How to reset after replacing brake pads on BMW X1?
4 Answers
BMW X1 brake pad replacement reset steps: 1. Close the door and turn on the ignition. 2. Press and hold the black button at the lower left corner of the instrument panel until the oil or brake pad indicator appears. 3. When a triangle symbol appears in the middle, do not release the button. 4. When the brake pad indicator appears, release the button and press it again for a long time, it will display RESET or reset! At this time, release and press it again for a long time to complete the reset. Here is some information about brake pads: 1. Brake pads (brake lining) are generally composed of steel plates, friction blocks and adhesive heat insulation layers. The steel plates must undergo anti-rust treatment, and this process usually uses SMT-4 furnace temperature tracking instrument to detect the temperature distribution to ensure the quality of the steel plates. 2. The heat insulation layer is made of non-heat-conducting materials, and the only purpose is to insulate heat. The friction block, composed of friction materials and adhesives, is squeezed against the brake disc or brake drum during braking to generate friction, thereby slowing down and stopping the vehicle.
My old BMW X1 has had its brake pads replaced three times already, and the reset procedure is actually not difficult. With the engine off, hold down the trip reset button on the dashboard without releasing it, then turn the key to the ignition position (without starting the engine). Wait until the triangular warning symbol with an exclamation mark appears on the instrument panel before releasing the button. Immediately after, press the BC button to switch to the service menu, locate the brake pad icon, and hold the BC button for 5 seconds. The disappearance of the wrench symbol indicates success. The key is to time the button presses accurately—too early or too late will result in failure. If you're doing it yourself, remember to pump the brakes a few times after replacement to ensure the new pads and rotors are properly seated. Otherwise, the brakes might feel spongy when you first hit the road, which can be quite scary.
Last time when I changed the brake pads for my wife's X1, I finally understood how particular this car's electronic system is. You must reset the brake pad counter, otherwise the warning light on the dashboard stays on. The key steps are: turn off the start-stop function, turn the key to the second position without starting the engine. There's a small cylinder above the hazard light switch—press and hold it for five seconds until the maintenance prompt appears on the dashboard. Use the multifunction steering wheel buttons to navigate left or right to the brake option, then press and hold the OK button to reset. Don't forget to check the brake fluid level; it rises after installing new pads, so removing some is safer.
The new X1 with iDrive system is easier to operate. Turn the center control knob to the left to enter vehicle settings, select brake pad reset in the maintenance requirements menu, and confirm twice. However, for pre-2015 models with mechanical instrument clusters, you need to use an alternative method: after powering on, press the brake pedal all the way down, quickly pull the electronic handbrake three times, and the instrument cluster will flash twice to indicate a successful reset. A reminder: if the brake sensor is worn out, replace it early, as a broken plastic piece will cause continuous error messages.
