This started with the holy trinity of yellow warning lights on my R53. Ran diagnostics which returned a fault code for the right front wheel speed sensor. After replacing with a brand new one, the fault persisted. It turned out that the positive wire for the sensor in the harness had chafed through. I repaired the break with a crimp connector. The sensor now had voltage and I was feeling pretty confident that the problem was solved. Yeah, right. I re-ran diagnostics: Now it shows fault codes for BOTH front wheel speed sensors, the steering angle sensor and a sensor named "Vehicle speed sensor A" (which I cannot locate anywhere in the Bentley manual and can't identify). How did repairing one wire trash four sensors??? I'm totally bewildered. Has anyone experienced a similar situation or have ideas about what is the source/remedy for this fubar? Your kind assistance is appreciated.

 

Start off by cutting out the crimp connector and soldering the wires. Crimps and splices add more resistance than a soldered connection, that could effect the sensor or how the ecu reads the sensor.

 

Its better to replace the whole wire, it should disconnect further up the line.


Soldering might work, but wheel speed sensors operate within a very small range, and any at all added resistance might throw off the voltage that the ABS computer is seeing.

 

Thank you both for answering.

Unfortunately, the wire terminates in the block connnector that plugs into the ABS/DSC module, so replacing it looks like it would involve removing the module, installing a new OEM harness and device plugs, and bleeding the brake system - - - a fairly sizeable and likely expensive DIY job. I'll try solder first and keep your caution in mind, but I would like to know if your answers are a stand alone tech point about wire resistence or do you see a logical connection between the crimp/solder/replace wire repair and the proliferation of fault codes from four other sensors?

 

My comment was mostly a stand alone tech point.

 

Do you have an ABS scan tool?

What codes are you getting? I'm curious to see what codes were tripped.



ABS codes like I know them are not like powertrain codes, as in they are not based off key cycles.

 

Oh yeah, and when fixing ABS wiring, this is the procedure you should probably stick to:

Strip back about an inch of insulation off of all of the wires to be butt-soldered.

Holding the wires at a 90 degree angle to each other in the middle of the stripped end, start twisting the wires around each other along the wires length. This type of connection is called a "Western Union" splice.

Prime the tip of the soldering iron with a little solder. (That is the magic smoke that makes electronics work. Do not let this smoke out or the stuff will fail to operate. : ) This is called "tinning", and it allows the heat from the soldering iron to get out, and protect the tip from corrosion and burning up.

Hold the iron on the wire until a little solder flows into the wire. Now apply the solder to the point where wire and iron meet letting solder be drawn into the whole connection. Less is more here, if you can’t see the outline of the wire when you are done, yet you see a blob of solder, you used way too much.

Use a properly sized piece of heat shrink tube. The heat shrink should extend at least half an inch past your solder joint.

 

Hi there,

Did you get the ABS system fixed?

Were you able to find a scan tool that read ABS and other chassis faults


Cheers,

Dave

 

Dace,

It turned out that there were more than one wire chafed through. I discovered them by peeling back the harness wrap. It turned out that the speed sensor was okay and survives to this day.

I use the Autoenginuity Scantool. It identifies which of the four sensors is at fault and is comprehensive of most, but I believe not all systems. It consists of software run on my PC laptop and a hardware interface that is BMW specific. It provides data in several useful formats (numerical and various graphic formats) that aid diagnosis, but it does not do all the work for you. for example, i recently had idling problems, which turned out to be the Tmao sensor. The software didn't read a Tmap specific code or say that was the faulty part. But it did provide data on air pressures before and after the SC from \which I deduced the identity of the faulty part. I wouldn't own a Mini without this diagnostic tool, the Bentley manuals and the support of the NAM community

 

Thanks Blue Agave,

I'm chasing a diagnostic tool and I had narrowed down the search to The Autoenginuity software.


Cheers,

Dave

 

How much did you pay for it and what does it come with the package? I'm thinking of getting one.

 

It was a toss-up between Autoenginuity and Bavarian Technic; I ended up with Bavarian Technic because they assured me it would read the ABS fault codes.

Just used it a couple of weeks ago and it reported the fault was internal to the ABS control unit. I'm not sure whether this is just a generic fault because Baravian Technic can't intepret the ABS faults correctly...that's sort of what I'm hoping

As you know the control unit is expensive so I'm going to look at cheaper options first like faulty wheel sensor or chafed wires.

