ABS light is on

I have a 1996 N-reg BMW 328SE Auto. Its ABS light is coming on and staying
on while driving. However, using the CHECK button on the computer panel
displays 'Check Controls OK'.

I haven't been able so far to test it out on a suitable surface, but
should I assume it's broken? If so, is a repair likely to be within the
capabilities my local garage (which regularly services the car), or am I
going to have to take it to an expensive BMW dealer please?

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

Terry Pinnell wrote:
> I have a 1996 N-reg BMW 328SE Auto. Its ABS light is coming on and
> staying on while driving. However, using the CHECK button on the
> computer panel displays 'Check Controls OK'.
>
> I haven't been able so far to test it out on a suitable surface, but
> should I assume it's broken? If so, is a repair likely to be within
> the capabilities my local garage (which regularly services the car),
> or am I going to have to take it to an expensive BMW dealer please?

have you checked that all the brake lights work?

Terry Pinnell wrote:
> I have a 1996 N-reg BMW 328SE Auto. Its ABS light is coming on and
> staying on while driving. However, using the CHECK button on the
> computer panel displays 'Check Controls OK'.
>
> I haven't been able so far to test it out on a suitable surface, but
> should I assume it's broken? If so, is a repair likely to be within
> the capabilities my local garage (which regularly services the car),
> or am I going to have to take it to an expensive BMW dealer please?

have you checked that all the brake lights work?

On Tue, 04 Jan 2011 13:38:09 -0000, Mrcheerful >
wrote:

> Terry Pinnell wrote:
>> I have a 1996 N-reg BMW 328SE Auto. Its ABS light is coming on and
>> staying on while driving. However, using the CHECK button on the
>> computer panel displays 'Check Controls OK'.
>>
>> I haven't been able so far to test it out on a suitable surface, but
>> should I assume it's broken? If so, is a repair likely to be within
>> the capabilities my local garage (which regularly services the car),
>> or am I going to have to take it to an expensive BMW dealer please?
>
> have you checked that all the brake lights work?
>
>

& we had one which did this, as the wiring from the sensor was picking up
noise from the ignition, a set of OEM leads cured it.

On Tue, 04 Jan 2011 13:38:09 -0000, Mrcheerful >
wrote:

> Terry Pinnell wrote:
>> I have a 1996 N-reg BMW 328SE Auto. Its ABS light is coming on and
>> staying on while driving. However, using the CHECK button on the
>> computer panel displays 'Check Controls OK'.
>>
>> I haven't been able so far to test it out on a suitable surface, but
>> should I assume it's broken? If so, is a repair likely to be within
>> the capabilities my local garage (which regularly services the car),
>> or am I going to have to take it to an expensive BMW dealer please?
>
> have you checked that all the brake lights work?
>
>

& we had one which did this, as the wiring from the sensor was picking up
noise from the ignition, a set of OEM leads cured it.

Terry Pinnell > wrote:
>I have a 1996 N-reg BMW 328SE Auto. Its ABS light is coming on and staying
>on while driving. However, using the CHECK button on the computer panel
>displays 'Check Controls OK'.

This means the ABS system has detected an error. Someone needs to connect
up a scanner to find the error.

>I haven't been able so far to test it out on a suitable surface, but
>should I assume it's broken? If so, is a repair likely to be within the
>capabilities my local garage (which regularly services the car), or am I
>going to have to take it to an expensive BMW dealer please?

I would suggest a local independant BMW service guy, not a dealer but someone
who has done the BMW training and has the special tooling. You can try your
local garage but many of the generic scan tools won't be able to get the error
off the system.

Once you know what the actual error message is, then you can find out what
is likely to be wrong and then how to fix it. If you're lucky it's just a
bad wheel sensor somewhere.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Terry Pinnell > wrote:
>I have a 1996 N-reg BMW 328SE Auto. Its ABS light is coming on and staying
>on while driving. However, using the CHECK button on the computer panel
>displays 'Check Controls OK'.

This means the ABS system has detected an error. Someone needs to connect
up a scanner to find the error.

>I haven't been able so far to test it out on a suitable surface, but
>should I assume it's broken? If so, is a repair likely to be within the
>capabilities my local garage (which regularly services the car), or am I
>going to have to take it to an expensive BMW dealer please?

I would suggest a local independant BMW service guy, not a dealer but someone
who has done the BMW training and has the special tooling. You can try your
local garage but many of the generic scan tools won't be able to get the error
off the system.

