Last updated on June 28th, 2023 at 07:57 am
The parking brake, also called the emergency brake or e-brake, is an essential component of your BMW x5, 535i, and x3 mechanics. Whenever car owners want that extra stability to park on a hill, using the parking brake may be the difference between a downward slide and secure parking.
People who drive manual transmission cars may use their parking brakes even while driving. But the various uses and frequency of the parking may vary from person to vehicle.
This shows how important a parking brake is to the car, and a broken parking brake is not something that should be taken lightly. It also means that driving with a faulty parking brake for an extended time can cause undue damage to your BMW x5, 535i, and x3 transmission.
Overview On Parking Brake Malfunction BMW Problem
There are common parking brake malfunction BMW problem that causes the yellow BMW PARK light to illuminate. These affect parking brake malfunction BMW 750li and other BMW models mentioned above.
- Software issue – Your BMW parking brake malfunctioning issue in some cases can be fixed by just updating the software at the dealer.
- Loose connector – Check the connector to the BMW parking brake module actuator. Sometimes a corroded wire can trigger intermittent parking brake to malfunction.
- Weak battery – Sometimes, when you have a weak battery, it can prevent the parking brake from releasing. Also, you might likely experience other electrical issues if your BMW is not charging well.
- Parking Brake Actuator – The gear inside your parking brake actuator can sometimes break. This is one of the common issues on BMW with electronic brakes, which can trigger the yellow PARK light to stay on.
The BMW parking brake actuator can completely fail and is one of the most common failures. This is because the gear inside the BMW parking brake actuator that engages and disengages can break.
What Does Parking Brake Malfunction Mean In BMW?
It simply means that the brake does not engage when it should. It also means that your BMW wheels will begin to roll whenever you want to park on a hill.
A well-working parking brake will prevent the rear wheels from moving at all. Whenever your car’s
when it should, the brake light sensor in your vehicle will illuminate.
There are a few reasons why your BMW parking brake gets stuck: corrosion within the vehicle, in-climate weather, or harsh handling. But here are
that you should take:
· Keep Your BMW Car Warm
When in the cold winter months, in-climate weather can cause the parking brake of your BMW to freeze. This is because it is exposed to snow, ice, or water. But a jammed BMW parking brake may cause you to worry; a quick warm-up to your car will often alleviate the problem. To loosen the parking brake and make it ready for use, allow your car enough time to warm up.
· Avoid Corrosion
A vehicle accumulates dirt, debris, and water can negatively impact the cables attached to the braking system. As time goes by, the cables will erode and cause the parking brakes to malfunction. To prevent this, you must frequently use your parking brake even when not on a hill.
· Be Gentle
It might be easy sometimes to pull on your emergency parking brakes or other vehicle parts using force. When you do this, it can cause unnecessary damage and can even break necessary parts. It would be best to use force only when necessary, but it shouldn’t be too much when operating your parking brake.
Causes Of The Parking Brake Malfunction BMW
Whenever your parking brake is making a screeching sound, and you notice the parking sensor light flashing, it simply means your parking brake module has failed. Note that when you try to drive your car under this circumstance, it can cause more damage to the braking system.
I recommend replacing your rear brake pads, discs, and shoes whenever you replace the parking brake module. Below are what causes the parking brake to malfunction in your BMW car.
· Seized Brake
One of the everyday things that cause the failure of your BMW parking brake, which is often unnoticed by drivers, is driving with the brake engaged. Though it may look impossible, people always do it without realizing it.
When you drive your car with the brake engaged, it will cause the car to overheat. This could easily lock up the wheels of your vehicle. To avoid this, it is incredibly vital to remember to disengage your BMW parking brake before you start driving.
· Faulty Sensor
The sensor responsible for activating the red brake warning light on your BMW dashboard can malfunction, which could cause confusion for you and give you more issues. This sensor informs you whenever the brake is engaged, and when it’s not working properly, you might forget that the brake is engaged and start driving while it is engaged.
Some vehicles also have a sound effect that warns them whenever the brake is engaged. But if these sensors fail, the parking brake warning light may remain turned on even if the brake has been released; this is where the confusion comes in.
- Improper Cable Adjustment
Another thing that could cause parking brake failure is improper cable adjustment. Having adequate rear brake tension is vital when the parking brake is engaged. Note that the rear brakes help keep the vehicle in place so it won’t roll away. So when you use your parking brake regularly, it can help maintain the proper rear brake tension. But if the brake isn’t used regularly, it will corrode and wear, resulting in unwanted distance. The extra distance won’t allow the brake to get the proper grip required to hold the vehicle in place.
- Broken Lever
A parking brake has a self-locking system that is meant to lock until it is released. However, the springs that help this self-locking system function can wear out in the long run and possibly cause a breakdown. Once the system fails, it could prevent you from engaging or releasing your parking brake, leaving you stuck where you are parked.
- Worn Brake Shoes
When your BMW parking brake shoes are worn out, they won’t allow proper grip. Not having a proper grip can cause your BMW to lean or roll whenever it is parked.
How To Fix Parking Brake Malfunction BMW
Just press and hold the reset button of your odometer; you’ll get a message that will illuminate in the middle of the tachometer, which will say press okay to reset. Once this message appears, then press the emergency brake button 4 times.
Reasons For The Parking Brake Malfunction BMW X5
A parking brake is also known as the emergency brake, one of the most vital features in your BMW x5. It keeps your vehicle firmly in place on slanted or elevated surfaces. A parking brake can become a lifesaver for you when extra braking power is needed in addition to your brake pedal.
