Z3 DSC question

[Kevinuk]

Hi guys

I am new to the forum having jumped across from Porsche911 ownership
I am considering buying a 2000 X plate 3.0 Z3 the only issue is the DSC light is permanently on. The guy replaced the main module at a cost of 900 quid last year and he said that cured it but after the car had been stored for 6 months without use he changed the battery as the old one died and the light has come on again.

I have read some of the comments and threads on the subject in here but do you think the sensors could be at fault or could the dead battery and fitting a new one require some sort of reset?

Would this fault put you off buying an otherwise immaculate 67k miles car?

Appreciate any feedback

Cheers

Kevin

[OldskoolRS]

I could be wrong, but it might be to do with the wheel sensors (ABS) as this is used as part of the system. It may also be that the car just needs a drive to clear it. However, unless the car is particularly cheap (you don't say how much it is) then you need to make some allowance in the price for the cost of sorting it. Trouble is it could be 'how long is a piece of string' so hard to say how much to sort it out.

[Robert T]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

If I am interpreting the new MOT regulations correctly, then a warning light for an Electronic Stability Control System (which DSC is) is reason for an MOT failure (see http://www.motinfo.gov.uk/htdocs/m4s03000401.htm). If that is the only fault and you are otherwise considering buying the car, I'd be inclined make fixing it a condition of the sale. Unless it eats control modules, the likelihood is that it is just a dirty wheel sensor rather than the same fault again. Other than that, it could be a pump failure, or with DSC possibly an inertial sensor failure (I hope I am remembering this correctly) and both of these are quite expensive. You don't say, but is the ABS light also illuminated? If it is, then that is likely to be related, as both systems share a lot of common components (they both essentially control the brakes on each wheel).

Cheers R.

[Kevinuk]

Hi and thanks for the quick replies

The warning lamp is the triangle with exclamation mark in it and circle arrow around the triangle located between the spedo and tacho.

Is there a separate ABS lamp? No others were lit on the test drive

[Kevinuk]

I should have added that the sellers wife had a baby last year and they have lost interest and want rid of the car. It's mot and service are both due and he had not bothered to do either to sell it. The history file is very comprehensive and the car has done hardly any miles since last years mot when the warning lamp problem was first fixed.

It drives and sounds great and I made him an offer to sell as is or to fix the lamp problem and get it mot tested. Difference in my offer was 500 quid so some risk for me if he decides to sell as is. My sell as is offer is 3k . It has 67 k miles and 2 previous owners. It also will need 4 tyres in a matter of months.

Price sound ok?

[OldskoolRS]

Price sounds OK to me, but then I paid £5.5k for a 2001/Y plate 3.0 earlier this year with only slightly less miles and I still need a couple of tyres in the next 1-2,000 miles. It depends on whether you intend to fix this yourself or pay a dealer: You could easily spend any saving at a dealer, or even for parts alone if you're unlucky, but you might be lucky and just need to clean the wheel sensors perhaps. Personally I'd take the risk and be prepared to hunt for used parts if it goes bad.

EDIT: This is only if the rest of the car is totally A1 condition and has history to support previous work and mileage. If there are other issues then it might be better looking elsewhere...Z3s aren't particularly valuable, but some spares can be rather expensive especially if paying to have them fitted.

[BladeRunner919]

I'd suggest that you get some BMW diagnostic software up and running on a laptop - it's not that difficult, just a bit time consuming, but will allow you to see exactly what's wrong. My car had an ASC fault when I bought it ('helpfully' the warning lamp had been removed!), but I was able to diagnose and fix it entirely using a £50 cable and some diagnostic software. That's less than a single diagnostic scan at a dealer.

Or find someone nearby that has this (I'm in Bucks if that helps?).

[gedo]

I'd suggest that you get some BMW diagnostic software up and running on a laptop - it's not that difficult, just a bit time consuming, but will allow you to see exactly what's wrong. My car had an ASC fault when I bought it ('helpfully' the warning lamp had been removed!), but I was able to diagnose and fix it entirely using a £50 cable and some diagnostic software. That's less than a single diagnostic scan at a dealer.

Or find someone nearby that has this (I'm in Bucks if that helps?).

Sorry for hijacking the thread but I'm looking for some advise on which cable/software to get which I can use to interrogate my car when the need arises - It's a 1998 pre-facelist 2.8.