 

Greetings great gods of minis...

I'm newly married (less than a year) and have inherited an awesome r53 (wifeys ride)...

I must say... this car is awesome, it looks great and its fun to drive! A little on the noisy side but i think its the tires. It's just as fun to drive as my 6MT G35....

now the bad....

this car is slowly catching EVERY single bad mx problem that I've ever read about (driving an infiniti, i'm only used to a crappy radio) ... I'm prepared to register with every forum in the world to get this thing back into tip-top shape...

1. Got the holy trinity light show on the interstate (approx 7-10 mins of driving 70-80mph DSC, ABS, low tire pressure illuminate simultaneously) the lights stay on until i reach my destination and then they will be on after restarting the car, but only stay on until i get to like 10mph, then they all go off (wheel speed sensor, or wire shorting/chaffing but where?)

2. Power steering fluid magically disappears and never lands on the ground? already had to replace the pump last year, and am tired of dumping 25 dolla green magic in it

3. Idle studder, at any random time it will start idling at like 200-300rpm and sounds like its gonna die (may be related to next problem)

4. GAS MILEAGE - this thing gets 23mpg no matter how you drive it, i understand 106k miles is a lot, but that is no where near the number other ppl post for their R53, i've read everything from broken plastic air duct from SC to fuel filter(changed, nasty but no result) and it has all kinds of air pressure and temp sensors...

pls help

we love our mini, but i need some help gettin her in shape!

 

I was going to order a sensor since the PO of my car didn't fix his wheel speed sensor issue (passenger rear), but now that I've read this, I'll make it a point to inspect the wiring before ordering a new sensor.

agave, did you figure out why and/or what the wire was chafing on?

 

My passenger front wire chaffed through about 6 months ago. The stock hanging position put the wire really close to the drive belt. Turns out it was touching (maybe intermittently) and slowly got worn through. I soldered it back together, tied it up so it hung out of the way, and had no problems until now...

After I got coilovers put on, the car dropped 1", and camber adjusted to -1.5 all around the lights are back on. Seems to happen when I pull out of my driveway and the front axle takes a weird angle. Anyway, sometimes it just comes on while I'm driving in a straight line on flat roads. I'm gonna re-investigate that same wire and hope for another break somewhere.

 

Thanks

 

blue agave I'm having the same issues on my 04 MCS,where in the harness did you find the bad wires? Thanks in advance
Happy Motoring, Jeff

 

herrow everybody!

Just fixed my Item 1. (above) on my wife's 03 MCS

if you have that problem I would take off my copilot's front wheel and climb under it

we had a wire chaffing on the Crank Pulley?? kinda weird but the wire routes right next to the belt area ( Just like Act 04 said)

thx for the help peepow

also note: this problem started causing power to be cut to the motor when shifting into 2nd and 3rd, I'm guessing DSC was freakin out

 

I have had occasional problems similar to this. It feels like I'm not in gear, and I quickly clutch-in, adjust gear out/in, then clutch out and go. Usually happens as I pull out into traffic.

I fixed mine AGAIN and it only lasted a couple hours. I need to quit doing a hack job, but I never give myself a lot of time to fix it. I might just break down and buy a new sensor.

 

Wide shot where you can see the wire (the one attached to the blue plastic piece):



Zoomed in on the problem pulley:



Anyway, it seems the stock mounting point of this wire is very close to the pulley/belt. This is the result:





So I fixed it with the help of Mr. Handy, extra wire, and solder.



Then I mounted it in place so it wouldn’t happen again.

 

Having Similar problems! Hoping this is the fix!

 

Thanks for the pictures. I think this may be my problem as well. I thought I had read something about a wire rubbing, but I couldn't find it.

 

My issue was found when I carried out a full transplant from a wrecked 2006 to my 2002. I needed to transplant the wiring loom and I found that the ABS control unit loom had been chafing against the metal support bracket. The ABS control unit is rubber mounted, so there is quite a lot or relative movement of the wiring loom and body of car.

 

So I just had my two sensors replaced yesterday and the trifecta was back today. Will check to see if the belt is at play up front but if this is not the case are there other possible reasons to get a trifecta?

Thanks