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Err...What the hell happened here?

10K views 45 replies 15 participants last post by  shawnsheridan 
#1 ·
Ok...it's no secret I have coded the hell out of my car, from substantial VO Changes, Production Date Changed, and most every ECU FDL Coded in some way or another.

Well, I happened to notice last week that suddenly my car's oil measurement isn't working anymore. I never look at this, so exactly when or why this became a problem is completely unknown.

It is telling me I need to be "stationary" and that the "gear needs to be in either N or P", even though the car is parked?

My first thought was maybe this is a byproduct of coding VIM; however, VIM only disables the Speedlocks, as opposed to say the hardware VIM modules (CAN Filter) that tricks the car into thinking it is stationary, so I can't believe VIM Coding is the issue.

The dealer had my car on their computer for 4 hours Friday, and has no idea what the problem is. They opened up a case and are waiting to here back from BMW NA or Germany on it. I couldn't wait any longer on them, so I took my car back and I am dropping it off tomorrow morning where they can have it all day.

So, given these two screens are relatively unused by most I think, I'd appreciate anyone who has done some coding, particularly VIM coding, check your oil measurement screens and see if maybe you have the same issue.

Thanks.
 

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#2 ·
@shawnsheridan,

I have coded VIM and I have never seen that issue come up (I do check the oil level all the time). Anything else I can check?

JEG23
 
#3 ·
No, but thanks. Did you by chance also code SAT?
 
#6 ·
Did you drive the car long enough to reach Operating temperature. Usually this is where the needle is half way through.
I had a similar scare and thought it was related to coding, but after driving the car for a while, I checked the oil measurement and it was functioning as expected.
 
#7 ·
It's hosed. I have driven it several times now, including just tonight where it ran hard for 30 minutes, and it is still messed up. I guess I'll see what the dealer comes up with tomorrow.
 
#9 ·
Well, it did not go well at all today. The short version is that my service advisor called me and said that BMW advised them to "encode" the car. I think that means program, but I am not sure. Anyway, the car couldn't be "encoded" due to an issue with my combox, as in they needed to "remove combox as your car doesn't have it but the car thinks it does and replace the sun roof module". Knowing what I have done, I can see where the combox could be causing an "encoding" issue, but the Sunroof Module? Really? :confused:

Now, the technician knows my car is coded. In fact he is a coder himself, and he knows me from the forums, and he is a good guy I think, but for reasons I don't understand at all, he seems pretty pissed off that my car is coded and that it gave him all kinds of trouble when he tried to "encode" it. Anyway, he rather tersely informed me to return the car to the factory settings, and when it comes back in for the sun roof module and "encoding" again, that if it still has problems it would not be under warranty and it will start at 1hr customer pay.

I don't know if BMW is giving him grief over the coding, or if he is actually doing me a favor and trying to protect me from BMW and them knowing about the coding, but his reaction was a complete surprise given I know he favors and supports coding. :dunno:

While I am sure I know what the issue is with my combox (it is one of two things), and it could be easily corrected by me, I guess next week when I return from LA, I'll set the entire car to factory original coding and see if they can get through the "encoding" process, and see if that actually fixes the oil measurement system. If they still have a problem "encoding" it though after it is returned to factory condition, unless they can prove my prior coding is somehow preventing it from be "encoded" now, I really do not see that they have grounds to deny fixing it under warranty.

So, stay tuned...
 
#14 ·
Sure, it is possible. I hope not though because if I am going to go through all the trouble of returning the car to factory coding condition, I at least want the car programmed with 47.5. :)
 
#15 · (Edited)
Shawn,

Over our conversations, I know who you're talking about and frankly I'm surprised about his attitude coming into this, since he is so active in coding.

Have they at a minimum checked to see if the oil level sensor is communicating with the car? Replace the sunroof sensor... WTF? Sounds like a bunch of BS to me. These cars are so touchy that they can't take a "recode" with a piece of hardware altered by coding, yet they take updates fine with VO changes (looking at you DreamCar :p ). It just doesn't make sense.

When I had the "global" update done on my car they couldn't code the DSC module. Surprise, it was because the DSC module was kaputt! I guess they're ruling everything out before they pull the oil level sensor and test it?

It sucks that you have to put it all back to stock because of their inability to talk to their own cars. However, if they can't recode it after you put everything back to stock then BMW should reevaluate the level of technology they place in their cars. Let me know if you need anything.

Sean
 
#16 ·
Shawn,

Over our conversations, I know who you're talking about and frankly I'm surprised about his attitude coming into this, since he is so active in coding.

