Oil light and inspection light reset

[bobby_southward]

hi all, well i just thought i'd share the wealth with every one on this.
i bought a carsoft diag kit and had a fair few problems, but thanks to a very kind and helpful member of this forum i got sorted. cheers Pirate-copy.
Anyway i gave my girlfriends 323 a full service, oil, power steering fluid etc, and tried to reset the oil service and inspection lights using the CARSOFT kit, but to no avail, i've also seen loads on reset tools on the web, ebay etc and all cost a few quid. well i came across this site
http://www.unofficialbmw.com/e36/electrical/e36_reset_service_lights.html
i've just done it myself using a 6" long bit of speaker wire/cable, which cost my erm nothing as found it in the garage.
hope everyone can find this a cheap and easy way to reset your servive indicators.
for all with an E46 try this site, it also works as agian done it with mine.
http://www.bmwtips.com/tipsntricks/reset-plug/reset.htm
that bottom link also contains a description of how to reset the lights on an e36 but there's no pictures to go from.

[Pirate_copy]

Quite a few people have use this method buddy, i am not a fan myself as i am a big wuss :)

[E36 Phantom]

Yep, its what I do too. I love it.

[Ethirtysicks]

i work at a dealer....i just ground the pin with my test light instead of searching around the shop for the reset tool. it's pin 7. but just a FYI an easy way to remember how to reset the inspection/oil svc lights.-on the round obd connector under the hood... when you take the top off, inside it looks like a pac-man mouth. it's the outside pin that looks like pac-mans gonna eat. you ground it for about 12-15 seconds with the key on.

http://i18.tinypic.com/6sq3beh.gif

[Pahipo]

It's a great tool that I use all the time. Since my clumsy hands are prone to slipping once in a while, I installed a low amp fuse on my reset wire tool for extra protection. Not sure what those other pins do and don't want to "short" anything out.

E36 Phantom - hope you don't mind, my signature pic was inspired by yours. Nice looking ride by the way. Thanx...

<img src="http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=128759&amp;d=1196399890" border="0" alt="" />

[odp314]

Great info...Thanks

[jason_recliner]

i work at a dealer....i just ground the pin with my test light instead of searching around the shop for the reset tool. it's pin 7. but just a FYI an easy way to remember how to reset the inspection/oil svc lights.-on the round obd connector under the hood... when you take the top off, inside it looks like a pac-man mouth. it's the outside pin that looks like pac-mans gonna eat. you ground it for about 12-15 seconds with the key on.


:D That's exactly the way I remembered it after I did it first time.
The TIME is still unknown though. I read it as seven seconds for oil, fifteen for inspection.
After repeated increasing tries, I got oil to reset at somewhere around 12-15s.
Haven't got to cleared my inspection lights yet; they're still showing until I get around to finished whatever needs doing, probably diff or gear oil at 200,000 km.

[TheOnlyE36]

Thanks for the info!

[gldfshkpr]

i just ground the pin with my test light instead of searching around the shop for the reset tool.

http://i18.tinypic.com/6sq3beh.gif

What do you mean by a "test light". This sounds simpler than making the tool outlined in the link.

[jason_recliner]

A test light is basically just a screwdriver-like prod with a bulb in the handle, and a ground wire on the other side, maybe with an aligator clip.
With only a few ohms across the (cold) filament, it's also perfect for grounding the reset line.

[gldfshkpr]

A test light is basically just a screwdriver-like prod with a bulb in the handle, and a ground wire on the other side, maybe with an aligator clip.
With only a few ohms across the (cold) filament, it's also perfect for grounding the reset line.

Cool, thanks. Will this work?

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00999290000P?keyword=test+light

[jason_recliner]

Yes. So will a paperclip, which is what I used.

[pete69zx]

Will this service light / oil reset method apply to my 1998 e36 318iS saloon?


Regards,
Pete.

[jason_recliner]

If it has a plug like that, then yes.