Tech: How to reset your service indicator - Page 2 - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

Digi · 17th April 2004, 00:53

This and other tips and tricks are and have been posted at www.bmwtips.com. Check it out for additional cool things and good information. I refer to this site often, in addition to m5board.com.

ELEVENS · 17th April 2004, 05:09

I didn't pay very close attention to this thread because I own a Peake Research tool and knew that the light could be reset at will.

But at lunch today I "messed around" with the light reset sequence in this thread. I guess it's easier than expected. I managed to reset the light at first try, despite only reading the instructions once.

Question: My 2003 car has 11,000 miles. How will I know when to bring my car into the dealer for the next inspection without the lights?

ZCAT3 · 17th April 2004, 19:08

Well if you haven't had it serviced yet, you may as well do it now as you just cleared out the first oil change interval and are now acquiring mileage toward Inspection I.

Jim Dolan · 17th April 2004, 19:24

The following is posted here for others to read and also on a related thread.

greg,

Having the same SES intermittent light problem. I took the car in for inspection I and the end of January. Miles 25,200. The service lights were not on but it was more convenient for me at that time. After a month or so the SES light came on and a couple starts later went out and has been doing this ever since. My miles today are 27,790. I read the posts about this and am beginning to feel the tech did not reset for the Inspection I or the car did not allow it because of the fuel liters of use had not been reached and so the green lights were reset for Oil Service only.

So I tried the reset procedure you described and couldn't get it to work or even read SEI status. Maybe I'm too close to the last service and no indication is necessary or I just did not do the steps right. On a couple of tries the only thing that happened was the temperature went from F' to C'. Maybe I'm doing it wrong.

One question in my mind and it would help in the instructions is at what position or just before what position should you stop turning the key.
Lets say Positions 0 in key off or out, position I the nav monitor comes on and airbag light come on briefly, Position II all the dash lights come. In each of these two positions clicks are heard but which one is the critical one. I think it's before position II clicks.

Anyway has your SES light gone out for good or not let us know. Since I had a dealer serviced Inspection I and coolant flush if I could save the time of going to the dealer without hurting anything I would.

ZCAT3 · 17th April 2004, 19:39

Jim - it is right before the first position. Turn the key very slowly and just as the dash lights up stop. That said I actually hear the first click and still am able to get the SIA indicator to come up.

As for the SES light, this is not necessarily tied to the Service Indicator lights. The SES light comes on due to an OBD II error being read by the car's computer. This could be anything from a misfire in the combustion chamber, to an out of spec emissions reading at the O2 sensor, to an error at the MAF sensor, etc. You need to take the car to a service tech who can read the code to see what that is about.

Bill

Jim Dolan · 17th April 2004, 19:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZCAT3

Jim - it is right before the first position. Turn the key very slowly and just as the dash lights up stop. That said I actually hear the first click and still am able to get the SIA indicator to come up.

As for the SES light, this is not necessarily tied to the Service Indicator lights. The SES light comes on due to an OBD II error being read by the car's computer. This could be anything from a misfire in the combustion chamber, to an out of spec emissions reading at the O2 sensor, to an error at the MAF sensor, etc. You need to take the car to a service tech who can read the code to see what that is about.

Bill

Can he do that if the light has gone out? Thanks for the reply.

ZCAT3 · 17th April 2004, 19:57

Jim - that I do not know. If I were you, I would find an independent shop near you that does BMW service and give them a call. They should have an OBD II reader and if they would like to get your business should be willing to read the codes for you for no charge. It is a 5 minute process. I believe all error codes are stored until cleared by an OBD II reader, but you may be experiencing an actual problem with the light itself.

greg · 18th April 2004, 18:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Dolan

greg,

Having the same SES intermittent light problem... Anyway has your SES light gone out for good or not let us know. Since I had a dealer serviced Inspection I and coolant flush if I could save the time of going to the dealer without hurting anything I would.

Hi, Jim - Thanks to ZCAT for answering your 1st Q. The nav screen backlight comes up, followed by the red airbag warning light - that's when to stop turning the key. I don't know if all of the other "secret handshake" (door closed, belt up, clutch in) are all required, but I didn't experiement to find out. I have not had an SES light since, but I will let a little more time go by before drawing any conclusions.

As for the post further up the thread about "how do I know when it is time" - 1st - use mileage. Nothing wrong with servicing more often. However, as long as you're still under warranty/maintenance agreement, your dealer may have a policy about not performing maintenance services until the service indicator light is down to the yellow light only. I know mine does. So don't reset your service indicator unless you did the service!

ELEVENS · 18th April 2004, 19:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by greg

...As for the post further up the thread about "how do I know when it is time" - 1st - use mileage. Nothing wrong with servicing more often. However, as long as you're still under warranty/maintenance agreement, your dealer may have a policy about not performing maintenance services until the service indicator light is down to the yellow light only. I know mine does. So don't reset your service indicator unless you did the service!

Hi greg - I thought the lights were for oil change. The oil/filter has been changed three times in ~11,000 miles. Is there a service/inspection at approx some mileage point, such as 15,000 miles?

Thanks, Bill

greg · 18th April 2004, 20:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by ELEVENS

Hi greg - I thought the lights were for oil change. The oil/filter has been changed three times in ~11,000 miles. Is there a service/inspection at approx some mileage point, such as 15,000 miles?

Oil change is only part of an "Inspection I" or "Inspection II" which is a through check of all safety aspects (brake linings, suspension points, tread wear, battery, brake fluid, coolant level, etc.) as well as replacement of various filters, etc. It is questionable whether changing your oil every 15K miles is enough - but you certainly shouldn't go longer than that without checking/servicing all this other stuff.

The items "inspected" or serviced in an I-I or an I-II are posted in other threads on this board, and are also called out in your owners/maintenance manual.