XSeries-forum

2004 E53 X5 3.0 D Sport - mileage 132,000

For the last few days the DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) light has been taking longer and longer to go out after starting the car. Today it has stayed on permanently

The manual states (on page 19 of my book) "If the warning light is permanently on and a warning signal sounds: DSC and HDC or the four wheel system drive have failed. The stabilising action of DSC or the four wheel drive system is no longer available. Possibly on the rear wheels may be able to propel the car. have the system checked as soon as possible"
Page 97 goes on to state " if the light is on permanently: DSC has been deactivated at the button, and its stabilising action is not currently available"

Now as it happens I don't get the warning sound, but pressing the button does nothing.

Is this as dread filling and scarily expensive as it sounds or could the button just not be working? How do I test before handing over to garage?

Since I started to write this I went out to the car to put the manual back in the glove compartment and switched the car on to check the mileage and when I started it up the light went out and now the DSC button is working fine !!!!!!

Assume the worst case here and that it stops workign again tomorrow - what is your esteemed diagnosis chaps (and chappesses)?


Thanks

Smee

That could be a low battery warning.


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i've had this problem. light started coming intermittently and going off. or would stay on but not come up the next time i started the car. eventually it stayed on!

turned out to be the Steering Angle Sensor.

usual remedy is to re-calibrate the steering angle sensor.

that didn't work, then replaced it.

all fine since then.

cost wise - i can't remember, also i did a few jobs at the same time so i'm not sure how many hrs of labour got charged into it - i'd think about £350?

so if it is the steering angle sensor why does the manual say its the four wheel drive? Lol BMW for you I guess

Is re-calibrating the steering angle a home hob or put it into a garage?

Can I test the steering angle sensor myself?

Cheers

Smee

[quote="smeeagain"]
Lol BMW for you I guess

[/quote]

u got that part right  ) no out of jokes shows how complicated these beasts are.

the steering angle sensor is an input to the x-drive centre diff. not exactly sure what it does with that input although i can theorise..

[quote="smeeagain"]
Is re-calibrating the steering angle a home hob or put it into a garage?

[/quote]

needed a bmw tool my scanner 1.4.0 did not have a feature to do it.

replacing was beyond why minimal diy skills.. although i believe replacing it under the car was a relatively straight-forward job.

I get the DCS error every now and then, it's a common occurrence on an E60.

Most cases the steering angle sensor needs to be replaced which is an input to a lot of systems. For example, my indicators don't cancel when the error turns up!

Thanks for all the replies

Looking at the options posted - battery, steering angle, 4 wheel drive

I did havea battery issue about tend days ago (discharged while I was on holiday) - but now fully recharged and has been before the issue started

Steering angle sensor - needs to go to garage to check

4 wheel drive system - as it is the warning light for this could it be this? How do i check if I don't have all four wheel propelling the car? I did think about jacking it up and getting all four wheel off the ground and engaging drive but I don't have enough axles stands to try
Is there another way to check the 4 wheel drive system?
How will a garage know the steering angle sensor is kaput and needs replaced? Will a diagnostic tool tell them?

Smee

[quote="smeeagain"]
Thanks for all the replies

Looking at the options posted - battery, steering angle, 4 wheel drive

I did havea battery issue about tend days ago (discharged while I was on holiday) - but now fully recharged and has been before the issue started

Steering angle sensor - needs to go to garage to check

4 wheel drive system - as it is the warning light for this could it be this? How do i check if I don't have all four wheel propelling the car? I did think about jacking it up and getting all four wheel off the ground and engaging drive but I don't have enough axles stands to try
Is there another way to check the 4 wheel drive system?
How will a garage know the steering angle sensor is kaput and needs replaced? Will a diagnostic tool tell them?

Smee
[/quote]

My steering angle sensor caused a 4wd disable...diagnostics came up with "improbable angle" or words similair to that

This meant the sensor was working but it was at conflict with the car's direction of travel. The steering wheel was pointing a smidge to the left but the wheels were pointing forward

Turning the car off....then on again fixed it for a few miles then it came back. It was noticeable when it did as all the power went to the rear wheels

It wasn't the sensor though in my case.....the steering wheel was a bit off after the tracking had been messed with. Re-adjusting the tracking sorted it

Wheel straight ahead.....wheels straight ahead......no longe improbable

ah ok

that's my starting point then. My local tyre place does 4x4 wheel tracking and only charges if it needs adjusted (£60). If it needs adjusted then it needs adjusted anyway regardless of whether it fixes it and if it doesn't I dont pay and then take it to local indy to look at diagnostics

Thanks

Smee

[quote="smeeagain"]
ah ok

that's my starting point then. My local tyre place does 4x4 wheel tracking and only charges if it needs adjusted (£60). If it needs adjusted then it needs adjusted anyway regardless of whether it fixes it and if it doesn't I dont pay and then take it to local indy to look at diagnostics

Thanks

Smee
[/quote]

The important bit is that in hindsight it was obviously not aligned> i would be wary of throwing cash for no good reason

When I was driving straight ahead the steering wheel was close to 4 minutes to the hour. Not wildly off  but off all the same. When it was built one would assume that straight on would be 12 oclock and that the sensor would be zeroed as such. If you have the tracking correct (as measure on the wheels) but the STEERING COLUMN not straight on then the sensor thinks you a turning a corner

The diagnostics said improbable angle......my brain put 2 and 2 together adn looked at the steering wheel and said AHAAAAAA

There's obviously a little tolerance either way as BANG ON would be near impossible to achieve. I could have left the wheel off centre and had it re-zeroed but the that would have been plain wrong

If your steering wheel is bang on dead ahead then this may not be the problem

Thanks I will check the steering wheel in the morning in daylight.

As it happens my local garage doesn't charge if, after inspection, the tracking doesn't need done so not throwing cash at it as such. Turns the front tracking was out (although didn't make a difference to the DSC light) so got tracking done anyway (£27.50) - cheaper than wreckign the brand new set of four Vredestein Wintrac Extreme 4 tyres that arrived today to be fitted to my 17inch winter wheels ......

Smee

Just try this to re-calibrate the steering angle sensor:

Start car, turn the steering wheel full lock to the left, then full lock to the right, then back to the centre. Turn off car. Then restart engine and see if that's worked after a quick drive.

Thanks I will check the steering wheel in the morning in daylight.

As it happens my local garage doesn't charge if, after inspection, the tracking doesn't need done so not throwing cash at it as such. Turns the front tracking was out (although didn't make a difference to the DSC light) so got tracking done anyway (£27.50) - cheaper than wreckign the brand new set of four Vredestein Wintrac Extreme 4 tyres that arrived today to be fitted to my 17inch winter wheels ......

Smee

Tried the steering wheel sensor re-set but it doesn't seem to have worked ....

[quote="smeeagain"]
Tried the steering wheel sensor re-set but it doesn't seem to have worked ....
[/quote]

Was worth a shot.