Once you know what the actual error message is, then you can find out what
is likely to be wrong and then how to fix it. If you're lucky it's just a
bad wheel sensor somewhere.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

(Scott Dorsey) wrote:

>Terry Pinnell > wrote:
>>I have a 1996 N-reg BMW 328SE Auto. Its ABS light is coming on and staying
>>on while driving. However, using the CHECK button on the computer panel
>>displays 'Check Controls OK'.
>
>This means the ABS system has detected an error. Someone needs to connect
>up a scanner to find the error.
>
>>I haven't been able so far to test it out on a suitable surface, but
>>should I assume it's broken? If so, is a repair likely to be within the
>>capabilities my local garage (which regularly services the car), or am I
>>going to have to take it to an expensive BMW dealer please?
>
>I would suggest a local independant BMW service guy, not a dealer but someone
>who has done the BMW training and has the special tooling. You can try your
>local garage but many of the generic scan tools won't be able to get the error
>off the system.
>
>Once you know what the actual error message is, then you can find out what
>is likely to be wrong and then how to fix it. If you're lucky it's just a
>bad wheel sensor somewhere.
>--scott

Thanks all, appreciate the fast responses.

Booked it in for a scan. The mechanic I spoke to thought it might well
just be a wheel sensor as you suggested. One symptom I mentioned to him
that I missed from my post was that the light doesn't come on when the
engine is started, only when in motion. (And I *think* not when I'm
reversing out of the drive.)

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

(Scott Dorsey) wrote:

>Terry Pinnell > wrote:
>>I have a 1996 N-reg BMW 328SE Auto. Its ABS light is coming on and staying
>>on while driving. However, using the CHECK button on the computer panel
>>displays 'Check Controls OK'.
>
>This means the ABS system has detected an error. Someone needs to connect
>up a scanner to find the error.
>
>>I haven't been able so far to test it out on a suitable surface, but
>>should I assume it's broken? If so, is a repair likely to be within the
>>capabilities my local garage (which regularly services the car), or am I
>>going to have to take it to an expensive BMW dealer please?
>
>I would suggest a local independant BMW service guy, not a dealer but someone
>who has done the BMW training and has the special tooling. You can try your
>local garage but many of the generic scan tools won't be able to get the error
>off the system.
>
>Once you know what the actual error message is, then you can find out what
>is likely to be wrong and then how to fix it. If you're lucky it's just a
>bad wheel sensor somewhere.
>--scott

Thanks all, appreciate the fast responses.

Booked it in for a scan. The mechanic I spoke to thought it might well
just be a wheel sensor as you suggested. One symptom I mentioned to him
that I missed from my post was that the light doesn't come on when the
engine is started, only when in motion. (And I *think* not when I'm
reversing out of the drive.)

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

Terry Pinnell wrote:
> (Scott Dorsey) wrote:
>
>> Terry Pinnell > wrote:
>>> I have a 1996 N-reg BMW 328SE Auto. Its ABS light is coming on and
>>> staying on while driving. However, using the CHECK button on the
>>> computer panel displays 'Check Controls OK'.
>>
>> This means the ABS system has detected an error. Someone needs to
>> connect
>> up a scanner to find the error.
>>
>>> I haven't been able so far to test it out on a suitable surface, but
>>> should I assume it's broken? If so, is a repair likely to be within
>>> the capabilities my local garage (which regularly services the
>>> car), or am I going to have to take it to an expensive BMW dealer
>>> please?
>>
>> I would suggest a local independant BMW service guy, not a dealer
>> but someone who has done the BMW training and has the special
>> tooling. You can try your local garage but many of the generic scan
>> tools won't be able to get the error off the system.
>>
>> Once you know what the actual error message is, then you can find
>> out what
>> is likely to be wrong and then how to fix it. If you're lucky it's
>> just a bad wheel sensor somewhere.
>> --scott
>
> Thanks all, appreciate the fast responses.
>
> Booked it in for a scan. The mechanic I spoke to thought it might well
> just be a wheel sensor as you suggested. One symptom I mentioned to
> him that I missed from my post was that the light doesn't come on
> when the engine is started, only when in motion. (And I *think* not
> when I'm reversing out of the drive.)

the car cant tell whether the wheel sensor is giving a signal till it moves
and abs is probably disabled in reverse. So wheel sensor or wiring is
certainly high on the list to check.