[pingu]

INPA is excellent, but you need a serial port on your computer. Serial ports are only on old laptops and serial port adaptors don't work 100%. I use an old PC with a 15m long serial cable.

Re price - if you are happy to pay £3k on a 12 year old car that you will have to spend at least £500 on tyres + MOT + tax(?) + whatever the DSC problem is, then the price is a good one. If that sentence made you think with your head not your heart, then you know whether it is too much or not.


The DSC problem is almost certainly to do with the wheel sensors, but you won't know until it's looked at.

[BladeRunner919]

I'd suggest that you get some BMW diagnostic software up and running on a laptop - it's not that difficult, just a bit time consuming, but will allow you to see exactly what's wrong. My car had an ASC fault when I bought it ('helpfully' the warning lamp had been removed!), but I was able to diagnose and fix it entirely using a £50 cable and some diagnostic software. That's less than a single diagnostic scan at a dealer.

Or find someone nearby that has this (I'm in Bucks if that helps?).

Sorry for hijacking the thread but I'm looking for some advise on which cable/software to get which I can use to interrogate my car when the need arises - It's a 1998 pre-facelist 2.8.

I have Carsoft (designed for the 'home' user, so quite friendly), DIS (dealer-level) and INPA (more advanced) plus NCS and few others.

There is a wealth of advice (possibly too much if you are easily overwhelmed by technlogy!) here: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/fo ... .php?f=233

I bought this cable from a company called Carsoft West in the USA because I was 100% sure it would work: http://www.carsoftwest.com/services.html
Looking at the Carsoft West website, I can see that they've had a falling out with Carsoft (the software manufacturer), but do be put off. You only need the $40 cable in the link. There are also lost of ebay sellers with cables, but I can't vouch for them, obviously.

The downloading of the software and the setting up takes time, but I have all the software and have all these running so I'm happy to help.

[Kevinuk]

Hi guys thanks for all the advice and feedback

I have taken the plunge and bought the car ! In the as is condition

It needs an mot and service so I will get the diagnostics done on the dsc at the same time. Was hoping that driving the car home would clear it (about 20 miles) but no such luck

Can anyone recommend a good indie service shop near Hemel?

Cheers

[weedram]

Hi Kevin

Sorry can't help with the indie but as l have a similar problem with the dsc I would be very interested in your outcome.

Cheers
Phil

[Mint]

Hi Kevin & Phil

I've had a very similar problem with my Zed after last winters lay up. The battery was completely flat, so charged it up and got her started ok.

However the AST+T light was permanently on (and the Brake Light Fluid Level). To cut a long story short a long run cured both problems.

The full story is here - http://www.zroadster.net/forum/viewtopi ... =5&t=34318

Cheers Dave

[Kevinuk]

Hi All

Well I have had new tyres fitted and took the car for 2long runs now but dcs light still on!

Booked into prestige perfornpmance in St Albans tomorrow for diagnostic service and mot. Fingers crossed it is just a reset or wheel sensor. I will update tomorrow evening assuming all sorted

[Kevinuk]

Hi Zedonist

How do you reset the service light? Do You need the software to do it?

The garage put the diagnostics on and say that the fault code is transverse acceleration sensor but they have never seen it before?

Quick search on here suggests its under the passenger seat and probably suffers from water damage or a short. Any one changed this out?

It could get expensive !

Watch this space

[Xavier]

I have the same problem - various diags have shown it to be a faulty lateral motion sensor under the drivers seat.

Had a bit of a leak with all the rain, the carpets got wet and that's caused the problem. Part is quite cheap, replacing it's an arse as the drivers seat needs to come out.

[Kevinuk]

Update.....well 1 week into Z3 ownership and all issues solved

Picked the car up this afternoon fully serviced and mot and DSC problem fixed

It was the lateral (transverse) acceleration sensor located under the passenger seat

Part no is 37146781405 costs about 72 quid for the sensor. Seat needs to come out and the indie I used in St Albans Prestige Performance charged 2 hours labour. If they had not got the car in already I would of had a crack myself

So that's 1300 quid spent in a week including all above plus 4 new tyres and wheel allignment check and adjust but now hopefully I have a well sorted Z3 3.0 to enjoy for the rest of the Summer

Thanks for all the advice and support