THE BMW DIAGNOSTIC CONNECTORS

THERE ARE THREE STYLES - A, B and C: BMW first installed the service lights in 1982. At that time the BMW diagnostic connector had 15 pins. In 1987, to add new options they switched to a 20 pin connector. Unfortunately it was not a clean break from the old style. Many 87 and 88's have the 15 pin "old" style connector, as they did not completely phase out the 15 pin connector until late 1988. Lastly, BMW phased out their proprietary connector entirely in 2001 in favor of a standardized 16 pin OBDII connector.

Check the following chart to determine whether you have the "A" style (15 pin) connector or the "B" style (20 pin) connector or the 16 pin "C" style connector.

IMPORTANT: For the FCX3 Scan Tool, If your car has the "B" connector, you must plug the FCX 3tools into the B connector in order to enjoy the full range of functions!

HOW TO FIND YOUR DIAGNOSTIC CONNECTOR

If you don't know which style connector your BMW has, read the descriptions below to help you identify your diagnostic connector.

General Locations, Under-Hood: The red squares mark the locations where the diagnostic connector is usually found. Note there is only one diagnostic connector per vehicle.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The diagnostic connector has no wires coming out of the cap.

"A" style 15 pin connector:  Under the hood, usually located on the engine. Most often found on the drivers side (toward the front of the car), high up and readily accessible. It is covered by an oval dust cap which snaps off (can be a little difficult to remove the first time). The dust cap will be red or black. Once the dust cap is removed you will have access to the diagnostic connector. It is shaped like the letter D (round with a flat side, see above). To be sure you have found the correct connector count the number of pin holes, there should be fifteen.

"B" style 20 pin connector:   Under the hood, often located on the engine, shock tower or fire wall, high up and readily accessible. It is covered by a round dust cap which twists off like the lid of a jar (see photo at right). The dust cap is black with a plastic strap attached. (Note: If you find a connector which has wires sticking out of the cap, you have found the wrong connector) Once the dust cap is removed you will have access to the diagnostic connector. To be sure you have found the correct connector count the number of pin holes (20) and observe the center keyway hole which must be shaped like a pie with a piece removed, also referred to as the "PAC-MAN" style plug, named after the character in the PAC-MAN video game of the early eighties. IF YOU FIND A CONNECTOR WITH A TRIANGLE SHAPED HOLE AT THE CENTER, YOU HAVE FOUND THE WRONG ONE!

OBDII Connector (16 pin) found on 2000 and later BMWs:

Starting in 2001, BMW began to phase out the 20 pin B style connector, using only the 16 pin OBDII connector, which we call the "C" or 16 pin connector. Our tools ending in "-16" and the AB03 adaptor are made specifically to accommodate BMWs with the 16 pin OBDII connector. The "C" connector is located under the dash. IMPORTANT: 99% of BMWs built 1996 to 2000 have both the 16 pin "C" / OBD plug shown below, AND the round 20 pin "B" plug shown above. If that is the case, then you must order the FCX 3 Scan Tool that plugs into the "B", under-hood connector, otherwise certain tool functions will not work. Only order the -16 tools when the only connector your car has is the "C" connector shown below.

The 16 pin, "C", or OBDII connector.

Comparison: The "Basic" R5B -- vs. -- The R5/FCX-3

At $44.95, the basic R5 will not reset the Engine light, Service-Engine-Soon or Check-Engine light, nor will it read or reset engine trouble codes, whereas the FCX 3 at $138.95 will do all of those in addition to resetting the oil reminder and inspection lights lights. The advantages are clear to both BMW owners and technicians.

The above "engine" lights are very common and will force you into the repair shop, where a single code-check usually runs about $100 (the difference in price between the two tools.) In addition, while most shops are honest, we've all had a repair bill that just doesn't sound right. Wouldn't it be nice to have some advanced knowledge before you go to the shop? With the R5/FCX-3, even a caveman (Sorry Geico Caveman) can protect his wallet, and determine the cause of an engine light, reset it, and often avoid the inconvenience and expense of a repair shop visit altogether!

The basic R5 is $94 less than the R5/FCX-3, but are you actually saving $94? How many of the following repair shop visits can you get for $94?

The $44.95 "basic" R5 will NOT help you with any common
"Check Engine" and "Service Engine Soon" lights.

If you are serious about maintaining your BMW, and recognize the true cost of BMW ownership, the best choice is clear; the R5/FCX-3.

Why do we continue to sell the Basic R5 if we do not recommend it? We actually do recommend it to quick lube shops, and people who will be owning their car for just a very short period of time.

What is the Check Engine light trying to tell me?
The BMW Check-Engine light can mean any number of things. Sometimes it's alerting you to the real need for a repair, but most often it is merely indicating one of the many, simple (top off your coolant, loose gas cap or oil cap) type problems. Imagine paying a hundred dollars to a repair shop to tighten your radiator cap and reset the Check Engine light. Without the R5/FCX 3, you're stuck staring at your Check Engine light until you're in the mood to see the mechanic who can reset it.

Routine Maintenance Lights
As an added benefit, the R5/FCX 3 includes the ability to reset the oil service and inspection, routine maintenance lights, and the maintenance mileage. countdown indicator. Considering that an oil service for a BMW can sometimes equal the price of the R5/FCX 3, this feature alone is worth the price of the R5/FCX 3.

What lights will the Peake Research R5® reset? The R5 reset tool will reset the Oil service and Inspection, service reminder lights. It will also reset the green, red and yellow "countdown" leds.

Which Lights will the Peake Research R5/fcx reset? The R5/FCX 3 code tool will reset the check engine light, the oilservice light and the inspection lights, but 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 DME, also referred to as resetting the check-engine light, will bring the DME back to normal status and all systems monitoring it.

What is the difference between the R5-A or B and the R5/FCX 3? Other than having two different connector types The R5-A and the R5-B do the exact same thing- they reset the service reminder lights known as Oil service and Inspection. The R5/FCX 3 is much more capable. It can reset the Si lights, but its main strength is its ability to read and display all engine codes, and reset the "Check Engine" light.

How long has Peake Research been producing the R5®? Peake Research has been producing and selling the R5-A and the R5-B, service light reset tools since May of 1989.

Is Peake Research a well recognized brand name? The high quality and low cost of the Peake Research R5 reset tool has gained us recognition from all of the leading service manual publishers. The R5 is shown in use in the Haynes service manuals and Robert Bentley service manuals, and is the first choice recommendation of service manual publishers Chilton's and Mitchell's. 

Does my BMW have SI lights? The Service lights were introduced in 1982 on the German models. They were fully integrated into the US models by 1984. If your BMW was built 1984 or later, it has SI lights.

Does Peake Research make reset tools for other cars, like Volvo or Mercedes? At this time Peake Research do not offer any products capable of resetting other, non-BMW, vehicles.

Does the R5® need batteries or other special parts that wear out? No, this tool has no replaceable parts or batteries. It gets it's power from the car's electrical system as soon as it is plugged in.

Can the R5® damage my Car? No. Unlike low quality reset tools, Peake Research  products are made to fit into only one spot in your engine compartment. It can not be plugged in to the wrong place and can not be plugged in wrong. To further guarantee proper and safe operation Peake Research test each and every unit we make. Every unit produced since 1989 has been fully tested prior to shipping.