I've had an unusual thing happen on Thur.. I pulled up and started to back
into the garage when the tire light came on and also the ABS light. I shut the engine off and restarted and the tire light went off. I pulled back out and drove around the block to see if there was any thing unusual with the brakes but everything seemed ok,but the ABS light was still on. I called the dealer and made an appt. for Mon. morning. On Fri. morning I was driving out of my driveway and the ABS light went out. I called the dealer and cancelled the appt. The very same thing happened again on Sat. evening
and on Sun. morning the ABS light went out again. I'm not too concerned about the tire light as it comes on every once in awhile and goes off when I turn off the engine. I don't even have to press the button on the console.
The ABS light does concern me but so far it hasn't happened again and I know if I take it to the dealer they'll say we can't find any problem and send me on my way. It's 250 miles round trip. Any one else experience this problem?

 

Hmm i know the ABS and DSC combo are a bad wheel speed sensor or corroded contacts for it. More than likely it's a bad wheel sensor either wheel speed or wheel angle. When my wheel speed went bad the lights would go on and off randomly. But, remember when those lights are off those systems aren't working. I'd get it into the shop to check, you don't need your ABS cutting out if you need to emergency stop.

 

The same thing just started happening to me too a couple weeks ago. With mine the ABS, DSC and tire lights all come on (and go off) together. Typically they are all coming on together and staying on for most of the time I'm driving. The ABS seems a bit weird too Not sure it is working properly.

Anyone have other suggestions?

 

The TPMS and ABS both use wheel speed sensors to operate so that could be the problem. Might just need cleaned off? That might be why its happening intermittently.

 

I'll check into cleaning the sensors if I can locate them. The tire light has always been a PITA since I got the car. After i got rid of the R/Fs it became less of a problem. J Marshall, thanks for the tip, I'll give it a try.

 

The front sensors are located just behind the rotor directly on top, you'll have to take the wheel off to get to it. The rears you can get to just sitting there, they are just below the upper arm, stick your head under the car and you'll see a huge BMW stamped into the steel look up about an inch and you'll see the sensor.

 

Thanks again J Marshall, I'm going to work on the problem this weekend and I'll let you know how it turns out. Up to now the problem hasn't reacurred so maybe it wasa one of those freaky things that happens.

 

Those sensors can be a PITA to remove if there's a lot of corrosion just to let you know. Depends if you live in the salt belt or not I guess.

 

Mine started doing this after our last snowfall. Sometimes I'll go for days without any problems, and other days the lights (all 3) will come on at the beginning of a drive.

The ABS on mine feels weird when the lights are on. It still functions, but I have noticed that the front brakes no longer have ABS functionality when the lights are on (as verified on an large, empty icy parking lot).

Unfortunately, my Genisys scan tool will not pull up the codes for ABS/DSC/TPMS. I am reluctant to buy the European software for the scan tool because I have not gotten a straight answer from anyone if this will read the codes from a MINI. BMWs are fully covered w/ the software though...

I'm going to order some wheel speed sensors for the front wheels. I figured that it had to be something in the front wheel circuit - when the lights are on, the front wheel ABS ceases to function. From what I know about automotive systems (I'm a former auto/heavy equipment tech), some ABS systems will disable functionality on the axle that it is getting erroneous readings from. In my experience, wheel speed sensors are a lot more likely to fail than the other sensors, so that's what I'll replace first. I've already checked the connections, no corrosion and all seems well there.

If you're lucky enough to have access to a closed parking lot, and a willing bystander, you may want to try having someone watch your wheels from the sidelines as you mash on the brakes. This is how I determined that my front wheel ABS no longer functioned when the lights were on - front wheels locked up, while the rears pulsed the brakes to minimize lock-up.

Definitely take all safety precautions if you decide to give this a shot. You don't need to go too fast (20mph is the fastest I went), and please do this in an isolated large open area...

