Can somebody explain "service now"?

[DazN]

Hi,

I think I may be slightly confused as to what the "service now" message actually means, let me try and explain.

I used to own a BMW and when you turned the key and started the engine for a couple of seconds it would say "service 10,500", saying that in 10.5k miles it's going to need a service. That number went down depending on how the car was driven, then when it got to 0 the car went for a service, easy!

I have just purchased a Bora 1.9TDi 130 Highline and when I first started the car it beeped at me and said "service now", which made me believe the car required a service. I went back into the garage and asked the salesman and after discussion with a few other members of staff the "service now" message was removed by means of holding button A, turning key, etc etc.

Now I switch the engine on and there's no message.

However if I hold the button A (trip reset) when turning the key I still get the message "service now", is that correct?

The guy at the garage tells me that when I do the reset function it sets the cars internal indicator back to 0 to say it's just been serviced so I shouldn't do it. When the car decides it needs a service it will beep and flash (or whatever) and say something like "service 1,000 miles", at which point I will not be able to reset it back to simply say "service now".

Is there any way I can find out how many miles the car has left before it requires a service or will the car just let me know when it's ready for one. I suppose the car doesn't know something is wrong (low oil, bad brakes etc) until it's actually gone wrong?

Thanks in advance

Daz

[vwbora-driver]

the service light comes on when mines is 1500miles away from a service and counts down every 100miles from there

[TDiBoraSam]

I can't see how setting the trip reset back to 0 resets the service indicator too? I reset my trip indicator each time I fill up, but the service indicator only comes on when a service is due in 1500 miles, and counts down from there.