Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

jmonroe

roadburner said:

I broke down and bought a scan tool for my BMWs and Minis. The Mini needs a new battery and the tool will let me register the battery without the need of a trip to the dealer or indie shop. Since most shops charge .05-1.0 hours for the procedure the tool will pay for itself with one use- plus it will perform some thorough diagnostics. The word on the BMW and Mini boards is that it's the next best thing to having INPA diagnostic software, and it is supposedly much easier to use.

WHEW, for awhile there I thought I was going to have to ask if I could borrow that sucker. Here's why:

As I was driving Mrs. j's 2012 Legacy to my Brothers home after a trip to the movies last night, in a minus 6 degree temp on a four lane highway, as I'm approaching a red light, the brake light comes on and does not go off. I had driven about 5 miles with no problem then all of a sudden the brake light comes on and stays on.

I pump the brakes hard a few times and the light stayed on. I even backed up (no traffic behind me since it's now about 11:30 PM) pumping the brakes again but I still have the light. Oh well, I'm only a couple miles from my brothers house, once I turn at this light, so I kept driving. I'm now on a 2 lane road and there is still no traffic. So I stopped on a completely flat section to see if the brakes were the least bit locked up. Nope, the car inches forward in Drive just like it is supposed to do. I even reluctantly lowered the window to see if I could smell heated brake pads. Good news there too so I kept going.

Once I get to my Brothers driveway, I decided to put on the emergency brake and I could hear the motor applying the brakes. Now the real test, will it release? Good news there too, I could hear the brakes releasing. Now I'm thinking this has to be related to the super cold weather although it should not happen at any temp. After we left my Brothers at about 2 AM, I drove home. About 5 miles and again no smell but the light still stayed on.

After an overnight thaw in my garage all is well, no light, and believe me, I tried to make it stay on again but it works the way it should. I tested it by letting the car creep forward in Drive, in my level driveway, then hit the emergency brake button to the stop the car and it did. Note that I did NOT touch the brake pedal at all to stop the car and the car stopped and the light came on just like it should. I then pulled the emergency brake button to release the brakes. I did this at least a half dozen times and every time it worked like it should. I even did this in Reverse a half dozen times too with success each time.

I'm convinced now more than ever that the cold had something to do with this. So I have to test it again. I'm going to leave the car out overnight to see if the problem can be repeated tomorrow morning. So I still might have to ask to borrow your thingy.

I'm hoping you don't have a rule, like I do, about loaning tools with wires on them but I'm sure, if you do, you'll make an exception for a poster buddy, right?

Thanks in advance.

jmonroe

oldfarmer50

imidazol97 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

venture said:

qbrozen said:

Today was my son's gift: Giants game. It was absurdly cold. Thankfully, most of the action happened in the first half because he could not make it much beyond that. He was very upset at the whole situation because he really wanted to stay but just could not stand the cold any longer. Mind you, this was with 2 layers of thermals, 2 pairs of sweats, 2 jackets, 2 pairs of socks, toe warmers, ski hat and gloves AND inside a sleeping bag. That is just how cold it was. I was managing OK but his body was not keeping up. 

Anyway, he was happy for the experience and wants to go back when warmer. I'd have to agree. Really good seats for the first football game for both of us gave me a new perspective.

Wow. Good seats. It's tough being that cold.

I went to a Steelers game on a Monday night in December quite a few years ago. Big mistake.

One time I went to a Penn State game and it was so cold that the guy I was with had his lips start to turn blue. He didn't want to leave so I went and got him a hot chocolate. He made it to the end, but he was having trouble talking by then.

I feel bad for the people who have to work outside all winter. I did it for one winter and swore to not do it again.

One winter when I was a lowly bus driver (before I worked my way up to....uh...bus driver) I volunteered to come in at 4am to start buses during a cold wave. I didn't warm up until July.

Don't they have remote start like my Malibu?

Are you kidding? Back then we didn't even have auto transmission.

oldfarmer50

fintail said:

I jogged past a gym this morning - it was packed at 9am on New Year's Day. I bet they make 90% of their money in the first 4 weeks of the year.

I suspect if they had gyms back in the day that weren't just weight rooms, boomers would have been in on it too

Never needed that fancy stuff. On the farm I had tomato pick yoga and when the tractor got stuck you were really pumping iron.

If I even thought of going somewhere to hook up my wife would've planted ME out in the field.

ab348

roadburner said:

I broke down and bought a scan tool for my BMWs and Minis. The Mini needs a new battery and the tool will let me register the battery without the need of a trip to the dealer or indie shop. Since most shops charge .05-1.0 hours for the procedure the tool will pay for itself with one use- plus it will perform some thorough diagnostics. The word on the BMW and Mini boards is that it's the next best thing to having INPA diagnostic software, and it is supposedly much easier to use.

Could you educate me on what is involved in registering a battery and what that means?

isellhondas

I was thinking the same thing. Why would someone "register" a battery?

roadburner

jmonroe said:

roadburner said:

I broke down and bought a scan tool for my BMWs and Minis. The Mini needs a new battery and the tool will let me register the battery without the need of a trip to the dealer or indie shop. Since most shops charge .05-1.0 hours for the procedure the tool will pay for itself with one use- plus it will perform some thorough diagnostics. The word on the BMW and Mini boards is that it's the next best thing to having INPA diagnostic software, and it is supposedly much easier to use.

WHEW, for awhile there I thought I was going to have to ask if I could borrow that sucker. Here's why:

As I was driving Mrs. j's 2012 Legacy to my Brothers home after a trip to the movies last night, in a minus 6 degree temp on a four lane highway, as I'm approaching a red light, the brake light comes on and does not go off. I had driven about 5 miles with no problem then all of a sudden the brake light comes on and stays on.

