Condition Based Service Problem
 

Re: 2008 X5 4.8i

I'm having a problem resetting one of my Condition Based Service indicators.

I have a service warning for differential fluid change. (It was just changed, but it was overdue). Whether it's a coincidence or not, I very recently used my Schwaben scan tool to reset the service indicator for brake fluid change. I am worried that the Schwaben tool somehow turned on a feature that is not supposed to even be on this car; (I was not aware there was a CBS feature for diff fluid on my car). I'm not a big believer in coincidences.

Since I just had both diff oils changed this week, I need to clear this. It is not on the list for the items I could clear under CBS with the Schwaben, nor was it on the list of what was clearable as a CBS with an Autologic at my friends shop.

I tried a manual reset of this. Maybe I'm not doing this right, but here's what I did:
---With ignition on; car not running, I held the trip reset button until the service items came up.
---The Diff oil item came up first, so I released the button, and then pressed again for 3 seconds. I got a message "OK", and that was it. If I hold the button longer the "OK" disappears.
---I was expecting to see a message "RESET" but all I got was OK.
---This did not clear the CBS warning for differential oil.

How many miles on your E70 when the Diff Fluid CBS warning showed up??

113,000

But it gave me no prior warning. For example, when I bought the car a couple of years ago, I had the brake fluid changed, and as the mileage for another change came up, it gave me advance notice I was due for a change, (I think 1200 miles to go). And the fact that even an Autologic did not have the option of resetting the diff service it has me worried.

I guess if you can find out if the Service Interval is shows as "Lifetime" for the differential fluid, then something was enabled or turned on in the DME or what ever module determines the CBS.

Might need NCSExpert to sort it out.

If I have time, I will check with a few of my tools.

Thanks in advance. I'm at least 75% convinced my Schwaben scan tool screwed something up.

Under the CBS in TIS, differential fluid service is NOT supposed to be on the list of items.

Since it's not supposed to be a CBS item, is it possible that the differential service indicator is due to some sensor in the diff triggering this? For example low fluid?

After around 100K you get a Transmission wear oil warning that pops up. I got it on my last E70. somewhere between 100k and 110K miles. I after resetting the indicator 4 times twice with carly and twice with my indy finally went to the dealer.

How do you know it's a "reset indicator" and not an "error code"?

Do you have access to Rheingold ISTA-D? Might be worth trying to read the codes and reset them using the factory software.

If the oil has sheared off/wrong viscosity, etc. , it's certainly possible that you're getting an error. The thing with the brake fluid is merely a coincidence imo.

I don't know it's not an error code.

I did run a full scan with my Schwaben scan tool, and it did not detect anything related to the differential, but that is a lightweight scan tool at best. I did not think to run a full scan when I had access to my friend's Autologic; I was just focusing on the CBS area...but I definitely need to do that.

This problem is now resolved. Both the instrument cluster and the central information system needed to be updated and re-coded. This was done by my local independent shop using an Autologic. I was very worried I might need to buy a new cluster, but that was thankfully avoided. Bottom line, the Schwaben scan tool turned on a CBS function that does not exsist on 2008 USA X5s, (perhaps only exists on certain non-USA market M cars.)

So far, my newly acquired Schwaben scan tool is 0-1; it's first use causing damage that cost more to undo than the cost of tool itself.