service lights on the dash disappearing...

[Jamee]

Morning all,

When I bought the car in March, it had 1 green service light showing, I changed the air filter, pollen filter, and crankcase upgrade about a month ago and it went up to 3 green lights.
However, I had the 'check brake linings' warniong on the dash the other day, and since then the it's gone back to 1 green service light showing, any thoughts???

I'm going to change the oil next week when I work out what to put the used oil in, so that might make it go back up  lol

[Denis O]

It sounds like you didn't re-set the service lights because it went from 1 to 3. A re-set would have sent them to 5. Why it went to 3 I don't know.

The brake warning means they need checking. Nearside front and offside rear are where the sensors are. I used to get spurious warning from my fronts and a little rearranging of the cables and a liberal squirt of WD would usually sort it. Have a look and see what the pads are like. I seem to remember the inside pad wears quicker than the outside.

Google procedure for re-setting e53 service lights and then you can re-set to 5 after you do your oil change.

[Jamee]

No I didnt reset it, thats what was strange how it went to 3 lights on its own.
All my brake discs and pads fine, only changed last Aug, but the handbrake is non existant, I can drive around with it pulled right up, so I have bought rear shoes and rear sensor to do it all soon.

[Denis O]

Crap handbrake is something the X5's suffer from. Come to think of it, my Z4 handbrake is rubbish to. Perhaps it's to do with the set up not ever being efficient.

Mine got an advisory at last MOT as it was only 18% efficient and a pass was 16%. Mind you, they test the X5 with a decelerometer or whatever they are called so they don't yank it on hard. Once they get over 16% they are supposed to stop pulling...making an advisory stupid.

[Horizon]

They never even put mine on the brake tester, I thought they couldn't use the brake tester as its permanent 4 wheel drive. Turning the rear wheels with a brake tester would surely try to turn the front wheels.

[Denis O]

[quote="Horizon"]
They never even put mine on the brake tester, I thought they couldn't use the brake tester as its permanent 4 wheel drive. Turning the rear wheels with a brake tester would surely try to turn the front wheels.
[/quote]

That's why I mentioned the decelerometer which they use instead of the rollers on 4 wheel drive cars.