1st Gen R53 Cooper S Reset Brake Lining indicator light

The MINI has a brake pad wear sensor on the left-front and the right-rear brake pads. Once the brake pads have worn to the point that the sensor touches the brake rotor, this will activate the brake pad wear warning in the instrument cluster. In performing the brake pad replacement, the pad wear sensor must also be replaced. Once the sensor has been replaced, the warning must be reset. Here are the procedures for performing the reset.

2002-2006 R50, R52 & R53 Cooper, Cooper-S and Convertible (through 08):

1) Turn ignition key to position-2 (ignition on, without starting engine) for 30 seconds.

2) Turn key off, then back on. Warning should be reset.

Stolen from the BavAuto Blog - MINI Brake Pad Wear Warning Reset – How To | Bavarian Autosport Blog

 

There are 2 sensors one on the left front, the other on the right rear. I thought there were 4 but I was wrong. I've had a Big Brake Kit on my car so I don't use the sensors, hence my mistake.

The front one is MINI Part # 34-35-6-778-175
The rear is MINI Part # 34-35-6-761-448

For pricing check with the many fine Motoring Alliance Sponsors please. I'd venture to say almost all of them that have OEM parts will have these in stock.

 

One on the left front & one on the right rear.

 

According to the text found here... EBC Red Stuff Brake pads R50/53/52 - Way Motor Works

So, yes.

 

If you want to save some money & run without sensors. Just take the sensor, cut the sensor end off & stripe the wire. Solder the ends back together. No light & no sensor to worry about. I have done this on my car.

 

:cornut: I'm neither for nor against this proceedure but, think about the following situation:idea:. A two car motor vehicle accident occurs resulting in a fatality:frown2::frown5:. The investigative bar would be raised a considerable amount due to the fatality and especially if no drugs, alcohol, nor 'texting' were found to be involved. Investigation reveals that one of the drivers deliberately defeated or disabled a braking safety device which implies negligence(and attorneys would argue this). The defendent's homesteaded home, personal property, and liberty are now fair game for prosecuting and or plaintiff's attorneys. Continued investigation further reveals that the advice to do this proceedure was advocated on the 'Motoring Alliance' computer site without objection from the site owner, moderators, or members at large. It could get very crowded behind that defense table. One or more persons in jail and the rest losing ALL personal property:eek6::frown2:. When attorneys smell blood and cash in the water:drool:arf:.................................. JUST SAYING:idea:

Jason

 

That's funny Jason.... :lol:

 

:cornut: That has happened when people have defeated the magazine safety(not the thumb safety) on pistols.

Jason

 

Umm....

If that were the case then any modification would be verboten territory. You agreed when you registered for this site to hold the site owner, staff and anyone that posts harmless if you follow their advice or opinion. This agreement has been held up in the US Courts, not for this site specifically but for other sites using the same boilerplate language in the agreement I know you read and studied before completing the registration process.

So I can say that I have my sensors tied up and held away from the pads and you too can do the same if you want. Do I recommend it all situations, no, but in my situation it made sense.

 

Not having brake pad sensors are the way MOST CARS ON THE ROADare like, just like how pre 2006 cars mostly lack tire psi sensors (thank ford/firestone for the "exploder" for that one), etc, etc, etc.
Break wear sensors are not required, and the fact they only monitor ONE OF FOUR pads front or rear, and the pads rarely wear evenly with the mini's cornor braking system makes the sensors useless imo.

 

:cornut: Attorneys won't argue that. They'll argue that a factory installed safety device was negligently and wantonly defeated leading to willful indifference and death. That other cars do or don't have the device makes no difference. This car had the device installed at the factory. JUST SAYING............................:cornut:

Jason

 

And that is the end of our legalese intrusion for today.

 

Hi normally I get them from MINI Cooper Parts | MINI Cooper Accessories Including BMW MINI and Cooper S Performance Parts at MiniCarParts.net, BMW Parts and BMW Accessories | Bavarian Autosport.

The cheapest I found Today was at OEM / Performance Parts for Audi, BMW, Mercedes Benz, Mini, Porsche & Volkswagen - ECS Tuning, were you have options from OEM to after market brands.

For example I enter the car, year, model and details.
Search for the BMW part number
2003 MINI Cooper S L4 1.6L > Search > 34356761448
they showed prices from $5.60 to $15.63 (OEM) to the rear.

Then for the front
2003 MINI Cooper S L4 1.6L > Search > 34356761447
They didn't have the OEM but they have a brand called MTC for $5.66.

As far as fitting on the brake pad you need to make sure the pad has the slot to fit the brake pad sensor, regardless the type of the pad.

On this video replacing the braking pads around minute 7:00 you can see when I am replacing the brake pad sensor and you observe the slot on brake pad where the sensor goes.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtgQ-NF4huU]Mini Cooper Changing Brake Pads (gopro plus flipHD) - YouTube[/ame]


On my car I start to notice that even though the brake lights are on the sensor that wear first (at least on my car) is the one the rear, sometimes I don't need to even replace the one on the front. The sensor is nothing more then a close loop (like someone already described), so before I replace the sensor I test them and sometimes I repair them if they are not fully melted.


[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9-cX_86GTY]Brake Pad Sensor Repair - YouTube[/ame]