Brake warning light
Q I recently helped replace the front brake pads on my friend’s 2015 BMW X5 F15 3.0d with Brembo pads and wear indicator leads, which I believe to be good quality items. Everything went without a hitch, until we tried to reset the service indicator on the dashboard.
Before we did the job, the dashboard warning light was on and said that the brake pad renewal was ‘200 miles overdue’, while the service indicator said ‘3100 miles to replacement’. Even though the pads had worn enough to activate the wear indicator, I estimated they still had enough material for about another 2500 miles, so the service indicator wasn’t too far out. The dashboard warning light went off after we had fitted the new pads and leads.
However, when trying to reset the front brake disc service interval using the dashboard trip reset button, it kept saying ‘resetting in progress’, then after a few seconds it said ‘reset unsuccessful’. We tried again the following day without success and were surprised to see that the service indicator was now saying ‘brake service OVERDUE by 240 miles’, even though the previous evening it was saying there were still 3100 miles to go!
I enquired at the service department of my BMW dealership, only to be told: “If you haven’t used a genuine BMW wear indicator lead, you can’t reset the service interval”. Is this right? Is there any way to reset the front brake service indicator?
Jim Harrower
A Providing the Brembo warning light lead is correctly plugged into place, the warning system should clear without a problem. The first point to check is the connection between the plug and socket on the warning lead. Sometimes a good connection is not always made. I have also seen a slightly bent pin be pushed to one side when connecting the plug.
The service items on the later BMW range have to be set individually and this includes the brake pads. Providing the connection on the warning wire to the pad is good, the brake warning should be reset with the following procedure: Sitting in the vehicle, and without touching the brake pedal, press the start button to turn the
ignition on. Press the button on the lower left corner of the dash panel and hold it in for around 10 seconds. This should bring up the first service item in the display in the centre of the dash. Press the button again to bring up the next service item, continuing to press until the brake pad service warning is displayed. As this needs resetting, it will be in red. Press and hold the button for around three seconds. The display will change and ask if you want to ‘execute reset’.
Press and hold the button for a further three seconds and the display should read ‘reset successful’. Once reset, the ignition can be turned off by pressing the start button.
I have known the process take a couple of attempts to work correctly. If this is the process you have used and it still does not work, re-check the connection on the pad's warning light wire as this is the most likely reason for the reset not working.
The brake and service schedules can also be reset using a diagnostic scanner, which many independent garages will have.