I pump the brakes hard a few times and the light stayed on. I even backed up (no traffic behind me since it's now about 11:30 PM) pumping the brakes again but I still have the light. Oh well, I'm only a couple miles from my brothers house, once I turn at this light, so I kept driving. I'm now on a 2 lane road and there is still no traffic. So I stopped on a completely flat section to see if the brakes were the least bit locked up. Nope, the car inches forward in Drive just like it is supposed to do. I even reluctantly lowered the window to see if I could smell heated brake pads. Good news there too so I kept going.

Once I get to my Brothers driveway, I decided to put on the emergency brake and I could hear the motor applying the brakes. Now the real test, will it release? Good news there too, I could hear the brakes releasing. Now I'm thinking this has to be related to the super cold weather although it should not happen at any temp. After we left my Brothers at about 2 AM, I drove home. About 5 miles and again no smell but the light still stayed on.

After an overnight thaw in my garage all is well, no light, and believe me, I tried to make it stay on again but it works the way it should. I tested it by letting the car creep forward in Drive, in my level driveway, then hit the emergency brake button to the stop the car and it did. Note that I did NOT touch the brake pedal at all to stop the car and the car stopped and the light came on just like it should. I then pulled the emergency brake button to release the brakes. I did this at least a half dozen times and every time it worked like it should. I even did this in Reverse a half dozen times too with success each time.

I'm convinced now more than ever that the cold had something to do with this. So I have to test it again. I'm going to leave the car out overnight to see if the problem can be repeated tomorrow morning. So I still might have to ask to borrow your thingy.

I'm hoping you don't have a rule, like I do, about loaning tools with wires on them but I'm sure, if you do, you'll make an exception for a poster buddy, right?

Thanks in advance.

jmonroe

I'd be happy to loan it out but this model only comes with software for BMW, Mini, and Rolls Royce. You can buy the same unit loaded with software for other manufacturers. It will be nice to be able to test the electric parking brake, even though currently the i3 is our only car that has one...

explorerx4

I know registering the battery is a BMW thing. Not sure about other brands.

roadburner

oldfarmer50 said:

fintail said:

I jogged past a gym this morning - it was packed at 9am on New Year's Day. I bet they make 90% of their money in the first 4 weeks of the year.

I suspect if they had gyms back in the day that weren't just weight rooms, boomers would have been in on it too

Never needed that fancy stuff. On the farm I had tomato pick yoga and when the tractor got stuck you were really pumping iron.

If I even thought of going somewhere to hook up my wife would've planted ME out in the field.

We have an Anytime Fitness located about one mile away; my wife and I try to hit the treadmills for 30-35 minutes 4-5 times per week. It lets me catch up reading my car magazines and helps keep the weight down.

stickguy

we go old school, and do 3-4 miles walking around the neighborhood every day. We also have the Eliptical in the basement for some variety, and a heavier duty workout.

venture

ab348 said:

driver100 said:

Most gyms wouldn't exist without all the new people who sign up for New Years....and then don't come back after 2 or 3 weeks.

Yep. The other thing the biggest chain of the places used to do here was to get a member to spam their office email systems with an offer of a "corporate rate". They would get a bunch of people to bite, many of whom seldom came back after a few visits. Big $ and they made it very difficult to get out of the commitment. Business practices almost as scummy as SiriusXM.

I was in my sons Jeep a few days ago and Sirius 80s on 8 was on the radio. I asked him if he had to call every year. He asked his wife and neither of them call and neither knew what credit card it gets billed to every year. They also have no idea how much their electric bill is every month.

venture

I got a letter from my Subaru dealer. On the outside of the envelope it says, "IMPORTANT SERVICE INFORMATION REGARDING YOUR SUBARU".

The letter inside is an offer for 10% off an oil change with purchase of a vehicle.

Mr_Shiftright

venture said:

I got a letter from my Subaru dealer. On the outside of the envelope it says, "IMPORTANT SERVICE INFORMATION REGARDING YOUR SUBARU". The letter inside is an offer for 10% off an oil change with purchase of a vehicle.

imidazol97

I've seen a lot of cars on the roadside pf the interstates in this cold weather these last few days.
More cars than usual. It's life-threatening dangerous if your car gives out when it's 5 below 0 deg F. One was a Mercedes. Wonder if it was a diesel.

I've notices over the months several Neons and their clones on the road that are in good physical shape. They look like they'd belonged to someone who garaged them and maybe hadn't driven them a lot, but finally sold or traded the cars.
But today I saw on on I75 under a blanket of snow that looked great but apparently suffered some problem.

I always think of Andres when is see one of these.

fordfool

ab348 said:

Business practices almost as scummy as SiriusXM.

Apparently Sirius doesn't enjoy paying music royalties either. :@
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-08-29/the-music-royalty-collectors-target-sirius-xm

fintail

Headgasket maybe - I think that's their Achilles heel.

For some aging MBs, virtually anything can go wrong, part of the fun is seeing what's next

jmonroe

Mr_Shiftright said:

venture said:

I got a letter from my Subaru dealer. On the outside of the envelope it says, "IMPORTANT SERVICE INFORMATION REGARDING YOUR SUBARU".

The letter inside is an offer for 10% off an oil change with purchase of a vehicle.

And...you were saying?

jmonroe

abacomike

roadburner said:

I jogged past a gym this morning - it was packed at 9am on New Year's Day. I bet they make 90% of their money in the first 4 weeks of the year. I suspect if they had gyms back in the day that weren't just weight rooms, boomers would have been in on it too

Never needed that fancy stuff. On the farm I had tomato pick yoga and when the tractor got stuck you were really pumping iron. If I even thought of going somewhere to hook up my wife would've planted ME out in the field.

