Oil change requires computer reset?

icenight · 08-13-2009, 09:59 AM

I took my car in yesterday to a BMW dealership to have the oil change done, it said i had 100 miles on the dash. They give me my receipt for what was done on the car which included the oil change. When I get in the car it says i have 30 miles left before my oil change needs to be done. I told the service adviser and she said they just needed to reset the light. This may be completely wrong but it was my understanding or thought that the car determines on its own when i need my oil changed. So i may need it every 12k and someone else every 10k if they dog the car out is that wrong? They took the car back to "reset" the light and i didnt get the car back for 25 minutes. I think they were actually doing the oil change then. And didnt actually do it from before.

This makes me wonder what they really do that they charge me for. And is there a way i can check my oil to see if its actually clean or dirty? I have a 06 300xi and didnt think i saw a dipstick. I also told them i heard a low rattling noise at low RPMS. In which they couldnt hear when they tried to duplicate it. If your going 15 mph in ANY gear you can hear it. If you launch off the line you can't. I KNOW the car said 100 miles and i wasn't low on fuel. I think they joy rode my car dogging it out which is why when i got in it said 30 and not 100. Any ideas?

icenight · 08-13-2009, 10:10 AM

Also if i decide to change my oil myself would i have to reset the computer?

crazed792 · 08-13-2009, 12:39 PM

The reset needs to be done separately from the actual change. There is a DIY for the service light resets, if you look in the DIY section I think it is one of the very top items right now. Most likely they just didn't reset the thing. Because of that, of course you would need to reset the computer yourself, though if you are still under warranty, don't. Then you lose your "free" oil change.

Regarding the car knowing, it uses an algorithm based on the last reset, a mileage interval of just over 15k, and then adds or subtracts time by your mileage.

Lastly, newer BMWs don't have dipstick. You can check the level by computer, but that's about it.

08-13-2009, 09:59 AM	#1
icenight Second Lieutenant 14 Rep 279 Posts Drives: 2011 e92 xdrive Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Northern Virginia iTrader: (1)	Oil change requires computer reset? I took my car in yesterday to a BMW dealership to have the oil change done, it said i had 100 miles on the dash. They give me my receipt for what was done on the car which included the oil change. When I get in the car it says i have 30 miles left before my oil change needs to be done. I told the service adviser and she said they just needed to reset the light. This may be completely wrong but it was my understanding or thought that the car determines on its own when i need my oil changed. So i may need it every 12k and someone else every 10k if they dog the car out is that wrong? They took the car back to "reset" the light and i didnt get the car back for 25 minutes. I think they were actually doing the oil change then. And didnt actually do it from before. This makes me wonder what they really do that they charge me for. And is there a way i can check my oil to see if its actually clean or dirty? I have a 06 300xi and didnt think i saw a dipstick. I also told them i heard a low rattling noise at low RPMS. In which they couldnt hear when they tried to duplicate it. If your going 15 mph in ANY gear you can hear it. If you launch off the line you can't. I KNOW the car said 100 miles and i wasn't low on fuel. I think they joy rode my car dogging it out which is why when i got in it said 30 and not 100. Any ideas?
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08-13-2009, 10:10 AM	#2
icenight Second Lieutenant 14 Rep 279 Posts Drives: 2011 e92 xdrive Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Northern Virginia iTrader: (1)	Also if i decide to change my oil myself would i have to reset the computer?
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08-13-2009, 12:39 PM	#3
crazed792 Captain 16 Rep 616 Posts Drives: 2007 328i Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: SL,UT iTrader: (2) Garage List 2007 328i [0.00]	The reset needs to be done separately from the actual change. There is a DIY for the service light resets, if you look in the DIY section I think it is one of the very top items right now. Most likely they just didn't reset the thing. Because of that, of course you would need to reset the computer yourself, though if you are still under warranty, don't. Then you lose your "free" oil change. Regarding the car knowing, it uses an algorithm based on the last reset, a mileage interval of just over 15k, and then adds or subtracts time by your mileage. Lastly, newer BMWs don't have dipstick. You can check the level by computer, but that's about it.
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