Materials to Maintain Your ZHP IIIII Hand Protection IIIII Tools to Maintain Your ZHP
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Branford, CT
    Posts
    16,055

    FYI: Traction control and brake lights on? Read this.

    So your traction control and brake lights are stuck on. You've had all the sensors checked (steering angle sensor, wheel speed sensor, etc.) and they all test good, are free of crud, and are installed correctly. Why are the lights still on?

    Simple answer. If you have had suspension work done, or have worn suspension components that could cause a misalignment, get the car aligned, then drive it for a while.

    I had a badly misaligned steering wheel and these lights stuck on when I hit a bad pothole that destroyed my balljoints on my left front control arm. Replaced it and the steering wheel was still crooked but the steering was tight. I got the alignment done expecting the lights to go out and they didn't.

    The key is to drive it for a little while. These lights will go out. No freaking out necessary.
    What happens is that the steering angle sensor detects that the wheel has toe in or toe out, not to spec, so the traction control gets disabled. The system cannot operate as its calculations will be thrown off and it cannot effectively administer the proper countermeasures with the specs that it sits at currently. Once the alignment is done, the sensors just need a little time and mileage to "recalibrate" if you will (all of this is an educated guess that I narrowed it down to) and allow the system to detect that the specs are within the norm range again.

    I thought this was the issue because I got my laptop with the dianostic software on it (INPA). I saw that the wheel speed sensors were all appropriately picking up the correct wheel speeds, and that the steering angle sensor was operating as normal (it detected all proper steering inputs as well), so I knew my sensors were fine.



    That is all. An excerpt from my daily ZHP diaries.
    BP
    2005 330i ZHP / 6MT
    Imolarot / Naturbraun
    2003 330iT / 6MT
    Orientblau / Naturbraun




    It's not the car you drive, it's how you drive it.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Asheville, NC
    Posts
    3,240
    Thanks for the posting this info BP. Someone is going to be very thankful.

    (Also glad you're lights are off )

    Please visit my build page here, on CarDomain.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Liberty Township, OH
    Posts
    37,935
    Totally confirms my data.

    http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showt...light=steering

    HTC Thunderbolt+TT
    Call Me Dane l 2/2004 330i ZHP l 18x8 ET45 BBS CK's wrapped with Michelin Pilot Sport AS3+ @ 245-40-18 l KW V1 Coilovers in front l KW V1 springs w/ Bilstein B8 dampeners in rear l BMW Performance Rotors l UUC StrutBarbarian l Racing Dynamics Rear Strut Bar l Jim Conforti Shark Injector l Light Birch Interior Trim l Bimmian Celly Mount l M3 Trunk Mat l l e90 Performance E-Brake & Shift Knob l M3 Tri-Stitched Boots l AL Headlight Retrofit with ZKW Lenses l CobyWheel Wrap w/M3 Stitching l LCM sw 4.5 triple blink and rear fogs l Maple Interior Trim

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by az3579 View Post
    I got my laptop with the dianostic software on it (INPA). .
    ok you've peaked my curiosity....what is this software? bmw specific? if so how / where do i get it?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Liberty Township, OH
    Posts
    37,935
    Quote Originally Posted by Scorpius View Post
    ok you've peaked my curiosity....what is this software? bmw specific? if so how / where do i get it?
    LOL. We have a build thread somewhere with the downloadable software...I think. You just need a dedicated laptop.

    HTC Thunderbolt+TT
    Call Me Dane l 2/2004 330i ZHP l 18x8 ET45 BBS CK's wrapped with Michelin Pilot Sport AS3+ @ 245-40-18 l KW V1 Coilovers in front l KW V1 springs w/ Bilstein B8 dampeners in rear l BMW Performance Rotors l UUC StrutBarbarian l Racing Dynamics Rear Strut Bar l Jim Conforti Shark Injector l Light Birch Interior Trim l Bimmian Celly Mount l M3 Trunk Mat l l e90 Performance E-Brake & Shift Knob l M3 Tri-Stitched Boots l AL Headlight Retrofit with ZKW Lenses l CobyWheel Wrap w/M3 Stitching l LCM sw 4.5 triple blink and rear fogs l Maple Interior Trim

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Branford, CT
    Posts
    16,055
    Quote Originally Posted by danewilson77 View Post
    LOL. We have a build thread somewhere with the downloadable software...I think. You just need a dedicated laptop.

    HTC Thunderbolt+TT

    Doesn't have to be dedicated. I have mine running on Virtual Machines.
    This is the thread: http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showt...ostic-Computer
    The problem is, all of the info in the original post was deleted. There is that same info somewhere later in the thread, towards the last few pages.


    Regardless.
    I should also point out, that it's not a good thing to leave your MAF disconnected. Car won't like it, and you'll have to stare at an ugly SES light for about 30 miles after reconnecting. Ask me how I know.
    BP
    2005 330i ZHP / 6MT
    Imolarot / Naturbraun
    2003 330iT / 6MT
    Orientblau / Naturbraun




    It's not the car you drive, it's how you drive it.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Columbia, SC
    Posts
    43

    Warning for sensor fails?

    Wierd. This morning I started the car up and had these all stay on to/from a short trip to the store. (8mi. total) Did a little research through the forums,,, then about 6 hours later, started back up and they went out like normal and did about 50mi. No recent maintenance or suspension damage.
    TSE3 Exhaust,Strut Barbarian,EVO3/DSSR,Trans. Mounts,BavAuto Perf. Coils,Black Kidneys,Sharked,Aux Input,12V pwr adapter,Silver Cube,Zeckhausen CDV,AFE Pro DRY S,A22 eyebrows/reflectors,Xenesis TruMatch,Solaris Invisibulbs,KUHMO Ecsta 4X,18" ASA AR5,Carbon/Black Emblems,De-Badged
    Vinyl smoked head/taillights,LED smoked sidemarkers,Sirius/dash bracket,3M 35% front-20% rear,MY2005/01

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