We have an Anytime Fitness located about one mile away; my wife and I try to hit the treadmills for 30-35 minutes 4-5 times per week. It lets me catch up reading my car magazines and helps keep the weight down.

My son works at a gym as a personal trainer. It’s very hard work - his first client is at 5;00 AM 6 days a week. So he gets up around 3:45 AM. He’s always exhausted. He also has personal clients where he goes to their homes to work. He makes a living, but struggles, if you know what I mean. I’ve been sending him $100 a month to help pay for his health insurance. He is extremely bright - I just wish he had taken up a major in college that was anything but physical education. He told me they are very busy with new clients now.

Mr_Shiftright

jmonroe said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

venture said:

I got a letter from my Subaru dealer. On the outside of the envelope it says, "IMPORTANT SERVICE INFORMATION REGARDING YOUR SUBARU".

The letter inside is an offer for 10% off an oil change with purchase of a vehicle.

And...you were saying?

jmonroe

Oh, I was saying that the coupon should have reversed the terms--10% off a car when you buy an oil change

snakeweasel

imidazol97 said:

I've seen a lot of cars on the roadside pf the interstates in this cold weather these last few days. More cars than usual. It's life-threatening dangerous if your car gives out when it's 5 below 0 deg F. One was a Mercedes. Wonder if it was a diesel. I've notices over the months several Neons and their clones on the road that are in good physical shape. They look like they'd belonged to someone who garaged them and maybe hadn't driven them a lot, but finally sold or traded the cars. But today I saw on on I75 under a blanket of snow that looked great but apparently suffered some problem. I always think of Andres when is see one of these.

In sub zero weather I always check to see if the cars occupants to see if they are ok, temps like that can be killers. Especially on farm country where you might be a few miles walking distance from shelter. 

As for Neons, they stopped making them 13 years ago so they near the end of their useful lives. I mean there have to be very few with under 150K miles. 

Mr_Shiftright

Yes, notorious for bad head gaskets.

jmonroe

Mr_Shiftright said:

jmonroe said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

venture said:

I got a letter from my Subaru dealer. On the outside of the envelope it says, "IMPORTANT SERVICE INFORMATION REGARDING YOUR SUBARU".

The letter inside is an offer for 10% off an oil change with purchase of a vehicle.

And...you were saying?

jmonroe

Oh, I was saying that the coupon should have reversed the terms--10% off a car when you buy an oil change

A good oil change negotiator could make that happen.

jmonroe

stickguy

I am certainly glad I found out a few week ago that my battery was on the way out. Before I discovered it on Christmas out in the boondocks of upstate NY, sitting in my BILs driveway when it was about 2 degrees. Probably safer with new tires too.

Mr_Shiftright

I'm sure you could.

driver100

ab348 said:

roadburner said:

I broke down and bought a scan tool for my BMWs and Minis. The Mini needs a new battery and the tool will let me register the battery without the need of a trip to the dealer or indie shop. Since most shops charge .05-1.0 hours for the procedure the tool will pay for itself with one use- plus it will perform some thorough diagnostics. The word on the BMW and Mini boards is that it's the next best thing to having INPA diagnostic software, and it is supposedly much easier to use.

Could you educate me on what is involved in registering a battery and what that means?

I think it means if the bride registered asking for a new battery they will send her one.

driver100

Mr_Shiftright said:

jmonroe said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

venture said:

I got a letter from my Subaru dealer. On the outside of the envelope it says, "IMPORTANT SERVICE INFORMATION REGARDING YOUR SUBARU".

The letter inside is an offer for 10% off an oil change with purchase of a vehicle.

And...you were saying?

jmonroe

Oh, I was saying that the coupon should have reversed the terms--10% off a car when you buy an oil change

They can't possibly mean....10% off on an oil change with a new car could they? I wonder if it includes synthetic motor oils, or are they excluded in the fine print?

Mr_Shiftright

driver100 said:

ab348 said:

roadburner said:

I broke down and bought a scan tool for my BMWs and Minis. The Mini needs a new battery and the tool will let me register the battery without the need of a trip to the dealer or indie shop. Since most shops charge .05-1.0 hours for the procedure the tool will pay for itself with one use- plus it will perform some thorough diagnostics. The word on the BMW and Mini boards is that it's the next best thing to having INPA diagnostic software, and it is supposedly much easier to use.

Could you educate me on what is involved in registering a battery and what that means?

I think it means if the bride registered asking for a new battery they will send her one.

LONG ANSWER:

"After installing a new battery, the service function ‘Register battery replacement’ must be run. The registration of the battery replacement is required to inform the power management (software in engine electronics and intelligent battery sensor) that a new battery was installed in the vehicle. If the battery replacement is not registered, the power management will not function properly and can lead to functions being limited by individual electrical consumers being switched off or having their power consumption reduced. Power management will charge the new battery as if it’s the old worn out battery, causing premature failure of the replacement battery."

SHORT ANSWER: It's a German car so everything has to be harder.

snakeweasel

driver100 said:

venture said:

I got a letter from my Subaru dealer. On the outside of the envelope it says, "IMPORTANT SERVICE INFORMATION REGARDING YOUR SUBARU". The letter inside is an offer for 10% off an oil change with purchase of a vehicle.

And...you were saying? jmonroe

Oh, I was saying that the coupon should have reversed the terms--10% off a car when you buy an oil change

They can't possibly mean....10% off on an oil change with a new car could they? I wonder if it includes synthetic motor oils, or are they excluded in the fine print?

Just make sure that that 10% off doesn't mean they will put 10% less oil in when they change the oil. 

roadburner

stickguy said:

I am certainly glad I found out a few week ago that my battery was on the way out. Before I discovered it on Christmas out in the boondocks of upstate NY, sitting in my BILs driveway when it was about 2 degrees. Probably safer with new tires too.

