Replace brake fluid warning.

Zedona · Post by **Zedona** » Wed 07 Apr, 2010 14:54

The replace brake fluid warning light on my 1998 2.8 Z3 has come on and there are still 3 service lights to go b4 the next service. Is it possible to reset it without resetting the lot, if so how ? I don't want to go to a stealer when my friendly & reliable local garage can change the fluid a lot cheaper. Mike Fishwick to the rescue ?

Titan · Post by **Titan** » Wed 07 Apr, 2010 17:25

Brake fluid change is time based - usually 2 years and seldom coincides with a service.
As brake fluid is hygroscopic (ie absorbs water) it needs to be changed to
prevent internal rusting and boiling under hard braking.
It's a simple but necessary job.

oakley6691 · Post by **oakley6691** » Wed 07 Apr, 2010 17:29

Zedona wrote:The replace brake fluid warning light on my 1998 2.8 Z3 has come on and there are still 3 service lights to go b4 the next service. Is it possible to reset it without resetting the lot, if so how ? I don't want to go to a stealer when my friendly & reliable local garage can change the fluid a lot cheaper. Mike Fishwick to the rescue ?

Others may be able to confirm, but i'm pretty sure the brake fluid light comes on when the water content in the fluid reaches a certain limit, when you bleed the system through with new brake fluid the light will go out on it's own, easy job with an easy bleeder

Post by **Robert T** » Wed 07 Apr, 2010 17:55

oakley6691 wrote:Others may be able to confirm, but i'm pretty sure the brake fluid light comes on when the water content in the fluid reaches a certain limit, when you bleed the system through with new brake fluid the light will go out on it's own, easy job with an easy bleeder

Absolutely not, it's a timer. It comes on two years after it was reset. It is independent of the SI lights.

Most of the consumer reset tools don't reset it. Not sure if there is a sneaky way of shorting two pins together to reset it though.

Cheers R.

Rob13 · Post by **Rob13** » Wed 07 Apr, 2010 18:01

I also want to know how to reset it - cant do it with Carsoft, Draper tool or the sneaky wire shorting trick.....it seems to be dealer only. rrrr

Titan · Post by **Titan** » Wed 07 Apr, 2010 18:04

Robert T wrote:Not sure if there is a sneaky way of shorting two pins together to reset it though.

There is indeed a "short" way using a bit of wire in the diagnostic port

IIRC it was pins 7 and 12 for 2 seconds - but don't quote me!
I'll post link if I can find one.

oakley6691 · Post by **oakley6691** » Wed 07 Apr, 2010 18:33

Robert T wrote:
oakley6691 wrote:Others may be able to confirm, but i'm pretty sure the brake fluid light comes on when the water content in the fluid reaches a certain limit, when you bleed the system through with new brake fluid the light will go out on it's own, easy job with an easy bleeder

Absolutely not

Sorry but mine was changed by BMW in 2004, and then by myself in 2007 (but no light on), and now three years later....still no light

Titan · Post by **Titan** » Wed 07 Apr, 2010 18:37

If you know it hasn't been changed for 3 years, what are you waiting for?
It's just possible that the warning light "bulb" may have failed.......

oakley6691 · Post by **oakley6691** » Wed 07 Apr, 2010 18:44

Titan wrote:If you know it hasn't been changed for 3 years, what are you waiting for?
It's just possible that the warning light "bulb" may have failed.......

"What are you waiting for?"

Sounds like a teacher telling a pupil of

oakley6691 · Post by **oakley6691** » Wed 07 Apr, 2010 18:46

Rob13 wrote:I also want to know how to reset it - cant do it with Carsoft, Draper tool or the sneaky wire shorting trick.....it seems to be dealer only. rrrr

Just text my head mechanic in work and thankfully our new diagnostics/reset tool cover this issue....if my my brake fluid light ever comes on

tomf84 · Post by **tomf84** » Wed 07 Apr, 2010 19:39

Why would your tool be capable of turning off that warning light if it turned itself off based on the properties of the fluid?

</bait>

It's a timer.

Titan · Post by **Titan** » Wed 07 Apr, 2010 20:01

oakley6691 wrote:
Titan wrote:If you know it hasn't been changed for 3 years, what are you waiting for?
It's just possible that the warning light "bulb" may have failed.......
"What are you waiting for?"
Sounds like a teacher telling a pupil of

Yes I was

Go and stand in the corner you naughty pupil

And then before you use your car again make sure it has some nice fresh, dry brake fluid - please

Apologies Oakley - no offence intended - another example of the reading being different from the implied written word.

On a serious note, I wonder if there is a way to to "test" the warning light since it appears not to have worked for at lest 4 years.
It should be a simple 2 year countdown.

oakley6691 · Post by **oakley6691** » Wed 07 Apr, 2010 20:07

Titan wrote:
oakley6691 wrote:
Titan wrote:If you know it hasn't been changed for 3 years, what are you waiting for?
It's just possible that the warning light "bulb" may have failed.......
"What are you waiting for?"
Sounds like a teacher telling a pupil of

Apologies Oakley - no offence intended - another example of the reading being different from the implied written word.
quote]

NO OFFENCE TAKEN...

