E36 Compact ABS/Traction control issue

Post Fri Mar 26, 2010 7:58 pm

Driving home from work today I was generally braking, and then the ABS and Traction control light came on, disabling both. I have ran a quick google search and it seems that according to the results I need to clean/replace sensors on the wheels.
Has anyone had any experience with this? The brakes all have plenty of life in them, before anyone asks!
Can anyone tell me or pop a picture up on the location of said sensors?
The car is a 1998 318ti.

Post Fri Mar 26, 2010 8:41 pm

The sensors are mega fragile and PITA to remove from the hubs,cheap plastic crap.
They are pricey too.I bought one for my 323i a couple of weeks ago.ECP quoted £55 + VAT and that was on an account with discount.
GSF was just over £30 inc VAT.
Could try unplugging each sensor and measuring the output of them which will hopefully pinpoint the offender!

Post Fri Mar 26, 2010 8:53 pm

How do you go about getting them off the hubs? Is there any chance it could be covered in crap or more likely to be mullered?

Post Fri Mar 26, 2010 9:04 pm

Zerotonine wrote:How do you go about getting them off the hubs? Is there any chance it could be covered in crap or more likely to be mullered?

Small allen bolt,4mm I think?
Suppose to just twist/pull out but as said they stick in pretty well and the plastic housing is too flimsy to grip mole grips on.
Could well be shit on the end of the sensor but its not accesable with the disc removed either,at least on the front hub anyway.
Think if it was me id unplug each one before trying to remove and do a test on them.

Post Sat Mar 27, 2010 1:23 am

Well strangely enough the lights went out then came back on after about 5 mins. Would the abs sensors be responsible for the traction control warning light being on or do I have 2 seperate problems?

Post Sat Mar 27, 2010 3:13 pm

Zerotonine wrote:Well strangely enough the lights went out then came back on after about 5 mins. Would the abs sensors be responsible for the traction control warning light being on or do I have 2 seperate problems?

Probably related...my e39 has a similar issue, and that also throws out the traction.

From what i've read up the issue will probably be with the abs sensors, and your traction not being able to function if the abs isn't working.

Post Sat Mar 27, 2010 10:40 pm

ABS and ASC share the same sensors

Post Sat Mar 27, 2010 11:03 pm

Sorted it out, the brake fluid reservoir cap wasn't screwed down tight, did that, drove it 10 yards and lights went off.
Thanks for the help, much appreciated!!!

Post Tue Mar 30, 2010 3:07 pm

My mums compact has the exact same issue, every now and again she gets ABS and traction control lights on together, she says its getting quite frequent now

Post Sun Apr 04, 2010 9:10 pm

Well I figured I had my probelm solved but alas, it remains. It is doing precisely what Alex says is happening to his mum's. Could this still be a sensor or is the abs on its way out, or do I need a brake fluid change?

Post Tue Apr 06, 2010 9:58 am

Traction equipped cars have an increasingly common tendency for the ABS pump electrical box of tricks to go wrong as per E39. These parts are part number specific ,thin on the ground used and very grim new !

Best initial plan is get a diagnostic done by somebody familiar with these cars.

PS I spent 2.5 hours removing a front sensor on a rusty E36 last week !