Yes, I just put one in the Jeep; the Mini is up next...

roadburner

Mr_Shiftright said:

driver100 said:

ab348 said:

roadburner said:

I broke down and bought a scan tool for my BMWs and Minis. The Mini needs a new battery and the tool will let me register the battery without the need of a trip to the dealer or indie shop. Since most shops charge .05-1.0 hours for the procedure the tool will pay for itself with one use- plus it will perform some thorough diagnostics. The word on the BMW and Mini boards is that it's the next best thing to having INPA diagnostic software, and it is supposedly much easier to use.

Could you educate me on what is involved in registering a battery and what that means?

I think it means if the bride registered asking for a new battery they will send her one.

LONG ANSWER:

"After installing a new battery, the service function ‘Register battery replacement’ must be run. The registration of the battery replacement is required to inform the power management (software in engine electronics and intelligent battery sensor) that a new battery was installed in the vehicle. If the battery replacement is not registered, the power management will not function properly and can lead to functions being limited by individual electrical consumers being switched off or having their power consumption reduced. Power management will charge the new battery as if it’s the old worn out battery, causing premature failure of the replacement battery."

SHORT ANSWER: It's a German car so everything has to be harder.

The battery registration issue can be justified from a theoretical engineering standpoint, but the real world advantage has yet to be established. It's not a difficult procedure but you either need the proper equipment to register it or else pay a dealer or indie shop to do it. Like I said, once I perform one or two registrations the scan tool is paid for- and anyway, I think that the tool is pretty inexpensive considering all that it can do:

Works on BMW models from 1987-current*; Works on MINI models from 2002-current*
Compatible with global OBDII / EOBD standards
Reads and clears codes and turns off SES/CEL/MIL/DTC (BMW Powertrain codes, Chassis codes, Body codes, and CAN codes)
Special troubleshooting functions to walk you through codes (like the BMW Test Plan)
Check and activate electronic components like switches, relays, and actuators
Records live sensor data
Provides live data graphing
Merges graphs for easy and intuitive diagnosis
Displays freeze frame data
Create a custom data stream
Reads and resets most adaptations
Reads OBD Readiness
Does active tests on systems and components
Performs special functions, coding, security access
Code and program replacement control units
Supports all 10 OBDII test modes
Resets oil service light
Sets inspection 1, 2 service intervals (manual or automatic)
Sets inspection mileage
Deactivates and reactivates brake control system
Retracts calipers for brake pad replacement on newer models
Initializes the wear indicator if new pads installed
Diagnoses Electronic Parking Brake caliper functionality
Multilingual menu options and code definitions
Memory card for data backup and software update
Print feature
Large TFT color screen and menu-driven operations
Free life time updates

venture

driver100 said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

jmonroe said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

venture said:

I got a letter from my Subaru dealer. On the outside of the envelope it says, "IMPORTANT SERVICE INFORMATION REGARDING YOUR SUBARU".

The letter inside is an offer for 10% off an oil change with purchase of a vehicle.

And...you were saying?

jmonroe

Oh, I was saying that the coupon should have reversed the terms--10% off a car when you buy an oil change

They can't possibly mean....10% off on an oil change with a new car could they? I wonder if it includes synthetic motor oils, or are they excluded in the fine print?

jmonroe

Mr_Shiftright said:

driver100 said:

ab348 said:

roadburner said:

I broke down and bought a scan tool for my BMWs and Minis. The Mini needs a new battery and the tool will let me register the battery without the need of a trip to the dealer or indie shop. Since most shops charge .05-1.0 hours for the procedure the tool will pay for itself with one use- plus it will perform some thorough diagnostics. The word on the BMW and Mini boards is that it's the next best thing to having INPA diagnostic software, and it is supposedly much easier to use.

Could you educate me on what is involved in registering a battery and what that means?

I think it means if the bride registered asking for a new battery they will send her one.

LONG ANSWER:

"After installing a new battery, the service function ‘Register battery replacement’ must be run. The registration of the battery replacement is required to inform the power management (software in engine electronics and intelligent battery sensor) that a new battery was installed in the vehicle. If the battery replacement is not registered, the power management will not function properly and can lead to functions being limited by individual electrical consumers being switched off or having their power consumption reduced. Power management will charge the new battery as if it’s the old worn out battery, causing premature failure of the replacement battery."

SHORT ANSWER: It's a German car so everything has to be harder.

The battery registration issue can be justified from a theoretical engineering standpoint, but the real world advantage has yet to be established. It's not a difficult procedure but you either need the proper equipment to register it or else pay a dealer or indie shop to do it. Like I said, once I perform one or two registrations the scan tool is paid for- and anyway, I think that the tool is pretty inexpensive considering all that it can do:

Works on BMW models from 1987-current*; Works on MINI models from 2002-current*
Compatible with global OBDII / EOBD standards
Reads and clears codes and turns off SES/CEL/MIL/DTC (BMW Powertrain codes, Chassis codes, Body codes, and CAN codes)
Special troubleshooting functions to walk you through codes (like the BMW Test Plan)
Check and activate electronic components like switches, relays, and actuators
Records live sensor data
Provides live data graphing
Merges graphs for easy and intuitive diagnosis
Displays freeze frame data
Create a custom data stream
Reads and resets most adaptations
Reads OBD Readiness
Does active tests on systems and components
Performs special functions, coding, security access
Code and program replacement control units
Supports all 10 OBDII test modes
Resets oil service light
Sets inspection 1, 2 service intervals (manual or automatic)
Sets inspection mileage
Deactivates and reactivates brake control system
Retracts calipers for brake pad replacement on newer models
Initializes the wear indicator if new pads installed
Diagnoses Electronic Parking Brake caliper functionality
Multilingual menu options and code definitions
Memory card for data backup and software update
Print feature
Large TFT color screen and menu-driven operations
Free life time updates

WOW, that's a pretty comprehensive list. I'm almost tempted to buy a BMW just to be able to hold you to your promise of loaning it to me.

jmonroe

houdini1

ab348 said:

houdini1 said:

I saw a pic once of a 24 hour gym that was on a slight hill, and instead of stairs going up to front door there was an escalator.

