 » Site Navigation | | | | » Recent Threads | | | |  |  |  |  07-28-2008, 05:34 AM | #1 | | Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Austin Posts: 3,059 |  Dash Readings?
Well considering my car never came with a instruction manual, I've had a question arise. Right underneath the millage readings, there is a weird looking thing with like 2 sqaures lit. It used to be 4, but every month or so, a square would go away. And it only shows up when I turn my key in the on direction or just start up my car, then it goes away.
So what do they mean? And what does the orange side represent? __________________ Come get a ti-shirt
Quote: | From the e30 M3, evolved the e36.
They were "Keepin it Real" when they introduced the 318ti ClubSport in '95 and the 318ti Sports from '96 to '99.
After that... well nothing else really matters. ~Jess | |  |  | | 07-28-2008, 05:37 AM | #2 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: New Orleans Posts: 970 |
its a service interval warning
green means its good, the farther you go to the passenger side, the closer you are to service, if you do a service on your own time interval, ignore it, but itd probly be a good idea if you dont know when the last service was, to do a service when it gets close to orange/red __________________ 
^being rebuilt^
until then:
daily car:
96' Blue DASC'd ti with koni coilovers
slowly progressing...
weekend car:
85 1/2' 944 Porsche
no a/c, p/s, gutted cat, loud as hell exhaust, loud as hell sound system | | | | | 07-28-2008, 06:01 AM | #3 | | Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Austin Posts: 3,059 |
What do you mean by "service"? Oil changes? I do that myself. It's got a K&N filter brand new. __________________ Come get a ti-shirt
Quote: | From the e30 M3, evolved the e36.
They were "Keepin it Real" when they introduced the 318ti ClubSport in '95 and the 318ti Sports from '96 to '99.
After that... well nothing else really matters. ~Jess | | | | | | 07-28-2008, 06:24 AM | #4 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: New Orleans Posts: 970 |
yeah, usually their oil changes __________________
^being rebuilt^
until then:
daily car:
96' Blue DASC'd ti with koni coilovers
slowly progressing...
weekend car:
85 1/2' 944 Porsche
no a/c, p/s, gutted cat, loud as hell exhaust, loud as hell sound system | | | | | 07-28-2008, 05:55 PM | #5 | | Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: asdfasdf Posts: 10,002 |
there is a list of which services should be done at certain mileages, unfortunately that list is in the owners manual so you'd have to ask someone else | | | | | 07-29-2008, 01:03 AM | #6 | | Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Austin Posts: 3,059 |
Son of a brick. I may not have a instruction manual, but it did come with a e36 repair book. Filled with tons of info  __________________ Come get a ti-shirt
Quote: | From the e30 M3, evolved the e36.
They were "Keepin it Real" when they introduced the 318ti ClubSport in '95 and the 318ti Sports from '96 to '99.
After that... well nothing else really matters. ~Jess | | | | | | 07-29-2008, 03:11 AM | #7 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Halethorpe, MD Posts: 1,028 |
If you reset those lights when you change your oil it will tell you when you need to do it the next time. I think every other time it also says "Inspection". That's when you're supposed to take it to the dealership for the regularly scheduled services. All that's covered in the inspections is in the Bentley manual. | | | | | 07-29-2008, 04:44 AM | #8 | | Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Austin Posts: 3,059 |
How do you reset it? __________________ Come get a ti-shirt
Quote: | From the e30 M3, evolved the e36.
They were "Keepin it Real" when they introduced the 318ti ClubSport in '95 and the 318ti Sports from '96 to '99.
After that... well nothing else really matters. ~Jess | | | | | | 07-29-2008, 05:43 AM | #9 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: norcal - 94590 Posts: 3,186 |
Quote: Originally Posted by Maverick1225  How do you reset it? | From an earlier thread, our wonderful site administrator provided this link on how to reset the service indicator light... http://www.unofficialbmw.com/e36/ele...ce_lights.html I used this myself... Worked perfectly! __________________ James 95 active w/leather interior and sport interior conversion, Vaders, full M-Tech exterior conversion. Now m50 swapped* Eibach sway bars, D2 Coilovers, Depo's w/AE's, blacked-out sides and grills, LeatherZ console and door armrests, 1 series starter button mod, and custom finished Style 5's <--- in this color! Named "Roddy":  *M50 6 cyl. swap with fan delete, S50 cams and chip, AFE stage 2 intake, M3 clutch and 11.5 lb Fidanza flywheel, 3.15LSD, battery relocated to rear and complete custom exhaust. Sweet!  97 318ti sport, Alaska Blue, Contours, coilovers, Dove Vaders and custom black/grey interior named "Max" 95 318ti Active in Cosmos, S50 swap in progress... named "Pit" SUPPORT 318ti.org! CLICK THE LINK ABOVE! Hosting a forum like this is not free. 318ti.org is one of the best BMW forums on the web because it is member supported, not vendor supported. The cost to become a Supporter is a nominal $10.00... A YEAR! DO IT! NOW! | | | | | 07-29-2008, 07:24 PM | #10 | | Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Austin Posts: 3,059 |
Hmph, by the look of that, I don't think I want to mess with it. I'm really afraid of messing with a car's cpu. Can be very costly to fix. Do you think bmw of austin would reset it for me without them actually having to service my car? __________________ Come get a ti-shirt
Quote: | From the e30 M3, evolved the e36.
They were "Keepin it Real" when they introduced the 318ti ClubSport in '95 and the 318ti Sports from '96 to '99.
After that... well nothing else really matters. ~Jess | | | | | | 07-31-2008, 12:43 PM | #11 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Halethorpe, MD Posts: 1,028 |
Your dealer definitely has the tools to reset it. They will probably charge you something for labor even though it takes seconds. I've heard that some Jiffy Lubes have rest tools, but I can't personally verify that. You could buy the Peake Research reset tool, but it's $50 and all it does is reset those light. | | | | | 07-31-2008, 01:07 PM | #12 | | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: NJ Posts: 1,625 |
its BULL$HIT, so just ignore it... that just the greedy dealer's way of getting you in the door so they can bend you over put it in your ass (financially). My car does the same thing... If it stays ON one day & does not go away - just have someone reset the light - & keep changing your own oil.  Quote: Originally Posted by Maverick1225 Well considering my car never came with a instruction manual, I've had a question arise. Right underneath the millage readings, there is a weird looking thing with like 2 sqaures lit. It used to be 4, but every month or so, a square would go away. And it only shows up when I turn my key in the on direction or just start up my car, then it goes away.
So what do they mean? And what does the orange side represent? | __________________ 
SOLD!SOLD!SOLD!SOLD!SOLD!SOLD!SOLD!SOLD!
Metric Mechanic's 2.0 stroker/258' intake cam/42 lb. inj./remap/HD fuel pump
/DASC w.3' pulley @ 15psi/SNOW System/3.45 LSD/Billstein PSS coils
/Stromung Exhaust/DS1's/X-Brace/Front & Rear H&R Sways/OMP 300mm SW
/SAP delete/ASC+T delete/Hayabusa valve springs/MM's LTW flywheel | | | | | 07-31-2008, 06:51 PM | #13 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Halethorpe, MD Posts: 1,028 |
Hmm. I don't know if I would say it's bull****. Certainly the original intention was the the little lights would go off one by one and, like a good yuppie, you'd drag it down to the dealership to have it looked at. Those lights still serve the original purpose of letting you know it's time to service the car. Whether you choose to do that yourself or take it somewhere is up to you. I find it very convenient and use them to keep track of my oil changes and inspections. | | | | |
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