:help :help I have gone the reset route for the "Inspection" light, and by the end of the day, the light was back on. My shop has explained that the Ni-Cad batteries are probably dead because none of the colored L.E.D.'s are lit. The shop explained that to replace the batteries is not cheap; steering wheeel and instrument cluster have to be taken out to access this.
Is there a way to go to the socket/connector under the hood and disable this thing? I saw where he did the reset with a Snap-On tool and the thought occured to me that there may be a way to short out those terminals and solve the problem. I really, really hope that this is possible.
If this is not an option, are there any other ways to kill this light?
Car is an '86.
Thanks for any help or suggestions.

Ron

The cheapest, fastest thing to do is use black tape to cover up the SI lights. If not, another option is to take out the cluster and to solder on an external battery holder and mount it under your dash. That way you can change the batteries with ease.

Btw, steering wheel and cluster removal is not very hard to do. Tilt the steering to a low position, pull the wheel and unscrew the cluster. I did that many times with my 633csi I had back in the day.

The big deal is the tach and the temperature indicator will start to give erratic output if the batteries are dead.

There is no way to wire around the older SI board and keep the instruments working. There is a later model board with no batteries but it cost more then the batteries.

SI reset and batteries

With the ignition switch at (position two) and the engine not running, grounding pin seven #7 of the diagnostic connector to pin one #1 for approximately three (3) seconds will reset the oil service lights. Grounding pin seven #7 to pin one #1 for approximately twelve (12) seconds will do an inspection service reset.


http://www.unofficialbmw.com/images/reset1.gif
http://www.unofficialbmw.com/images/reset1.gif


1. Ground
4. Temperature sensor
7. Reset
8. TDC sensor yellow
9. TDC sensor shield
10.TDC sensor black
11.Start signal
12.Alternator charging excitation voltage
13.Ignition coil
14.Alternator charging supply current
15.Oxygen Heater

It will signal an oil change need between 5k and 7k depending on your indicated speed since the last reset. It will signal stealer inspections at all the predesignated miles.



http://www.eskimo.com/~dalus/bmw/e36/electrical/e36_reset_service_lights.html


http://e30m3performance.com/maintenance/SI_Board/SIBoard-10.jpg

SI Board Swap Out

Last but not least - the SI Board. Above is a new SI Board with lithium batteries and below is the old one. Note the blown battery on the old SI Board (green circle). The light blue rectangle shows the actual service indicator LED's which appear on your dash display. These LED's are mounted on a separate circuit board which must be pulled out of the old SI Board and plugged into the new one. This is an easy task. The purple arrow shows the orientation of the SI Board relative to the driver.


If it fails to reset then you need batteries.

Varta battery 500RST OE part.

Radio Shack: part number 23-191: $6.49 for set of two; they come w/solder tabs on them.

1.2 volts / 700mAh

Charge fully B4 installation on SI board.

Consider mounting batteries "remotely" under dash, etc. in separate holder for easy removal in future (i.e. not pulling the console out and apart); you can buy a plastic holder at RS. Run leadwires from holder to SI board connections. Makes life easy if you ever need to replace batteries again.

From Radio Shack, get:
1) You'll need a twin AA battery holder ($3)
2) 2 AA NiCAD rechargeable batteries ($6)

Later,

The big deal is the tach and the temperature indicator will start to give erratic output if the batteries are dead.

There is no way to wire around the older SI board and keep the instruments working. There is a later model board with no batteries but it cost more then the batteries.

SI reset and batteries

With the ignition switch at (position two) and the engine not running, grounding pin seven #7 of the diagnostic connector to pin one #1 for approximately three (3) seconds will reset the oil service lights. Grounding pin seven #7 to pin one #1 for approximately twelve (12) seconds will do an inspection service reset.


http://www.unofficialbmw.com/images/reset1.gif
http://www.unofficialbmw.com/images/reset1.gif


1. Ground
4. Temperature sensor
7. Reset
8. TDC sensor yellow
9. TDC sensor shield
10.TDC sensor black
11.Start signal
12.Alternator charging excitation voltage
13.Ignition coil
14.Alternator charging supply current
15.Oxygen Heater

It will signal an oil change need between 5k and 7k depending on your indicated speed since the last reset. It will signal stealer inspections at all the predesignated miles.



http://www.eskimo.com/~dalus/bmw/e36/electrical/e36_reset_service_lights.html


http://e30m3performance.com/maintenance/SI_Board/SIBoard-10.jpg

SI Board Swap Out

Last but not least - the SI Board. Above is a new SI Board with lithium batteries and below is the old one. Note the blown battery on the old SI Board (green circle). The light blue rectangle shows the actual service indicator LED's which appear on your dash display. These LED's are mounted on a separate circuit board which must be pulled out of the old SI Board and plugged into the new one. This is an easy task. The purple arrow shows the orientation of the SI Board relative to the driver.


If it fails to reset then you need batteries.

Varta battery 500RST OE part.

Radio Shack: part number 23-191: $6.49 for set of two; they come w/solder tabs on them.

1.2 volts / 700mAh

Charge fully B4 installation on SI board.

Consider mounting batteries "remotely" under dash, etc. in separate holder for easy removal in future (i.e. not pulling the console out and apart); you can buy a plastic holder at RS. Run leadwires from holder to SI board connections. Makes life easy if you ever need to replace batteries again.

From Radio Shack, get:
1) You'll need a twin AA battery holder ($3)
2) 2 AA NiCAD rechargeable batteries ($6)

Later,
Hi.
Thanks for your input... it did put the light out. For about 3 and a half hours. Question for you.
If I was to take and put a permanent connection between pins 1 and 7, would this cause any problems? Based on what you told me, my batteries are obviously fine, 'cause my Tach an Speedo work fine. Somehow the idea of doing a "reset" every 3 to 4 hours doesn't really excite me all that much.
What's weird is that during the time the light is off, you can start and shut off the car as many times as you want and the light doesn't come on. But then you start it and it's there blazing in your face again.
Once again, thank you for your input, and I look forward to any other suggestions you may have.

THanks,

Ron

The battery has enough power to allow the tach and temperature to work but is less than the voltage required to retain the SI setting.

It will SOON fail to allow the tach and temperature to work.

I can not provide a time estimate for this complete failure.

You can remove the daughter board with the lights but the battery will still fail and then the tachometer and the temperature indicator will fail.

Later,

The battery has enough power to allow the tach and temperature to work but is less than the voltage required to retain the SI setting.

It will SOON fail to allow the tach and temperature to work.

I can not provide a time estimate for this complete failure.

You can remove the daughter board with the lights but the battery will still fail and then the tachometer and the temperature indicator will fail.

Later,
Where is this battery located and how much of a bvitch is it to change?