This one no doubt. An oldie but a goodie.

Yep, that is the one.

driver100

roadburner said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

driver100 said:

ab348 said:

roadburner said:

I broke down and bought a scan tool for my BMWs and Minis. The Mini needs a new battery and the tool will let me register the battery without the need of a trip to the dealer or indie shop. Since most shops charge .05-1.0 hours for the procedure the tool will pay for itself with one use- plus it will perform some thorough diagnostics. The word on the BMW and Mini boards is that it's the next best thing to having INPA diagnostic software, and it is supposedly much easier to use.

Could you educate me on what is involved in registering a battery and what that means?

I think it means if the bride registered asking for a new battery they will send her one.

LONG ANSWER:

"After installing a new battery, the service function ‘Register battery replacement’ must be run. The registration of the battery replacement is required to inform the power management (software in engine electronics and intelligent battery sensor) that a new battery was installed in the vehicle. If the battery replacement is not registered, the power management will not function properly and can lead to functions being limited by individual electrical consumers being switched off or having their power consumption reduced. Power management will charge the new battery as if it’s the old worn out battery, causing premature failure of the replacement battery."

SHORT ANSWER: It's a German car so everything has to be harder.

The battery registration issue can be justified from a theoretical engineering standpoint, but the real world advantage has yet to be established. It's not a difficult procedure but you either need the proper equipment to register it or else pay a dealer or indie shop to do it. Like I said, once I perform one or two registrations the scan tool is paid for- and anyway, I think that the tool is pretty inexpensive considering all that it can do:

Works on BMW models from 1987-current*; Works on MINI models from 2002-current*
Compatible with global OBDII / EOBD standards
Reads and clears codes and turns off SES/CEL/MIL/DTC (BMW Powertrain codes, Chassis codes, Body codes, and CAN codes)
Special troubleshooting functions to walk you through codes (like the BMW Test Plan)
Check and activate electronic components like switches, relays, and actuators
Records live sensor data
Provides live data graphing
Merges graphs for easy and intuitive diagnosis
Displays freeze frame data
Create a custom data stream
Reads and resets most adaptations
Reads OBD Readiness
Does active tests on systems and components
Performs special functions, coding, security access
Code and program replacement control units
Supports all 10 OBDII test modes
Resets oil service light
Sets inspection 1, 2 service intervals (manual or automatic)
Sets inspection mileage
Deactivates and reactivates brake control system
Retracts calipers for brake pad replacement on newer models
Initializes the wear indicator if new pads installed
Diagnoses Electronic Parking Brake caliper functionality
Multilingual menu options and code definitions
Memory card for data backup and software update
Print feature
Large TFT color screen and menu-driven operations
Free life time updates

I don't know how I survived for 70 years without one of those thing-a-ma-jigs.

Does it measure cholesterol and blood pressure too?

driver100

venture said:

driver100 said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

jmonroe said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

venture said:

I got a letter from my Subaru dealer. On the outside of the envelope it says, "IMPORTANT SERVICE INFORMATION REGARDING YOUR SUBARU".

The letter inside is an offer for 10% off an oil change with purchase of a vehicle.

And...you were saying?

jmonroe

Oh, I was saying that the coupon should have reversed the terms--10% off a car when you buy an oil change

They can't possibly mean....10% off on an oil change with a new car could they? I wonder if it includes synthetic motor oils, or are they excluded in the fine print?

It actually says, "regular oil". Doesn't a Suburu use "synthetic" oil? Or does "regular" mean when an oil change is scheduled, and why don't they say "scheduled oil change"?

venture

driver100 said:

venture said:

driver100 said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

jmonroe said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

venture said:

I got a letter from my Subaru dealer. On the outside of the envelope it says, "IMPORTANT SERVICE INFORMATION REGARDING YOUR SUBARU".

The letter inside is an offer for 10% off an oil change with purchase of a vehicle.

And...you were saying?

jmonroe

Oh, I was saying that the coupon should have reversed the terms--10% off a car when you buy an oil change

They can't possibly mean....10% off on an oil change with a new car could they? I wonder if it includes synthetic motor oils, or are they excluded in the fine print?

It actually says, "regular oil". Doesn't a Suburu use "synthetic" oil? Or does "regular" mean when an oil change is scheduled, and why don't they say "scheduled oil change"?

Yes, they use synthetic. I'm sure it means your car should have regular oil changes.

They don't say that because they don't care. I now have 3 Subaru's and they send me service reminders and other junk all the time, but never say which car.

oldfarmer50

imidazol97 said:

I've seen a lot of cars on the roadside pf the interstates in this cold weather these last few days.
More cars than usual. It's life-threatening dangerous if your car gives out when it's 5 below 0 deg F. One was a Mercedes. Wonder if it was a diesel.

I've notices over the months several Neons and their clones on the road that are in good physical shape. They look like they'd belonged to someone who garaged them and maybe hadn't driven them a lot, but finally sold or traded the cars.
But today I saw on on I75 under a blanket of snow that looked great but apparently suffered some problem.

I always think of Andres when is see one of these.

In this part of the country the MB bio-diesel conversions really have a problem with the cold weather. I don't think you can add kerosene to veggie oil.


