2008 335i coupe DSC problem, caused by hard braking

greg328 · 09-22-2014, 10:14 PM

Searched the site, can't seem to find something similar to my situation.

Twice recently, I've had a MAJOR malfunction of the DSC system brought on by hard panic braking. I get dash lights and message center (nav screen) warnings
stating DSC error. (it may be a different acronym, can't remember the exact 3 letters, maybe it's DBC?). The car will remain running, but the rear brakes appear to be locked hard, and the car can't be moved from a stop without great effort, and brake pad odor as a result. The only fix I've found both times this has happened to me, is to shut the car off for about 20 seconds to reset everything. The car then clears all warnings and can be driven as normally.

This can be very dangerous, as it happened once on the freeway at high speed. Today I was on a surface street at medium speed, when I braked hard to make a quick turn, and the error occurred. The first thing that happens is that the brakes lock (fairly certain it's just the rears) and the car becomes practically un-moveable.
Thank God I was able to get out of the way, and there were no nearby cars.

Has this happened to anybody? Any suggestions on how to find a fix? Car is out of warranty, so this may be big $$ to fix. Again, it's only a problem when I panic brake the car, with great force on the brake pedal.

Greg in Houston
2008 335i coupe

greg328 · 09-25-2014, 05:44 PM

Anybody have any ideas? I think it could also be caused by a faulty ABS controller.

??
Greg

thomas88162 · 09-25-2014, 06:35 PM

Hanging calipers? Maybe the Hydro-pump itself is keeping them on for some odd reason? This sounds like more of a tech's job to diagnose. It could be inaccurate sensor readings, but then still it could be as simple as corroded caliper pistons.

blown07 · 09-25-2014, 07:52 PM

Original Battery ? Perhaps a long shot but I had a lot of wierd fault happening intermittently so I replaced my original battery (07 car but battery stamped as 09 2006!) been 2 months now and not a single fault...was getting vanos, DSC and strange transmission faults.

ammar23 · 09-25-2014, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blown07

Original Battery ? Perhaps a long shot but I had a lot of wierd fault happening intermittently so I replaced my original battery (07 car but battery stamped as 09 2006!) been 2 months now and not a single fault...was getting vanos, DSC and strange transmission faults.

Ya it may be worth it to check the charge coming from the battery, and hope thats the issue lol

greg328 · 09-25-2014, 09:52 PM

Thanks for the response, guys. Battery is fine, BMW brand, recently installed. Calipers are fine, car brakes wonderfully under normal circumstances. Car is pristine and in great shape, never been abused. Always parked inside.

After thinking about it for a few days, I think it has to be ABS-related. This problem happens when I lock the brakes. A hard, sudden stab of the brakes causes the rears to lock up and stay locked, plus all the dash warning light
drama.

Power-cycling the ignition clears the problem. This is not battery or caliper-related. It is most likely 100% electronic in nature.

I'm just wondering if anybody else have ever experienced this situation and found the solution. I suspect the problem is the ABS controller, but I hear the 2008 335i's have more than one. If one is dedicated to the rear, that's the one in question. Can anybody confirm this info, and provide possible replacement scenarios? I've seen a ABS unit repair service on Ebay. Just not sure what part to focus on.

Thanks, and keep the ideas coming, guys!
Greg
Houston TC

greg328 · 09-30-2014, 08:36 AM

Happened again yesterday, in a dangerous location! Anytime I lock the brakes, they stay locked, and the "DSC Malfunction" dash warning dialogue and symbol illuminate. If I try to place the car in gear (car is a stick), the car fishtails and brake odor permeates the cabin. They are locked TIGHT! I said earlier that the rears only lock, but observing closely yesterday, I think for sure the fronts lock, and maybe the rears, but I'm able to spin the rears. The rear brakes are probably locking too, because I'm really fighting to get any throttle/forward motion going. Certainly I'm introducing serious brake wear as all this is going on.

The only solution continues to be shutting the car off for about 10 or more seconds and then re-start. This resets the system and the car can be driven normally. This time one thing was different, when I first got it started it was in limp-home low-power mode. I had to pull into a parking lot and wait about a minute turned off, then re-started the car and all was normal.

I've ordered an OBD2 reader, is that the only way to pull codes for the E92 335i?
I hope to be able to pinpoint the offending part and possibly replace myself without having to go to a repair shop and spend big $$.

Any advice welcome!

Greg
Houston TX

Welcome to NBA Jam · 09-30-2014, 09:31 AM

You won't be able to get the codes from an OBD2 reader. You'll need INPA to get them.

greg328 · 09-30-2014, 09:55 AM

Please elaborate. What is INPA?
EDIT--never mind, found it. It seems to be a BMW-specific OBD2 reader, correct? It still is going to pull OBD2 codes, right?
Greg

acegp1 · 07-14-2015, 08:35 AM

I'm experiencing this same problem, with the addition of a surging idle. Did you ever figure this out?

