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Thread: Can I reset my check engine light myself?

  1. #1
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    Can I reset my check engine light myself?

    My check engine light comes on intermittenly and I bring it to the shop, they check it out, they say it's the catalytic converter or a misread. They reset it and it goes 6 months without turning back on. I need my car inspected and it just turned back on. Can I reset it myself or do I need some sort of fancy equipment (and skill)?

  2. #2
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    It will need to be reset with diagnostic equipment.
    The church is close, but the road is icy, The pub is far, but i will walk carefully

  3. #3
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    Damn! Thanks for the info.

  4. #4
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    no it doesnt, there is a little trick that i learned from google. you take a paper clip and streighten it out... then under the cap where the diagnostics plug goes you create a loop between port 7 and 12 which will turn off the light. dont do it just yet though let me double check those port numbers.

  5. #5
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    Sounds like something I could definitely eff up, not knowing, for starters, where the diagnostic plug goes or where the ports are!

  6. #6
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    here we are its 7 and 19 NOT 7 and 12.

    you can also ground the no7 port for 12 seconds which will work to

    the port is under the hood.... its a round black circle about 3 inch in diameter just google

    reset bmw e36 service light paper clip

    and you will be presented with several guides that have both video and photographic step by step instructions.

    this really isnt something you could eff up, as long as you can read lol oh and recognise numbers..

    i use this very technique whenever i change the oil. the same port is used for both the oil and the service lights. just hold the loop in place longer to reset the service light.
    Last edited by blulite; 08-25-2009 at 02:40 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost

  7. #7
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    Blulite, it's the check engine light that is illuminated, can only be reset with diagnostic equipment.

    You've posted up for resetting the service light.

    Also as he has a US car he most likely doesn't have the round port under the bonnet(hood), he will have a 16 pin OBD port in the car.
    The church is close, but the road is icy, The pub is far, but i will walk carefully

  8. #8
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    US cars also have the round port under the bonnet...

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by sikdogg View Post
    US cars also have the round port under the bonnet...
    Even with his being a 1998? I know early ones do just not sure on around his year.
    The church is close, but the road is icy, The pub is far, but i will walk carefully

  10. #10
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    I googled reset bmw e36 service light paper clip and got this site:

    http://e36-drift.blogspot.com/2009/0...tor-reset.html

    This is not the warning light that I'm trying to reset. It's the Check Engine Light. If I can find something that looks like the diagnostic plug should I do as you (blulite) described?

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by njcardsfan View Post
    I googled reset bmw e36 service light paper clip and got this site:

    http://e36-drift.blogspot.com/2009/0...tor-reset.html

    This is not the warning light that I'm trying to reset. It's the Check Engine Light. If I can find something that looks like the diagnostic plug should I do as you (blulite) described?
    No, can only be reset with diagnostic equipment.

    Sticking pins in the diagnostic port if you don't know what you are doing can result in you blowing up the engine ECU.
    The church is close, but the road is icy, The pub is far, but i will walk carefully

  12. #12
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    Thanks, Tefal. I guess that ends this little story.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by njcardsfan View Post
    Thanks, Tefal. I guess that ends this little story.
    Have you got one of those stores that lets you read your codes/reset them for free with their scanner as long as you leave your bank card with them as security? Can't remember the name, I'm sure someone will say it.
    The church is close, but the road is icy, The pub is far, but i will walk carefully

  14. #14
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    I think you mean Autozone or PepBoys. They have OBDII scanners and will scan for free. I don't know about reseting the CEL though.

    I would buy and OBDII scanner/reset tool. They are getting really cheap and the come in handy.

    Kent

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by fuggle View Post
    I think you mean Autozone or PepBoys. They have OBDII scanners and will scan for free. I don't know about reseting the CEL though.

    I would buy and OBDII scanner/reset tool. They are getting really cheap and the come in handy.

    Kent
    That's the one, cheers fuggle, Autozone, :thumbsup
    The church is close, but the road is icy, The pub is far, but i will walk carefully

  16. #16
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    Wow i had no idea that worked. I hate that stupid oil light

  17. #17
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    Sickness the paperclip wont reset the red oil warning light if that's what you mean. It resets the lights that come on under the odometer when you first start the car. I hope that's what you were talking about because the other on at the top of the cluster means you have no oil pressure.

  18. #18
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    Could be the oil pressure switch is knackered or disconnected if you have your red oil pressure light on.
    Last edited by Tefal; 08-25-2009 at 04:41 PM.
    The church is close, but the road is icy, The pub is far, but i will walk carefully

  19. #19
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    Okay, I had the Check Engine Light reset but the mechanic told me that I can't bring it in for inspection for a few days because they'll be ablle to read the code that it's been reset. Is this true?

  20. #20
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    cant you just disconnect the battery for like 5-10 minutes i know it works on my obd1 car
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  21. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tefal View Post
    Blulite, it's the check engine light that is illuminated, can only be reset with diagnostic equipment.

    You've posted up for resetting the service light.

    Also as he has a US car he most likely doesn't have the round port under the bonnet(hood), he will have a 16 pin OBD port in the car.

    oh i see.lol. my bad....think i had a bit ofa brain fart there. though im sure there is a way to reset it without diagnostics. does the disconnect the battery for 10 min trick not work??? if it does be sure you have the radio code first.

  22. #22
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    Dude!!!! I have read this post soo many times, but was intimidated to do it......well, I overcame my fears....and did it.....AND IT WORKED.......ALL GREEN LIGHTS AGAIN......

  23. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by njcardsfan View Post
    Okay, I had the Check Engine Light reset but the mechanic told me that I can't bring it in for inspection for a few days because they'll be ablle to read the code that it's been reset. Is this true?
    The computer stores a history of activity including resets. Some issue take a day or so to show up and be captured by the computer so the inspection people look for a period of time between a reset and the inspection that should be long enough for any intermittent issues to show up.

    By the way OBD II cars ('96 and later) have both the OBDII connector under the dash and the round connector in the engine compartment.

    You can buy a BMW specific code reader from PeakeResearch. It's not a bad investment if you plan to do much DIY maintenance on your car. The Peake tool gives you BMW codes not generic OBD II codes which have to be translated using a book.

    http://www.peakeresearch.com/

  24. #24
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    All BMWs with engine management have a round diagnostic port under the hood. That's the BMW-specific diag port. The OBD-II port is simply a generic port as required by the DOT. It will not read out as much information as the round port, nor will there be as much detail with the codes, since BMW equipment will not plug into it. Only aftermarket diagnostic equipment will plug into the OBD-II port, so BMW specific faults will be very vague.
    Last edited by heifetz17; 09-07-2009 at 12:40 PM.
    -Chris
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  25. #25
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    Get a Peake Research scan tool, they're not that expensive and will cover most issues except ABS and SRS lights. Bought mine from BimmerZone.

    Gave away my BMWs, driving a VW and an Audi now.

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