As far as Neons are concerned the wife's car which is a Neon underneath has performed well in the cold weather. Build quality stinks but it runs.

oldfarmer50

roadburner said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

driver100 said:

ab348 said:

roadburner said:

I broke down and bought a scan tool for my BMWs and Minis. The Mini needs a new battery and the tool will let me register the battery without the need of a trip to the dealer or indie shop. Since most shops charge .05-1.0 hours for the procedure the tool will pay for itself with one use- plus it will perform some thorough diagnostics. The word on the BMW and Mini boards is that it's the next best thing to having INPA diagnostic software, and it is supposedly much easier to use.

Could you educate me on what is involved in registering a battery and what that means?

I think it means if the bride registered asking for a new battery they will send her one.

LONG ANSWER:

"After installing a new battery, the service function ‘Register battery replacement’ must be run. The registration of the battery replacement is required to inform the power management (software in engine electronics and intelligent battery sensor) that a new battery was installed in the vehicle. If the battery replacement is not registered, the power management will not function properly and can lead to functions being limited by individual electrical consumers being switched off or having their power consumption reduced. Power management will charge the new battery as if it’s the old worn out battery, causing premature failure of the replacement battery."

SHORT ANSWER: It's a German car so everything has to be harder.

The battery registration issue can be justified from a theoretical engineering standpoint, but the real world advantage has yet to be established. It's not a difficult procedure but you either need the proper equipment to register it or else pay a dealer or indie shop to do it. Like I said, once I perform one or two registrations the scan tool is paid for- and anyway, I think that the tool is pretty inexpensive considering all that it can do:

Works on BMW models from 1987-current*; Works on MINI models from 2002-current*
Compatible with global OBDII / EOBD standards
Reads and clears codes and turns off SES/CEL/MIL/DTC (BMW Powertrain codes, Chassis codes, Body codes, and CAN codes)
Special troubleshooting functions to walk you through codes (like the BMW Test Plan)
Check and activate electronic components like switches, relays, and actuators
Records live sensor data
Provides live data graphing
Merges graphs for easy and intuitive diagnosis
Displays freeze frame data
Create a custom data stream
Reads and resets most adaptations
Reads OBD Readiness
Does active tests on systems and components
Performs special functions, coding, security access
Code and program replacement control units
Supports all 10 OBDII test modes
Resets oil service light
Sets inspection 1, 2 service intervals (manual or automatic)
Sets inspection mileage
Deactivates and reactivates brake control system
Retracts calipers for brake pad replacement on newer models
Initializes the wear indicator if new pads installed
Diagnoses Electronic Parking Brake caliper functionality
Multilingual menu options and code definitions
Memory card for data backup and software update
Print feature
Large TFT color screen and menu-driven operations
Free life time updates

Wow! You just talked me out of ever buying a BMW.

oldfarmer50

imidazol97 said:

I've seen a lot of cars on the roadside pf the interstates in this cold weather these last few days.
More cars than usual. It's life-threatening dangerous if your car gives out when it's 5 below 0 deg F. One was a Mercedes. Wonder if it was a diesel.

I've notices over the months several Neons and their clones on the road that are in good physical shape. They look like they'd belonged to someone who garaged them and maybe hadn't driven them a lot, but finally sold or traded the cars.
But today I saw on on I75 under a blanket of snow that looked great but apparently suffered some problem.

I always think of Andres when is see one of these.

In this part of the country the MB bio-diesel conversions really have a problem with the cold weather. I don't think you can add kerosene to veggie oil.


As far as Neons are concerned the wife's car which is a Neon underneath has performed well in the cold

fintail said:

Headgasket maybe - I think that's their Achilles heel.

For some aging MBs, virtually anything can go wrong, part of the fun is seeing what's next

I assume head gaskets are a problem on the 2.0l not the 2.4l that came in some models.

driver100

You have to study the picture carefully:

qbrozen

Sounds like a message my wife would send.

venture

I just came back from my Subaru dealer. The wife's Forester was hard to start this morning and the remote start would not work at all. She parks outside, for some reason, so that was not unexpected. I am having a new battery put in later today. This one is a little over 3 years old, but if I didn't replace it and it failed on her...well, you know the rest.

I mentioned to the service people about the remote start not working and they said that is common when it's really cold out. Huh? Isn't that why people get remote start? Cooling it a little in the summer is nice, but warming it up in the winter is much nicer. Crazy.

Oh. While I was there I bought a new car for $40k so I could save $7 with the oil change coupon they sent me. (Lie). Then I realized the coupon expires in a week. Man!

fintail

Yeah, the Neon headgasket issue was in earlier cars, I think.

My brother had a 96 "Expresso" coupe (a hen's tooth today) that my mom helped him get when he was 18, it was a 3 year old car then. He was initially enthusiastic, but that waned, maybe because he had a car payment. He wasn't heartbroken when he got t-boned by a light-running Cadillac back around 2001, and the car was written off. He hasn't had a car payment since, he's happy to drive cheaper older cars.

PF_Flyer

qbrozen said:

Sounds like a message my wife would send.

I seem to get a lot of IT questions in my house as well

roadburner

oldfarmer50 said:

roadburner said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

driver100 said:

ab348 said:

roadburner said:

I broke down and bought a scan tool for my BMWs and Minis. The Mini needs a new battery and the tool will let me register the battery without the need of a trip to the dealer or indie shop. Since most shops charge .05-1.0 hours for the procedure the tool will pay for itself with one use- plus it will perform some thorough diagnostics. The word on the BMW and Mini boards is that it's the next best thing to having INPA diagnostic software, and it is supposedly much easier to use.

Could you educate me on what is involved in registering a battery and what that means?

I think it means if the bride registered asking for a new battery they will send her one.

