I am about to replace my rear brake pads and rotors (I did the fronts already), and unfortunately waited too long so also have to replace the pad sensor . I know others have simply taped up and zip tied the sensor to the fender well (trusting visual inspection over an idiot light). However, I was told by my dealer that the MINI has a speed sensor on the same wheels (LF and RR) as the brake pad sensor.

My question is, are they separate sensors? Can I still tie up the brake pad sensor once I've replaced it without affecting other sensors?

Thanks,

Dave

 

The brake pad sensor is different from the wheel speed sensors. The wheel speed sensors are held in the trailing arm with a small bolt. You should have no problems tying up the brake pad sensor, I've had mine that way for a while now. Just keep an eye on the pad thickness.

 

Thanks Partsman!

 

Your welcome.
Glad I could help.

 

Removal or tying off of the sensor is common on most BBKs as well. Just be certain that if you do, the sensor does not ground out on the strut body.

 

So what happens if the sensor grounds? Will this activate the dash light? If so, is there a fix for this other than installing a new sensor?

 

While having not tried it, I do believe that yes it will light up the dash lamp when grounded. The sensor in the pad would ground on the rotor in normal use.

 

the sensor will not ground out. it is sealed in plastic. on a lot of cars that i replace the rear pads on, the sensor has been tripped. but when adding a pad like a Hawk HPS pads there is no slot for a new sensor. so i cut the head off, strip the wires and twist them together. add a bit of e-tap and a tie wrap and your good to go. (...the way the sensor works is there is a wire in it that gets a signal. once you have gone far enough to wear the plastic away it cuts the small wires and the signal is broken. the light now comes on because it is not seeing one of the signals that it should be. Note: once the light comes on you have a week or less to have everything fixed before your metal to metal..... ) it saves buying a 18 dollar sensor just to turn the light off. you now have better than stock pads and no light, you just have to keep an eye on them.

Chad
Detroit Tuned

 

Ah, very good to know. Every time I pulled one out I'd later hoped I had taken the time to look at it closer but the car was gone! Seems it's a one time use regardless Chad?

 

Chad, just to make sure I have this right, I can cut the sensor off a new sensor wire and not trip the light? Or do you mean I can cut the sensor off the old (already tripped) wire and the light will go away?

Actually at this point I'm beginning to doubt that it is my rear sensor afterall. The pads look ready to be changed, but seem to be several millimeters away from the metal-to-metal scenario. I wonder if the front sensor (which I have zip-tied to the fender wall) might have been grounded when I had new tires mounted (the light came on the same day). If it weren't raining like cats and hippos out there I'd check right now.

So I'm guessing I'd need a new front sensor then, too, right? (I have the rear sensor, but don't think they are interchangable).

Thanks for all the patient help so far!

 

you would cut the head off the old broken sensor and twist the wires together to make the connection (to make the light go away). it would never make sense to cut the head off a new sensor. normally only one sensor is broken at a time. when you look the the face that is near the rotor, you can tell right away if it has hit the rotor or not. there is a bump on the face of it and the rotor will sand it smooth and you may be able to see some cooper wire inside.

you can use the sensor as many times as you like, as long as you do not break it apart when you remove it, and the light is not on for some reason.

as far as i can tell, the sensors are the same, but one is longer than the other by about 8 inches or so, and they have different ways they hook on. the rears are a push on clip, the fronts have a tie wrap kind of clip.

hope that helps.

Chad
Detroit Tuned

 

That helps a lot, Chad, thanks! I wish I had asked before I ordered a new sensor wire...

 

It's always best to replace it, but i know that there are lots of customers that always look to save money any where they can. So this is an item that they can.
good luck

Chad
Detroit Tuned

 

OK, so new sensor is installed, but taped and zip tied up. The light is still on. Anyone ever have and solve this problem? Resetting the flat tire monitor (as I've read about in other threads) does nothing.

Any advice?

Dave

 

I find that I have to drive the car a few miles or most times, reset the ECU.

Chad
Detroit Tuned

 

OK, so I've answered my own question after searching a BMW forum: To reset the Brake sensor light after installing a new sensor you merely have to turn the ignition key to position 2 and wait about 30 seconds. The light will go out
Rumor has it that this information is available in the Bentley Manual.

I hope this helps future NAMers who run into this problem, and thanks to everyone for the help on this thread!

Dave