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Car Forum / BMW Cars / February 2005Reset Inspection Indicator
Hello - I have '99 323i Convertible (52K miles) that's in extremely good condition and runs excellent. I recently had a little work on it and now it runs like brand new. A week ago my inspection light went on so I called the dealer. They want $525 - $850 for the inspection (depends if it's a I or II) and won't reset the indicator unless I do the inspection. Since I know the car is running great I'm not going to pay someone to tell me what I already know. The bottom line/question is does anyone know of a way to reset the Inspection indicator. Otherwise I'll just let it go on for the 5 seconds every time I start the car. Thanks, Bob There is a way ot reset this at home. Please let a few others reply because I am winging it here, and I might not have the procedure down right. Get a 470 ohm resistor form Radio Shack, and some 14 guage wire and an aligator clip. A banana clip or probe would be helpful, but is not mandatory. Assemble the wire, aligator clip and resistor. Strip the other end of the wire and tin the end (about 3/4" or so), or attach the banana plug or probe. Locate the data port in the engine bay, and remove the cover. This should be a round plastic connector that is about 2.5" in diameter. Inside the connector are female pins, you need a probe or banana plug that fits these pins, or you can simply tin the end of the wire and stick it in. In any case, you want Pin 7. Have somebody turn the key to ON, but not Start, then attach the aligator clip to a ground source in the engine bay. The engine itself has several bolts that will suffice as a suitable ground. The Service Indicator will go out after about 7 seconds. There is a write-up somewhere that suggests that you can use a momentary push button and a film can to make a reset device that lets you do this job on your own. In this case, the resistor will live inside the film can, and the push button will be affixed to the can as well. You insert one lead into the Pin 7, and connect the other lead to ground. Then you get inside the car and set the ignition switch to ON, but not start, then press the push button and hold it until the display resets itself. If I remember correctly, the Oil Change Interval lights and the Service Interval I and II are all reset the same way. The Service Interval indicators are reset after the Oil Change indicator. So, you can watch the Oil Change lights go out - or turn from red to green, or whatever they do, then continue holding the button depressed to reset the Service Indicator. If you release the button as soon as the Oil Change interval is reset, then the Service Interval will not be disturbed. > Hello - I have '99 323i Convertible (52K miles) that's in extremely good > condition and runs excellent. I recently had a little work on it and now it [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Thanks, Bob > There is a way ot reset this at home. Please let a few others reply > because [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > aligator clip. A banana clip or probe would be helpful, but is not > mandatory. That's the procedure for older non-obdII cars. Not sure about the '99, but look at http://www.bmwtips.com/tipsntricks/reset-plug/reset.htm down at the bottom. Floyd Here is the important parts, 1) If you have a reset tool then turn your car key to Position II but do not start the car. 2) Turn the cap counter clock wise on the Data Link Connector and insert the Reset Tool 3) Follow the instructions of your reset tool, different models may have different fuctions however they all create a short in PIN 7 to PIN 19 for a given amount of time. OIL Service Reset requires pin 7 and 19 to be closed for 3+ seconds INSPECTION Service Reset requires pin 7 and 19 to be closed for 10+ seconds 4) Once done, remove the reset tool and close the cap . 5) Your dash should light up with green lights at this point. If the light did NOT reset after the above steps then you might be reseting Oil Service however an Inspection Service is needed. Please note, Pin 19 is ground. So my description of taking Pin 7 to ground was accurate. I use exposed metal on the engine block to get ground, this avoids the possibility of plugging Pin 7 to the wrong pin and not getting the desired results. According to the link you provided, this works up to 2001. > > There is a way ot reset this at home. Please let a few others reply > > because [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Floyd > Hello - I have '99 323i Convertible (52K miles) that's in extremely good > condition and runs excellent. I recently had a little work on it and [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > inspection. Since I know the car is running great I'm not going to pay > someone to tell me what I already know. Interesting - you seem to say you had a little work (done) on it. I'd expect any quarter competent mechanic to know how to re-set the service indicator. If you did the work yourself, any manual or site that gave you the service requirements etc would also include details on how to do this too.  Signature*I took an IQ test and the results were negative. Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW To e-mail, change noise into sound. > If you did the work yourself, any manual or site that gave you the service > requirements etc would also include details on how to do this too. This isn't true. The Bently manual will tell you how to do all of the service, but it does not say a thing about resetting the service or oil change indicators. > > If you did the work yourself, any manual or site that gave you the > > service requirements etc would also include details on how to do this > > too. > This isn't true. The Bently manual will tell you how to do all of the > service, but it does not say a thing about resetting the service or oil > change indicators. And they don't recommend you buy a code reader or service indicator re-set tool? I've no experience of Bentley since they're not sold in the UK, but thought they were generally quite good? Signature*Support bacteria - they're the only culture some people have * Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW To e-mail, change noise into sound. > > > If you did the work yourself, any manual or site that gave you the > > > service requirements etc would also include details on how to do this [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > tool? I've no experience of Bentley since they're not sold in the UK, but > thought they were generally quite good? They are very good at what they present, they just do not present the information needed to reset the codes or service indicators. There is a tool one can purchase, but when one can accomplish the same objective - resetting the service indicators - with a jumper wire fitted with a resistor and an alligator clip ... > They are very good at what they present, they just do not present the > information needed to reset the codes or service indicators. There is a > tool one can purchase, but when one can accomplish the same objective - > resetting the service indicators - with a jumper wire fitted with a > resistor and an alligator clip ... You can indeed. Assuming 'you' are capable of making such a device. Others use paperclips. I wouldn't even try. I can make most simple things electrical or electronic, but would recommend those who can't to buy a cheap service light re-setting tool for less than the cost of the oil and filter - or more so to buy a Peake Research code reader which will do not only what it says on the box, but re-set the oil and inspection lights as well. Signature*If at first you don't succeed, avoid skydiving.* Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW To e-mail, change noise into sound. >> They are very good at what they present, they just do not present >> the [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > but > re-set the oil and inspection lights as well. While I am quite capable of making a fancy reset device (I am an EE), I have always been quite successful at just shorting the proper pin to ground directly (no resistor). There is no danger of damaging the ECU unless you screw up and short the wrong pin. YMMV, -Fred W > >> They are very good at what they present, they just do not present > >> the [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > ground directly (no resistor). There is no danger of damaging the > ECU unless you screw up and short the wrong pin. I have only reset twice. I sat for years and looked at the service interval indicator and didn't know how to shut it off. Anyway, I have reset twice, and I used a resistor the first time because the directions said to. I used the resistor the second time because I tried to NOT use it, and the circuit did not reset. I decided that it must know the difference in a direct short and a load, and I used the resistor and the circuit reset just like it is supposed to. > I have only reset twice. I sat for years and looked at the service > interval indicator and didn't know how to shut it off. Anyway, I have [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > difference in a direct short and a load, and I used the resistor and the > circuit reset just like it is supposed to. The resistor is just there to limit possible fault current if the wrong pin is chosen, if I read the article correctly. Signature*Can vegetarians eat animal crackers? Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW To e-mail, change noise into sound. > > I have only reset twice. I sat for years and looked at the service > > interval indicator and didn't know how to shut it off. Anyway, I have [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > The resistor is just there to limit possible fault current if the wrong > pin is chosen, if I read the article correctly. I thought that too Dave. And since I only have done this twice, I can't even say for sure that the resistor is needed. What I can say is that when I tried to reset without using the resistor, it did not reset. When I tried with the resistor, it reset twice. I'll try again without the resistor because my methods are a bit primitive and not very reliable, and could be introducing a variable that causes me problems. Having said that, the circuit could conceivably have an over-current detection capability, and therefore not respond to a dead short. If so, then a resistor would be needed. I suspect the resistor is nothing more than a load to prevent a dead short, but that it is not required. > I thought that too Dave. And since I only have done this twice, I can't > even say for sure that the resistor is needed. What I can say is that > when I tried to reset without using the resistor, it did not reset. When > I tried with the resistor, it reset twice. I'll try again without the > resistor because my methods are a bit primitive and not very reliable, > and could be introducing a variable that causes me problems. Well, given the resistor costs only a couple of pennies, I'm happy just to use one. Although I bought a Peake Research tool for this car, so don't need a home made one. But I did make one for my brother who has an E28. I followed the website instructions, but used an IIRC 2.5mm headphone jack to fit the female on the multi-pin socket - less risk of a short. And a large alligator clip for the earth. Trying to keep it as foolproof as possible. > Having said that, the circuit could conceivably have an over-current > detection capability, and therefore not respond to a dead short. If so, > then a resistor would be needed. I suspect the resistor is nothing more > than a load to prevent a dead short, but that it is not required. That was my reading of it - as others say it works with a paperclip. Cheapskates - all of them. ;-) Signature*I finally got my head together, now my body is falling apart. Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW To e-mail, change noise into sound. >> Having said that, the circuit could conceivably have an >> over-current [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > That was my reading of it - as others say it works with a paperclip. > Cheapskates - all of them. ;-) It's not a matter of being a "cheapskate", though I prefer the term "frugal. ;-) I have been resetting my BMWs using a dead short (actually I do use a momentary SPST switch and wire, not a paperclip) since long before the article came out that said "you should only use a series resistor". Why would I change now? The location of the correct pin (the second one from "pacman's jaws") is indelibly etched in my brain now... ;-) No need to pay Peake $50 for a switch in a box... -Fred W Certified FYG (Frugal Yankee Guy) Agreed. Reset tools are handy but absolutely unnecessary. >>> Having said that, the circuit could conceivably have an over-current >>> detection capability, and therefore not respond to a dead short. If so, [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > -Fred W Certified FYG (Frugal Yankee Guy) > No need to pay Peake $50 for a switch in a box... The one I've got is a code reader too. In the UK, you can buy a reset only tool for about the equivalent of $20, IIRC. Signature*When blondes have more fun, do they know it? Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW To e-mail, change noise into sound. >> No need to pay Peake $50 for a switch in a box... > > The one I've got is a code reader too. In the UK, you can buy a > reset only > tool for about the equivalent of $20, IIRC. Not here (US). The reset tool goes for ~$50. The one with code reader is more, around $120 AFAIR. -Fred W >>>No need to pay Peake $50 for a switch in a box... >> [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > -Fred W E-bay! If you're in the USA:- http://tinyurl.com/4byc7 but note - you could be buying the instructions on how to short two pins together! - although there are a few of the 'proper' tools offered for sale. or in the UK:- http://tinyurl.com/3kbyx SignatureIan Edwards "Measure what is important, don't make important what you can measure." Robert McNamara > >>>No need to pay Peake $50 for a switch in a box... > >> [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > > E-bay! Radio Shack if all you want is to reset. Jeff ,your right on! I tried this teice last week just a wire to earth =No reset, after reading your post used a resistor & Bingo it worked Brillant! Joe > > > I have only reset twice. I sat for years and looked at the service > > > interval indicator and didn't know how to shut it off. Anyway, I have [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > a resistor would be needed. I suspect the resistor is nothing more than a > load to prevent a dead short, but that it is not required. > Jeff ,your right on! I tried this teice last week just a wire to earth > =No > reset, after reading your post used a resistor & Bingo it worked Brillant! AFAIK, you do not short a pin to ground, but rather to another pin, at least on my 3 and 5 series cars I owned. I made a "tool" which was just a coathanger wire bent to the right shape and it always did the resets for me. > AFAIK, you do not short a pin to ground, but rather to another pin, at > least on my 3 and 5 series cars I owned. I made a "tool" which was just > a coathanger wire bent to the right shape and it always did the resets > for me. One of the pins you short to is ground. The idea of using an external ground is there's less chance of hitting one wrong pin. :-) Signature*I don't suffer from insanity; I enjoy every minute of it. Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW To e-mail, change noise into sound. >> Jeff ,your right on! I tried this teice last week just a wire to >> earth =No [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > was just a coathanger wire bent to the right shape and it always did > the resets for me. The tool connects pin 7 to pin 19. Pin 19 is ground. Pin 7 is the pin that needs to be grounded. You can use any ground point rather than pin 19. http://www.unofficialbmw.com/e36/electrical/e36_reset_service_lights.html -Fred W >>> Jeff ,your right on! I tried this teice last week just a wire to earth >>> =No [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > -Fred W Maybe the pin to any ground was too good a path, possibly the reason Joe had to use a resitor? Going pin to pin maybe has enough resistance to reset? Just wondering. > Maybe the pin to any ground was too good a path, possibly the reason > Joe had to use a resitor? Going pin to pin maybe has enough > resistance to reset? Just wondering. Nope. I do it straight to ground (through a switch) with no problem. The contact resistance would be fractions of an ohm at a worst case. The text even states that the purpose of the resistor is to prevent damage if the wrong pin is grounded. -Fred W >> Maybe the pin to any ground was too good a path, possibly the reason Joe >> had to use a resitor? Going pin to pin maybe has enough resistance to [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > -Fred W