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2016 Navigation Map Update DIY for CIC models (2009+) Here

2M views 4K replies 1K participants last post by  shawnsheridan 
#1 ·
Just figured I'd pass on some info I obtained while attempting to update my '09 E93 iDrive navigation software recently. As you all probably know, from 2009 on the iDrive is now the CIC-based system (hard drive) and as such all of the official channels tell you that you have to bring the car to the dealer to have a map update performed. In 2010, I had to do this to update my maps from 2009 to 2010, at an out-the-door cost of $253 from my local dealer, and the car was there for two days. At the time, this was the only way to do it. Now, however, there are places out there to purchase what you need to do this upgrade yourself with a significant savings in both cost and convenience. Thanks to Technic and other members on the forum who provided some info and guidance.

In order to update your maps, you need two things: (1) a 3-disc DVD set containing the 2011 map data (BMW part #01990037287), and (2) a BMW Navigation Map Certificate, also commonly referred to as an FSC code (BMW part #65902181742). A couple notes about these part numbers--first, the 3-disc DVD set uses the same part number for both 2010 and 2011 maps so ask to make sure you are getting the 2011 map set if you are upgrading. I had the parts manager physically go locate the discs in inventory and visually verify that the discs were labelled 2011 before placing my order. I don't know if BMW will recycle this part number again for future years or not. Second, Tischer BMW originally believed they could order the FSC code but upon attempting to order same, they discovered the part numbers had been pulled from their system and they could not, in fact, order the FSC code. They claim BMW has since pulled this part number from all USA dealers as a part they can order for a customer (I cannot verify if this is true or not).

Okay, on with the update. DISCLAIMER: As with any car modification, proceed at your own risk. I had absolutely no issues with the procedure, even with a small hiccup (see below). Also, I have no affiliation with the vendors I mention in this DIY--they were simply the cheapest and most reputable at the time I needed to make my purchase--both were *awesome* to deal with and have great customer service. This doesn't mean it will be that way for everyone in the future. Again, proceed at your own risk.

1. Get the 2011 3-disc DVD Map Set. I ordered my discs from Tischer BMW online. I conversed with Jason, the Internet Parts manager, several times regarding the recycled map part number and also the availability/non-availability of FSC codes from them. As of 05/01/11, the 3-disc DVD map set cost $7.12 from their web site. You can't find the part by searching but if you put in the actual part number you will see it. Of course, since it was the only thing I ordered from Tischer, I got whacked with a $4.95 "handling fee" and $14.95 for standard UPS ground shipping--both which I consider exorbitant--for a grand total of $27.02 to my door. If you get them through Tischer, I recommend doing so when you place an order for something else and your shipping cost should be divided out over multiple items making it more reasonable.

2. Get the BMW Navigation Map Certificate (FSC code). Since Tischer could not obtain this for me, I shopped elsewhere. When I did the upgrade in March 2010, the cost at my local dealer for the FSC code was $229. When I called my dealer this year I was told that the list price for the code is now $343, but he would give me the BMW CCA discount which would bring it to $310. They wouldn't sell it to me directly though--only if I had the dealer do the upgrade, and they would also charge $60 in labor for the install, so after tax it would be just over $380 out the door. Calling around to other dealers I had several others quote the $343 price and no one would sell it directly to me. Enter BMWRetrofit.com. I saw them posting in another forum that they could obtain USA FSC codes directly for customers. They are located in Canada, and as of 05/01/11, they charged $200 CAD, which as of my purchase worked out to $208.74 US. My CC company charged me $6.26 for a foreign exchange fee, for a total of $215 for the code. Within 48 hours, I received an email from BMWRetrofit with an attached one-page .PDF of my BMW Navigation Map Certificate containing my unique 20-digit FSC code. For those that don't know, FSC codes are generated using your car's unique VIN so it can only be used on your car (BMW's way to avoid piracy). You do have to email BMWRetrofit your VIN after your payment so they can get the code. I will say BMWRetrofit was awesome to deal with.