09-22-2014, 10:14 PM	#1
greg328 Private First Class 8 Rep 109 Posts Drives: 2011 X5 MSport Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Austin, TX, USA iTrader: (0)	2008 335i coupe DSC problem, caused by hard braking Searched the site, can't seem to find something similar to my situation. Twice recently, I've had a MAJOR malfunction of the DSC system brought on by hard panic braking. I get dash lights and message center (nav screen) warnings stating DSC error. (it may be a different acronym, can't remember the exact 3 letters, maybe it's DBC?). The car will remain running, but the rear brakes appear to be locked hard, and the car can't be moved from a stop without great effort, and brake pad odor as a result. The only fix I've found both times this has happened to me, is to shut the car off for about 20 seconds to reset everything. The car then clears all warnings and can be driven as normally. This can be very dangerous, as it happened once on the freeway at high speed. Today I was on a surface street at medium speed, when I braked hard to make a quick turn, and the error occurred. The first thing that happens is that the brakes lock (fairly certain it's just the rears) and the car becomes practically un-moveable. Thank God I was able to get out of the way, and there were no nearby cars. Has this happened to anybody? Any suggestions on how to find a fix? Car is out of warranty, so this may be big $$ to fix. Again, it's only a problem when I panic brake the car, with great force on the brake pedal. Greg in Houston 2008 335i coupe
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09-25-2014, 05:44 PM	#2
greg328 Private First Class 8 Rep 109 Posts Drives: 2011 X5 MSport Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Austin, TX, USA iTrader: (0)	well.. Anybody have any ideas? I think it could also be caused by a faulty ABS controller. ?? Greg
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09-25-2014, 06:35 PM	#3
thomas88162 Lieutenant 19 Rep 595 Posts Drives: E92 328i Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Clinton, IN iTrader: (0)	Hanging calipers? Maybe the Hydro-pump itself is keeping them on for some odd reason? This sounds like more of a tech's job to diagnose. It could be inaccurate sensor readings, but then still it could be as simple as corroded caliper pistons.
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09-25-2014, 07:52 PM	#4
blown07 Lieutenant 202 Rep 449 Posts Drives: 335i Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Tijuana iTrader: (0)	Original Battery ? Perhaps a long shot but I had a lot of wierd fault happening intermittently so I replaced my original battery (07 car but battery stamped as 09 2006!) been 2 months now and not a single fault...was getting vanos, DSC and strange transmission faults. __________________ 335i FBO,Meth,JB4,Sutphin flash,LSD,GCLites 11.25@127.4 on NT05R 335xi FBO,Meth,JB4,Sutphin flash,VTT stage1 11.38 1/4 - 7.30 1/8th - 3.35 0 to 60 @ 0C
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09-25-2014, 09:52 PM	#6
greg328 Private First Class 8 Rep 109 Posts Drives: 2011 X5 MSport Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Austin, TX, USA iTrader: (0)	Thanks for the response, guys. Battery is fine, BMW brand, recently installed. Calipers are fine, car brakes wonderfully under normal circumstances. Car is pristine and in great shape, never been abused. Always parked inside. After thinking about it for a few days, I think it has to be ABS-related. This problem happens when I lock the brakes. A hard, sudden stab of the brakes causes the rears to lock up and stay locked, plus all the dash warning light drama. Power-cycling the ignition clears the problem. This is not battery or caliper-related. It is most likely 100% electronic in nature. I'm just wondering if anybody else have ever experienced this situation and found the solution. I suspect the problem is the ABS controller, but I hear the 2008 335i's have more than one. If one is dedicated to the rear, that's the one in question. Can anybody confirm this info, and provide possible replacement scenarios? I've seen a ABS unit repair service on Ebay. Just not sure what part to focus on. Thanks, and keep the ideas coming, guys! Greg Houston TC
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09-30-2014, 08:36 AM	#7
greg328 Private First Class 8 Rep 109 Posts Drives: 2011 X5 MSport Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Austin, TX, USA iTrader: (0)	Happened again! Happened again yesterday, in a dangerous location! Anytime I lock the brakes, they stay locked, and the "DSC Malfunction" dash warning dialogue and symbol illuminate. If I try to place the car in gear (car is a stick), the car fishtails and brake odor permeates the cabin. They are locked TIGHT! I said earlier that the rears only lock, but observing closely yesterday, I think for sure the fronts lock, and maybe the rears, but I'm able to spin the rears. The rear brakes are probably locking too, because I'm really fighting to get any throttle/forward motion going. Certainly I'm introducing serious brake wear as all this is going on. The only solution continues to be shutting the car off for about 10 or more seconds and then re-start. This resets the system and the car can be driven normally. This time one thing was different, when I first got it started it was in limp-home low-power mode. I had to pull into a parking lot and wait about a minute turned off, then re-started the car and all was normal. I've ordered an OBD2 reader, is that the only way to pull codes for the E92 335i? I hope to be able to pinpoint the offending part and possibly replace myself without having to go to a repair shop and spend big $$. Any advice welcome! Greg Houston TX
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09-30-2014, 09:31 AM	#8
Welcome to NBA Jam Is it the shoes!? 3884 Rep 5,112 Posts Drives: (Sold) 2011 E92 335i ZMP 6MT Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: USA iTrader: (1)	You won't be able to get the codes from an OBD2 reader. You'll need INPA to get them.
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09-30-2014, 09:55 AM	#9
greg328 Private First Class 8 Rep 109 Posts Drives: 2011 X5 MSport Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Austin, TX, USA iTrader: (0)	Please elaborate. What is INPA? EDIT--never mind, found it. It seems to be a BMW-specific OBD2 reader, correct? It still is going to pull OBD2 codes, right? Greg
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07-14-2015, 08:35 AM	#10
acegp1 Private 11 Rep 82 Posts Drives: 2011 BMW X5d Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: San Jose, CA iTrader: (1)	I'm experiencing this same problem, with the addition of a surging idle. Did you ever figure this out?
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