One of the features of our new(ish) car, a Nissan Primera, is that it has an on-board computer which, among other things, gives you a reminder when the car is due for a service.

The service interval is 12,000 miles and, every time a multiple of 12,000 is reached the system gives a reminder . . . and another reminder . . . and another reminder . . . and it gets a little irritating . . . and then very irritating – especially when you know perfectly well that the car had a full service less than 1,000 miles ago, and doesn’t actually need another one for another 11,000 miles.

No problem, I thought, I’ll just reset it!

But no! That’s not possible! In total the computer allows you to set up 4 maintenance reminders (to remind you to check the oil, tyre pressure etc). Three of them are fully configurable by the driver but the fourth, the one which gives a service reminder, isn’t controllable at all.

I looked in the handbook, and it said, ‘Note: the overall Service is set and the Service Key cannot be activated’.

A quick search on the Internet revealed that only a Nissan Garage with the correct specialised equipment could reset the service reminder. Normally this would be done when the car was serviced – assuming it’s serviced by a Nissan dealer. Ours was serviced by a Vauxhall dealer.

So, I resigned myself either to putting up with this irritiating message (and accompanying bleep), or to paying a Nissan dealer to use its special equipment to reset the reminder.

But, as a last resort, I searched again on the Web and, after about 10 minutes, believe it or not, I found what I was looking for!

Special equipment is not necessary and, following the instructions I found, it took me about 30 seconds to reset the reminder. Which, I think, is a real triumph for the little man, over the power of big car dealerships to hold us to ransom over the alleged need for specialised equipment.

Just in case any of you out there drive a Nissan Primera (or, presumably, any other kind of Nissan with the same computer system), this is what I did!

1. Turn on engine
2. Turn off stereo
3. Hold down INFO button
4. Whilst holding down INFO button turn volume 30 clicks or more in either direction
5. You will hear a beep as you enter a new menu containing two options: SELF-DIAGNOSIS and CONFIRM/ADJUSTMENT
6. Use the joystick and select CONFIRM/ADJUSTMENT/li>

7. Click on CONFIRM/ADJUSTMENT by pushing down on joystick
8. Use joystick to navigate to SERVICE and select by pushing down joystick
9. Select RESET and enter – optionally select mileage and adjust service interval
10. When finished push BACK repeatedly to get back to normal display

(Obviously I make no guarantee that this will work and, if you try it, please remember that you do so at your own risk. However, it worked for me!)

Once you get into the SELF-DIAGNOSIS – CONFIRM/ADJUSTMENT menu, there are other things that can be configured – but I’ve no idea how!