3. Prep the car. The update process takes just over two hours to complete start to finish, and needs to be done with the car either running or the ignition in the on position. If the car is not running, this will drain the battery so you need to have the car tethered to a DC power source. I don't know if a battery tender would suffice (very low amperage), but a standard battery charger certainly will. I connected up the alligator clips to the terminals under the hood, set the charger for 10amps, and plugged it in. I had no power problems and no battery drain. Once the power source is set, you need to have the ignition on. Press the start button twice but DON'T put your foot on the brake. This will turn on the ignition. If you press the start button only once, you put the car in "radio ready" mode which turns on the radio/iDrive. The problem with this mode is the car will go to sleep after 20 minutes and shut off your update. So definitely keep it with the ignition on.

4. Insert the first disc. It will automatically load the update program and tell you it's about to start the update and you select OK. It will then prompt you to enter in your activation (FSC) code using the iDrive wheel. Once you enter the code and select OK it will start the process. You can watch the status bar slowly crawl along as it proceeds.

5. Insert the second disc. When the first disc is done, it will prompt you for disc 2. It will not automatically eject it from the drive so you need to press eject to remove the disc, then insert disc 2. You can watch the status bar slowly crawl along as it proceeds.

6. Insert the third disc. When the second disc is done, it will prompt you for disc 3. It will not automatically eject it from the drive so you need to press eject to remove the disc, then insert disc 3. You can watch the status bar slowly crawl along as it proceeds.

7. Reboot the iDrive system. When the third disc is complete, it will tell you it is done and will then say it needs to reboot the iDrive system. Select Reboot/OK and the system will automatically reboot and your update is complete. Eject the third disc. Store the disc set with your BMW Navigation Map Certificate in case you ever have to reinstall it.

Once you are done, if you go into the Options menu in the navigation system, under Navigation Version, you will see:

NA
BMW Group
112093.2.19
Road Map North America Premium 2011

A couple final notes about the update:

1. I've heard rumors that you need to have a (relatively) recent ISTA/P firmware version in the car to do the update. I don't know if this is true or not, but I do know my car has 2.37.1.0.1 from March 2010 and I had no issues. There is no way for the layperson to check their firmware version without a specialty reader or a trip to the dealer. However, based on my experience I don't think it's an issue. As long as you have the CIC hard drive iDrive, this should work for you.

2. This update is for the map data and the POI (Points Of Interest) data only. There is no software/firmware upgrade, no new features added, and no bugs fixed/introduced. You would need an ISTA/P software update at the dealer for that, if needed. Rule of thumb: if you aren't having problems you don't need one.

3. This update can be down while you are using the car/driving, and can be interrupted and will (or should) pick up where it left off. I actually had to go somewhere while the update was still going on and I was driving down the road still using iDrive/radio/menus, etc. It even prompted me for the iDrive reboot and rebooted at the end of the update while the car was in motion without any issues. When I first started this update, I started with the car in "Radio Ready" mode and after 20 minutes it shut completely off and went to sleep. I turned the ignition back on and the update continued from where it left off.

4. At any time you can go to Navigation, hit the Option button and the last choice is a new temporary selection "View Navigation Update Status" and it will show you the current status.

So in summary, the CIC hard drive navigation map updates can definitely be done by you at home, and for a lot cheaper than at the dealer. My dealer was going to charge me $380 and I would have had to leave the car for the whole day. Total cost for the discs and the FSC code shipped to my door was $242.
 
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#197 ·
My USB Technique

This is what I did to update my 2011 335D with the North American Nav DVDs.

1. I have a 32GB Kingston USB 2.0 Flash drive formatted as FAT32

2. I used UNETbootin in Linux to burn the first disk ISO to the flash drive. You need to do this to write the correct boot sector to the flash.

3. After that was complete, I opened the remaining two ISO discs in ubuntu archive manager and extracted the files directly to the flash drive in the correct directory.

4. That process took about 40 minutes.

5. I put the USB drive in the glove compartment and drove the car around for about an hour. It never asked for another DVD or USB and it worked perfectly.

Hope this helps.
 
#200 ·
I downloaded the 2012 DVDs and burned them on HP dual layer DVD+R media at 2.4x speed. I got the code from Siera5. The first DVD was working fine till 17%, then I got a "this disc is unreadable" error. I tried burning another disc with ImageBurn and I verified it. With the new disc, the nav jumped straight back to 17%, then gave me the same error.