Sometimes your BMW parking brake can fail because it is an essential feature of your car. So when you suspect the parking brake isn’t working correctly, take your BMW to a certified service center for inspection. Here are the most common reasons for the parking brake malfunction in BMW x5.
- Seized Brake
- Improper Cable Adjustment
- Worn Brake Shoes
- Faulty Sensor
- Broken Lever
How To Fix Parking Brake Malfunction BMW X5
- Just press and hold the parking pedal.
- Then turn on your ignition.
- Then press and hold your Parting Brake (P) button for about five seconds.
In case you perform this, and it doesn’t work, then you have to reset the parking brake module using one of these methods.
- Take off the Parking Brake Fuse
The Parking brake fuse must be taken off for at least five minutes. You can locate the parking brake fuse in the fuse box in the trunk.
Check your fuse chart; you’ll see it marked as P. Sometimes, it could be fuse numbers 10, 94, or 129, but it can be any fuse. Just check your fuse chart.
Another alternative way is to disconnect the negative battery terminal for a minimum of 15 minutes.
You don’t need to register the battery when the battery is disconnected. But your radio preset, seat memory positions, and others may need reset.
But if you’ve done all these, and none of the above solutions worked, check for fault codes via the parking modules. Note that you’ll need a BMW scanner that will be able to read the parking brake module. You can read the codes from the DSC module, ABS, or perform a full system scan.
Causes Of Parking Brake Failure BMW 5 Series
Seized Brake: As said before, one of the common things that makes your BMW parking brake failure which is always not noticed by many drivers, is driving with the brake engaged.
Whenever you drive your BMW with the brake engaged, it could cause the car to overheat. This could easily lock up the wheels of your car. To avoid this, it is extremely vital to remember to disengage your BMW parking brake before you start driving.
Improper Cable Adjustment: One other thing that can cause the parking brake to fail is improper cable adjustment. Having adequate rear brake tension is vital when the parking brake is engaged. Note that the rear brakes help keep the vehicle in place so that it won’t roll away.
This means that when your parking brake is used regularly, it can help maintain the proper rear brake tension. But if the brake isn’t used regularly, it will corrode and wear, resulting in an unwanted distance. The extra distance won’t allow the brake to get the proper grip required to hold the vehicle in place.
Worn Brake Shoes: When your BMW parking brake shoes are worn out, they won’t allow proper grip. Not having a proper grip can cause your BMW to lean or roll whenever it is parked.
Faulty Sensor: The sensor responsible for activating the red brake warning light on your BMW dashboard can malfunction, which could cause confusion for you and give you more issues. This sensor informs you whenever the brake is engaged, and when it’s not working properly, you might forget that the brake is engaged and start driving while it is engaged.
Some vehicles also have a sound effect that warns them whenever the brake is engaged. But if these sensors fail, the parking brake warning light may remain turned on even if the brake has been released; this is where the confusion comes in.
Broken Lever: A parking brake has a self-locking system that is meant to lock until it is released. However, the springs that help this self-locking system function can wear out in the long run and possibly cause a breakdown. Once the system fails, it could prevent you from engaging or releasing your parking brake, leaving you stuck where you are parked.
What To Do If The BMW X5 Parking Brake Manual Release Not Working
Are you wondering what to do if your BMW x5 parking brake manual release is not working? Below are some questions that might be bordering you:
- Parking brake stuck OFF: If your BMW parking brakes have failed in the released position, you’ll be unable to set the parking brakes whenever you park.
- Parking brakes stuck ON: Whenever the parking brake of your BMW gets stuck in the engaged position, it means you won’t be able to get the car out of the park or drive mode. But you can manually release the parking brake and drive.
However, to manually release your BMW parking brakes in emergencies, then you’ll need the emergency F Handle. This can be found in the trunk.
What To Do If The Parking Brake Malfunction BMW 535i
When you need the parking brake most, you will likely find out it isn’t working well, either on an incline or in an emergency. So this is why it’s vital to ensure you have a routine service, like when you’re changing your oil.
To release a stuck brake, make sure it is safe. But you can try rocking your BMW car back and forth or manually get under the vehicle to pull off the cables. Alternatively, you can also try setting and releasing your BMW brake many times in the hopes of knocking the brakes free.
Dashboard BMW X5 Parking Brake Malfunction Reset
You can just press and hold the reset button of your odometer; a message will pop up in the middle of the tachometer, which will say press okay to reset. After this message appears in the middle of the tachometer, press the emergency brake button 4 times.
Conclusion
As you know, the brakes are what help to ensure performance handling and keep you safe while on the road. But for some reason, they can malfunction.
And the brakes in your BMW x5, 535i, x3, and as well as the parking brake malfunction BMW 750li are common brake issues BMW cars may encounter
However, this issue or malfunctioning brake system can be dangerous quickly with the guide above or by consulting the services of a trained mechanic when you notice it’s malfunctioning your BMW brakes.
Related: Subaru Electronic Parking Brake Problems, Disengage, Suck, Reset, & Fix
Hi dear, my name is Jeffery Ekweghi, and I am a certified mechanic and autobody parts technician. I created this site to share my expertise and experience with car lovers looking to resolve their car-related issues. I am certified in private cars and heavy-duty commercial vehicles. I have worked as a mechanic since 2015 and have experience in vehicle brands like Subaru, Jeep, Toyota, TATA, BMW, Mazda, Honda, Nissan, Kia, TVs, and Others; however, I primarily specialize in Toyota vehicles.
