SRS/Airbag light reader

[Philboski]

Hi there,

Got an invite to drop by here from Chromius in a thread on Bimmerforums.com. It's cool that there is actually an Ottawa section on one of these forums.

My airbag light has been on the car since I bought it. The PO said that it was some kind of relay or the like under the driver's seat. I wrote it down, but naturally lost the paper .

Does anyone here have an airbag code reader, or will I be forced to bite the bullet and take it to Duss Bros. to get the code read?

[Jamil20]

No, but I need the reset tool myself. The tool is about $120-150, which is almost the cost of a reset at a garage. I'd be interested in splitting the cost of buying the tool with whoever needs it too.

Does your airbag light come on then turn off after 2 minutes? If that's the case, you don't need to replace anything, just need to reset your SRS system. Sometimes, you can trigger a fault in the system just by adjusting the seat. That's how mine turned on.

[bmdbley'sBro]

welcome to max

Originally Posted by Jamil20

Does your airbag light come on then turn off after 2 minutes? If that's the case, you don't need to replace anything, just need to reset your SRS system. Sometimes, you can trigger a fault in the system just by adjusting the seat. That's how mine turned on.

thats what mine does... its cause i had the gauge cluster out..

[Jamil20]

Here's the tool BTW:

http://www.peakeresearch.com/srstool.htm

[Philboski]

I am trying to avoid paying for something that I already wrote down....somewhere. I have my car in the shop now due to a bad timing chain guide, so I'll be going broke, just in time for X-mas. I know Duss Brothers can do it too. Once I get the code, I'll do the repair myself, then get a quickie reset.

[ecuconnection]

welcome and good luck

[chromius]

Philboski, Great to see you joined! Sorry I don't have the SRS tool. But like Jamil said, might be worth a few of us getting together and buying it. I don't need it right now, but I'm sure it's something I'll need in the future, so I'd be willing to throw in a few bucks.

BTW, what happend with the timing chain guide? How did you know it was bad? (symptoms etc.) Just for reference since we have the same ride, I figure it's good info for me to know incase mine goes too.

[Philboski]

Symptoms?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5Xb8pgMMTI

My mechanic thought it was related to the belts at first, but quickly discovered it was a chain guide. The part has some nylon on it, and this was destroyed. The chain jumped a tooth as well. Big job -- timing covers have to come off as do the valve covers. Lots o' labour.

On top of this, he was really slow getting to my car because,and I quote "I had a whole bunch of people coming in to get their snow tires done." So, apparently, my money is less important than theirs. Second job in a row where he said it would be done at a certain time, and failed to deliver (actually, he has done this three times alone on this job!). I will be having a chat with him when I pick up the car, and depending on his answers, he might lose my business. And he is sooo much cheaper than Duss Bros.

Geez, I just reread that last para. Think I'm a little bitter?

I should get the car back today. This is at Autobahn in Manotick by the way.

[Philboski]

Originally Posted by chromius

BTW, what happend with the timing chain guide? How did you know it was bad? (symptoms etc.) Just for reference since we have the same ride, I figure it's good info for me to know incase mine goes too.

Oh, and by the way, my girlfriend knows a guy at work who is friends with a guy who used to work on Bimmers here in Ottawa (sorry, don't know the name). Apparently he did the chain tensioner job many times on 7-series. Take that for what it's worth.

[chromius]

Originally Posted by Philboski

I should get the car back today. This is at Autobahn in Manotick by the way.

Ah Yes...Todd. I know him. My Father brings his car to him, and swears by him. Nice guy, but I don't bring my car to him. His real speciality is Porsche's I think, and I think he's "learning as he goes" with the Bimmers. I asked him once what he would charge for replacing a rear Ball joint on the 540, and he procedded to tell me that 540's didn't have a rear ball joint, and I would need to replace the entire control arm. I quickly decided I wouldn't be going there. I'd much prefer to stick to doing it myself. I can at least trust my own work to a degree. I'm sure he's a great mechanic, but not necessairily a BMW specialist. And Because he's pretty much a one man operation, like you said, it can take a while to get work done.

[Philboski]

And he offered to do my rear ball joints! He has the tool and everything!

Yeah, Todd was a Porsche tech for a while, and he does a lot of VW work apparently, but he seems to know his Bimmers as well, or at least now he does. I have asked him a couple of questions where I knew the answer, and it wouldn't be common knowledge. When did you deal with him?

My issue isn't with the work, it's with the customer service. Is it too much to ask to do what you say, when you say? It might be worth the wait to save the cash on labour -- he doesn't charge book rate, and he only dinged me for two hours on the rear shocks for my Bimmer, when he said it would take him one hour, and he ended up taking three.

Like I said, we'll see how our calm, constructive chat goes. Otherwise......well, take a look at my avatar

[chromius]

Well, this was a while back when he first opened and my father told me to go check him out. So it sounds like he's picking it up quickly. You know what they say about first impressions though, that's what scared me away.

He might be worth another look for those pain in the butt jobs that I really don't feel like doing myself. Since his labour rate really is very good.

[aziz]

whats his contact info, i need a front drive shaft fast!!

[carjoe]

Oh wow, my buddy just brought his car there. Havent' talked to him since. I think his car was there for a week while he was out of town. He had tons of stuff done to his E36. I should ask how it went.

[Philboski]

Originally Posted by aziz

whats his contact info, i need a front drive shaft fast!!

Not until I get my car back. I don't want you jumping in front of me in line! .

I should be getting it back today (touch wood), barring some unforeseen incident like him blowing the engine or something.