Jerry said "Really, only the BMW dealer can reset the check-engine light?" Resetting a check engine light, and actually performing the required diagnostics, and repairs are two completely different things. In an answer, yes it is quite possible that only a dealer, or an independent that wants to specialize in BMW's will have the tools and equipment necessary to perform the service properly. FWIW, the BMW factory tool, which includes BMW's factory service information starts at $18,000.00+ and has 1/4ly updates that run another $2,000.00 a year. No I won't be buying one, ever... "My new vehicle has displays to tell you to change the oil, I know that can be reset," Don't wait for that system to tell you when to change the oil if you want to keep this vehicle a long time... JMHO.. "I don't recall anything about a check engine light in the owners manul. If it has one, it is a Chevy Colorado, I'd bet a repair shop with the right GM tools can repair/reset the Chevy, one doesn't have to go to the dealer." Yes a shop with the "right tools" can support that vehicle. As much a factor of market share, plus desire the GM TechII scan tool is widely available, and a number of the top independent shops have stepped up to the plate and purchased one, (approx 1 in 100 independent shops). From there it's a business decision whether or not to purchase reprogramming software and updates, and you will likely only find one in twenty shops that have a TechII are involved in flash reprogramming. There are many aftermarket tools that have varying level of support for GM vehicles, most will support GM 80% of the factory tool or slightly better. For the most part this is what you will find most shops using, one of the Snap-On scan tools. (MT2500, or MODIS, SOLUS) Vetronix Masteretch, (Vetronix made the TechI, and TechII tools for GM), OTC Genysis, Nemysis. Some of the most elite of shops will have more than one of these tools. My GM coverage has me using the TechII first and foremost, but I also have the Vetronix Mastertech, and the Snap-On scan tools which I owned prior to the purchase of the TechII, and end up keeping them up to date because the manufacturer bundles the updates. Average cost per tool is $1100 a year for updates. We'll talk about Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, Honda all of which I have factory tools and support for in some other post.... BTW I do have software support for BMW, but it's not factory level, but it is O.E enhanced. Essentially that means it's not just the generic OBDII that the EPA requires under the clean air act, but it's certaintly not the same as the dealer uses either. It's not beyond the possibility to expect I could start into a diagnostic/repair attempt only to find out the tool ($4,000.00) does not support the particular problem the car is experiencing..... BTW, without going into detail, on one hand you would think every shop would jump at the chance to have the correct tools to do the job, but the reason they don't has to do with the tug of war with many of the customers that occurs as they attempt to run a profitable business. After decades of not turning the kinds of profits that an independent should make, the result is an ever snowballing collapse in the number of independent repair shops, simply because they are not tooled, and trained to keep up with today's cars, and they didn't know how to deal with the situation that is created by (or should I say outlined by) the previous post you and I were involved in.....

Thanks, Mike and Joe. Have an appointment to take the car to a local garage that serviced a previous Jaguar for us once it was out of waranty. They can check the power steering fluid and perhaps see a reason it would have become contaminated; replace if necessary. The 'servicing' for the fuel injection seems to be a vacuuming operation. I think we'll let this garage do the battery replacement (and re-set all the electrical gizmos). I think we should go to a tire center for rotation and realignment. Joe -- The dealership did the checklist (brakes, etc.) and changed the oil and replaced filters. I thought the charge was really low: $56. The four things they cited were all about $100 over what I thought was reasonable -- which I put down to the high labor rates for their mechanics. If this dealership were 'right around the corner', we'd might not be questioning this. The one that IS nearby has refused to service this car because we didn't buy it there. (You'd have to know the owner!)

I'm no electrical expert but it seems you have a couple of choices. If the alarm had its own breaker, you could either leave it shut off, or actually disconnect its feed wire at the breaker box. If it's on the same circuit as lights or outlets, obviously that's not going to work. In that case, you could find where it's fed from (a nearby light fixture for example?) and disconnect the wire there. Or, you could install a ceiling box and cap off the wires inside it. This might be a good idea in the event that a future inspection picks up the fact that there is no hard wired alarm, or if a future owner wants to install one. I can't vouch for any of those ideas as far as meeting code. You can always call your local building permitting office and ask them what's OK to do in your situation.

Web search is your friend :-) I did a search for NAPCO P-1664 battery and found installation manuals, which then list the battery needed -- a small 12-volt lead-acid battery. Since there are several models of this alarm system I have not linked to a specific Web page. Batteries of this type vary widely. You could remove the battery as far as it goes without disconnecting it and note (or photograph) the markings on it. Then you could go to a place that sells such systems (locksmith?) or to a store like Batteries Plus or go on-line for a similar battery. But some company must be monitoring this system for you. It might be easiest to call them first and ask them if maintaining the hardware is part of your contract with them or what it might cost for them to send someone who could replace the battery with a new one and not mess up the system/lose settings/etc. in the process.