The 5df0 5df1 ABS/Traction/DSC - your experience
- Thread starter liamconnolly
- Start date
Clearancediver
Member
Out of curiosity did you check your battery? Dirty ABS sensors on wheels and/or low battery voltage can cause these lights to illuminate.... Well worth checking to see if you have a weak battery. If it's an original battery yor problems are likely low voltage induced. The electronics on the car really don't like low battery voltage.
Clearancediver, that's a really interesting comment. My 'three lights on', 5df0/5df1 problem coincided with me not really using the car over winter and flattening the battery. Have since bought a CTEK conditioner, but when I got these fault codes I also had a low battery code come up. Not sure if I need a new battery, but since I fully charged it, the lights went out, but now back on again after a day!
Is it your experience that low battery can cause this, or is this a known thing?
BTW, I cleaned the rear ABS sensors, although there's not really much to clean, but not yet looked at the fronts.
Is it your experience that low battery can cause this, or is this a known thing?
BTW, I cleaned the rear ABS sensors, although there's not really much to clean, but not yet looked at the fronts.
I used the DIS diagnostic software to show battery voltage readouts. With the engine off my battery is around 11.39v / 11.79v, but whilst engine on 14v. So I would say that my alternator is doing it's job, but the battery isn't holding it's charge as well as it could. Since the battery is the original (7 years old), it could probably do with a replacement.
In my case I don't believe it was a power issue, and ECUtesting confirmed there was a unit fault anyway.
My advice though, if like me your battery is old and you have any doubt over your battery performance, replace it. It's far cheaper and easier to do and although it may not solve your trifecta issue, it offers peace of mind if nothing else.
My car has gone to Crago Autos BMW specialist today for a once over service/MOT and pretty stamp in my book. I have also requested that the brakes be bled whilst it's there, as I used an old ezibleeder that couldn't keep decent pressure. As a consequence my brakes were a bit squishy. Then it's finding a decent tyre fitters and laser alignment garage for my new Goodyear Asymmetric 2's and I should finally have a clean bill of health.
I might think about replacing the battery next month, as I have thrown so much money at my Z lately!
I'll keep you updated on my trifecta issue, but so far so good.
In my case I don't believe it was a power issue, and ECUtesting confirmed there was a unit fault anyway.
My advice though, if like me your battery is old and you have any doubt over your battery performance, replace it. It's far cheaper and easier to do and although it may not solve your trifecta issue, it offers peace of mind if nothing else.
My car has gone to Crago Autos BMW specialist today for a once over service/MOT and pretty stamp in my book. I have also requested that the brakes be bled whilst it's there, as I used an old ezibleeder that couldn't keep decent pressure. As a consequence my brakes were a bit squishy. Then it's finding a decent tyre fitters and laser alignment garage for my new Goodyear Asymmetric 2's and I should finally have a clean bill of health.
I might think about replacing the battery next month, as I have thrown so much money at my Z lately!
I'll keep you updated on my trifecta issue, but so far so good.
Clearancediver
Member
Low voltage is a known caused of those lights coming on. If you have the software program INPA you can clear the faults. Cleaning the front sensors will also help to eliminate a known cause. Once you've cleaned the front sensors (Brake cleaner is an excellent choice) and have a new battery installed (check that the alternator is functioning properly with the proper voltage output), clear the faults and see what happens. I would also clean the brake sensor connections as well....
Battery should be 12.6 volts or so at rest. When car is running, the alternator should be showing 13.5-14.2 volts charging across battery terminal (metered). I always keep a CTEK battery tender on my car when it's not being used. The car's electronics don't like low voltage.....
INPA can read the state of your ABS wheel sensors... good/bad ... as well as many other functions including clearing fault codes. It's well worth the money to acquire the software/cable.
Battery should be 12.6 volts or so at rest. When car is running, the alternator should be showing 13.5-14.2 volts charging across battery terminal (metered). I always keep a CTEK battery tender on my car when it's not being used. The car's electronics don't like low voltage.....
INPA can read the state of your ABS wheel sensors... good/bad ... as well as many other functions including clearing fault codes. It's well worth the money to acquire the software/cable.
I've a 2007 2.0i M Sport with only 21000miles on the clock and was horrified to find the classic 3 warning lights which indicate a fault with the ABS/DSC. Having had an identical issue with my Z3 (but with a more respectable 63,000miles) I'm now repeating the whole process again. My local independent BMW garage put the car on their diagnostic system to confirm it was the ABS pump/control module and not one of the sensors. When I had the Z3 I wasted time removing, cleaning and replacing broken sensors only to find it was the ABS Pump. On the Z4, I've now removed the ABS pump/control module and it's currently away to ECU testing Ltd in Derby. They will test the unit and hopefully work their magic and get it sorted. They offer a lifetime warranty which sounds great but that cannot be transferred to a new owner if I sell the car.
I'll keep you posted on developments.
MikeR
I'll keep you posted on developments.
