Where Is The Odometer Reset Button On A BMW?

You bought a BMW and want to use the trip odometer to keep track of mileage, but first, you have to find it. Where is the odometer reset button on a BMW?

As a former salesperson, I can attest to the need for recording accurate trip mileage for one’s mileage reimbursement. Perhaps, you are a BMW owner whose profession makes you keep track of miles, or you’re just curious how far it is to grandma’s house.

Either way, trip odometers are a part of vehicle information displays for a reason.

Along with the standard odometer, average mpg, time driven, and a host of other trivia, many career professionals live and die by the information their trip monitors display. 

What is a Trip Odometer?

A trip odometer records a vehicle’s miles on a “trip.” It is a separate mileage recorder from the average odometer that records the number of miles over the lifespan of a vehicle. 

At the start of a trip, the owner zeroes out the mileage counter, and then as the vehicle travels, the trip odometer advances. 

When the destination is reached, the trip odometer will display an accurate amount of the miles that have been driven. 

The only caveat about a trip odometer is that it has to be zeroed each time the owner takes a trip, or it will continue to add miles. 

If you have forgotten to zero out a trip odometer, then you know that it can be confusing as to exactly what the distance between point A and point B actually is. 

Locating The Odometer Reset Button On A BMW

Resetting the trip odometer will depend on what year your BMW was made and what model you own.

The Reset Button on the Bottom Left of the Instrument Cluster

For most BMWs, the reset button for the trip odometer is a button located at the bottom left of the instrument display.  Since it is painted in black (the same color as the molding around the instrument cluster, it can be hard to spot. Just push and hold the button to reset the trip odometer to zero.

For BMW equipped with Live Cockpit Pro, or IDrive 7, there is no reset button on the bottom of the instrument display. You can follow the instructions below for guidelines on resetting the trip counter.

Live Cockpit Pro and IDrive – Digital Display in Instrument Cluster

To zero out the trip mileage counter, press the BC button on the left stalk until the option cycles to Trip and hold it in until the mileage zeros out. 

Live Center Information Screen

For models with IDrive 7, follow the instructions below for changing via the central touchscreen.

• On the main display screen, tap “CAR.”
• In the middle of the following display, select “Settings.”
• The following page will have a line – “Reset Trip Data.”
• Pressing this line will reset the internal counter to zero.

 Or 

• On the central display screen, select “CAR.”
• At the top of the following display, select “Driving Information.”
• On the next page, select “Trip Information.”
• The next page will display trip information, but at the bottom of the display screen, there is a listing for “Reset Individual” – press this line, and the information displayed will reset to zero.

(Please note that you can also ask the cockpit assistant (press the speaker command button on the steering wheel) to bring you to the Trip information screen. 

How are a Trip Odometer and a Regular Odometer Different?

Each odometer has a function. The standard odometer records the number of miles a car drives over its lifetime. 

This odometer cannot be reset (illegally tampering with a car’s standard odometer is a big no-no). The number of miles a car records on its odometer is used to deter its value, affect purchase pricing, and keep records of service routines. 

The trip odometer is different because it records the miles a car travels on a “Trip.”

For example, say you have always wondered exactly how many miles it is to Grandma’s house. 

So, before you go over the river and through the woods, you zero out this odometer, which records the number of miles it takes to get to Grandmother’s house. 

(This is helpful information, especially when riding with a five-year-old who keeps asking, “are we there yet?”

What is a Trip Odometer Used For?

Many people who drive vehicles must keep track of their companies’ mileage. In these cases, the mileage display provides accurate information for a log book. 

Truckers who are required to detail the number of miles they drive in logbooks (both for company and law enforcement officers) often use the display religiously. 

Will Zeroing Out My Trip Odometer Affect Other Display Information?

Zeroing out your trip odometer will also affect other trip information like time driven and average miles per gallon. 

The car’s computer determines that you are more interested in keeping all the information current rather than keeping some of it. 

Can I Customize My Settings on The Display Screen?

You can. BMW has made the information it provides applicable to various drivers’ wants and needs. 

Owners can vary the information so that the main screen displays precisely what they prefer. 

Why Does My Car Have a Trip A and a Trip B?

Many cars have two trip odometers on them, one for recording the number of miles between fill-ups and the second for counting the number of miles on a trip. 

Key Takeaways

• Most BMWs have a trip odometer reset button on the bottom left of the instrument panel.
• Trip odometers are essential for working professionals who get reimbursed for mileage. 
• Trip odometers are customizable for owners to receive the information that they need.