[ramman434]

So I was driving yesterday afternoon and went to put the car in park, and threw the parking brake on and got this fault. I don't have a scanner to check for codes unfortunately.
I've tried pulling fuses with no luck.
I'm about to go try a manual reset (depress/hold brake pedal, pushing parking break down for 5 sec, release for 1 sec, then pull up for 5 sec). DIDN'T WORK

Supposedly this is a pretty common problem and the gear within the Parking brake actuator (EMF) is made of plastic and can snap. I found one video of a guy replacing this gear with a metal one in a 740i ( https://www.youcanic.com/guide/bmw-e...ke-malfunction ). However, I don't know if those gears are the same size, and when I went to the website advertised in that video ( www.motor-king.com ) I can't find that part at all.

Anyone else ever have this issue? Parking brake doesn't engage at all, and have an orange warning anytime I open the car door, even if car is off. If driving I have the yellow parking brake light always on

[ramman434]

Found the SS Gear on this site, which is $81.00 & out of stock. Again, not sure if this would even fit.

https://www.motor-king.com/for-bmw-e...-kit-g020.html

[ramman434]

BUMP to the top

[TZ]

Do you solve the issue?
You need to get a code read.

[ramman434]

Originally Posted by TZ

Do you solve the issue?
You need to get a code read.

Sadly nothing is solved. Any recommendations on a code reader that won't break the bank?

I have an OBDII Scanner for BimmerCode. Don't they have some sort of scanning program too?

[Blue Angel]

BimmerLink can check for errors in all the cars modules, but I don't know if that would help. BimmerLink also allows you to put the parking brake actuators into service mode where they back off for pad changes, but again, this may not help if the issue is with the actuators themselves.

[Unspec]

Originally Posted by ramman434

Sadly nothing is solved. Any recommendations on a code reader that won't break the bank?

I have an OBDII Scanner for BimmerCode. Don't they have some sort of scanning program too?

ISTA.

It's what BMW dealers use, and you can find it for free if you look around.

[ramman434]

Would I be able to use the same OBDII Connection that I currently have to run the ISTA?

[SWFLf10]

I second installing and using ISTA. It's the way the dealerships read all the codes.

The easiest and cheapest way I've found to connect is to us an OBD2 to Ethernet cable. Relatively cheap on Amazon or eBay.

[ramman434]

So a quick update, finally made it over to a buddy's house on Saturday, who had a scanner, to check the codes on this malfunction.

It gave me code #4805AA: Left actuator, line disconnection.

We jacked up the rear and check both left & right actuator (visible over the disc) and both sides were connected. So obviously my left side had failed. I ordered 2 (part# 34216794618 ), for $47/ea and should have them Wed.

I just received my new brake kits from FCP Euro (Zimmerman discs, new TRW pads, brake paste, sensors, etc) for both fronts and rears. So we're going to install everything this next weekend with SS lines. I knew my rear pads were almost shot, but looks like the discs needed replacement too.

I had made a spreadsheet to upgrade to 550i pads, rotors, discs, etc, but it ended up being double the cost of sticking with the 535's. I don't think I'll have this car for more than another year, and didn't wanna make the investment.

I'll definitely update this thread once all is said & done. Want to make sure this is documented for anyone else that runs into this issue.

[ramman434]

So quick update: Saturday we finished the rear rotors, pads, and SS lines. I've known the rear pads were badly worn for a while.
My Amazon actuators bolted in perfect, and when the car ignition was turned on, I no longer get the "parking brake malfunction" warning. We didn't test the parking brake yet though, but I think that issue is fixed.

Now my new issue: I've always felt a slight vibration at hwy speed from my driver's front, and thought that it was from my tie rod being seized (can't align the car properly due to this). What we discovered is that the caliper piston is completely seized and won't retract (forgot to take a pic).
So I have 3 of my 4 brakes done, and had to order a used caliper via eBay, since we can no longer use mine. This won't be in till Thursday, so my buddy gave me one of his spare cars to drive, a little '08 128i w/ 70k miles on it. There's no power but it's a peppy little thing. Because I'm such a good friend, I also coded his car w/BimmerCode yesterday. Not a lot of options to do on a base 1-Series though.
So my car currently resides in my buddy's driveway on Jack stands until the caliper shows up. Ugh…

I keep telling myself, that once the brakes are done, then I can actually focus on the go-fast parts fun

[Blue Angel]

Good luck with that new caliper!

[ramman434]

Originally Posted by Blue Angel

Good luck with that new caliper!

Thanks! Just counting down till arrival on Thursday. This 128 is a zippy little thing, but I miss my F10

[mechatony11]

I apologize for bringing up this old thread. I had a similar issue with my vehicle recently; it turns out that I had a software issue that causes the yellow PARK light illuminates. So, I go to the nearest dealer in my place to update the software. I did a lot of searches on this issue and came across an in-depth article that may be worth reading. Search for "BMW Electronic Parking Brake Malfunction on YOUCANIC" and you will see an article that goes over common causes and possible fixes. You can read about it yourself. I hope this information can assist someone else with a similar issue.

[Manatecu2]

I have had this issue on several cars and this fix has always worked. I remove the plug that is attached to each electronic parking brake in the rear. I apply some dielectric grease to each plug and reassemble. I then erase the codes. This has worked on.5 different cars. Seems that the terminals corrode just enough to drop amps or make the computer think it’s not there and it errors.

[Blue Angel]

Originally Posted by Manatecu2

I have had this issue on several cars and this fix has always worked. I remove the plug that is attached to each electronic parking brake in the rear. I apply some dielectric grease to each plug and reassemble. I then erase the codes. This has worked on.5 different cars. Seems that the terminals corrode just enough to drop amps or make the computer think it’s not there and it errors.

This is excellent advice and is definitely worth trying before replacing parts. I might add to this, plugging and unplugging the connector a few times (to loosen corrosion), blowing out the contacts, then adding some dielectric grease.

I’ve had this work on several things in the past, including fuel injectors.