# how to reset oil change interval in computer



## wanderlust (Feb 19, 2012)

anyone know how to reset the oil change interval if I do my own first oil and filter change early at 2000mi or so? for reference is x5 diesel 2012 year.

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## FlyingLow78 (Jul 28, 2011)

Try here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=LVc2JlgKGe0


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## Penguin (Aug 31, 2003)

Do not reset the oil change interval when you do an early change like this. The interval counter is used for other service items and also determines the timing of your "free" oil changes at the dealer. If you reset it, you essentially will delay the next free oil change by 2,000 miles.

I believe that BMW tells their dealers/mechanics to not reset the counter when they do a time (12 month) vs. mileage oil change for this reason.


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## wanderlust (Feb 19, 2012)

ok, so I will just change the oil and not worry bout it, now if only the mann filters would hurry up and come already.

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## F32Fleet (Jul 14, 2010)

penguin said:


> do not reset the oil change interval when you do an early change like this. The interval counter is used for other service items and also determines the timing of your "free" oil changes at the dealer. If you reset it, you essentially will delay the next free oil change by 2,000 miles.
> 
> I believe that bmw tells their dealers/mechanics to not reset the counter when they do a time (12 month) vs. Mileage oil change for this reason.


+1,000


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## boooomer (Apr 23, 2010)

Penguin said:


> I believe that BMW tells their dealers/mechanics to not reset the counter when they do a time (12 month) vs. mileage oil change for this reason.


I had a 12 month oil change with only 7k on the odo. The OBC called for the next oil change at 17k miles - 10 months later. So I think the dealer reset the computer on that first oil change.


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## Penguin (Aug 31, 2003)

boooomer said:


> I had a 12 month oil change with only 7k on the odo. The OBC called for the next oil change at 17k miles - 10 months later. So I think the dealer reset the computer on that first oil change.


Perhaps I should have been more precise. How many miles did you show to the next oil change when the annual change was done? The BMW bulletin giving direction to the dealers has a "margin of error," so to speak, if an annual oil change is done, e.g., if the computer shows there is 50 miles until the scheduled oil change when you do a 12-month, time-based, oil change, they will reset the computer, rather than have you come back in 50 miles for another oil change. I do not know the precise size of this "reset the interval" mileage, but I believe it is around 2,000 miles or thereabouts.


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## boooomer (Apr 23, 2010)

Penguin said:


> Perhaps I should have been more precise. How many miles did you show to the next oil change when the annual change was done? The BMW bulletin giving direction to the dealers has a "margin of error," so to speak, if an annual oil change is done, e.g., if the computer shows there is 50 miles until the scheduled oil change when you do a 12-month, time-based, oil change, they will reset the computer, rather than have you come back in 50 miles for another oil change. I do not know the precise size of this "reset the interval" mileage, but I believe it is around 2,000 miles or thereabouts.


I really don't recall as I CRFS:dunno:. 
But If the "normal" BMW prescribed mileage interval is around 10 to 12k, I would guess that, if the calendar hadn't intervened, I would have gone another 3k to 5k miles. Given that the OBC held off on the next service interval for 10k, I'm sure the OBC was reset with that first service.
I do recall, before going on our extended road trip to the SW last October, asking if my local dealer here in Palm Beach, would do the Oil Change Service with about 1500 miles left on the countdown - so as to avoid having to do it "on the road". They refused as they claimed BMW wouldn't cover it - But, of course, if I was willing to pay for it......As it turned out the dealer in Santa Fe did a great job and the SA even new what DEF was!!!


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## Penguin (Aug 31, 2003)

boooomer said:


> But If the "normal" BMW prescribed mileage interval is around 10 to 12k...
> I do recall, before going on our extended road trip to the SW last October, asking if my local dealer here in Palm Beach, would do the Oil Change Service with about 1500 miles left on the countdown - so as to avoid having to do it "on the road". They refused as they claimed BMW wouldn't cover it


I don't know about a 335d, but my X35d asked for its first oil change around 9,100 miles.

If you are making a trip or have a reasonable reason for the request, BMW will pay for the oil change up to 2,000 miles early. I have confirmed this with 2 dealers and one dealer did it with 1,800 miles to go. So all I can say is that your dealer is "not fully educated," to put it nicely.Unfortunately, I haqve found many BMW dealers just make things up to avoid the effort of finding the real answer.

Next time ask your dealer what the limit is as to when you can have it changed, i.e., obviously if you have 10 miles to the oil change, BMW will pay for it. So how about 100 miles, 500 miles, 1,000 miles, 1,500 miles?

If they can't give you an answer off the top of their head, then you know that they really don't know and are just making stuff up to get you to go away.


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## Snipe656 (Oct 22, 2009)

boooomer said:


> I had a 12 month oil change with only 7k on the odo. The OBC called for the next oil change at 17k miles - 10 months later. So I think the dealer reset the computer on that first oil change.


Since the longest an oil change can be is south of 15k miles then I'd think if the computer said next change in 17k miles that something was not reset properly. But I honestly never paid attention to the what mine says mileage wise after my oil changes, I'd think I'd remembered something north of 15k miles though.

I have had three yearly oil changes done to my car and everytime they reset the time/miles. Perhaps they just were not following something BMW told them just due to habbit or perhaps it was for other reasons.


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## boooomer (Apr 23, 2010)

Snipe656 said:


> Since the longest an oil change can be is south of 15k miles then I'd think if the computer said next change in 17k miles that something was not reset properly. But I honestly never paid attention to the what mine says mileage wise after my oil changes, I'd think I'd remembered something north of 15k miles though.
> 
> I have had three yearly oil changes done to my car and everytime they reset the time/miles. Perhaps they just were not following something BMW told them just due to habbit or perhaps it was for other reasons.


Sorry Snipe, I wasn't clear - the cumulative miles was 17k - so I went from 7k on the ODO to 17k on the ODO for a service interval 10k.


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## Penguin (Aug 31, 2003)

After my last oil change on my X35d a few months ago, the miles to oil change started-out at 11,000 miles after being reset by the dealer.


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## Flyingman (Sep 13, 2009)

Penguin said:


> I don't know about a 335d, but my X35d asked for its first oil change around 9,100 miles.
> 
> If you are making a trip or have a reasonable reason for the request, BMW will pay for the oil change up to 2,000 miles early. I have confirmed this with 2 dealers and one dealer did it with 1,800 miles to go. So all I can say is that your dealer is "not fully educated," to put it nicely.Unfortunately, I haqve found many BMW dealers just make things up to avoid the effort of finding the real answer.
> 
> ...


I'm laughing :rofl: because my SA once said that I had to reach the stated miles or the dealer could not get reimbursed by BMWNA for the service. He went so far as to say that if I was within 1 mile under the stated service I would have to go drive that 1 mile before they would cover the service. I did not push back but said that sounded a bit extreme. In the end they actually did perform a service ahead of schedule but he made it sound like they did it out of the kindness of their heart. "Used" car salesmen these guys! :flipoff:


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## Snipe656 (Oct 22, 2009)

Flyingman said:


> I'm laughing :rofl: because my SA once said that I had to reach the stated miles or the dealer could not get reimbursed by BMWNA for the service. He went so far as to say that if I was within 1 mile under the stated service I would have to go drive that 1 mile before they would cover the service. I did not push back but said that sounded a bit extreme. In the end they actually did perform a service ahead of schedule but he made it sound like they did it out of the kindness of their heart. "Used" car salesmen these guys! :flipoff:


I think people put too much faith in the SAs and do think most are just "used car salesmen" at the bottom of it all.


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