Brake pad wear light and radio reception

[bravo 35]

Hi, this is a question from another forum:

Hello all,

Weird thing happening in my e30. I recently had the brake pads replaced so I know that they are fine. The Brake Lining Light began to come on intermittenly and now permanently- here is the weird thing. Whenever the light would flash on the radio reception would got out. I'll explain-say I am braking- the light would flash and at the same time and to the same pace as the light there will be static comethrough the radio. Now that the light is permanently on the radio reception is horrible. Sometimes if I hit a bump in the road it will come back in. Bear in mind that there is no problem with playing CD's. Are the Antenna and sesor system somehow connected. Anythoughts on an easy way to fix this.

It's is a 1990 325i incase that matters at all.

thanks

Noone has answered it for ages, and I have been curiously waiting for an answer just for my own knowledge - anyone here know?

[2002 1]

The sensor works by having a pad short on the rotor when the pad is worn down.

The wire that goes to the sensor may of worn through and is shorting. IIRC there is a connector just inboard of the rotor. You may want to try disconnecting / inspecting it

Craig

[gmccormack 0]

Check that the coding plug on your instrument cluster is not the problem. My light sometimes comes on & giving it a tap on the plastic panel just below the light will make it go out again.

[bravo 35]

Cheers, yeah, knew how the sensor worked, but not as in depth. Wonder how that could be related to radio reception. Coincidence, or could the shorting out be creating an electric field? Wouldn't have thought so, can't see how. Coincidence maybe?

Thanks anyway.

[*sic 1]

dodgy bimmer wiring....

get a honda, they dont do that at all, when a light comes on it generally means its all over.

[smokenbaby 0]

I have got the exact same problem with my '84 320i. Only there is a very slight difference. The previous owner has disconnected the pads from the sensor. There is an earth wire by the looks of it that is flapping around in the wind. This is more and likely earthing it all out and causing the light to come on. I should really trace the wiring and find the fault.

When I have found the fault I'll let you all know how to either disable the pads wear warning light circut or rewire it to make it all reliable again. I will be disabling mine as I don't see a need for it if you keep up with a maintainance routine.

[gmccormack 0]

I have got the exact same problem with my '84 320i. Only there is a very slight difference. The previous owner has disconnected the pads from the sensor. There is an earth wire by the looks of it that is flapping around in the wind. This is more and likely earthing it all out and causing the light to come on. I should really trace the wiring and find the fault.

When I have found the fault I'll let you all know how to either disable the pads wear warning light circut or rewire it to make it all reliable again. I will be disabling mine as I don't see a need for it if you keep up with a maintainance routine.

Just take the bulb out if you want to disable it.

[smokenbaby 0]

I was thinking more along the lines of removing the wiring from the strut. Join the wires and tape it back into the loom. It will need to be done at some stage when I put E36 struts in it. So why not do it now. Fair call though, easy fix.

Edited January 19, 2005 by smokenbaby