How to Clear the Electronic Steering Wheel Code on a BMW

1. Pop up the hood of your BMW and prop it up with the safety bar.
2. Locate the negative battery terminal. Find the clamp on the terminal, which has a nut on top of it. Loosen that nut with a wrench. Slide the clamp off of the negative battery terminal, making sure it doesn't touch metal or the positive terminal.
3. Wait 30 minutes while the computer resets itself, thus clearing all codes.
4. Reattach the clamp to the negative terminal and tighten the nut. Lower the hood of the car.
5. Put the key into the ignition and start the engine. Verify the electronic steering wheel light is shut off the instrument panel.

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How to Synchronize a Mercedes Radio Remote

1. Read your phone user manual for turning on Bluetooth. Steps vary by phone. Once activated, your phone is able to search for other Bluetooth devices.
2. Press the 'Tel' button on your Mercedes radio. It should display the word 'Telephone' on the screen. Scroll down and choose 'Telephone,' 'Telephone List' and 'Update.'
3. Look for the name of your cell phone in the list. The name should be in black with a cell phone next to it. Other available Bluetooth devices will have a name with a cell phone icon or check mark next to each of them. Click on your phone and verify your selection.
4. Click 'Options' and 'Authorize.' Enter your four-digit Bluetooth code, which is any sequence of numbers you have created. The default code is '0000.' Press 'OK' when complete.
5. Enter the four-digit code on your mobile phone. Follow your phone's instructions until synchronization is complete. Your Mercedes radio will display 'Telephone' on the screen with a check mark next to it.

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Instructions for a 1999 Audi A4 Keyless Entry Remote

1. Sit in the driver's seat of your 1999 Audi A4 while you program the keyless entry remote to synchronize with your vehicle.
2. Press and release any button on the keyless entry remote.
3. Press the 'Lock' or 'Unlock' button on the control panel on the driver's side door to synchronize the keyless entry remote to the Audi A4.
4. Exit the vehicle and close all of the doors. Press the 'Lock' button to test the keyless entry remote to ensure that the synchronization process was successful.

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How to Add Transmission Fluid to an Audi

Checking/Adding Automatic Transmission Fluid
1. Park your Audi on a level surface. Leave the car's motor running. The gear selector should be in 'Park' or 'Neutral.'
2. Raise the car's hood by pulling the hood release lever inside of the vehicle (located on driver's side to the left of the brake pedal).
3. Pull the automatic-transmission fluid dipstick from its holder. The dipstick is located at the back of the engine. On certain model Audis, it will be labeled 'Transmission' or similar wording.
4. Wipe the dipstick with a rag or cloth to remove any standing fluid. Replace the dipstick in its holder.
5. Remove the dipstick again. You will see transmission fluid on the dipstick--do not wipe it off. Look at the dipstick closely. Look at the 'Warm,' 'Full' wording. If the fluid on the stick doesn't come up to the 'Warm' 'Full' wording, proceed to the next step.If the transmission fluid level is showing 'Warm,' 'Full,' skip to Step 8.
6. Turn off your car's motor. Place a funnel into the dipstick's holder. Slowly pour one-half cup of automatic transmission fluid into the funnel. Note, do not allow the fluid to contact the exhaust manifold---this can cause a fire.
7. Remove the funnel. Place the dipstick back into its holder. Repeat steps 3 through 6 until the fluid level is showing 'Warm,' 'Full.'Warning, do not overfill your car's transmission with fluid--this will cause the fluid to boil inside of the transmission. Only fill to the 'Warm,' 'Full' level.
8. Replace the dipstick in its holder. Lower your Audi's hood.
Checking/Adding Fluid to Manual Transmission
9. Complete steps 1 and 2 in the 'Checking/Adding Automatic Transmission Fluid' section of this article.
10. Locate your Audi's manual transmission clutch reservoir located at the back of the engine close to the brake-fluid reservoir. The small plastic container is one inch in diameter and smaller than the brake-fluid reservoir.
11. Unscrew the clutch-fluid reservoir's cap. The reservoir should be filled to the top. If the fluid level is low, slowly add brake fluid to the reservoir until the fluid is to the top of the reservoir.Note, there is no such thing as 'clutch fluid'--the clutch uses brake fluid to keep your Audi's manual transmission lubricated and running properly.
12. Replace the clutch-fluid reservoir's cap. Lower your Audi's hood.

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How to Change an Alternator in an 2001 Audi A4

1. Open the engine compartment and disconnect the negative battery cable using a wrench to loosen the terminal nut. On some automobiles, you may have to remove the cooling duct to get to the alternator. If you model is one of these, then you can remove the air ducts using a screwdriver to remove the clamps.
2. Unplug the alternator wiring harness and then remove the other wires using a wrench to remove the nuts. Loosen the mounting bolts on the alternator with a ratchet and socket. Push the alternator to the side and remove the serpentine belt from the alternator only.
3. Remove the alternator mounting bolts using a socket and ratchet and pull the alternator out of the vehicle.
4. Put the new alternator in place and loosely install the mounting bolts. Place the serpentine belt back on the alternator pulley and tighten the alternator mounting bolts with the socket and ratchet. Plug the alternator wiring harness in and then connect the other electrical wires. Use a wrench to tighten the nuts.
5. If you had to remove the air ducts to access the alternator, replace them and tighten the clamps with the screwdriver. Reconnect the negative battery terminal and tighten the nut with a wrench.

