BSM Error Message

The other day driving home from work my truck randomly started giving an error message on my dash screen saying “BSM SYSTEM ERROR CONTACT DEALER” other than driving in the rain and hitting a few puddles on the highway I can figure out what would have triggered this to stop working that day. Anybody else experience anything similar to this with an easy fix hopefully? Reading through some existing threads it sounds like parts for this system can be pretty expensive and require re-calibration from the dealership if new sendors are installed. I’d prefer to avoid all of that if possible.

 

Your sensors are probably covered in mud/dirt.

There is a chance maybe one got damaged, but I have had mine (on two trucks, over a decade, in very harsh weather) never being damaged.

Probably just needs a simple cleaning.

 

I second this. I’ve seen this error many times in the winter when ice covers the sensors. Scrape the ice off sensors, error gone.

 

At first I thought the BSM sensors were the same as the parking sensors that are visible on each side of the rear bumper. (Round sensor about the size of a penny) after looking into the issue I’ve learned they are actually different sensors mounted behind the plastic bumper end caps facing outwards on each side of the bumper and are fairly well concealed so I can’t just wipe them clean of dirt/mud/debris. Is the easiest way to access them by removing the top plastic bumper covers that run all the way across the bumper? I’ve tried to get a visual on them from below but I can’t actually even see them, more or less get to them to where I can clean them from below. I owned the truck for almost 3 years while living in the mountains in Colorado where driving/commuting in deep snow and harsh weather conditions living on a non maintained road and never had any issues. Now living in the PNW where it rains almost every day it seems they would have been washed clean! Maybe I have some water finding it’s way into some of my electrical connectors somewhere in the harness? Trying to find the easiest place to start diagnosing the problem. I’m guessing removing the top bumper covers or bumper end caps so I can actually see the BSM sensors is a good place to start for now and try to clean them.

 

Where are these sensors behind the plastic bumper caps?

I have had a lot of this truck apart and have never found hidden bumper sensors.

 

This is the diagram that shows their location in the owners manual. I can see the backside of the three threaded studs that they are mounted to from below and was able to get a slight peek from above by pulling the top cover off of the bumper cap off on the driver side but could only get the first two clips to come out without any tools to help. I think the middle”top” bumper cover has to be removed first to completely remove the top side covers.

 

I have had that happen a couple times after traveling in driving rain, was fine once truck dried out.