MikeR
Over 60 miles driven in the car, over the past 3 days. Usually I would have had the trifecta by now. I also have my Goodyear Asymmetric 2's on, hunter aligned at Elite, all serviced up. It's feeling great to be driving the Z4 again!
Goodluck to all those who are unfortunate enough to get this issue. Hopefully if you can follow my steps it shouldn't cost anywhere near a quarter of what some people have had to pay to get the problem sorted.
Goodluck to all those who are unfortunate enough to get this issue. Hopefully if you can follow my steps it shouldn't cost anywhere near a quarter of what some people have had to pay to get the problem sorted.
Took the ABS/DSC unit off yesterday and it's going in to 'ECU testing' today. Fingers crossed they find a fault and are able to fix it. Ordered a pressure bleeder for the refit - not looking forward to that bit!
Hopefully it shouldn't need any coding as it's the original pump.
Hopefully it shouldn't need any coding as it's the original pump.
Just to update you guys on my situation. I received my ecu unit back from ecu testing yesterday and put it back on today. I then bled the brakes using the pressure from a spare tyre and an ezibleeder which although worked, I couldn't figure out how to use the DIS V57 to assist in the bleeding procedure. As a result my brakes are a tad squidgy so I may have to bleed them again.
Anyways then I had to reprogram the abs unit using SSS progman and set the steering angle sensor which was pretty straightforward. So now it all seems to be working well and I have saved about £650 which is obviously fantastic so happy days!!!
Anyways then I had to reprogram the abs unit using SSS progman and set the steering angle sensor which was pretty straightforward. So now it all seems to be working well and I have saved about £650 which is obviously fantastic so happy days!!!
I refitted my ABS/DSC unit yesterday after repair by ECUTesting. Have not yet reconnected the battery, so don't know if warning lights have disappeared, but will clear them if they do.
I bought one of those cheap Eazibleed tools, but can't get it to seal on the tyre where it takes air from, even if I drop the pressure down. It just empties the tyre, so I've abandonned that.
Back to two-man traditional method then, I bled the F/R brake, but obviously the pedal's still spongy. Will do the others tonight. I'm hoping to avoid the need for any coding/reprogramming, but reading above, is this unrealistic?
I bought one of those cheap Eazibleed tools, but can't get it to seal on the tyre where it takes air from, even if I drop the pressure down. It just empties the tyre, so I've abandonned that.
Back to two-man traditional method then, I bled the F/R brake, but obviously the pedal's still spongy. Will do the others tonight. I'm hoping to avoid the need for any coding/reprogramming, but reading above, is this unrealistic?
Bled the brakes this evening - pushed some air out of the rear left caliper, hardly anything out of the rear right and front left. When I took the ABS/DSC unit off, I just drained via the front right caliper, so I'd recommend this as the easiest approach.
Took the car for a blast. Brakes fine. No sponginess, and best of all, no warning lights!
No coding needed, but will bleed the brakes again after a few miles, just to make sure. All in all, an easy repair, and total cost £250 much less than a dealer replacement part.
Took the car for a blast. Brakes fine. No sponginess, and best of all, no warning lights!
No coding needed, but will bleed the brakes again after a few miles, just to make sure. All in all, an easy repair, and total cost £250 much less than a dealer replacement part.
Had the ABS, DSC and handbrake lights come on a couple weeks ago. After reading the errors with my reader it showed up 5df0 and 5df1, I cleared these but they came straight back on during a drive. The car is on a 58 plate with 49k miles.
After reading all the horror stories I booked it in with Ridgeway Bournemouth. They came back with the usual DSC pump failure as well as a vacuum pump failure which was supposedly leaking onto DSC pump, is that possible?? Initially they quoted £2500 to change the DSC pump and £400 for the vacuum pump, so nearly £3000 to fix
. In the end I got them to peruse a goodwill claim with BMW UK which they were willing to contribute 80% towards the DSC pump part, so the bill for both comes down to £1100 which is still painful but bearable 
.
After reading all the horror stories I booked it in with Ridgeway Bournemouth. They came back with the usual DSC pump failure as well as a vacuum pump failure which was supposedly leaking onto DSC pump, is that possible?? Initially they quoted £2500 to change the DSC pump and £400 for the vacuum pump, so nearly £3000 to fix
. In the end I got them to peruse a goodwill claim with BMW UK which they were willing to contribute 80% towards the DSC pump part, so the bill for both comes down to £1100 which is still painful but bearable .Save yourself £850 - remove the DSC/ABS unit, send it up to ECTesting, who will repair it for £200, and refit. Bleed the brakes. Easy job. Even if you pay for someone to do it, should save you loads. And with lifetime guarantee of the repaired unit.
I've just had this problem come up - 08 plate 3.0Si with 66k miles. BMW garage says new DSC control unit needed at a cost of £2400 !!
Bloody ridiculous, I'm taking it up with BMW is they insist I have to pay.
Bloody ridiculous, I'm taking it up with BMW is they insist I have to pay.
Yes, full BMW service history, I am the second owner.
