Is there a how-to for resetting the ECU when you do your own oil change? I'd like to not pay the $80 that the local BMW shop charges for the oil change/ECU reset.

I rely on that read-out when I start the car to determine when to get my oil changed. When it's got fresh oil, it says 13k miles. At 7k till the next oil change, I like to get it changed. But with the raise in gas prices (and everything else, really), I need to start cutting on some unnecessary expenses.

 

I just jot the mileage down in my log book and I'm good to go for an oil change every 5000 miles.

My Peak Research R5/EMX - Engine Scan/Reset for Mini does do an oil service reset so I could go that route. FYI that code reader is about $130.

http://www.peakeresearch.com/products.htm

Jeremy

 

Many folks will recommend that you do an oil change based on time of use vs mileage. I change my oil every 6 months regardless of mileage. Trying to save a few bucks on an oil change is not going to really save you much. 5 quarts of Mobil 1 costs about $25, less than half a tank of gas.

 

This will reset the counter for your next service:
Hold down the trip odometer button.
Insert ignition key and turn to the first position.
The word "RESET" will appear on the odometer indicator.
Release the trip button, then press & hold once more.
The "RESET" message will flash.
Release the button, and then press & release again.
The Service interval is now reset to 10,000 miles

 

Thank you so much!

As for distance vs. duration. If I change my oil twice a year, I'm changing my oil about every 10k miles. I think that's a little long, no?

 

Or buy one of these for $30

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...2BSI%26otn%3D4


The manual methods never worked on my 04 MC

 

In the first issue of the NAM Alliance Magazine there is an article on how to do the Oil Change along with the directions on how to reset the counter.

 

Yep, but those directions don't always work.......as with my 04 MC

 

The basic procedure does work...but the timing is very quirky. I have to do it half a dozen times typically, before it 'takes'. But I've gotten it to 'take' eventually on every year I've worked on (gen1)

and note you won't necessarily reset to 10,000...the system seems to toggle between a 10,000 and a 12,000 {my bad - that should be 15,000} number corresponding to simple oil change and inspection/service intervals.

 

Can't count how many times and ways I have tried this.......no luck.
So I popped for a $30 tool

 

I was able to do the reset on my 2004 MCS yesterday, and it was set at 15,000 for the next "service interval". Prior to that, it had counted down for the "oil change".

 

Yep, a bit to long in my opinion. I only drive about 8k a year in my car.

 

I agree that timing in pushing the button is everything. I did mine (04 MCS )and it worked after 4 attemps.

 

I couldn't get it to work (03 MCS). When the "reset" came up, if I pushed the button again, it would change a little number to the upper left.
Fist time I press it it says 1.
2nd time says 2.
3rd time says 10.
4th time says 19.

5th time starts this cycle over.

What the heck is that? I tried it on eash one thinking it might reset service miles to 1k, 2k, 10k, or 19k. But no difference.

AAAAHHHHHH!!!!!

 

You're off in a different 'mode' of the junk buried in the computer .... start over.

 

My OCD gene kicks in hard with the idea of a 10k oil change. It's much happier with 5k, 'cuz oil is cheaper than engines and I want mine to last a long, long time. There's a great thread on oil/oil change intervals and one thing I took away from that was how badly oil had broken down by 6k miles.

 

i tryed using the method u guys told me to do and it would not work on my 03 mini

 

Try these instructions.
http://www.mini2.com/forum/faq.php?f..._faq_reset_cpu

 

Ok, I got everyone beat, i have tried both manual methods with different timing, about 30 times, and I cannot ever get the reset or re to come up.

funny thing, I was able to reset the last inspection, with only a few tries, but man this oil reset is not happening.

About ready to buy the ebay $40 reset tool, just searching for any last wisdom.

5 months owner of a 05 MCS with only needing window rebuilt kits done so far at Dealer in North Atlanta

 

I change the oil in Artoo every 5000 miles on the 5 and 10,000 mile indicators. I have been doing this for years since I went to all synthetic in all our cars and it is easy to remember with no logs, stickers or forgotten situations. The Mini computer is WAY out of line with its recommendations. 5000 for me gives me a chance to go over things, and give me piece of mind. I have the routine to under an hour including cleanup.

Easy for an old guy like me.

Rich

 

Atlantic British MINI car parts aka: Minicarparts.net - has that step by step info posted on their web site 24/7. And they have fastest shipping and excellent prices on their filters / plugs ect as well:

http://www.minicarparts.net/techtips...lIndicator.cfm

 

Just to follow up on this, both quoted posts refer to exactly the same instructions. I just did this today and on my '05 the words that came up after the first step were not "Reset" but "test".

The first time I released the odo button when "test" came up but it didn't do what it was supposed to do. When I did it the second time, I waited a bit longer before releasing the button and after a while, "test" was followed by the oil service interval number, in my case -250. At this point I released the button for the first time and pressed and held it again (per the instructions) and the number started flashing. Then I released the button and pressed again and "voila" the service interval was reset, in my case to 15,500.

For the record I change my oil every 5K miles.

In summary, in my '05 the procedure was as follows:

1. Hold down the trip odometer button.
2. Insert ignition key and turn to the first position.
3. The word "test" will first appear on the odometer indicator and after a bit of time the current oil change interval will appear (e.g. 500, 2750, etc.)
4. When the number appears, release the trip button, then press & hold once more.
5. The current oil change interval number will flash.
6. Release the button, and then press & release again.
7. The Service interval is now reset.

I have no idea on what cars this will work on, but it's how it worked on mine.

Good Luck!

 

Try this link.
http://new.minimania.com/web/SCatago...0/ArticleV.cfm

 

Those are the exact same point by point instructions that Murmini has posted and Eurothrasher has linked to.

 

I'm doing my "break-in oil change" this weekend and I'm wondering if I even need to reset the ECU, I will be be doing 5k oil changes, so I would like to take advantage of the free oil change @ dealer every 10k.

So technically I can change the "break in oil" this weekend, (MINI S will have about 1350 miles), then do a 5k oil change and then go in for a free dealers oil change @ 10k miles right? No need to reset ECU in this case?