Does anyone know how to reset the check engine light without having to go to a diagnostics machine?

 

try cycling the ignition 5 times.

 

oh and if that doesnt work, just disconect the battery for a few minutes.

 

I Tried the whole reset the ECU through the speedometer by holding down the trip counter and turning on and then going through the programming to get to reset the ECU. It has been reset cause it flashed and the speedo needle went all over the place. Started the car and it is still their. What is this start cycle 5 times thing you talk about? I guess if this doesn't work it is a bit more of a problem than normal?

 

Just disconect the battery then for a few minutes, thats a sure fire way to get rid of the SES codes.

If it comes back on after you have reset it by battery disconect, the problem is still there.

 

I just got a series of SES warnings the last month or so. I had cleared the light using the ingnition cycle method three times, then decided on the fourth try to get it serviced. Since it was still under warranty, I thought it would be no big deal. Well, as it turns out, the aftermarket air intake the previous owner had installed somehow abraded the wiring harness to the point it was starting to short out intermittantly. The dealership in San Francisco said that if it was under warranty, they would replace the entire harness. This would have been pretty expensive, so they offered to repair the one that was damaged. I went for it and the work was done it a timely manner. They also just happened to have a take-off front bumper in my Dark Silver color, brand new condition, along with the front air dam that they put on the car at the same time for a very reasonable price ($150). Now my 2003 has a brand new nose and the electrical problem fixed. The service manager said that the electrical fix will also fix the intermittant yo-yoing that I have been experiencing as well. We'll have to see about that, but overall I feel well treated.

 

What is "Cycling the Ignition"? Do you just turn the car on 5 times in a row?

 

Were are you located ?

I carry mine with me and would be happy to read and clear for you.


As noted if the "issue" is gone / fixed cycling will work.

 

Sorry to bring up an old thread, but if clearing the codes with a battery disconnect, when you first start it back up shouldn't the code have gone away? If the problem still exists, it will rearm the code once it's started. Otherwise, it shouldn't show a fault if it has been cleared. I have a feeling their might also be a battery back-up. My battery was disconnected for more than 5 minites and my radio programming was still intact. I only lost my clock.

 

You're exactly right. There are capacitors in many if not all of the control modules on our vehicles which help to store memory even after a battery is disconnected. You could try disconnecting your battery with your ignition turned on.

This is what they tell us to do in the service world whenever you work on an airbag related component, so that after disconnecting the battery, the key being on will allow all the capacitors to fully discharge, and after 10 or so minutes you likely will be fine.

Another easier way would be to simply turn off the car, remove ignition key and disconnect the two cable connectors to the ECU. The ECU is what stores the faults, so totally disconnecting all wires to it for 10 or so minutes would drain its voltage as well.



Although, I think its pretty dumb to freak out and go trying to reset a check engine light without knowing what the fault is. The light doesn't come on because it wants to be reset, yet you'd be surprised how many people first reaction to seeing that light is "it needs to be reset". The light comes on because it's trying to tell us something, 'hey, there's a problem here'.

Any autozone will pull codes for you and reset the light for free. If you have a light on, either spend $50 to buy an OBD reader or go visit an autozone to at least read the code before thinking about deleting it.

And as always, a light that won't go off means a current fault. So long as that fault is being seen by the ECM during its initial key on check, the SES light will stay lit.

A flashing SES light should never be driven on as doing so will only further damage the catalytic converter as well as internal engine components due to misfires.

A light that can be reset doesn't mean that the fault is no longer there, but that simply the fault is either intermittent or that the system the fault occurred in requires a certain drive cycle before it will be rechecked and the fault found again.....either way- the light will return with time.

 

Hello,

Hopefully someone out there who is with familiar with a 2009 MCS R57 can help.
Recently I had my engine replaced due to a timing chain tensioner failure.
Anyhow long story short, the repair was completed this past Wednesday 9-17, and the next day check engine light came on!
Is this a common thing to occur? Is there a drive or start cycle the system goes through before it clears? If so, what is the normal drive or start cycle?

Any help would greatly appreciated!
Bobby

 

Bring the car back to the place that did the motor change....
Something is not right...
A light is telling you something is wrong...
Something needs to be looked at...
Lots wires, and vacume lines were unplugged....maybe something was left off...

 

This was done at the Mini dealership. You would figure they would've ran an extensive test aftwards and several test drives to ensure no faults show up prior to giving the car back to me.
Well, my wife is taking the car in to them tomorrow and demand compensation for the inconvenience caused by this. Luckily the Warranty Group paid out a little over $9K for parts and labor. I'm sure they won't be happy to see the car back in such a short time.

I was hoping for something simple, because it has been a nightmare dealing with this timing chain tensioner issues. This is the 2nd engine replacement in less than a year! Not done by the same dealer.

Thanks,
Bobby

 

Yeah the light should not come on at all. Just got done replacing the motor in my r53 and not one light. And my motor isn't stock, cam, injectors, pulley.... Not one light. Get it back to the dealer and don't take it back until you are happy.