BMW E-Brake Failure Leaves Owner Seeking Expert Help

Hey there! I had a similar issue with my 2014 BMW 4 Series diesel last year. The electronic parking brake failed completely, and it turned out to be a defective electric motor in the brake caliper. Like yours, my car showed multiple warning lights, and the hill assist was dead too. The main problem was that the electronic motor that operates the parking brake had seized up. It's a fairly common issue in these models after about 100,000 km. Got it fixed at a garage that specializes in BMW electronics, they replaced both rear brake calipers since the other one was showing early signs of failure too. Look for a shop that has proper diagnostic equipment for BMW vehicles, that's crucial. Make sure they can show you the actual fault codes and explain what they mean. My fix wasn't a quick job, took them about a day and a half to sort everything out, but it's been working perfectly since then. Would definitely say this is a serious issue that needs proper attention, you don't want to risk parking brake failure, especially if you park on any kind of incline. Cheers

Thanks for sharing your experience! That's really helpful. Quick follow-up, do you remember roughly how much you ended up paying for the whole repair? Also, has everything stayed working properly since the fix, or have you noticed any other brake-related issues popping up?

Hey again! Great to hear back from you! Yes, definitely can help with those details. I took my 4 Series to the mechanic last week actually, and they completely sorted out the electronic parking brake issue. The total bill came to 505 € for replacing the faulty electric motor in the brake caliper. Since the repair, everything's been working absolutely perfectly, the parking brake engages smoothly, all those annoying warning lights are gone, and the hill start assist is back to normal. Haven't had a single problem with any brake-related systems since then. The repair job was worth every penny, feels like a different car now! I can finally park without having that nagging worry in the back of my mind about whether the brake would hold or not. Really glad I got it sorted when I did, as the mechanic mentioned it could've gotten worse if left unfixed. Hope this helps with your decision! Let me know if you need any other info about the repair. Cheers!

Thanks so much for all the info! I bit the bullet and took my car to a BMW specialist yesterday. You were spot on, it was the electric motor in the brake caliper that needed replacing. The total repair came to around 550 €, pretty close to what you paid. The mechanic was really thorough and showed me exactly what was wrong. They even let me see the old part, it was completely seized up! Took them about 6 hours to fix everything, but the car's running like new now. All the warning lights are gone, and the parking brake works perfectly again. Really glad I got this sorted. Having a working parking brake definitely helps me sleep better at night! Thanks again for helping me make the decision to get it fixed. Sometimes you just need that push from someone who's been through the same thing. Take care!