BMW E36 ABS and ASC light on
E36 ABS and ASC light is on, what usually causes it?
The most common cause is a wheel speed sensor or its wire. Another common cause is the sensor measuring brake pedal movement on the side of the brake booster, whose internal solder joints crack. The light can come on while driving and the ABS stops working. Read the fault codes first and replace only the faulty part.
How do I check the E36 ABS sensor?
Unplug the sensor connector and measure the sensor resistance with a multimeter: the normal value is about 1 kOhm. Infinite resistance or zero means a broken sensor. The sensor wire cannot be replaced separately, so a faulty sensor is replaced with a new one. Cleaning the toothed ABS ring can relieve the fault temporarily.
E36 ABS light is on even though the ABS works. What should I do?
The fault codes must be cleared, because the light will not go out before that. Third-party diagnostic tools get into the ABS system poorly, while BMW's own DIS gets into it. If the light comes on again immediately, the fault is usually in the sensor or the ABS ring.
Does the E36 have ESP or ASC?
The car has ASC traction control, not ESP. ASC acts only on the rear wheels.