BMW E34 DIY

Resetting Oil Service Indicator
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l by Assoc.Prof. BOONCHAT NETISAK Language : ภาษาไทย ll ENGLISH l l MAIN MENU l
Why ?...we necessary to Reset Oil Service Indicator.

Oil Service Indicator is warning light for tell us when to drain and refill engine oil and replace oil filter as shown in the left photo, it consists of 5 green LEDs (may look yellow) in-line on the left, on the right has a yellow LED (may look orange) and another one is red LED on the right end. In normal condition, while starting the engine, 5 green LEDs on the left are light up and after engine run by idle speed, all LEDs will light off in few seconds.

(note. LED : light emitting diode, lamp with out filament, can show in several color light)
When the car is being used, the memory of ECU will record the time duration and distance for basic data to calculate and report its status by lighting off each green LED one by one, first step light off LED on the most left, and light off another LED in next step continuously , so the green LEDs will show 4 LEDs, 3-2-1 LED respectively. When only the last green light up and the clock INSPECTION warning will light up too, this tells us that our car need an oil inspection.
If our car still in use continuously with out oil servicing, all 5 green LEDs will light off, while the yellow LED and "OIL SERVICE" will light up together, it tell us for the necessary time to drain and change engine oil, finally if only the last red LED light up, it tell the critical time to change the engine oil of our car, so quickly as we can. (travel distance more 10,000 kms)
Resetting Oil Service Indicator When we already drain waste engine oil and refill with new oil, the ECU has old data in its memory, which still show us with OIL SERVICE signal. In order to tell ECU to know about changing oil, we necessary to resetting oil service process for clear memory, light off OIL SERVICE, refresh all 5 green LEDs light up again, the ECU is begin to accumulate new travel distance, time of car usage and traffic environmental to calculate appropriate time interval to tell us in changing oil next time.

We necessary to reset oil service after every changing engine oil and replace oil filter.


Tool for reseting OIL SERVICE like this, its very useful, more convenience, high class look and automatic resetting by itself, if interest, buy it.

(photo from http://www.r5tool.com/products.htm)
Alternative ..... for our resetting tool

On this job, we necessary to make low cost oil service resetting tool with copper wire, easy... .. very useful ... appropriate with our job..... by manual resetting .....OK?
Its equivalence to standard expensive tool, don't worry.
Step by Step to Reset OIL SERVICE Indicator
  • Location of Diagnostic plug, on the left of engine, over break fluid reservoir.
  • Open the cap of Diagnostic plug. We can see 20 connecting holes inside.
  • Lets find location of hole No.7 & hole No.19
  • No.7 is Service Indicator (SI)
  • No.19 is Ground
  • Resetting tool making , use 10-15 cm of copper wire as jumper, each end of this wire tear out of insulator about 1 cm.
  • Turn the key to ON position (don't start).
  • Use copper wire jumper plug in hole No.7 and No.19
  • make sure plug in the right hole.
  • check for connecting are firmly
  • lets time go on over 15 sec, then pull the copper wire out.


  • Operation principal
    Resetting is how to make short circuit between hole No.7(SI) and hole No.19 (ground) on appropriate time interval.
  • Turn the key to OFF position.
  • This is resetting process and initialize ECU to start new cycle working.
  • Close the cap of Diagnostic plug in the right position.
  • Start engine, lets engine run on idle speed, all 5 green LEDs on dash board light up , red oil status signal light up, in few seconds all signal will light off, now resetting LED OIL SERVICE process has complete , our car now ready to use.


    IMPORTANCE :- write date/month/year and mileage on the garage wall with charcoal for our memory,.... sometime note on paper card is better. Do you think so.......

  • note
    The process of INSPECTION resetting is the same way of OIL SERVICE resetting, by turn the key at ON position then jump hole No.7 to No.19 by copper wire more 15 seconds. (or connect hole No.7 to chassis more 15 seconds.)


    How do you feel ......... you can do by yourself .......... Have you pride ..


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