Reset Warning Lights

[Mark VIII]

Hi!! I have a quesiton about my chick's 318Ti. Is there a way to reset the air-bag warning light without the 'bmw reset tool'? I recently had to change the seat belt buckle because it caused the air-bag light to come on. (I had a garage read the error code, but didn't pay them $400 to fix it). I replaced the part and the warning light is still on. Can I just disconnect the battery for 30-minutes or so, like my Lincoln?

btw - is the buckle a defective part in this car? both front seat buckles went bad in the car.

Thanks in advance!
Ken
1997 BMW 318Ti (my chick's car)
1993 Lincoln Mark VIII (14.3 @ 97 MPH)
1984 Chrysler LeBaron Turbo Convertible Mark Cross Edition

[1996 328ti]

No. You need someone to reset the SRS light. Peake now sells a reset tool.

I know a lot of people have replaced their right side belts because the switch breaks. I don't recall if there is a switch for the left belt.

Another common problem is that the passenger seat mat goes bad. I think it's because the wire is too short.

[Mark VIII]

Thanks for the response.

I don't really want to go out a buy the reset tool. The tool to reset the oil and reset error codes is different, right? Not sure why BMW does this with their cars! The inability to reset the oil change light is equally as annoying. (In my Lincoln, if I disconnect the battery for 30-60 minutes, the codes reset. A very nice option.)

Will pep boys or some garage reset the light for some fee? How much would they charge for something like that?

The belt problem is both sides. The driver's side buckle was replaced under warranty and the passenger side, I just replaced.

Ken

[Phil Marx]

In my ti's case the light came on even after having the buckle replaced by a dealer. So far, just resetting the fault code has kept the light out for going on two weeks now. If my telling you this jynxes it, I'm sending you a bill!

In my case the codes were read and the light reset by a local high-school auto shop instructor with the school's SnapOn diagnostic tool. You might give that a try at your local school. The fault code was definitely the belt switch but we did nothing other than reset the fault code memory. The previous owner had been covering the light with a piece of tape for several years!!!

Good luck,

-Phil

[1996 328ti]

I reset the SRS light too when it showed a seat belt switch fault. that only lasted a few times using the seat belt. I had to replace the stupid thing.

[Mark VIII]

Yes, resetting the SRS light will keep it off for a little while, with no repair, at least it did in my chick's car for 2-3 months or so. We had another part replaced that was causing the 'check engine' light. I think it was a cam sensor. When we had that part replaced we had all codes reset by a garage.

Eventually the SRS light came back on so I replaced the part. Now I have to find a way to reset the light, without spending $150 (kind of defeats the purpose of doing the repair myself)!!! The garage that I had the cam sensor replaced at will probably not like me bringing it back to reset the codes for a part I replaced personally after their diagnostics.

Ken

[Mark VIII]

My chick (it is her car) found a garage by her job that had the necessary tool to reset the SRS light. They charged her $20. What a pain in the butt!!!

I literally checked with 10 (TEN) garages for the reset tool, and none had it.

My chick with the 318ti just moved in with me, and I'll be doing some of the maintenance myself. So I'll be back with the questions! So far, what I've changed in the car includes rear brakes, fuel filter, spark plugs, belts, hatch shocks, and now the passengers side seat belt buckle.

So far the oddest things I have found out about this BMW -
- The 318Ti has its own rear rotors (not shared with any other 3-series)
- You can actually buy 1-spark plug wire at a time for this car!
- And of course, fixing the part that caused the airbag light to go on, doesn't mean the light will go off.

Thanks for any help!!

Ken