I have a 2003 BMW 325Ci, the brake light and the caution light came on and have been on for a while. What is the problem?
Do You Have The 2003 BMW 325Ci Owner’s Manual? Information Concerning These Lights Could Be Inside.
Have you physically checked the operation of the car’s lights/brake lights outside the vehicle?
CSA
Yes I have, it works fine… the brakes are in tip top shape… I’d just changed the control arms and the handbrake light came on in yellow and hasn’t gone off…
The Rear Control Arms Were Changed? Maybe The Handbrake Cable Was Disturbed In The Process.
That could be the source of the problem. Have that checked as it could be keeping the brakes from releasing completely. the cable may need to be adjusted or freed up.
CSA
But I didn’t change the rear control arms. The front lower control arms were changed.
These are common to be changed (its the ball joints that go bad, I must have done 50+ cars)Shouldn’t the handbrake light be red and the ABS be yellow? It makes more sense as your problem could be a speed sensor disconnected.
We would get these cars with ABS lights on that just came from the emissions dyno. The system saw the rear wheels turrning but not the front and the light came on,clear code and drive on.
I must admit I don’t know what the “caution” light represents.
the caution light is the ABS light. The ABS light is typically yellow, and the handbrake light red, however, both are now permanently on and the handbrake light is yellow.
You are saying a typicaly red handbrake light (indicating handbrake on)is now yellow in color? I suggest you get the car scanned and see what code(s) are present. These are BMW diagnostic codes not generic OBD2 codes. that’s the best path I can think of as there is no diagnostic system (at least that I know of) for the handbrake light. Lets see what a ABS scan shows.
You could make a visual inspection of all “low brake pad” sensors (maybe one broke or fell out) and while you are inspecting you can check the condition of all wheel speed sensors (not broken and pluged in) of course brake fluid level has been checked and is good.