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Rear Electronic Parking Brake Retract

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21K views 26 replies 5 participants last post by  Robin750  
#1 ·
So there I was, ready to tackle the rear rotors and pads on my 2012 F02, having done the fronts a couple weeks ago which was pretty easy. I checked out a pile of videos on how to manually retract the electric parking break by removing the motor and unscrewing this torx screw and they all said, "this is pretty much the same for all models". Not one video that I watched or any post that I read prepared me for the type of rotor shoe brakes that mine has. Obviously, I can't get the rotor off and now my car is in a jacked up limbo state cuz I refuse to put all the old stuff back on.

I figured ok, I'll do it electronically. So I stick my OBDLink in the obd plug and pull up the BimmerLink app, but there's nothing in there, so I pull up the BimmerCode app and there's nothing on there. No problem, I still have all the coding software and kcan cable I got from a couple of you guys a couple years ago. I spent most of yesterday and some of today getting it all loaded back up on a laptop and plugged it in today. I made sure I unpacked the files that included the F01/2 models. I've tried just about every program and I keep hitting roadblocks. The one I assume I need is ISTA-P but it is apparently too old for my car or the cable is too old or something. I have to manually put in my VIN and then it sits there reading my car for awhile, plugs in the last 7 of my VIN and the model and finally just errors out with a notice in German that basically translates to it can't work cuz something is too old and closes the session. Trying to put the model in manually eventually ends up in the same place. I tried one or two other programs, the names escape me but I basically run into the same issues - I get so far and then it can't go any further and it yells at me in German.

So, I look to you fine experts, short of buying yet another type of expensive diagnostic scanner, is there any manual way to retract the drum style parking break on my 2012 F02? Any help will expedite getting it back on the road and be greatly appreciated. If there is a relatively inexpensive scanner tool I can get at one of the local auto parts stores that'll do it feel free to let me know. Thanks.

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#2 · (Edited)
I did mine with ISTA+, there's a service function that allows the actuators to be retracted...However, you can disengage the parking brake via the cabin brake switch which should allow you to remove the calliper. Now you can remove the actuator from the calliper and retract the piston with a torx socket, turn it clockwise till it stops, that will allow you to slide it back over the disk on reassembly with the new pads installed. When your done pump the brake peddle a couple of times then activate the cabin brake switch to rewind the pistons back out.
 
#3 · (Edited)
I appreciate your reply and that type of electronic parking brake is what I was prepared for. However, that is not the type my car has. There is no actuator on my caliper. My F02 (750Li) has the parking brake that incorporates brake shoes that ride inside the back drum of the rotor. There doesn***8217;t appear to be the same type of actuator that would allow me to manually retract them.

This is what I am getting from ISTA/P:

A fault occurred on execution of the measure.

94201 Technical service initialization failed
63014 (CASTOR) - Fault when executing a
PSdZ function
63014 (CASTOR) - Fault when executing a
PSdZ function

Clicking OK returns a message that the session is ending.

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#5 ·
I appreciate your reply and that type of electronic parking brake is what I was prepared for. However, that is not the type my car has. There is no actuator on my caliper. My F02 (750Li) has the parking brake that incorporates brake shoes that ride inside the back drum of the rotor. There doesn't appear to be the same type of actuator that would allow me to manually retract them.

This is what I am getting from ISTA/P:

A fault occurred on execution of the measure.

94201 Technical service initialization failed
63014 (CASTOR) - Fault when executing a
PSdZ function
63014 (CASTOR) - Fault when executing a
PSdZ function

Clicking OK returns a message that the session is ending.

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Sorry, I somehow got it mixed up with the F10. Anyhow there should be a service function in ISTA/D for retracting the electronic brake that's how i did mine...Not sure if ISTA/P will have that function as i've never used it...
 
#8 ·
I misspoke in my original post, the cable I have is an INPA compatible K + DCAN USB Interface cable.

I can try it again to see if I can work the disk off the drum brake but I was concerned that if I forced it and was able to get it freed, that the parking brake shoes would expand further, preventing me from being able to get the new disks on without damage.


