Might be the best cost and time saving fix ever-Ebrake failure.

4zwmb

Member
Hi, today I encountered this video about fixing the e-brake failure. For this guy with this car it was so easy and completely free of charge! I know a lot of us have had this problem with our z4s, including me. As far as I know and from my own experience, only a software issue was able to fix the e-brake failure. However have a look at this video...makes me think if somehow ours could have been fixed this way too. I really dont know if its possible for our cars but its very interesting to see that this simple thing could have avoided us from a lot of hassle! Let me know what you think guys...

 
This is what you find once you try to get to the fuse box. I dont know which icon shows the fuse for the e-brake though.

z4-fusebox.jpg
 
Hi, not sure if this is related to the issue with ebrakes that seem to affect z4’s?
From what I’ve read, it seems to be a below par battery that triggers the issue & renders the software faulty requiring an updated version to be applied at the dealers.
I’d be surprised if a reboot is going to fix that, it won’t hurt to try it though as it’s quick & cheap :)
Rob
 
Well my business partners car eBrake failed, it had 12k miles on it and other than going in to BMW every five minutes to have the roof fixed, i wouldn't have thought that it was a low battery fault that caused the software to fail.
In fact it was the final straw and a few days later traded it in for a Merc.
 
Simply replacing the fuses won´t work. I´ve tried and the only solution on the e89 is to update the EMF module that controls the the E-brake. No way around it sadly. And the trigger is as stated above a bad battery, something I´ve also confirmed myself.
 
Bit of a stretch to call it a fix. He just removed and re-inserted the fuse.

The real solution for our ebrake issue is a software update which is almost as easy if you have BMW Tools setup on a laptop.
 
The ebrake is the emergency brake, i wonder what would happen if someone had a problem with their car brakes and had to apply the emergency brake to find it had failed, due to a software design fault.
A bit like the airbag not going off due to a manufacturing fault.
 
flybobbie said:
The ebrake is the emergency brake, i wonder what would happen if someone had a problem with their car brakes and had to apply the emergency brake to find it had failed, due to a software design fault.
A bit like the airbag not going off due to a manufacturing fault.

I’m not sure anyone’s had the ebrake fail while in use, it generally fails after the cars been left for a while & battery voltage has dipped below 11.5v, when the car’s started it would leave a warning light on the dash.
I agree it’s very poor of Bmw not to recognise this as their fault though 👎
Rob
 
Well my bus. partners car was her daily drive, she got home parked her car on her slopping driveway and a tried to apply the brake and wouldn't work. She had to find something as a precaution to put under the wheels. I'm not sure if her car had the hold brake. She had some concern getting it off her drive way.
When she got to work, she said this is the last straw. This was a Friday. By Tuesday she arrived at work in Merc. having px the Z4.

My argument once more is that this is a design fault and BMW should be fixing for free.
Would be interesting if there is software version causing those problems. Touch wood i have never had a problem in my 2009 car, but once i bought the car at 3 years 2nd hand it was called back by BMW for a software upgrade. I wonder how many other cars were called back, but perhaps not done.
I wonder when it will be part of MOT that all call backs for cars forms part of the pass.
I have yet to have the wiring call back, i don't want BMW buggering up the car that runs perfectly well.
 
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