!!!!!!!!
If your looking for a conventional iron based pad the Ferodo DS2500 is highly recommneded by many in the high performance world....

Would I recommend, absolutely.......
 
Smartbear said:
Silverstar said:
Well I was going to go for the EBC red stuff but too many horror stories lurk around regarding suspect quality of EBC pads so in the end decided upon some Ferodo Racing DS Performance pads.
Click to expand...

You might need a replacement wear sensor if the warning was a red one, if orange it should be resettable hopefully :thumbsup:
Rob
Click to expand...
I picked up an OEM rear lead for £10 delivered from BMW on Ebay yesterday!
 
Silverstar said:
So yesterday my car bonged and says I need new front brake pads. Last week it was telling me I had some 20,000 kms left and yesterday I am down to 600Kms, strange I think!

Anyway having checked them they are low and need changing so the question is what pads are people using on their E89. In a recent thread the EBC Redstuff were mentioned but what other pads are recommended. Not looking at any track use just fast road with low dust.
Click to expand...
I had the same thing with 'remaining mileage' changing. Apparently the car looks at your driving style, brake usage and 'guesstimates' the remaining pad. The lead triggers a physical alarm regardless of what the car 'thinks'. If you get an orange alarm then you should be able to reset the alarm and not need a new sensor (so long as you can remove the old one without wrecking it). Once you get a red alarm the resistor in the wear sensor has blown and you will need a new lead in order to clear the alarm.
 
mcbutler said:
Silverstar said:
So yesterday my car bonged and says I need new front brake pads. Last week it was telling me I had some 20,000 kms left and yesterday I am down to 600Kms, strange I think!

Anyway having checked them they are low and need changing so the question is what pads are people using on their E89. In a recent thread the EBC Redstuff were mentioned but what other pads are recommended. Not looking at any track use just fast road with low dust.
Click to expand...
I had the same thing with 'remaining mileage' changing. Apparently the car looks at your driving style, brake usage and 'guesstimates' the remaining pad. The lead triggers a physical alarm regardless of what the car 'thinks'. If you get an orange alarm then you should be able to reset the alarm and not need a new sensor (so long as you can remove the old one without wrecking it). Once you get a red alarm the resistor in the wear sensor has blown and you will need a new lead in order to clear the alarm.
Click to expand...

The orange alarm turned to red today, just as well I ordered the wear sensor together with the pads. I am guessing you got the rear wear sensor from BMW in Newcastle? they were also advertising the front wear sensor for just 13 GBP sadly it will take too long to ship to Spain, they only had one so I am guessing they are clearing stocks. The Ferodo DS Performance pads I ordered should be arriving Monday, Ferodo say these are 'low wheel dust' just like the EBC Redstuff, I hope this is true!
 
mcbutler said:
Once you get a red alarm the resistor in the wear sensor has blown and you will need a new lead in order to clear the alarm.
Click to expand...

simple jumper where the wear sensor connects and no alarm, ECU checks for short circuit

my pads had more than 1k miles left and I just didn't want to hear the bong till the replacement pads arrived and the pads seemed fined visually as well
 
So today my garage fitted the new Ferodo pads together with a new genuine BMW wear sensor. They tried to reset the service light using two different computers but the light just doesn't want to reset. I tried also to do it manually via the dashboard but the light just won't reset. My mechanic said he is certain the new pad wear sensor is connected correctly so what else could be the problem?
 
Jasonn said:
It's a possibility that the new wear sensor might be defective, it's not common but equally not unheard of
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I am beginning to think this as well but it is a genuine original BMW sensor bought from the local dealer, what's the chances that it actually is defective?
 
Silverstar said:
So today my garage fitted the new Ferodo pads together with a new genuine BMW wear sensor. They tried to reset the service light using two different computers but the light just doesn't want to reset. I tried also to do it manually via the dashboard but the light just won't reset. My mechanic said he is certain the new pad wear sensor is connected correctly so what else could be the problem?
Click to expand...
Low brake fluid.
 
mcbutler said:
Silverstar said:
So today my garage fitted the new Ferodo pads together with a new genuine BMW wear sensor. They tried to reset the service light using two different computers but the light just doesn't want to reset. I tried also to do it manually via the dashboard but the light just won't reset. My mechanic said he is certain the new pad wear sensor is connected correctly so what else could be the problem?
Click to expand...
Low brake fluid.
Click to expand...

Brake fluid level is fine.
 
it is easy to rule out the sensor, just use jumper in the connector, the ECU checks for closed circuit, there are lots of videos on YouTube

in my case the parking brake had to be released to reset
 
When fitting rear pads this can occur if the electronic handbrake was rewound by hand as opposed to using software. Ask the garage and then ask them to wind the handbrake to the maintenance position, then reset it via software.
 
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