Is there a way to start the whole process over?
 
#203 ·
These DVDs cost under $10 (TEN DOLLARS!!) from BMW....WHY are people downloading these? The bandwidth costs more than that!

A
 
#204 ·
MSRP is $6. However the dealer can charge what they want. Braman Miami wouldn't sell it for less than $50.

In the end I bought it from Tischer for $6 plus $13 shipping and handling so it cost me $19.

Downloading is free since most home broadband plans are unlimited flat rate.
 
#208 ·
Honestly, I had no trouble with the downloads. The source I found did not require a torrent or third party download software. I started it at dinner time and it finished by breakfast.

I bought some Verbatim media, but decided to try a USB card first (because it's faster than burning and verifying a dual layer DVD). Sure enough, the USB process started without a hitch and was MUCH faster.

I used Virtual Clone CD from Slysoft to mount the .iso image, so I could drag and drop the DVD contents onto the thumb drive.
 
#209 · (Edited)
part number

Hey all,

I called my dealer and asked them to order part number 01990037287. They said it does not exist. I am wondering if BMW stopped selling this? I drive a 2010 335d with the original maps.

Any ideas or dealers I could order online from? I'm in fairfax, VA.

Thanks

Update: Nevermind! I went to getbmwparts's website and ordered it. Now to get the activation code :)
 
#210 ·
So from what I understand almost all BMW locations can't receive these DVD's anymore? Please see what getbmwparts.com wrote me.....

Hi, thanks again for your order - yes, that is the correct part # for the 2012 set. However, these are currently backordered from BMW with no ETA - so I'm not sure when this is going to actually arrive here from BMW. You're welcome to keep the order open though, because we won't charge your card for it until it's completed and shipped out to you.

Thanks again for your order -
 
#211 ·
Oh dear, I was afraid of that. When I ordered my discs early last February there were only 50 sets left in stock at the central warehouse. I bet folks doing self-installs, who may not even be members or post about it here - have depleted those discs earlier than BMW expected and now BMW dealerships will be inconvenienced. I hope that BMW do not now act to prevent end-users ordering these disc sets which are intended for service-shop use.

If anyone on the Chandler/Tempe borders (AZ) wants to borrow my set they are welcome to, or I can mail them further afield provided that I will get them back again. PM me.

Frank.
 
#212 ·
Has anyone loaded the 3 DVDs on 1 32g Flash drive and used it to install the update? If so, what was the file structure you used? IE: pkgdb, pkgdb2, and pkgdb3?
 
#213 ·
I just spoke with the dealership here and they will not order the disks for me. They are saying that my car will not take the DVD update that it is an actual update they do with their system. So, anyone with a 2011 335d not able to do the update via the DVDs?
 
#214 ·
While I have an F10, my dealer told me the same exact thing, and the truth is that they are flat out wrong. Either they are purposely saying so, just so they can gouge you on the price, or they are truly ignorant as to the fact that it is possible. Any CIC based system can be upgraded via DVD and an FSC Code.
 
#215 ·
Thanks, for the information. I just spoke to the dealership in IL. where I bought the car. He looked up the P/N and it states none available in the warehouse or in Germany. Does not give him an option for back order either.
 
#216 ·
Yes, this thread is REPLETE with people confirming precisely what you are asking. You CAN upgrade with a DVD and an FSC code.

WHAT PART NUMBER did they 'look up'????

Elsewhere in this thread the correct part number has been listed....
 
#217 ·
P/N 01990037287

They showed DVDs out of stock in the warehouse here and in Germany. He also said it did not give him any option to place a back order. I don't think there is anyway to see if there is a dealer in the US that has any in stock. I would love to be able just to put the DVDs on one 32g Flash Drive, but I would need to know the file structure.
 
#218 ·
#219 ·
Sorry if this is misplaced, please forward me to the proper thread as I could not find it. This is the place where most NAV knowledge apprears to be and I was curious about uploading custom POI files on new harddrive based NAVs (mine is 2013 X5), as well as displaying speed limit info that almost any hand held unit can do these days (and somehow I am sure the data must be there in the files used by the NAV). I started this thread in X5 section, but it does not seem to go anywhere...

