Anyone Know What This Maintenance Reminder Is For?

[bawareca]

Originally Posted by ard

Picture fine. you on a phone?

Do you know what a tamper dot is? Anyone read your DME during the pre purchase inspection?

Tampering dot is gone with E39,E46 and E53.The system is a bit more complicated now,definitely not possible for amateurs to do a rollback.

[toicy4ya]

So i checked into my local BMW service station in Port Chester NY just to get an idea of what it might be. The person behind the service counter stated the VTG oil needs to be replaced in the transfer case.

Not quite sure what that is. Ive never had that done before. He quoted me about $150 labor plus the oil. Parts had the oil for $25 a quart.

He mentioned the service notification can go on at 60k, 100k or when needed.

[ZetaTre]

Originally Posted by bawareca

Tampering dot is gone with E39,E46 and E53.The system is a bit more complicated now,definitely not possible for amateurs to do a rollback.

Also incorrect: the E70 has a manipulation dot that appears between the trip and the odometer (IIRC). It works the same way it has always done which is comparing the odometer recorded in the instrument cluster with the one store in the CAS.

PS: not trying to be a dick here since I'm sure you're trying to help, just correcting inaccuracies that do nothing more than a dis-service...

[bawareca]

Originally Posted by ZetaTre

....

Obviously I know nothing about BMW,mostly pretending that have some knowledge,or 20 years experience with BMWs.

From Pelican parts:

" The transfer case fluid condition is monitored by the transfer case control module. In theory, you will be notified when a service is due on the info display via the transfer case control module. "

BMW E90 Transfer Case Fluid Replacement | E91, E92, E93 | Pelican Parts DIY Maintenance Article

[ZetaTre]

Originally Posted by bawareca

Obviously I know nothing about BMW,mostly pretending that have some knowledge,or 20 years experience with BMWs.

No need to engage in reductio ad absurdum: I never said you knew nothing. Actually I find your posts very informative. It just happened that in this post you made definitive statements on a couple of things which turned out to be inaccurate and I thought it was helpful to point them out.

We all learn from experience, but sometime the First Law of Clarke gets in the way...

Originally Posted by bawareca

From Pelican parts:

" The transfer case fluid condition is monitored by the transfer case control module. In theory, you will be notified when a service is due on the info display via the transfer case control module. "

BMW E90 Transfer Case Fluid Replacement | E91, E92, E93 | Pelican Parts DIY Maintenance Article

Now back on the subject at hand: I was not questioning the fact that the VTG control module monitors oil status. I was questioning the fact that it uses "a sensor measures the resistance of the oil in the transfer case.More parts wear inside,more metal pieces in the oil,resistance decreases."

I've never heard of such sensor, for sure the ATC 700 in my 35d and the ATC 400 in my X3 don't have it and they simply monitored oil indirectly by tracking use and extrapolating the remaining useful life of the oil. Given the very limited gears in the transfer case the primary contaminant of oil comes from the wear of the clutch plates.

The link you posted doesn't mention it nor does any of the BMW literature I have; perhaps you read it elsewhere (hopefully not a forum post )

[motordavid]

Maybe a low fluid condition via a sensor?
Just a WAG...
GL, mD

[bawareca]

I have code only for the VTG(transfer case) oil condition in my '06 530xit,but it had 170 k miles.
A sensor measures the resistance of the oil in the transfer case.More parts wear inside,more metal pieces in the oil,resistance decreases.At a predetermined point a code is set.

[ZetaTre]

Originally Posted by bawareca

A sensor measures the resistance of the oil in the transfer case.More parts wear inside,more metal pieces in the oil,resistance decreases.At a predetermined point a code is set.

That's the first time I hear such a thing: what's your source?

[ard]

JCL- figured this would catch your eye...

I dont think we know really WHAT is being measured by the BMW capactive 'oil quality' sensor. Metal? Viscosity? A combination? I will bet money that it cannot, however, measure 'additive package'. but thats not the topic here.

The odd thing is that I cannot recall ANYONE posting a CBS warning to change transfer case oil, ever....

[ZetaTre]

Originally Posted by ard

JCL- figured this would catch your eye...

I dont think we know really WHAT is being measured by the BMW capactive 'oil quality' sensor. Metal? Viscosity? A combination? I will bet money that it cannot, however, measure 'additive package'. but thats not the topic here.

The odd thing is that I cannot recall ANYONE posting a CBS warning to change transfer case oil, ever....

You asked for it