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#9 ·
I misspoke in my original post, the cable I have is an INPA compatible K + DCAN USB Interface cable.
That cable is for E-series chassis so that's why I don't think it'll work.

I can try it again to see if I can work the disk off the drum brake but I was concerned that if I forced it and was able to get it freed, that the parking brake shoes would expand further, preventing me from being able to get the new disks on without damage.
You could put the car in neutral and see if the wheels are spinning, that should eliminate the parking brake as being the problem.
 
#12 ·
Well then I’m back to square one cuz the cable or something else is not working. Does your cable have the switch on it cuz mine doesn’t.

I tried again today to get the disk off and I couldn’t. When I look in the back as I’m working it off, I can start to see the brake shoes coming out but they only come out about 3/8” (just about 1 cm) and then that’s it. Any more wiggling of the disk feels like I’m going to rip the whole parking brake mechanism apart. These things need to be retracted more it would seem.


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#17 ·
Well then I'm back to square one cuz the cable or something else is not working. Does your cable have the switch on it cuz mine doesn't.

I tried again today to get the disk off and I couldn't. When I look in the back as I'm working it off, I can start to see the brake shoes coming out but they only come out about 3/8" (just about 1 cm) and then that's it. Any more wiggling of the disk feels like I'm going to rip the whole parking brake mechanism apart. These things need to be retracted more it would seem.

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I have an adapter, but do not have to use it. Check your ediabas.ini file in the ediabas\bin folder, or check it in the Rheingold\Ediabas\BIN folder. Both files should be the same. You can check INPA to see if it runs, then you will know it is not the cable. The OBD.ini file should have the same com port setting in it & the device manger setting for the cable. The OBD file will be in only this folder, C:\EDIABAS\Bin. Windows updates have a way of changing the settings at times.
 
#15 · (Edited)
My cable is USB. As far as putting the car on jack stands on all 4 corners, I first need to get a better, bigger floor jack than my current one, which I was planning on doing because I will have to raise all 4 to bleed the brakes after the brake job. I just wanted to get past the brake job first but looks like I may not be able to.


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#18 ·
Thank you, hadn't seen that one, but I've seen a lot like it and trust me, my disk is not coming off as easily as he made that look. Made me laugh. I've ordered a new ENet cable and I'm getting the latest ESys and other software. And if I don't find anything in it to retract them further, I guess it's more elbow grease. But it doesn't seem to me that in park with the parking brake turned off that the shoes should be anywhere near as tight on the disk as they are. So tomorrow I'm going to try applying the parking brake and releasing it a few times to see if it makes it any more loose. Thanks again.
 
#22 ·
I have the same setup as the one in that E65 video that has been posted above. I left the car in park without setting the e-brake and chocked the front wheels. Then I just lifted one side to do the rotors. I remember having to hit the rotor with a hammer a couple of times. Rubber mallet did not do it for me, so I put a a small piece of 2x4 on one side of the rotor and hit it. I didn't want to damage the rotor in case it didn't come off and I had to drive it to a shop. They came off easily after that. I believe they were stuck to the hub more than the brakes.
 
#26 ·
Wow! You guys have given me a boatload of information I didn't have before and I greatly appreciate it. I was not even aware of that newtis website. I am happy to know it is there with a wealth of info. I think I am loaded up with enough information to get it done. Interesting to see the diag about releasing the brake through the software. I got almost far enough but when I got to the level of parking brake which then should have taken me to the workshop mode setting, it failed at that point. I think that was the program that threw up the message in German telling me it was the wrong version or something.
 
#27 ·
The site is basically just an online version of the instructions in ISTA. You can find the same articles in ISTA, but the site just makes it easier to share links.

Make sure your version of ISTA is at least as new as the I-Level of your car, as newer software in the car may not be backwards compatible. There are mapping tables that you can use to find the version number that corresponds to a specific I-Level, but if it's been a while since you downloaded ISTA or the dealer did some work on the car (ie. retrofitting the 105Ah battery requires a software update), just download the latest version you can find.