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My PDC repair

Discuss the problems with your X5 (E53).
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staffordcox
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My PDC repair

Post by staffordcox » Sat Jan 12, 2019 11:58 am

Hi all.

This weeks conundrum is the PDC failure on my E53. The symptoms are that when the PDC is switched on either by selecting reverse gear or pressing the PDC button, I get a constant tone for a second or two then a flashing PDC button and nothing else (I bought it knowing this). I have listened really carefully to all 8 sensors and found the I had 2 silent ones (1 front and 1 rear). Great, I'll order 2 replacements. I've gone for non genuine eBay ones in this case.

BMW part number: 66216902182
eBay item number: 323217587618
Photo 12-01-2019, 11 54 25.jpg
Photo 12-01-2019, 11 54 25.jpg (158.74 KiB) Viewed 3792 times
I did pull the sensors out at this stage to get a look at them so I could compare them to the eBay ones and decided to swap ones from another position to check the wiring was good. And it was.

So the replacements turned up, I fitted them, and now all 8 are ticking. I've come to try them out and sure enough I've got the same fault as before. Can anyone help me from this point please?

- Should I have bought genuine ones or should the cheap copy ones be OK?
- Is there a reset procedure I need to do in order to tell the car I've replaced them?
- Am I missing something completely?

Any help would be great and I will of course update this post with my findings.

Thanks
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marti
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Re: My PDC repair

Post by marti » Sat Jan 12, 2019 12:04 pm

If all 8 are ticking they should be fine....all I can suggest is disconnect the battery for 20 minutes....negative off first and back on last...

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Re: My PDC repair

Post by staffordcox » Sat Jan 12, 2019 1:06 pm

marti wrote: Sat Jan 12, 2019 12:04 pm If all 8 are ticking they should be fine....all I can suggest is disconnect the battery for 20 minutes....negative off first and back on last...
Thanks Marti. That should be easy enough to try as the battery is flat again (a different post will be created on this soon). I only drive it at weekends and it wouldn't even open the central locking this morning :?

I'll go and jump it and see what happens....

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Re: My PDC repair

Post by staffordcox » Sat Jan 12, 2019 3:02 pm

So, that made no difference. The battery was flat as anything but disconnected the battery for an hour while I did some other bits and still the exact same problem :headbang:

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Re: My PDC repair

Post by henrym3 » Sat Jan 12, 2019 6:35 pm

From what your saying, you disconnected your flat battery for an hour, reconnected and jump started it again. From my experience your flogging a dead horse, trying to trace or find a fault with a duff battery will lead you up a blind alley. If you want to find/trace faults you must have a fully charged battery which is in good condition, no dead cells. If you own one of these vehicles you need some form of diagnostics system. It will be the best money you’ll spend.

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Re: My PDC repair

Post by staffordcox » Sat Jan 12, 2019 8:49 pm

Thanks Henry.

It is a brand new battery with a 5 year warranty so I guess the draining fault should be the thing to concentrate on. I'm going to leave certain fuses unplugged when I lock it up on a Sunday evening from now on to see if I can identify what's draining it. I'm going to start with fuses 72/73 and 74 (from memory) for the navigation, stereo and phone etc first and then move onto something else if that doesn't sort it.

I'll buy an INPA and cable set and see what the codes read and so some resetting to see what comes back over the next few days.

Thanks for your advice.

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Paulpen
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Re: My PDC repair

Post by Paulpen » Sat Jan 12, 2019 9:46 pm

Buy a cheap multimeter and you will find it alot quicker :)

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Alan Gunn
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Re: My PDC repair

Post by Alan Gunn » Sun Jan 13, 2019 7:13 am

And don't forget the good old hedgehog a well known battery killer.

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Re: My PDC repair

Post by staffordcox » Mon Jan 14, 2019 9:07 pm

Paulpen wrote: Sat Jan 12, 2019 9:46 pm Buy a cheap multimeter and you will find it alot quicker :)
Already got one and ready to attack :D
Alan Gunn wrote: Sun Jan 13, 2019 7:13 am And don't forget the good old hedgehog a well known battery killer.
Yeah, I've read about that one, and it's on the list :thumbsup:

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Re: My PDC repair

Post by kanewesley » Wed Jan 16, 2019 6:18 am

.....And be carefull with INPA !

I've got it and can't make head nor tale of it...It's all in German

The fault info is anyway. The sections of the car are in English but fault data in German.

You'd be better off with BMW Scanner 1.4.0. but it's a bugger to get going if you don't have windows XP

I have windows 7 and have now been trying to get 1.4.0. going for 3 months...despite all the info on google about it.

So....if anyone has a BMW 1.4.0. Windows 7 for Dummies walk through, which I can follow line by line I'd be very grateful as I have numerous problems on my "Ultimate Driving Machine" that need investigation :(

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Re: My PDC repair

Post by Alan Gunn » Wed Jan 16, 2019 7:44 am

kanewesley
Click the link in post 7 of this topic from another forum to get the required drivers that is what i did and just installed them.
https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/show ... n-7-64-bit

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Re: My PDC repair

Post by henrym3 » Sat Jan 19, 2019 1:20 pm

Interestingly I have just developed the exact same problem. Both diagnostics that I have give a pass "no faults" so am a bit stumped. I have disconnected the rear and used contact cleaner and have deliberately left one disconnected but diagnostics still says pass "no faults" In the past the diagnostics always pointed to the faulty sensor. Any ideas.

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Re: My PDC repair

Post by henrym3 » Sat Jan 19, 2019 2:41 pm

After some more fiddling with INPA ( only just got it ) it tells me that there is an earth fault. Having recently (two weeks ago ) had the front bumper off I thought that might have something to do with it. Undone all the bolts and screws and the system starts to work again? Some more work and find I had trapped a wire on refitting the bumper and the minuscule vibrations had taken 2 weeks to wear through the coating and cause the earth problem.

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Re: My PDC repair

Post by henrym3 » Sat Jan 19, 2019 2:52 pm

6336D6D2-7A90-48D4-B65F-40E8424640DE.jpeg
6336D6D2-7A90-48D4-B65F-40E8424640DE.jpeg (277.38 KiB) Viewed 3612 times
Really poor pic but you can see the minute bit of damage

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Re: My PDC repair

Post by marti » Sun Jan 20, 2019 11:44 am

henrym3 wrote: Sat Jan 19, 2019 2:41 pm After some more fiddling with INPA ( only just got it ) it tells me that there is an earth fault. Having recently (two weeks ago ) had the front bumper off I thought that might have something to do with it. Undone all the bolts and screws and the system starts to work again? Some more work and find I had trapped a wire on refitting the bumper and the minuscule vibrations had taken 2 weeks to wear through the coating and cause the earth problem.
Easily done, golden rule always back track on what you've done and 9 out of 10 times you'll find the problem....had a mate with an e53, had a problem with the radio and pulled loads of fuses, put them back in and car wouldn't start...told him to back track, he didn't....got an auto electric chap around....sorted in 15 minutes, he hadn't pushed a 30A fuse home enough....cost him £160.00!!!!

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