 

It happened again today. I had to go down a dirt and bumpy road for a quarter mile and both the lights came on. When I got back on smooth pavement I shut the car down and restarted and the tire light didn't come on but the ABS light did and after about 10 seconds it went off. Many years ago in the NAVY when I worked on aircraft engines, we always talked about
"Gremlins" causing problems. I think I have a gremlin!!

 

This may be a stupid question, but have you checked your tire pressure all around? Tire temperature may be messing with you. A marginally underinflated tire can heat up enough to build pressure to a point where the sensors think all is well again.

Other than that, disconnect and reconnect all of the tire rotation sensors. That should scrape off enough corrosion to get a good connection if that is the issue (my headlights require that treatment occassionally).

 

Just an update. I cleaned the sensors on Sat. and up to today I haven't had a problem with any of the warning lights coming on so maybe that was the problem. If it happens again I guess I'll make an appt with Mini of So. Atlanta to check it out. Of course if it doesn't happen while it's there, I'll probably get patted on the butt and told to go home. In all fairness I was treated well when I had the clutch noise taken care of and the SA did exactly what he said he would so I hope he's still there.

 

You da Man! I finally got around to fixing this. Read your post, and as you said the speed sensors were very easy to find. Actually, with my aftermarket BBS RK wheels I was just able to reach through the spokes and behind the rotors, so I didn't even have to remove the wheel. With the stock setup you'll definitely need to remove the wheels though. The sensors were caked with grease/dirt, so I cleaned them off completely. Then slid them in and out of the holes several times, then cleaned them off again. Bolted them back in, and Voila! No more ABS/tire/DSC lights. Saved me a trip to the dealer. Great advice, and thanks!

 

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=115176

 

I finally fixed the problem on my car. I experimented a little bit, and manually jiggled the front wheel speed sensor wires until the lights came on. They'd come on every time if I jiggled the LF sensor wires. I tried cleaning the sensor, this did nothing. The connector behind the fenderwell was dry and had no corrosion.

So I ordered a new sensor from Jayson at Classic, installed it yesterday and no more idiot lights!

 

Just a follow up on the light problem. The problem never went away so I took it to the dealer[Mini of South Atlanta] on Mon. and they found the same problem AKIndiMini had and replaced the sensor. I also had a motor mount leaking which was replaced also. All under warranty. Ray Godman, my SA, is a pleasure to work with.

 

Here we go again. I thought the light problems were solved when the sensor was replaced by the dealer on Mon. On Fri. evening all three lights started coming on again, Tire, DCS, ABS. I shut the engine off and on restart they go off, but than after awhile they come on again. What a PITA!!
I get to make another 250 mile round trip to Atlanta. I don't blame my SA as everything was working when I left and worked for a few days after. I think I have a "Sensor Gremlin"!!

 

I am having the same issues with the lights. I am planning on changing the tire sensor myself. I was wondering though if I will have to reset the ECU after I change the sensor?

 

I didn't have to reset the ECU after I changed the sensor. The ABS/DSC/TPMS lights all went out the second the vehicle started moving. The lights haven't been on since.

 

Thanks for your help!

 

I recently resolved the 'ABS and 'Flat Tire' light on problem on my '05 Cooper. One day about four months ago the two lights came on and I couldn't turn them off. They were intermittent for a day or so then remained on. Following info from this thread, I pulled and cleaned the wheel speed sensors, to no avail. Took it in to 1fastmini (NAM vendor) to have it checked out because I thought I was out of warranty. Eddie checked it out and said a 'wheel angle sensor' code was indicated. Asked me when I bought the car (Sept '04) and said I should still be under the mechanical warranty and to take it to the dealer. I did and they could not reset the lights. Was told to get an alignment then bring it back. Just two days earlier I was doing an oil change and noticed that the jam nuts on both tie rods were completely backed off and said to myself "Self you need an alignment. Got the alignment and the problem went away without taking it back to the dealer.

 

My GP had the same problem. (went away)
Good to know my car just needs to be cleaned and needs an alignment.
Now I need to find an alignment machine my car fits on lol. (dumped GP)

 

Could the wheel speed sensors also be blowing the abs fuse under the hood?