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How to Take a Water Pump Out of a BMW 325E

1. Raise the front of the car with a floor jack and lower it onto a pair of jack stands, one under each side of the car. Open the drain plug on the driver's side of the radiator and drain the coolant into a container. Drain the coolant from the engine block into the same container by removing the drain plug that is in the block by the exhaust manifold.
2. Loosen the hose clamps that hold the upper and lower radiator hoses to the radiator. Pull the hoses off of the radiator. Unhook the fan shroud from the radiator. It is held on with small clips that allow the shroud to be pulled off. Remove the two bolts that hold the radiator in place. Remove the radiator.
3. Remove the 32-mm nut that holds the fan on, turning the nut clockwise as you face the car, since the nut is reverse threaded. Remove the fan and fan shroud. Place a strap wrench on the water pump pulley and use it hold the pulley still while you remove the four nuts that hold the pulley on. Unclip the distributor cap and rotor for added clearance. Leave the plug wires connected to the cap and just push the cap out of the way.
4. Loosen the star-shaped adjusters on the alternator and power steering pump pulleys. Move the pulleys over to slacken the belts. Remove the belts from the pulleys. Remove the six Allen bolts from the crankshaft pulley. Remove the pulley and then pull off the harmonic damper behind it, which is not held on with any bolts.
5. Remove the two upper bolts from the timing belt cover with a socket. Remove the bolt that holds the alternator bracket to the timing belt cover and remove the top timing belt cover. Remove the bolts that hold the lower timing belt cover on. Remove the lower timing belt cover. Remove the bolts that hold the water pump to the engine block with a socket and ratchet and remove the water pump.

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How to Save Fuel Without Losing Horsepower

Saving Fuel Through Maintenance
1. Tune your engine often. Just tuning can improve fuel efficiency by up to 4 percent, depending on the quality of the repair. If your oxygen sensor is faulty, replacing it can improve your fuel efficiency by up to 40 percent.
2. Inflate your tires properly to the manufacturer's specifications. Under-inflated tires will reduce your mileage by .03 percent for each drop of 1 Psi in pressure below the recommended level. Be careful to inflate to within the recommended range, not all the way to the maximum level.
3. Use the right grade of motor oil. Each engine has a recommended grade of oil. Using it can gain 1 to 2 percent more mileage. Look at the package of the oil to ensure it has friction-reducing additives in it.
4. Replace clogged air filters. This may improve fuel efficiency slightly and will certainly boost performance for a given level of fuel use, allowing you to save even more fuel without losing horsepower. If your car has a carburetor this is even more effective.
5. Eliminate unnecessary weight from your car. If you don't need it on that trip, leave it at home. This will improve your fuel efficiency by making the car lighter, which allows the engine to work less hard for a given speed.
Driving Habits
6. Drive calmly and defensively. Speeding, rapid braking and rapid acceleration will all use more fuel than smooth driving.
7. Drive at or below 60 mph. This is the speed for peak engine efficiency, which falls off quickly past 60. Driving a bit slower (at 50 or 45) hurts fuel consumption less.
8. Avoid idling. When your car is idling, you are burning gas to get nowhere. If your starter is in good shape, you should be able to turn off your car if stopped even for a minute and not waste gas on the engine start.
9. Use cruise control. It will keep your speed constant, which is more efficient and will save fuel.
10. Use your overdrive gears. They let the engine spin slower for a given wheel speed, which uses less fuel and isn't as hard on the engine.

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Troubleshooting for the BMW 318i

1. Inspect the exterior of the 318 for any visible aftermarket modifications. Have the 318 badges been removed from the rear trunk lid? That is usually the first step, since most BMW owners do not want to admit they bought the cheapest one. If a rear wing has been installed on the trunk, then inspect the bolt holes for any signs of rust. Open the trunk to see if water has leaked through. Make sure washers have been used to help keep the grommets in place on the bolt holes. If water pools in the trunk, it can rust the body, frame and even get down to the fuel tank beneath.
2. Look at how the car sits on its suspension. If it rides low, then a lowering kit may have been installed. Inspect the struts for any cracks or signs of warping. Look at the rims of the wheels for signs of curbage. Curbage is when the sides of the rims hit curbstones and scrape off bits of metal. Look at the tires to see if any of them are running flat. BMW started equipping its cars with run flat tires in the 90s, but these were replaced by many owners with regular tires.
3. Open the hood and inspect the engine for any damage. Any cracks in the exhaust manifold could leak exhaust gases before they can get to the catalytic converter. However, many customers replaced their engines with bigger engines like the six-cylinder in the 330, or a Chevy small block. If so, inspect the engine mounts for any signs of stress and the bolts for shearing. If the engine is starting to work itself free of the mounts, then the mounts need to be replaced immediately.
4. Start the 318 and listen to the engine idle. If the firing seems erratic, then the direct injection ports could be clogged or the camshaft could have become unbalanced. In either case the engine needs to be repaired, but it would be cheaper to put in a newer, better engine than buy a new four-cylinder, since it is no longer made.

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How to Reset the Computer on a 1990 BMW 750Il

1. Locate and open the fuse panel cover. This can be found in the driver's side dashboard. Pull down on it from the top with your fingers.
2. Find the large port within the fuse panel. It will be the same size and shape as the connective end of the BMW OBD reset tool. This small computerized hand-held device can be purchased from your BMW dealer.
3. Plug the tool into the port.
4. Put the key into the ignition and turn it to the 'On' position. Don't start the engine.
5. Wait for the tool to automatically clear all the trouble codes. Unplug the tool and close the fuse panel cover. Start the engine and verify that all service and warning lights of the instrument panel have shut off. The computer has been reset.

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How to Reset a BMW E60 Service Light

1. Press and hold the 'Trip Meter Reset' button.
2. Turn the key in the ignition to 'On' without cranking the engine.
3. Release the 'Trip Meter Reset' button when the word 'RESET' appears on the instrument panel.
4. Press and hold the 'Trip Meter Reset' button until 'RESET' blinks off and on.
5. Depress the 'Trip Meter Reset' button to reset the service indicator.

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