Help need please

L

Leighboy

Member
Hi , I’m a new Z4 owner , I have a 2004 3.0 auto , since I’ve had the car the power steering hasn’t worked and I have a yellow steering warning light , I sent the motor to ecu repairs to which they could find anything wrong with it and sent it back , so I removed the column refitted the motor and a angle sensor, but still I doesn’t work , checked all fuses power supply etc which is all good , put my code reader on the car and it says no faults but won’t do a sensor reset , do I need a bmw code reader to do it ? Or has anyone had this problem?
Also I have (in yellow) flat tyre , dsc , and handbrake lights on and in red airbag , plus since putting steering column back I have no indicators or full beam or flash , but hazards work 🤪
Sorry for the long winded post but any help would be great , I’m in Cambridgeshire if anyone is close by with bmw code reader who could help me out 😁
 
What code reader are you using? You must have some fault codes with all those lights on. Seems like you probably have a “steering angle sensor implausible” fault, which requires a PC with INPA to reset (don’t think a proprietary code reader will do it). Airbag is something else (did you remove the seat to replace the column - easy reset).
Is your battery OK?
 
Hello!
That's a long list!!!
So you said no codes? Did the code reader actually communicate with the EPS ECU?
Did the Sport button light up?
I assume you fitted the same column back in?
Could be the Torque Sensor inside the column. You need codes before you dive into anything on these cars tbh.

Red airbag light: Did you disconnect the battery and leave for 20 minutes before you removed the steering wheel?
If not that will set the light but should be clearable.

The indicators and full beam suggest a connection issue on the stalks when you refitted it all.

Did you calibrate the steering angle sensor? If not then that could be the cause of the other lights as the yaw sensor and DSC system don't know which way the car is pointing.

It could well have been an issue with the steering angle sensor in the first place.
When you checked codes did you only look at Power Steering?
The Steering Angle Sensor has its own sub-menu (at least on my reader it does)

Where are you in Cambridgeshire? I'm near Snetterton and have a bit of experience with steering issues.

If it's driveable and you can get it to me................
Don't worry about lack of indicators, it's a BMW. :rofl:
 
Hi , thankyou for the quick responses 😁 the battery is new , without engine running 12.4 volts with it running 13.6 volts , I didn’t leave it for 20 mins no , my code reader is a xtool x100 I think it has a sas but comes up with no communication, but not getting any fault codes , it says all is good when it’s not , I brought the car for me and my son to repair together, the battery was dead when I got it and had been standing since Xmas. The previous owner said it only need a head gasket , it didn’t it was the thermostat and the water pump had snapped
 
It’s not drivable as has no mot , my code reader says the angle sensor is fine but when I go on live data ( on steering wheel sensor) it says ecu not responding
 
Leighboy said:
Hi , thankyou for the quick responses 😁 the battery is new , without engine running 12.4 volts with it running 13.6 volts , I didn’t leave it for 20 mins no , my code reader is a xtool x100 I think it has a sas but comes up with no communication, but not getting any fault codes , it says all is good when it’s not , I brought the car for me and my son to repair together, the battery was dead when I got it and had been standing since Xmas. The previous owner said it only need a head gasket , it didn’t it was the thermostat and the water pump had snapped
Click to expand...
OK, so we have a few easy things to address.
1. The airbag light is because when you disconnect anything linked to that (steering wheel, seats, airbags etc) you need to leave the battery off for 20 minutes first. That can be reset.
2. Indicators and full beam highly likely to be a connection issue when you plugged the switches back in. Check the plugs are fully seated, but first pop them out and check no pins are bent.
3. You need a better code reader or something like INPA to look for faults. This can also calibrate the Steering Angle Sensor.

I think with the steering issue you need to start back from scratch again: focus on one item at a time and work through them all with decent diagnostic tools.
As I said before, you may well find that a simple calibration of the steering angle sensor fixes it.

Happy to help if you like?
I'll PM you my mobile.
 
enuff_zed said:
1. The airbag light is because when you disconnect anything linked to that (steering wheel, seats, airbags etc) you need to leave the battery off for 20 minutes first.
Click to expand...

In the nicest way possible, you honestly don't. As long as you don't turn the ignition back on you can leave the battery connected and do what you like to the airbags without registering an error straight away. Certainly don't need to wait 20 minutes. The main reason for disconnecting the battery is to avoid setting an error when releasing the steering lock (the pouring water from the U-bend back into the sink cock up!)

The OP's problem with stalks and airbag is almost certainly that he's snapped the clockspring - the steering wheel has got out of kilter with the rack while its been apart and then been turned to one extent or the other and run out of slack in the rotary cable.
 
smorris_12 said:
enuff_zed said:
1. The airbag light is because when you disconnect anything linked to that (steering wheel, seats, airbags etc) you need to leave the battery off for 20 minutes first.
Click to expand...

In the nicest way possible, you honestly don't. As long as you don't turn the ignition back on you can leave the battery connected and do what you like to the airbags without registering an error straight away. Certainly don't need to wait 20 minutes. The main reason for disconnecting the battery is to avoid setting an error when releasing the steering lock (the pouring water from the U-bend back into the sink cock up!)

The OP's problem with stalks and airbag is almost certainly that he's snapped the clockspring - the steering wheel has got out of kilter with the rack while its been apart and then been turned to one extent or the other and run out of slack in the rotary cable.
Click to expand...
Well that's weird!
I forgot once, unplugged the seat and lo! Airbag light. Keys never went near the ignition. However, it surely can't hurt to disconnect it as well.
[ref]Leighboy[/ref], did you take the switches/clockspring unit off the column before you removed the column from the car? Is there a chance it was spun when not connected?

[ref]Jock156[/ref], can I have that one I lent you back in the next couple of weeks and I'll take it over when I go to help out.
 
EZ I’m surveying in Thetford tomorrow so I’ll drop it off on my back 👍

WhatsApp me where you’d like it left if no one is there :D
 
I did take off the clock spring and indicator stalk etc but I put it on the seat and left it there till I put it back together
 
jock156 said:
EZ I’m surveying in Thetford tomorrow so I’ll drop it off on my back 👍

WhatsApp me where you’d like it left if no one is there :D
Click to expand...
No rush Brian as we don't think we can meet to sort the car until the end of the month as [ref]Leighboy[/ref] seems to be in competition with me for the amount of holidays in a month :rofl:
 
Its always worth disconnecting the battery well before you do any air bag work simply to reduce the chances of it going off by accident.
 
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