Well...must be my lucky day! Turns out normal driving may have previously set first cycle, because once I got to the idling part of my first drive cycle today in the 993, the codes set after about 2 minutes of idling!
Must say--trying to drive while under 3,000RPM around San Diego is not easy! I used the stopwatch feature on my iPhone to start, and then paused any time I dipped below target speed. Once back up to speed, I re-engaged timer. Worked great, apparently! Thanks to all who have posted on this topic, and a special thanks to "Flat-6 Performance" (Jordan) for lending me his tester!

 

"Do the drive cycles have to be contiguous?"

No, but one must complete one trip (drive cycle) before the engine
is turned-off.

 

Help! I had an O2 sensor replaced after a CEL came on. Now its all fine. However, I failed an emission test as the OBD was not "ready". My OBD reader says 3 are complete and 5 are incomplete. I tried the BMW cycle drive twice without success. However, I am wondering - do I need to clear everything before I start each BMW cycle? I didn't do that. Thanks......

 

but I have heard worst case, you may have to do 3 to 4 drive cycles....a good tech can force set 2 two of the parameters......

I have tried numerous drive cycles....failure to date.

My smog tech guy is going to work on the car again for me...that drive cycle is a pain in the *** unless you have a long road with no stop signs/lights. Also, crawling along the shoulder at 30 mph is a real drag....

 

Keep trying.

I recently had to pass the NC smog and did not pass three times due to flags not resetting from a battery removal. I performed the drive cycle between each test and took to the local wrench to try their reset with no luck. I went to the NC DMV with the documentation and got a waiver in 5 mins with no hassle. On the way over to the tag office, all the flags reset (green emissions light on the OBDII tester) and all is well.

Good luck,
Chip

 

started with a dead battery. A guy at my shop left the car door open...interior light went on...until the battery died. My tech will fix it for me next weekend. Thanks for the sympathy....

 

Why is it necessary to go through this ridiculous procedure just to reset the monitoring? Why can't the readiness codes be set simply, or even automatically once a DTC is cleared? I don't understand the purpose of a complicated procedure.

 

Success !!!!! After trying everything else, I was told by my Mechanic to drive for at least 30 mins under 2000 rpm and under 30 mph. It worked ! Can't tell you the relief when the codes come up 0 uncomplete and 8 complete.......

 

I'll give my uneducated opinion on it:

1) these cars (96 - 98) were in the very early days of the OBDII system, they were still learning as they went
2) OBDII is a US system and German engineers were trying to work with it (Germans usually like to do things their own way) ROW cars didn't use it so no telling how much resources they actually dedicated to making it work
3) Before you can use a system (any system) you need to know that the monitors of that system are functioning properly first. It doesn't do any good if the monitoring system itself isn't functioning. This is what "setting the readiness indicators/flags" is doing, verifying the monitoring system is functioning. After you know the monitoring system is working you can then trust it to do it's job properly.

 

"I'll give my uneducated opinion on it:"

Well done!

 

I reset mine, clearing codes, kinda by mistake with an obd tool. then about 2 months later my reg expired and I had to smog. I drove it around, to work alot ( 7 mile one way in traffic) but still hard to keep it under 3K. I kept forgetting. finally I took it on a weekend drive 300 miles and when home... voila! all set.

 

But all of those responses are missing my point: Why is it necessary to run through complicated drive cycles just to reset the stupid flags? You should be able to set them up for monitoring with a simple push of a button your code reader without any driving needed at all. Read the codes, erase the codes, push the button to set the flags again. It should be that simple. I'm looking for a reason why it can't be.

 

Dave,

Bill gave you the accurate answer: Porsche simply wrote the software that way in these early 0BD-II cars, (even setting the parameters too close on the '96 cars).

In short, it wasn't their finest moment, however its somewhat overblown here. Unless one needs to get the car smogged immediately, one can simply drive the car normally and eventually all the readiness monitors will be reset.

Thankfully, they did a far better job on the later (water-cooled) machines and its not the same headache.

 

Read your post and decided to give it a try. I just came back from doing a run to the store that was preceded by over 30 mins under 2000 rpm and under 30 mph in and around Seal Beach. Got home and checked the reader, and, it seems to have worked - the 5 previously flashing codes are now solid!

 

2 days ago, after sitting in a little Mexican restaurant in Mammoth AZ (104 degrees in the shade) for an hour hoping my engine would cool down enough,I attempted the "DRIVE CYCLE". I almost drove perfectly per instruction. I ended in Oracle, AZ, Plugged in my readiness device and found the last 5 "not ready". I came home and yesterday read through this entire thread.

This morning, before the heat came up, I left my Tucson foothills home, following the idle, 20-30 mph, and the 40-60mph guidelines of "Drive Cycle" through town to I-10, about 20 miles. I had several stoplights along the way. I then drove 35 miles east towards El Paso to AZ 83. I tried and was pretty successful at keeping the RPM below 2k the entire trip. I checked and everything came up "READY". Yes "How Sweet it Is". I happily got on it on my trip back to Tucson.

I bought my 993 from Champion motors in Pompano beach in Sept 95'. The salesman told me it was 1st 96' off the boat. Who knows?

I live in Paris France most of the year and have thought of selling it. I'm 65 in a couple of days. I drive a Mercedes most of the time when I'm in the US and now when I get in Mi Mi (the name of my 993), pronounced me-me I feel vulnerable around the pick ups suv's and kid wagons. Maybe I'll sell when I'm 70.

My 993 is a red Cab with less than 50k miles. It's the best machine I've ever owned. It needs a new top and the upholstery needs some work. I keep it in a U-Store it locker but it gets unbelievably dry here. 2 percent humidity last week. Any recommendations for a dry climate.

Thanks for al the advice. I would rather call a plumber than go to the dealer here.