R5/FCX-3 vs. OBDII tools:
1.) The R5/FCX-3 is not an OBDII device, it is a factory-code
scanner. Meaning, it reads the full range of detailed BMW factory codes
(which are the same codes the dealer has access to.) In contrast, OBDII
tools use a government-mandated, generic code language, and do not
read any BMW factory codes. OBDII is not inherently bad, but for BMWs
and other European makes, OBDII tools suffer significant limitations.
The two most common complaints about OBDII are a.) "unknown code"
messages, or misleading codes that prompt unnecessary replacement of
perfectly good engine components, and b.) the OBDII device would not
reset the service reminder lights.
2.) Our R5/FCX-3 resets the BMW Oilservice and Inspection maintenance
reminder lights. OBDII tools absolutely will not reset those, as the BMW
service lights are manufacturer specific, not generic.
3.) If your BMW is a 1995 model or earlier, you will require the
R5/FCX-3. As OBDII devices are simply not compatible with BMWs of that
era.
CBS stands for "Conditions Based Service": The CBS system
became standard equipment on many models in 2005, and all models made
2006 and later, and all 745's. People often confuse the Oilservice and
Inspection lights with the CBS system, however, they are entirely
different. Our tools will not reset the CBS maintenance lights. If you
have a 2005 or later it is important to be able to tell CBS from SI. The
most notable difference between the CBS system and the SI (oilservice
and inspection) system is the oil change reminder:
CBS: will just say "oil" (The R5/FCX316 can not reset it)
SI: will say "oilservice" (the R5/FCX3 can reset it)
Other visible differences exist to help you tell CBS from SI: such as
a more detailed listing of the maintenance that needs to be done: Where
the SI system will simply say "Inspection", the CBS system will list
detailed items on your dash, such as fluids, belts, etc...
Which Lights will the Peake Research
R5/FCX-3 reset? The R5/FCX-3 code tool will reset the Check
Engine light, Service Engine Soon light, the
non-CBS
maintenance indicator (i.e. the Oilservice and Inspection lights and the
Maintenance Mileage indicator,) and it can often reset other lights by
association. What that means is that there are other systems in the car
that check the health of the main ECU (also called a DME), if the DME's
got a problem then the light for the other system comes on too. For
instance the automatic transmission light will come on when there is a
sudden fault in the DME. Resetting the faults in the DME, which Also
reset the Engine light, will bring the DME back to normal status and all
systems monitoring it.
Should I get the Oilservice reset tool or the R5/FCX-3 ( or -16) ?
Most people who order the low cost Oilservice reset tool end up buying
the R5/FCX-3 later. Why? Because Check Engine lights (also known as the
MIL or "Service engine soon" light) are simply unavoidable in BMWs. And
unless you have the R5/FCX-3 you are put in the position of relying on
or paying a third party to read the codes; usually at a cost of about
$100, which happens to be the price difference between the Oilservice
tool and the R5/FCX-3! Sometimes you find out that the MIL was on for
nothing more than a loose gas cap. But, when faced with a large, hard to
understand repair bill and overly technical explanation, it becomes
clear that the extra money for the R5/FCX-3 would have been money well
spent. Scan tools are popular for a good reason! People who think that
code scanning is too technical have not tried the R5/FCX-3 - it is fool
proof - using one compares in difficulty to checking your oil!
And for the shop techs reading this, you probably already know that
if you can not read a customers codes, they will be forced into your
competitor's shop.
What is the difference between the R5/A or R5/B and the R5/FCX-3?
The R5/A or R5/B only resets the service reminder lights known as
Oilservice and Inspection, and were designed to be compatible only up to
1999. The R5/FCX-3 is far more capable and has compatibility past 1999.
Of course the R5/FCX-3 will reset the Oilservice and Inspection (also
known as the non-CBS maintenence lights), but its main strength is its
ability to read and display all engine fault codes, and reset the "Check
Engine" and "Service Engine Soon" lights. Please
click here to learn why most people buy the R5/FCX-3 instead of the
R5/A or R5/B.
Another important difference is that The R5/B and R5/A are not
available in configurations that go past year 2000. So if your car was
made 2000 or later, you will need the R5/FCX-3.
Is the R5/SRS; a good choice for me? That depends on your
problem. When you consider the value of knowing what is wrong with your
car before taking it in for a repair, the R5/SRS is always a good value.
But if you are considering performing your own SRS system repairs, the
extent of the repairs should play a role in your decision. In general,
post-accident SRS system repairs are not DIY procedures, and are best
left to people with proper tooling and training, where minor events such
as an SRS light caused by swapping in a racing seat for a track day, are
DIY procedures.
I saw the OBD connector under my dash; do I automatically require
the FCX3 ending in "-16"? No. All BMWs built 1996 to roughly mid
year 2000 have both the
OBD connector AND the 20 pin, under-hood BMW connector. The rule
here is, that if you have the connector under the hood, you must
use the tool that plugs in under the hood. Otherwise, the tool with the
OBD plug will plug in and power up, but you will discover that you can
not do a service light reset, or in the case of the SRS tool, you will
not be able to read or reset SRS codes. If your car is built in or
between the years 2000 and 2003, check under your hood to see if your
have the round 20 pin connector.
I do not understand the definition of the code shown in the
manual. Most of the definitions in the manual are straight forward
and self explanatory, but on occasion you will get a code that is a
little more technical than you are used to, or uses abbreviations that
are unobvious. For the abbreviations please refer to the glossary in the
back of the tool manual, most of the strange abbreviations are explained
there. As for highly technical codes, we suggest you purchase a repair
manual for the car, or perhaps buy the factory CD roms from BMW.