LONG ANSWER:

"After installing a new battery, the service function ‘Register battery replacement’ must be run. The registration of the battery replacement is required to inform the power management (software in engine electronics and intelligent battery sensor) that a new battery was installed in the vehicle. If the battery replacement is not registered, the power management will not function properly and can lead to functions being limited by individual electrical consumers being switched off or having their power consumption reduced. Power management will charge the new battery as if it’s the old worn out battery, causing premature failure of the replacement battery."

SHORT ANSWER: It's a German car so everything has to be harder.

The battery registration issue can be justified from a theoretical engineering standpoint, but the real world advantage has yet to be established. It's not a difficult procedure but you either need the proper equipment to register it or else pay a dealer or indie shop to do it. Like I said, once I perform one or two registrations the scan tool is paid for- and anyway, I think that the tool is pretty inexpensive considering all that it can do:

Works on BMW models from 1987-current*; Works on MINI models from 2002-current*
Compatible with global OBDII / EOBD standards
Reads and clears codes and turns off SES/CEL/MIL/DTC (BMW Powertrain codes, Chassis codes, Body codes, and CAN codes)
Special troubleshooting functions to walk you through codes (like the BMW Test Plan)
Check and activate electronic components like switches, relays, and actuators
Records live sensor data
Provides live data graphing
Merges graphs for easy and intuitive diagnosis
Displays freeze frame data
Create a custom data stream
Reads and resets most adaptations
Reads OBD Readiness
Does active tests on systems and components
Performs special functions, coding, security access
Code and program replacement control units
Supports all 10 OBDII test modes
Resets oil service light
Sets inspection 1, 2 service intervals (manual or automatic)
Sets inspection mileage
Deactivates and reactivates brake control system
Retracts calipers for brake pad replacement on newer models
Initializes the wear indicator if new pads installed
Diagnoses Electronic Parking Brake caliper functionality
Multilingual menu options and code definitions
Memory card for data backup and software update
Print feature
Large TFT color screen and menu-driven operations
Free life time updates

Wow! You just talked me out of ever buying a BMW.

Here's what the Ford version of the same tool can do:

Read and erase Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC's) from most (if not all) electronically controlled systems, including Engine, ABS, Airbag, Automatic Transmission, Immobiliser and Climate Control
Turns off dashboard warning lights
Displays fault code definitions on-screen (where available)
Displays live sensor data
Displays live data graphs, including graph merging
Resets oil service indicator
Performs Electronic Parking Brake service functions
Performs bi-directional component actuations - manually operating components on the car to test their function
Offers module coding support
Reads and Erases engine fault codes on OBDII /EOBD compliant cars (all* 2001+ gasoline cars and 2004+ diesel cars)
Display live engine sensor data on OBDII /EOBD compliant cars
Multilingual menu options and code definitions
2.8 inch backlit colour LCD display
No batteries required - powered from the car's diagnostic port
FREE Lifetime Software Updates after registration

No modern car can be properly diagnosed or serviced with a $20 generic scanner.

ab348

Given the fact that modern cars all have screens in the dash, I am having a hard time understanding why a code reader is required at all. Surely the software powering it could be made to display and respond in the car without an external device.

oldfarmer50

roadburner said:

oldfarmer50 said:

roadburner said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

driver100 said:

ab348 said:

roadburner said:

I broke down and bought a scan tool for my BMWs and Minis. The Mini needs a new battery and the tool will let me register the battery without the need of a trip to the dealer or indie shop. Since most shops charge .05-1.0 hours for the procedure the tool will pay for itself with one use- plus it will perform some thorough diagnostics. The word on the BMW and Mini boards is that it's the next best thing to having INPA diagnostic software, and it is supposedly much easier to use.

Could you educate me on what is involved in registering a battery and what that means?

I think it means if the bride registered asking for a new battery they will send her one.

LONG ANSWER:

"After installing a new battery, the service function ‘Register battery replacement’ must be run. The registration of the battery replacement is required to inform the power management (software in engine electronics and intelligent battery sensor) that a new battery was installed in the vehicle. If the battery replacement is not registered, the power management will not function properly and can lead to functions being limited by individual electrical consumers being switched off or having their power consumption reduced. Power management will charge the new battery as if it’s the old worn out battery, causing premature failure of the replacement battery."

SHORT ANSWER: It's a German car so everything has to be harder.

The battery registration issue can be justified from a theoretical engineering standpoint, but the real world advantage has yet to be established. It's not a difficult procedure but you either need the proper equipment to register it or else pay a dealer or indie shop to do it. Like I said, once I perform one or two registrations the scan tool is paid for- and anyway, I think that the tool is pretty inexpensive considering all that it can do:

Works on BMW models from 1987-current*; Works on MINI models from 2002-current*
Compatible with global OBDII / EOBD standards
Reads and clears codes and turns off SES/CEL/MIL/DTC (BMW Powertrain codes, Chassis codes, Body codes, and CAN codes)
Special troubleshooting functions to walk you through codes (like the BMW Test Plan)
Check and activate electronic components like switches, relays, and actuators
Records live sensor data
Provides live data graphing
Merges graphs for easy and intuitive diagnosis
Displays freeze frame data
Create a custom data stream
Reads and resets most adaptations
Reads OBD Readiness
Does active tests on systems and components
Performs special functions, coding, security access
Code and program replacement control units
Supports all 10 OBDII test modes
Resets oil service light
Sets inspection 1, 2 service intervals (manual or automatic)
Sets inspection mileage
Deactivates and reactivates brake control system
Retracts calipers for brake pad replacement on newer models
Initializes the wear indicator if new pads installed
Diagnoses Electronic Parking Brake caliper functionality
Multilingual menu options and code definitions
Memory card for data backup and software update
Print feature
Large TFT color screen and menu-driven operations
Free life time updates

Wow! You just talked me out of ever buying a BMW.