Exactly. That's why I said I was just wondering, because I always just shorted pins 7 & 19 (IIRC). > > Maybe the pin to any ground was too good a path, possibly the reason > > Joe had to use a resitor? Going pin to pin maybe has enough > > resistance to reset? Just wondering. > Nope. I do it straight to ground (through a switch) with no problem. > The contact resistance would be fractions of an ohm at a worst case. > The text even states that the purpose of the resistor is to prevent > damage if the wrong pin is grounded. Yup. Standard practice to limit fault current. Signature*Elephants are the only mammals that can't jump * Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW To e-mail, change noise into sound. I tried it both ways ie to pin19 & to an earth in the engine bay & it only worked on my car when I used a resistor > >>> Jeff ,your right on! I tried this teice last week just a wire to earth > >>> =No [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > that needs to be grounded. You can use any ground point rather than pin > > 19. http://www.unofficialbmw.com/e36/electrical/e36_reset_service_lights.html > > -Fred W > > Maybe the pin to any ground was too good a path, possibly the reason Joe had > to use a resitor? Going pin to pin maybe has enough resistance to reset? > Just wondering. >I tried it both ways ie to pin19 & to an earth in the engine bay & it >only > worked on my car when I used a resistor Well that makes 2 people now... We should try to compile a list of people that have done it each way either successfully or unsuccessfully and see if there is some correlation to particular years and models. I have been successful with a dead short on: '97 E36/7 M52 '95 E36 M50 '94 E34 M60 I have never tried with the resistor. Please respond with your experience and I will try to compile it -Fred W >> Jeff ,your right on! I tried this teice last week just a wire to earth >> =No [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > coathanger wire bent to the right shape and it always did the resets for > me. Short Pin 7 to Pin 19, Pin 19 is ground. Shorting Pin 7 to ground is the same as shorting it to Pin 19. The question that has not been fully resolved is if the resistor load is needed or not. I know that the one time I tried to reset the Service Interval indicator without using a resistive load of about 390 ohms, the indicator refused to reset itself, butthe two occasions when I used the resistive load, the reset happend as published in the Tech Tips I was using. Perhaps Pin 19 has a resistor on it that is omitted when Ground is used directly. Frankly, I can't explain why the load would be required to reset the circuit. I completely get why one would want to use a load to prevent a dead short on the wrong pin that could reasonably smoke the computer. But, I can't explain why or how the computer would know that the reset tool that utilized ground instead of Pin 19 did or did not have a load. > The question that has not been fully resolved is if the resistor > load is needed or not. I know that the one time I tried to reset the [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > know that the reset tool that utilized ground instead of Pin 19 did > or did not have a load. I can say with 100% certainty that the resistor is not needed on any of the 4 BMWs I have owned. '87 E30, '94 E34, '95 E36 and '97 E36/7. I short the pin 7 to ground (not pin 19) through a hand-held switch (no resistor). Are you certain that you allowed enough time for te reset on the one negative experience? Though I have often heard the oil reset quoted at 3 seconds, it has always taken between 5 and 6 seconds for mine to work. The Inspection reset seems to take about double that. -Fred W >> The question that has not been fully resolved is if the resistor load is >> needed or not. I know that the one time I tried to reset the Service [quoted text clipped - 28 lines] > > -Fred W I have to admit that there are entirely too many variables to know with any certainty that the resistor is needed or not. That is, I don't know (other than what you have said) that the failure to reset is due to the lack of a resistor or to other factors that I introduced through my ineptitude. Having said that, I don't think time is one of the variable factors. Connection sequence or reliability could be playing a role ... > While I am quite capable of making a fancy reset device (I am an EE), > I have always been quite successful at just shorting the proper pin to > ground directly (no resistor). There is no danger of damaging the > ECU unless you screw up and short the wrong pin. That's what worries me with the paperclip method. Signature*It was all so different before everything changed. Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW To e-mail, change noise into sound. >>> If you did the work yourself, any manual or site that gave you the >>> service requirements etc would also include details on how to do [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > re-set tool? I've no experience of Bentley since they're not sold in > the UK, but thought they were generally quite good? They are sold in the UK (E30, E36, E28, E34, E39, and E32), although some of them are listed as being published by Brooklands Books rather than Robert Bentley Publishers (but they are the Bentley books). The newer ones (eg. E46) haven't made it over here yet. I have the E36 service manual at home. The book retailer I work for sells them, amongst others. http://www.bookfellas.co.uk/scripts/search.asp?refined=all&rgroup=BWGC&rsubcat=W G&rcat=BW&searchterms=bmw+service+manual+and+%28bentley+or+brooklands%29 Dan |
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