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=618191

Thanks!
 
#221 ·
Thank you. That thread is also dead for more than a year and there appears no option to "Import" anything in the central console. Still at a loss why???
 
#224 ·
2012 NAV CIC update

My NAV update experience. I updated my 2011 CIC X5 35d, it was using NAV version 2010.

I also tried to buy the 2012 DVD from BMW, they are not stocked any more, no one in the country has them, nor does the dealership know if they will get them. So I downloaded the torrent, and burned 3 DVDs. The DVDs seems to burn fine, but disk 3 would lock up or freeze and spin, i could hear it repeating its cycle in the CD player. So after talking to some people, I started the install over from the USB. You will need 3 separate usb drives. The system asked to insert USB 2 and then 3, similar to the DVDs. Good thing about this was the data from the DVD install was stored on the HD and the re-install from USB1 and USB2 lasted a few minutes, as all it did was confirm that the data was copied over. Then I inserted USB3 and this seemed to take forever, maybe 3 hours. Perhaps it froze like DVD3 did. I eventually shut the car off and the system said update successful and then rebooted.
Map version says 2012, and everything seems to run ok. I know the maps were updated, as my drive to work now shows the new road. It was under construction last year and didn't show up on my old version. The UI doesn't look any different, and I think the perspective 3D maps didn't get copied over.

Does your 2012 updated version of the Nav maps give you the perspective view in 3D option?

In the menu > views > my perspective view in 3D option is grayed out. I'm thinking the 3D maps didn't get copied over during the install, unless I have to pay for some feature i'm not aware of. Can anybody verify that I should have the 3D maps?
 
#227 ·
The UI doesn't look any different, and I think the perspective 3D maps didn't get copied over.

Does your 2012 updated version of the Nav maps give you the perspective view in 3D option?

In the menu > views > my perspective view in 3D option is grayed out. I'm thinking the 3D maps didn't get copied over during the install, unless I have to pay for some feature i'm not aware of. Can anybody verify that I should have the 3D maps?
If you have the traffic maps on, 3d will be grayed out. 2012 Maps do have 3D perspective. Turn off traffic maps (but you can leave traffic info on--that's a separate thing).
 
#225 ·
2012 NAV CIC update

My 2012 map update done by BMW does retain the 3D perspective feature. The version data shows 11211.2.18 Road Map North America Premium 2012.

I am not inpressed by the update of points of interest: Two restaurants I enjoy were not listed even though they were open about 2 years. One search yielded the prior name and the other had neither the old or current one at the address.
 
#226 ·
The POI details differ in accuracy from area to area. My data hasn't been updated in a few years, but it is quite accurate. Pretty much any nav has accurate data for Los Angeles, for whatever the reason.
 
#228 ·
Thanks for the info. Just to be clear, my 2010 650i only has 1 CD/DVD slot. I do not have the additional dedicated slot for the NAV system. I've been told that it is impossible to do a DVD upgrade without the dedicated slot.

Just wanted to make sure that I can do this before going down this path. Thanks
 
#229 · (Edited)
Thanks for the info. Just to be clear, my 2010 650i only has 1 CD/DVD slot. I do not have the additional dedicated slot for the NAV system. I've been told that it is impossible to do a DVD upgrade without the dedicated slot.

Just wanted to make sure that I can do this before going down this path. Thanks
These instructions should work for any CIC hard-drive based navigation system. If your system has the newer ('09+) navigation with the hard drive then you should be able to do this. The single slot that you have will take the navi discs one by one and copy the information to the internal hard drive.

EDIT: This thread (and the successes therein) were on the 3-series (E9X) vehicles. Some also had X3s and X5s. I don't know of anyone trying it with a 6-series but I can't imagine it being any different.
 
#230 · (Edited)
I'm on a Mac so I have trouple downloading the 2012 North America maps for my CIC navi.
I already bought and got my FSC code but now I need the DVD's.

Can anyone help me download them and mail them to me? I will of course pay and can wire money via PayPal etc.

Please guys, I want the new 2012 map and not my old 2010 :)
 
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