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Thread: Green bars under the odometer?

  1. #1
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    Green bars under the odometer?

    What do these represent? There's also a yellow and red bar...

  2. #2
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    They indicate how long until the next service. Once all of the green bars are gone the yellow comes on and then the red. Service is due at yellow, but many here don't wait that long.
    2002 M Roadster, Steel Gray Metailic, Gray Nappa Leather, Black Soft Top, Steel Gray Metailic Hard Top, TC Kline Double Adj Shocks with H&R Springs, Stromung Exhaust, SSR Type C Wheels. Looking for a new home.

    2022 Z4 M40i, Misano Blue Metallic, Prem Pkg, Driver Assistance Pkg

    2023 X5 M50, Phytonic Blue, Black Extended Merion Leather, Driving Asst Pro Pkg, Park Asst Pkg, Exec Pkg, Climate Comfort Pkg.

  3. #3
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  4. #4
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    How do you reset the counter when you do an oil change?
    2000 M Coupe. Totaled 04/10/15

    1990 E30 325i

    1990 Nissan Skyline GTS-4

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by tractorcrusher View Post
    How do you reset the counter when you do an oil change?
    Open the round harness on the exhaust manifold side of engine. Rotate the cap to pull it off. The correct harness has what looks liek a Pac-man in the middle. With key in in the ON position take a wire from pin 7 and ground it to the chassis for about 15 seconds. Voila!

    The pins are labelled on the underside of the cap, but if you dont have the cap or the labelling isnt there, its the second pin directly below the pac man mouth.

    Below is a very detailed guide for a very simple procedure
    http://www.unofficialbmw.com/e36/ele...ce_lights.html
    Last edited by BimmerBreaker; 12-20-2012 at 10:06 PM.

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  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by BimmerBreaker View Post
    Open the round harness on the exhaust manifold side of engine. Rotate the cap to pull it off. The correct harness has what looks liek a Pac-man in the middle. With key in in the ON position take a wire from pin 7 and ground it to the chassis for about 15 seconds. Voila!

    The pins are labelled on the underside of the cap, but if you dont have the cap or the labelling isnt there, its the second pin directly below the pac man mouth.

    Below is a very detailed guide for a very simple procedure
    http://www.unofficialbmw.com/e36/ele...ce_lights.html
    Or buy one of these reset tools for $10:

    http://www.ebay.ca/itm/120830233463?...ht_3619wt_1188

  7. #7
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    1998 Z3 & 1982 320is
    What is the average miles between the lights? or does it vary based on driving style...ex
    First Green to red light is 3k miles or 5k miles or 7.5k miles

    98 Roady M44
    * Auto to 5 Speed Swap
    * 3.73 LSD Diff swap
    * e46 330i Staggered Wheels
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  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by mva View Post
    Or buy one of these reset tools for $10:
    http://www.ebay.ca/itm/120830233463?...ht_3619wt_1188
    Thanks, I did!

  9. #9
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    Thanks guys this worked, just a reminder, to use a wire that is only about 15inches long..

  10. #10
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    A bent paper clip works great as well.
    1999 M Coupe Boston Green, Beige, H&R/Bilsteins, Underdrive Pulleys, Euro 6 speed, UUC SSK and Randy Forbes in the back
    2002 2.5 Z3 roadster Oxford Green, auto, all stock
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  11. #11
    Join Date
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    R32 GTS-4, E30 325i
    Thanks for the help BimmerBreaker!
    2000 M Coupe. Totaled 04/10/15

    1990 E30 325i

    1990 Nissan Skyline GTS-4

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by mva View Post
    Or buy one of these reset tools for $10:

    http://www.ebay.ca/itm/120830233463?...ht_3619wt_1188
    Or just use wire for free... its an extremely simple, no-risk procedure...
    Quote Originally Posted by tractorcrusher View Post
    Thanks for the help BimmerBreaker!
    No problem!

    How fast the lights go out depends on driving style and how often the car is used.

    Going into my TENTH YEAR of providing high quality reproduction BMW fabrics!

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  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wertles View Post
    A bent paper clip works great as well.
    The other end needs to go to a grounding point. Where is the ground point close enough for a paper clip to reach?

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Vintage42 View Post
    The other end needs to go to a grounding point. Where is the ground point close enough for a paper clip to reach?
    Think he means a paper clip into the Pin 7, then a wire to the grounding.

    Or I guess if you could bend it to touch the shock tower it might work. The chassis is grounded, after all.

    Going into my TENTH YEAR of providing high quality reproduction BMW fabrics!

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  15. #15
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    This is the write up and pics that I use. Works perfectly every time.

    http://e36-drift.blogspot.com/2009/0...reset.html?m=1
    1999 M Coupe Boston Green, Beige, H&R/Bilsteins, Underdrive Pulleys, Euro 6 speed, UUC SSK and Randy Forbes in the back
    2002 2.5 Z3 roadster Oxford Green, auto, all stock
    2013 Ram 3500 Crew Cab Dually 385 HP, 850 ft lbs torque at 1600 rpm, all stock and staying that way
    2004 Mini Cooper Chili Red, daily driver, modified almost daily

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wertles View Post
    This is the write up and pics that I use. Works perfectly every time.

    http://e36-drift.blogspot.com/2009/0...reset.html?m=1
    "The Website Ahead Contains Malware!
    Google Chrome has blocked access to e36-drift.blogspot.com for now."

    I will also note that the 7 to 19 pin grounding has never worked for me, not even once.

    Going into my TENTH YEAR of providing high quality reproduction BMW fabrics!

    PRICE CUT on ALL FABRICS
    Offering the best prices on the best quality reproduction fabrics!

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by BimmerBreaker View Post
    Or just use wire for free... its an extremely simple, no-risk procedure...
    How fast the lights go out depends on driving style and how often the car is used.
    There is risk of how long the wire is applied. ~3 seconds applied does an oil service reset and ~9 seconds applied does the inspection service reset.

    And the lights might not go out for 10,000 miles, by which time the oil is a nasty black. Our Buick has an oil life indicator, and when I look at the oil after a year and 5,000 miles, I do not agree with the 50% remaining life. I use my own judgment on each of our four very different cars.

    Quote Originally Posted by BimmerBreaker View Post
    "The Website Ahead Contains Malware!
    Google Chrome has blocked access to e36-drift.blogspot.com for now."
    I will also note that the 7 to 19 pin grounding has never worked for me, not even once.
    Safari warned me, didn't block, but I dared not go there.
    Last edited by Vintage42; 12-21-2012 at 03:18 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost

  18. #18
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    Weird. I have no issues opening the page up (using Safari on both iphone and ipad) and have used that procedure on 2 cars for over a year and my uncle has been doing it for 3+ years with no problems.

    Also, looking at the color of oil is not a good indicator of oil life. The only true way to know when to change the oil is through oil analysis. I don't necessarily go by the indicator lights for oil change unless it comes on before 5000 miles. Once I start tracking the car, it will probably fall to 3000 miles or just before or just after the track session. If I did oil analysis, I'd let them tell me when to change. I'm sure I'm changing much more often than necessary.
    Last edited by Wertles; 12-21-2012 at 03:24 PM.
    1999 M Coupe Boston Green, Beige, H&R/Bilsteins, Underdrive Pulleys, Euro 6 speed, UUC SSK and Randy Forbes in the back
    2002 2.5 Z3 roadster Oxford Green, auto, all stock
    2013 Ram 3500 Crew Cab Dually 385 HP, 850 ft lbs torque at 1600 rpm, all stock and staying that way
    2004 Mini Cooper Chili Red, daily driver, modified almost daily

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