E87 LCI: 1er Warning-light woes + dodgy pad-sensor. [How to reset.]

My boss Mike has been dying to get back on the Beemer wagon, so has surreptitiously gifted himself by getting his wife an E87 LCI 118d M-sport as a present. It was time to reset the service lights, which can be done using the 'trip reset' button on the clocks, like other modern BMWs, though with no iDrive the procedure is slightly different.

HOW TO RESET SERVICE DURATIONS:

1. Turn ignition on without depressing the clutch. [Key phase 2 on push-button models].
2. Hold the trip-reset [odometer] button on the clocks until a yellow triangle with ! appears.
3. Single presses of the trip-reset button will now cycle through the service menu options [service, oil, brake-pads etc.]. Stop at the one you want to reset.
4. Hold the BC button on the end of the left indicator-stalk until a clock appears next to the menu-icon on the dash. When the clock stops counting the service duration for that option is reset.

• A red icon is a service duration warning. An orange icon means it is overdue / there is a fault.
• A red/orange icon of the car in the air with a stand under it means there is a fault and it needs to go in to BMW [or get a scanner on it].
• If the handbrake light stays lit up after you release the handbrake then this means there is a fault in the brake system. If you know the discs/pads to be OK and the brakes are fine, then you have a dodgy pad-wear sensor.

PAD-WEAR SESNOR ERROR: [HANDBRAKE-LIGHT]

After resetting the brake-pad service indicator we noticed the mileage count had not reset. The icon in the service menu recommending the car be taken to a dealership [the car icon with a stand underneath] and interestingly, the handbrake light was staying on even with the handbrake released. After a bit of forum scanning it turns out the light staying on means there is a fault in the braking system or one is about to develop. This is common when pads / discs have been changed and 9-out-of-10 times it means a pad-wear sensor has been disturbed and thrown up a fault. If you know the brakes are working as they should then the warning message can be cleared with a scanner and probably wont return. If it does then a pad-wear sensor has failed [scanner will likely confirm this] and will need replacing. You can do both of them for about £10 and it's a really easy job - wheel off, 2 bolts and a push-fit - but if you're truly skint I believe there is a technique online somewhere to just twist some wires together and bypass them.

http://www.babybmw.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=23763

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=698040

E46 Clubsport: New split-rims!

Oh yes... it's time the 330CS had some money lavished on it and what better way to start than new wheels. They are the same set of Italian-made Cromodora 18x8 and 18x8.5 2-piece split-rims that come with the car. He still has the old ones, but after 2 failed attempts to refurbish them he's been keeping an eye out for a replacement set, which aren't common. Finally some have shown up and been quickly snaffled for £ delivered. They've been sandblasted back to bare metal, then lacquered and the colour / finish is very nice indeed. Awesome.

Also, a rubber rocker-cover gasket to signify the start of the engine tweaks. Lots more to come...

Argh... Simo hit my wing!

Oh dear, some more bodywork already. Simo at work is not the world's most careful drive and yesterday he decided to park his Transit van next to the 5er and in doing so scraped down the M-sport bumper and dented the wing! Nightmare, but at least work are paying for the damage. It will be going into Howarth'a body shop in Pensby (Wirral) next week and they will be sorting the scuff that my mate did to the back bumper with his Volvo, so I guess that's the silver lining...

Repair in this post.