I was wrong and deserved to be told

tomf84 · Post by **tomf84** » Wed 07 Apr, 2010 22:43

Titan wrote: On a serious note, I wonder if there is a way to to "test" the warning light since it appears not to have worked for at lest 4 years.
It should be a simple 2 year countdown.

Does it not come on when you first turn the ignition on?

Geoff H · Post by **Geoff H** » Thu 08 Apr, 2010 10:16

The brake fluid change warning is a small clock symbol, which as Robert said is time dependant (2 years) I wouldn't really call that a "warning light" as it doesn't really stand out

Zedona · Post by **Zedona** » Thu 08 Apr, 2010 18:01

Don't know about this being a two year thing I've had the car for three years and it's only just come on.

Problem solved my local friendly and reliable guy tells me he knows how to reset the light

so it's going in next week to be done

Mike Fishwick · Post by **Mike Fishwick** » Sat 10 Apr, 2010 17:39

Yes - the clock symbol is operated by a simple timer two years after being reset. Sensing moisture in the brake fluid - you must be joking!

The SI reset is controlled by the data link socket, which is alongside the engine, with a circular screw-on cap. Removal of the cap sets the system into 'Service' mode.

The clock cannot be reset without also resetting the SI lights, as it takes about 11 seconds of joining the contacts of the data link socket, whereas the SI lights only require about 8 seconds of joining the same contacts. (I forget the exact periods, but you get the idea)

Don't take any notice of the SI lights anyway - you are better off changing the engine oil every 8 to 10,000 miles, and resetting the lights a bit after the second light goes out.

After this the performance deteriorates, and fuel consumption goes up - I bet the SI circuit sends a signal down the data bus to the engine ECU, telling it to begin retarding the ignition a few degrees every thousand miles. This means that after paying maybe £400 for a fancy oil change, the car goes a lot better, and the owner thinks that it was money well spent!

I once ran mine until the orange 'Service NOW' light was on, when the engine was really sluggish and struggled to make 30 mpg. I then reset the SI lights, and it was like having a new car!

To reset the SI system, get a piece of wire which fits firmly into the sockets of the data link connector under the bonnet. Now turn the ignition on, insert the wire into the sockets which are in line with the 'beak' of the hole at the centre of the connector, on the outer edge - pins 1 and 7.

After the appropriate time has passed, pull the wire out, and turn off the ignition. When you turn it on again, all 5 lights should be on, and also the clock symbol extinguished.

For full details, look under 'Electrical' on http://www.unofficialbmw.com/ronstygar.html

oakley6691 · Post by **oakley6691** » Sat 10 Apr, 2010 21:38

Mike Fishwick wrote: Sensing moisture in the brake fluid - you must be joking!

No i wasn't joking because when i'm joking i want people to laugh at what i say and it's already been made perfectly clear i was wrong.....so cheers for keeping on

exdos · Post by **exdos** » Fri 16 Sep, 2011 15:54

I'm trying to find the way to reset the brake fluid change warning light on a S54 M Coupe. Did anyone find out how to do this using the onboard computer?

c_w · Post by **c_w** » Fri 16 Sep, 2011 16:02

Does this help, says for oil but as there's only two holes it might be a case of holding it longer (see text)

http://www.bmwe36blog.com/2007/02/24/re ... ice-light/

OK, now you’re ready to reset the oil service light, so turn the ignition key to position II, but don’t start the car. Get out of the car and go to the data port. Always connect pin 7 first. Once you’ve inserted one end into pin 7, insert the other end into pin 19 and hold it there for 4 seconds. Then remove the paperclip. Check the dash and the oil inspection lights should be reset. The reset occurs upon removal of the clip.

exdos · Post by **exdos** » Fri 16 Sep, 2011 16:17

Thanks Chris, but that's for resetting the service lights and I don't want to do that; I only want to reset the brake fluid change timer.

mid life crisis · Post by **mid life crisis** » Sat 17 Sep, 2011 14:42

I think its the same pins, just hold the link in for longer (12 or 14 secs) to reset the brake fluid warning clock

exdos · Post by **exdos** » Sat 17 Sep, 2011 15:33

mid life crisis wrote:I think its the same pins, just hold the link in for longer (12 or 14 secs) to reset the brake fluid warning clock

Can you refer me to the source where it says that?

mid life crisis · Post by **mid life crisis** » Sat 17 Sep, 2011 16:48

Refer to the link added by C W. i managed to reset mine with a tool bought from Bavarian Dominator for about £15

exdos · Post by **exdos** » Sat 17 Sep, 2011 18:05

I must be missing something here. I've read that link several times and it appears to me that connecting of pins 7 & 19 only resets the service lights (the green, amber and red squares) and nothing specifically refers to the brake fluid clock reset.

Is your reset device from Bavarian Dominator the one with three buttons where the yellow one resets the brake fluid light?

mid life crisis · Post by **mid life crisis** » Sat 17 Sep, 2011 18:25

If you just want to reset just the service lights you remove the link after 4 or 5 seconds if you want to reset the brake fluid light you leave the 2 pins connected for longer, i think you`ll find using this system you can only reset the service lights & the clock symbol
Incidentally my reset tool is the 2 button version, my zed`s a 99.
Hope this helps, regards Gary

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