Have they at a minimum checked to see if the oil level sensor is communicating with the car? Replace the sunroof sensor... WTF? Sounds like a bunch of BS to me. These cars are so touchy that they can't take a "recode" with a piece of hardware altered by coding, yet they take updates fine with VO changes (looking at you DreamCar :p ). It just doesn't make sense.

When I had the "global" update done on my car they couldn't code the DSC module. Surprise, it was because the DSC module was kaputt! I guess they're ruling everything out before they pull the oil level sensor and test it?

It sucks that you have to put it all back to stock because of their inability to talk to their own cars. However, if they can't recode it after you put everything back to stock then BMW should reevaluate the level of technology they place in their cars. Let me know if you need anything.

Sean
Yeah, I am surprised too. I think there is some irony in the fact that way back when you, DreamCar and I started this, he offered to "teach" me how to code my car, for a fee of course. Yet, now coding is a giant no-no. Don't get me going, I'll get pissed off all over again.

The bottom line with troubleshooting / programming is that they do what ISID tells them to do, and what the PUMA advisors from BMW NA and Munich tell them to do, whether it make sense or not. I don't think they have a choice in the matter. If they deviate, they get in serious trouble.

Check you email. I sent you something this morning I think you will be very interested in. :D
 
#17 ·
Interesting, I may have the same problem. I'm not sure how long you have to drive for the oil status to be available.

I do know that to manually measure you have to be stopped. I think it has always been that way.

I have coded welcome lights, ASS, Remote Key stuff, High beam assist, truck close.

This may be my excuse to get HUC 157 gone. BTW, I do have SAT if that matters, but haven't coded anything there.

Hope you get it figured out.

Andrew
 
#20 ·
Interesting, I may have the same problem. I'm not sure how long you have to drive for the oil status to be available.

I do know that to manually measure you have to be stopped. I think it has always been that way.

I have coded welcome lights, ASS, Remote Key stuff, High beam assist, truck close.

This may be my excuse to get HUC 157 gone. BTW, I do have SAT if that matters, but haven't coded anything there.

Hope you get it figured out.

Andrew
Let me know if yours is the same after running for a while.
 
#18 ·
If it makes any difference, I just went out and had the car manually measure oil level, took aobut a minute and worked fine. Haven't been on the road to check the other method.

Hope that helps some.

Andrew
 
#22 ·
Shawn,

I had several 2-3 mile trips this afternoon. When going to vehicle info and then oil level - it said Oil level OK, but no graph. Only way I got graph was to stop and measure.

I remember reading something about 6-8 mile for system to measure in the book. But it may still only show "oil level OK" - I don't remember before I coded system.

I'll let you know what happens tomorrow or Thursday.

Andrew
 
#23 ·
Ok. Thanks. You are in good shape then. It seems it is just mine. I don't think it's coding related. Next week when I am back in Houston, I'll bring it back in for service. Or I may just stay here in San Diego and never go back...
 
#27 ·
+1 I have coded the crap out of my car and just successfully checked the oil level.
 
#32 ·
As an update to this, I brought my car back in to the Dealer Monday, and they programmed it without any problems at all this time. Surprisingly, it was done with ISTA/P 2.47.7, which was just pushed to my Dealer on Saturday (No, I do not have 47.7 PSdZData yet).

Lessons learned:

  1. The issue with the Oil Measurement system was due to a change in production beginning 0312, so using a production date from 0312 onward and VO Coding your CIC will be a problem on older builds.
  2. Don't bring your car in for programming with a fake VIN (e.g. for BMW Live / Internet) written in your Combox, or ISTA/P will choke. Also, make sure the VO written to the car has the original production date.
  3. If you add an FSC Code to your car (e.g. 9C FSC for BMW Apps) you must alter your VO to include the appropriate Option Code and write it to the car, as without the Option Code (e.g. 6NR) in you car's VO, ISTA/P will terminate with extreme prejudice the FSC Code, as in permanently cancel it.
So, now I have to either find the FDL Coding to revert the Oil Measurement System to the older screens, or use a VO Production date earlier than 0312.
 
#45 ·
...So, now I have to either find the FDL Coding to revert the Oil Measurement System to the older screens, or use a VO Production date earlier than 0312.
After examining a few of my saved .NCD's, I think I found the FDL Code culprit for the new Oil Measurement Screen:

OELSTAND_OENS = aktiv.

I just need to test it now to confirm.
 
#35 · (Edited)
Yep. Like I originally stated, my car was extensively coded.

So long as I am not bricking any modules, I'll keep pushing the envelope though. :D
 
#42 ·
I already coded everything back. 47.7 is the same Integration Level as 47.5, and for my car anyway, no new CAFD's were added. :D
 
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