E46 - Terminal one-wheel skid. What�s going on? - Bavarian-Board.co.uk

continued here

Edited by thepits

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I presume the DBC works off the ABS sensor?

I know you said there were no ABS/TC/DBC lights on the dash previously but if you have the sensors on the other wheels working in conjunction with the DBC to ease off on those wheels because they are on the point of locking and it may not be getting a signal from the 4th wheel that says that its locked and is therefore applying a wagon load of retardation on that corner?

Dodgy sensor or maybe ABS relay would be my bet.

Caliper could be an issue but I'd guess there would have been other evidence or occurrences that would point in that direction.

Now: BMW 523i SE '00, 318i SE - e91 '07, 325i Coupe '93.

Prev:
e46 328i SE Touring, 330Ci, 318Ci.
e39 523i SE.
e36 325i Coupe *2, 323i SE, 316iSE.
e30 325iSE 2dr, 320i Conv, 320i 2dr, 316i.

The strangest thing happened to me today. I was giving my wife's car a quick blast before she takes the kidds away for a couple of days on Monday. The brakes have never felt brilliant, always a bit wooden but worked fine and with no warning lights of any kind. I thought I would brake-test the car and just be sure that it was capable of a decent motorway type emergency stop, so on a quiet piece of road I know very well slammed the anchors on from 80-ish.

As I applied the brakes initially all was well and I could feel all four brakes working as they should. As I braked harder, One back wheel, the nearside left, locked completely and did not release for my immediately lifting off the brakes. The car stalled, since a driving wheel was effectively stopped and I skidded to a very smoky halt having left about 150 metres of rubber on the road from that one tyre. I stopped and switched off the car to get out and have a look. Once I got back in and turned on the ignition the brakes had released and were fine. I then repeated this as lower speed and the same thing happened.

The tyre is toast - a new-ish 19 inch Dunlop junked like a 50p piece and more to the point there is clearly something very wrong with the car. We have never had any ABS issues and it is not the handbrake causing the problem. The first time all the warning lights came on as the car stalled. The second time I dipped the clutch and kept the engine running and was left witht he T/C lights and the Dynamic Brake Control on constantly until the next off/on cycle of the ignition when all is fine again. Stopping with any lesser force the ABS works fine and all foour wheels do their bit for braking.

I haven't had the wheel off yet to look at the mechanical side of the brakes but I don't think I'm going to find much. It seems as if there is a fault of some kind with the brake regulation, with everything being fine till full force is applied to the pedal and then all of a sudden it goes irreversably to just that one wheel. Has anyone come across this before in an E46? Mine is an '03 325i Sport Touring. We have had the car since the summer and the only thing that has been done is a routine brake fluid change just after we got it.

Any help or ideas you guys can give me would be very gratefully received as this one is a bit beyond me. As a result of this PitA, in what is now less than 4 hours I have a 200 mile return trip with wifey and 2 children in the CSL before my already busy day starts!

Sam.
the original "not for profit" organisation.

Independent Financial Adviser In Buckingham
My Financial Blog

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thepits Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Joined: 09-July-2003 Location: far far away Status: Offline Points: 10000473	Topic: E46 - Terminal one-wheel skid. What�s going on? Posted: 29-November-2009 at 19:29
	continued here Edited by thepits
	Cats know your every thought. But don't care.

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Andrew Rolland Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Go away rain Joined: 19-August-2004 Location: Scotland Status: Offline Points: 6579	Posted: 27-October-2009 at 17:07
	Even at 80ish mph your car should have stopped in way way less than 150m. Stopping distance at 70mph is about 100m innit? Something isn't right with your braking power. Strip down, examine and clean of all the discs, pads, calipers etc will give you a feel for any un even wear. When was the last time the brake fluid was changed?
	Be exclusive and drive a Petrol 5 Series! Current '13 62 F10 535i MSport Auto Previous '04 04 E60 545i SE Auto '03 53 E60 545i SE Auto (Stolen) '98 S E39 523i SE Auto

Dergside Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Really Senior Member II Joined: 16-May-2004 Location: Mid West, Ireland Status: Offline Points: 4000	Posted: 26-October-2009 at 21:17
	I presume the DBC works off the ABS sensor? I know you said there were no ABS/TC/DBC lights on the dash previously but if you have the sensors on the other wheels working in conjunction with the DBC to ease off on those wheels because they are on the point of locking and it may not be getting a signal from the 4th wheel that says that its locked and is therefore applying a wagon load of retardation on that corner? Dodgy sensor or maybe ABS relay would be my bet. Caliper could be an issue but I'd guess there would have been other evidence or occurrences that would point in that direction.
	Now: BMW 523i SE '00, 318i SE - e91 '07, 325i Coupe '93. Prev: e46 328i SE Touring, 330Ci, 318Ci. e39 523i SE. e36 325i Coupe *2, 323i SE, 316iSE. e30 325iSE 2dr, 320i Conv, 320i 2dr, 316i.

rebel.ranter Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 30-July-2007 Location: Cork, Ireland Status: Offline Points: 44	Posted: 26-October-2009 at 10:59
	Hi, this sounds like a seized caliper. Is your disc discoloured (i.e. a darker colour to the other side)? If it does turn out to be a seized caliper then you need a new caliper, pair of discs & pads.
	1996 320iC: 2002 525iA Sport:

SFH3L Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Really Senior Member I Joined: 03-October-2004 Location: Near Buckingham Status: Offline Points: 447	Posted: 26-October-2009 at 02:57
	The strangest thing happened to me today. I was giving my wife's car a quick blast before she takes the kidds away for a couple of days on Monday. The brakes have never felt brilliant, always a bit wooden but worked fine and with no warning lights of any kind. I thought I would brake-test the car and just be sure that it was capable of a decent motorway type emergency stop, so on a quiet piece of road I know very well slammed the anchors on from 80-ish. As I applied the brakes initially all was well and I could feel all four brakes working as they should. As I braked harder, One back wheel, the nearside left, locked completely and did not release for my immediately lifting off the brakes. The car stalled, since a driving wheel was effectively stopped and I skidded to a very smoky halt having left about 150 metres of rubber on the road from that one tyre. I stopped and switched off the car to get out and have a look. Once I got back in and turned on the ignition the brakes had released and were fine. I then repeated this as lower speed and the same thing happened. The tyre is toast - a new-ish 19 inch Dunlop junked like a 50p piece and more to the point there is clearly something very wrong with the car. We have never had any ABS issues and it is not the handbrake causing the problem. The first time all the warning lights came on as the car stalled. The second time I dipped the clutch and kept the engine running and was left witht he T/C lights and the Dynamic Brake Control on constantly until the next off/on cycle of the ignition when all is fine again. Stopping with any lesser force the ABS works fine and all foour wheels do their bit for braking. I haven't had the wheel off yet to look at the mechanical side of the brakes but I don't think I'm going to find much. It seems as if there is a fault of some kind with the brake regulation, with everything being fine till full force is applied to the pedal and then all of a sudden it goes irreversably to just that one wheel. Has anyone come across this before in an E46? Mine is an '03 325i Sport Touring. We have had the car since the summer and the only thing that has been done is a routine brake fluid change just after we got it. Any help or ideas you guys can give me would be very gratefully received as this one is a bit beyond me. As a result of this PitA, in what is now less than 4 hours I have a 200 mile return trip with wifey and 2 children in the CSL before my already busy day starts!
	Sam. the original "not for profit" organisation. Independent Financial Adviser In Buckingham My Financial Blog