brake wear light e 36 2.0i 94

[johnptout]

I have recently replaced my brake pads but the wear light is still on can anyone give advise on how to exinguish it please
many thanks jon

[supertack]

Did you do it yourself, or have a shop do it?

There is a pad wear sensor that needs to be replaced when the pads are replaced. If the senor is not replaced you can't make the light go off unless you pull the bulb.

[johnptout]

thanks understand theres a sensor not sure how to replace it. Any suggestions
cheers

[Chilly]

Can't speak specifically to the E36 but my E30 doesn't have the sensors anymore. The light was annoying so I soldered the two sensor leads together (soldered the SENSOR leads downstream of the plug connector, not the harness leads upstream of connector). The light was still on. More troubleshooting revealed that the wiring about 4" upstream of the connection on the rear wheel was broken. So I repaired the harness and the light is no longer lit.

Normal condition to have the light NOT be lit is to have a continuous connection at both sensors. If either sensor wears through from brake wear the open circuit energizes the light. Shorting the sensor leads turns the light off. Simply pulling the connector off will cause the light to be on.

Chilly

[supertack]

Originally posted by Chilly
The light was annoying so I soldered the two sensor leads together (soldered the SENSOR leads downstream of the plug connector, not the harness leads upstream of connector). The light was still on. More troubleshooting revealed that the wiring about 4" upstream of the connection on the rear wheel was broken. So I repaired the harness and the light is no longer lit.
Chilly

If your so inclined to wait until you hear grinding before you replace your pads, it would be easier to remove the frickin' pad wear bulb from the back of the cluster before going through that whole mess.

[Chilly]

Is pulling a dash apart simpler than making two wires become one with each other? I'm a 'leckety engineer so soldering and heat shrinking a couple of wires takes about 5 min after the iron is hot. Twas no trouble so don't trouble your weary mind on my account.

The options are many:
1. Fix the wire if it's broken, put some new sensors on, smear some tune-up grease on the connector to keep the corrosion out.
2. Pull the dash off and remove the frickin bulb.
3. Splice the ends of the sensors together, and that whole mess.
4. Put black tape on the dash over the frickin light.
5. Run it with the brake light on until the frickin bulb burns out.

Chilly

[Jeron]

There is one front and one rear sensor on opposite corners. The new sensor plugs in and will be pretty self explanatory. You should be able to see that/if the old sensor is worn through.

Once replaced put the key in andurn to ON but don't start it and the light should go out in less than a minute.

[supertack]

Originally posted by Chilly
The options are many:
1. Fix the wire if it's broken, put some new sensors on, smear some tune-up grease on the connector to keep the corrosion out.
2. Pull the dash off and remove the frickin bulb.
3. Splice the ends of the sensors together, and that whole mess.
4. Put black tape on the dash over the frickin light.
5. Run it with the brake light on until the frickin bulb burns out.
Chilly

Two screws hold the cluster in the dash. Remove those with a torx driver, slide out the cluster, remove the three plugs that connect to the back, & slide the cluster out to the right of the steering column. Whole process should take 15 minutes, even if you've never done it before. However, your way works too.

[johnptout]

Many thanks
Should cover all eventualities
jon

[grafhky52]

or you can buy a 25$ sensor and plug it in and know when your new brakes wear out. i am not a scientist but this seems like the easiest thing to do

[Chilly]

Not a lot of money, but I'll take a nice steak and bottle of wine instead. I look at my brakes often enough that I'll never be surprised by a red light on my dash. The $25 would be just as useful tossed in the gutter as if spent on sensors. Unless I'm neglecting my maintenance the red light will never come on. If the driver isn't all into checking oil regularly, tire pressure, etc the brake sensors are probably a good idea. Lots of car enthusiasts drive cars without brake warning lights and I doubt the vast majority of them grind their calipers into the rotors before they change brakes.

[Jeron]

A sensor is only $12 and if you check them that often you should never have to buy another one.

Also, other cars without sensors have mechanical sensors to warn of low pads.

$25 is steak OR a bottle of wine in my book.

Oh and my sensors are connected but zip tied out of the way, but I change swap my track pads and streets pads monthly. In fact I'm doing it tonight...

My wifes car I only check yearly so the sensors are useful.

[Chilly]

Originally posted by Jeron


$25 is steak OR a bottle of wine in my book.

Dang, that must be the fancy steak that isn't in a sausage casing and that high-falutin' wine that doesn't come in a box!

[supertack]

Originally posted by grafhky52
or you can buy a 25$ sensor and plug it in and know when your new brakes wear out. i am not a scientist but this seems like the easiest thing to do

Exactly.
I keep up on regular maintenance too, but having the sensor is a nice fail safe, especially in the winter months when your not outside & under your car as often.