Here's what the Ford version of the same tool can do:

Read and erase Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC's) from most (if not all) electronically controlled systems, including Engine, ABS, Airbag, Automatic Transmission, Immobiliser and Climate Control
Turns off dashboard warning lights
Displays fault code definitions on-screen (where available)
Displays live sensor data
Displays live data graphs, including graph merging
Resets oil service indicator
Performs Electronic Parking Brake service functions
Performs bi-directional component actuations - manually operating components on the car to test their function
Offers module coding support
Reads and Erases engine fault codes on OBDII /EOBD compliant cars (all* 2001+ gasoline cars and 2004+ diesel cars)
Display live engine sensor data on OBDII /EOBD compliant cars
Multilingual menu options and code definitions
2.8 inch backlit colour LCD display
No batteries required - powered from the car's diagnostic port
FREE Lifetime Software Updates after registration

No modern car can be properly diagnosed or serviced with a $20 generic scanner.

In my modern car I just take it to the shop. Let them figure it out.

Maybe you convinced me not to buy any other modern cars too.

qbrozen

ab348 said:

Given the fact that modern cars all have screens in the dash, I am having a hard time understanding why a code reader is required at all. Surely the software powering it could be made to display and respond in the car without an external device.

And take away all the proprietary software the dealerships are forced to buy, while also eliminating the only reason consumers are forced into dealerships for repairs? Yeah, right!

snakeweasel

oldfarmer50 said:

I broke down and bought a scan tool for my BMWs and Minis. The Mini needs a new battery and the tool will let me register the battery without the need of a trip to the dealer or indie shop. Since most shops charge .05-1.0 hours for the procedure the tool will pay for itself with one use- plus it will perform some thorough diagnostics. The word on the BMW and Mini boards is that it's the next best thing to having INPA diagnostic software, and it is supposedly much easier to use.

Could you educate me on what is involved in registering a battery and what that means?

I think it means if the bride registered asking for a new battery they will send her one.

LONG ANSWER: "After installing a new battery, the service function ‘Register battery replacement’ must be run. The registration of the battery replacement is required to inform the power management (software in engine electronics and intelligent battery sensor) that a new battery was installed in the vehicle. If the battery replacement is not registered, the power management will not function properly and can lead to functions being limited by individual electrical consumers being switched off or having their power consumption reduced. Power management will charge the new battery as if it’s the old worn out battery, causing premature failure of the replacement battery." SHORT ANSWER: It's a German car so everything has to be harder.

The battery registration issue can be justified from a theoretical engineering standpoint, but the real world advantage has yet to be established. It's not a difficult procedure but you either need the proper equipment to register it or else pay a dealer or indie shop to do it. Like I said, once I perform one or two registrations the scan tool is paid for- and anyway, I think that the tool is pretty inexpensive considering all that it can do: Works on BMW models from 1987-current*; Works on MINI models from 2002-current* Compatible with global OBDII / EOBD standards Reads and clears codes and turns off SES/CEL/MIL/DTC (BMW Powertrain codes, Chassis codes, Body codes, and CAN codes) Special troubleshooting functions to walk you through codes (like the BMW Test Plan) Check and activate electronic components like switches, relays, and actuators Records live sensor data Provides live data graphing Merges graphs for easy and intuitive diagnosis Displays freeze frame data Create a custom data stream Reads and resets most adaptations Reads OBD Readiness Does active tests on systems and components Performs special functions, coding, security access Code and program replacement control units Supports all 10 OBDII test modes Resets oil service light Sets inspection 1, 2 service intervals (manual or automatic) Sets inspection mileage Deactivates and reactivates brake control system Retracts calipers for brake pad replacement on newer models Initializes the wear indicator if new pads installed Diagnoses Electronic Parking Brake caliper functionality Multilingual menu options and code definitions Memory card for data backup and software update Print feature Large TFT color screen and menu-driven operations Free life time updates

Wow! You just talked me out of ever buying a BMW.

Here's what the Ford version of the same tool can do: Read and erase Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC's) from most (if not all) electronically controlled systems, including Engine, ABS, Airbag, Automatic Transmission, Immobiliser and Climate Control Turns off dashboard warning lights Displays fault code definitions on-screen (where available) Displays live sensor data Displays live data graphs, including graph merging Resets oil service indicator Performs Electronic Parking Brake service functions Performs bi-directional component actuations - manually operating components on the car to test their function Offers module coding support Reads and Erases engine fault codes on OBDII /EOBD compliant cars (all* 2001+ gasoline cars and 2004+ diesel cars) Display live engine sensor data on OBDII /EOBD compliant cars Multilingual menu options and code definitions 2.8 inch backlit colour LCD display No batteries required - powered from the car's diagnostic port FREE Lifetime Software Updates after registration No modern car can be properly diagnosed or serviced with a $20 generic scanner.

In my modern car I just take it to the shop. Let them figure it out. Maybe you convinced me not to buy any other modern cars too.

So will we be seeing you on bicycle forums on the future?

driver100

But, this is what I am wondering.....something is wrong with your car. You use the code scanner device, and it tells you what isn't working properly. Now, what do you do? I would take it to the dealer to get it fixed, but, if I took it there in the first place they would have found the problem and fixed it.

I guess this way I may know how expensive the repair will be and either have it done now or save up to have it done later.

cdnpinhead

jmonroe said:

I'm convinced now more than ever that the cold had something to do with this. So I have to test it again. I'm going to leave the car out overnight to see if the problem can be repeated tomorrow morning. So I still might have to ask to borrow your thingy.

My money's on marginally low brake fluid that registers okay on the float when it's warm but goes over the limit in the extreme cold when the fluid contracts.