BMW OBDII Readiness Drive Cycle

[paul e]

One of the requirements for the new style of OBDII emissions testing is that your Readiness monitors Must show a 'Completed' status..

In order to get them into this state, each car is supposed to have a specific 'Drive Cycle' its supposed to go through in order to get these readiness monitors into their Completed state.

Does anybody know where I might find the Drive Cycle for BMWs required to complete these Readiness Indicators?

[Kevlar]

There are a bunch of drive cycles that trigger different tests, are you looking for any specific one? When I was talking to one of the techs here, he said some of the drive cycles take almost 47 minutes.

[paul e]

Hi Kev.. thanks for responding.. Re the readiness, its very weird. Heres the thing.. Currently, Im reading 'Readiness Not Completed' for the following readiness tests:
O2 Sensor
Catalyst
Evap system
2nd Air System.

The rest read either complete, or not supported. Its the Not Completed ones that are of concern.. Now, the current OBDII emissions test allows up to 2 incompletes. So, unless I can comlete the drive trace/cycle for at least two of the incomplete 4, Ill flunk the test. Thing is I dont know how to find what to do to complete the test! I found a website that sells CDs for 30 bucks to techs that supposedly contain all known drive traces for all the makes.

But I was hoping to find some internet site that will tell me how to drive the trace.. Any ideas?

[Kevlar]

Unfortunately, (as far as I know), the information you are looking for is only available if you contact the technicians inside the service bay (a bmw service writer will have no clue). The technicians probably won't have the information off the top of their head, they will have to call the BMW tech line and they'll have to look it up.

If you want to send me some specifics, I can try and bribe the guys here... but they are out until Monday and who knows if they'll be willing to part with the information.

[paul e]

Thanks Kevlar.. That would be extremely helpful.. I will be doing the test when I come back from Fla sometime in August. As Ive said, the drive trace IS possible to hit randomly, as I recall having seen the all readiness-tests-completed status on more than one occasion, and I must have hit it randomly because I never did any driving Just to try and achieve that status, except for yesterday... I may be wrong, but I seem to recall having achieved it during along trip, meaning perhaps its got to be held over 55 for a steady 5 minutes or more.. MOst of the parkways around here have too much traffic to do that very often, so it takes a longer trip... I may try that actually and see if it does it.

At any rate, the specifics are:
1999 M3

Readiness test currently not completed:
O2 Sensor
Catalyst
2nd Air System
Evap system

Anything you can find out about bmw drive trace wrt how to complete it on my own so as to complete readiness would be very helpful. As I said, I found a site that sells cds that perportedly contain all the mfgs drive traces. Its for test techs, but i guess anyone can buy it. So, if bribing costs more than the 30 dollar cd, Id say forget it!! ;)

[paul e]

Kev, I think ive gotten some insight today as to the bmw drive trace... I wound up converting the O2 sensor, 2nd air system, and evap system all to Completed status.. I drove above 50 mph for just over 5 minutes, and the O2 sensor, plus the 2nd air system converted to Complete as a result. Later, I drove 6 minutes above 50, and the Evap system joined the other two completed one.

that only leaves the Catalytic converter as Not Completed. And at this time, i really have no idea how to convert that one. Im guessing good 10 minutes over 60 mph might do it.. But I find it ironic that in order to complete the cycle, you need to drive at a speed above the national speed limit! LOL

[jimmyz2]

Does anybody know where I might find the Drive Cycle for BMWs required to complete these Readiness Indicators?

No, I'm sorry Paul,but I do know the dry cycle on my Kenmore is required to complete the dry readiness process. :stickoutt

[paul e]

>>No, I'm sorry Paul,but I do know the dry cycle on my Kenmore is required to complete the dry readiness process<<

LOL..

Fortunately, Dry Clothes isnt a prerequisite for passing the OBDII NYS inpections! But completed Readiness indicators Are!

[Kevlar]

Yes... the cycles you are completing require extended drive time. I didn't even think to tell you that. You need to find a highway and just go for a nice long drive. Many of the drive cycles involve speeds over 60mph for an extended period of time... longer than 10 minutes.

[Marvelphx]

And most require complete warmup and cooldown between cycles.

[paul e]

At least the code for the inspections allows for up to two incomplete readiness tests without being unable to do the test. Seems the catalyst test is the hardest to complete; its my only one not completed at this time.

Anybody know once youre reading all readiness tests completed, what will reset them to incomplete again? I think perhaps clearing a trouble code by resetting all data would do it.. Anything else youre aware of?