Sport Mode: Coding more power assist

Kurt_ · Feb 7, 2016

Hey all. After a long day yesterday getting all my programs set up, I'm finally ready to give coding a shot. I'll be starting simple, but one BIG thing on my list is tweaking sport mode a bit.

I was leaning towards a 3 series until I drove one. Wow, that steering wheel is STIFF. I got in a 5 series and it was so much better. My hands' tendons are a little messed up, and I'd like to prevent them from getting worse. So, 5 series it was!

Enter sport mode: I love the remapped throttle, quicker shifts, higher revs. But I want to reduce steering effort. I get why it's great, especially at high speeds. But for me, it's a health concern.

So... where do I start? What module would I be looking at to find this? I couldn't find much information on this - can anyone else?

Ideally I'd just like to tone it down some, but if I have to, I'd be okay with not changing the steering behaviour between modes at all. It's probably easier to tell the car not to change steering behaviour at all, right? A nicht aktiv somewhere?

Kurt_ · Feb 8, 2016

I've been poking around in NCS Dummy, and I think I've found what I need to edit, but I don't know what parameter would be correct for my car. Someone please help me.

For reference, my VIN ends in CU28257. I think I have active steering, but I could be wrong... What package code would this be under? Do I have it?

Under KGM: (I'm looking at C05 right now but it's duplicated in other C0x Modules)

GESCHW_WERTE_KOMFORT_KGM - Speed Values in Comfort Mode
STROMWERTE_KOMFORT_KGM - Current Values in Comfort Mode

And:
GESCHWIN_WERTE_SPORT_KGM - Speed Values in Sport Mode
STROMWERTE_SPORT_KGM - Current Values in Sport Mode

Some more digging, and I noticed the speed and current values for comfort and sport mode are identical...

So which module is that sport mode button in? It's changing the steering somewhere...

bct · Feb 8, 2016

A couple of years ago I turned on the hidden sports mode (FDC) on my 2006 525iM, but my steering stiffness remained light/unchanged unlike what others had experienced. After digging into the different modules I found that if I changed the FAHR_DYNAMIK_CONTROL in the SGM module, from nicht_aktiv to aktiv the steering became much heavier when I turned the sports mode (FDC) on. In fact I found it to be too heavy for my liking, so I reverted that parameter back to nicht_aktiv, so now I have the default lighter steering regardless whether the sports mode is on or off. Since I don't have active steering, this may not apply to you, but may be worth a try. Good luck!

Kurt_ · Feb 8, 2016

I don't think I do, either. I just kind of assumed I did, but by the shape of my power steering reservoir I don't.

I'll give this a try! Thanks

bct · Feb 8, 2016

By the way, I checked the options list according to your VIN, you have all wheel drive, but not active steering.

Kurt_ · Feb 8, 2016

Yeah, I should know these things by now...

When you disable dynamic control was anything else affected? Like shift speed?

bct · Feb 8, 2016

I have manual transmission, so the only change I notice is the throttle response, much more responsive, so the car feels more agile.

Kurt_ · Feb 9, 2016

Thanks for helping. I'm still undergoing a bit of a learning curve with NCS Expert.

I tried to do this, but I can't find the module. I load up NCS Expert, VIN/ZCS/FA, ZCS/FA f. ECU, and my car loads up. Back, Choose ECU. My modules are listed.

I have the following to select from. As you can see, none are the SGM module... What am I doing wrong? I'm using Revtor's profile. Do I need to use expert mode for this?

2LSMC
2RSMC
6BMOT
ABG
AMPT
BFS
CAS
CID
DSC
DWAI
DWAS
EGS
EKP
FAS
IHKA
KBM
KGM
KOMBI
LMA
MASK
MSHD
PDC
RLS
SZL
SZM
TCUM
VGSG

geoc · Feb 9, 2016

A lot of your module should have the FAHR_DYNAMIK_CONTROL entry on them, that is because nearly every module keeps a copy of it as a redundancy measure. The official correct way to code is to add or in your case, remove the VO that indicates the sport button and then write a blank fsw_psw.man file to every single module. But you could always modify it using setting the aktiv/nicht_aktiv (keep in mind this will make the config for the modules slightly out of sync, which generally wouldn't cause issues except for a few exceptions.)

I would try looking for the option in KGM (thats the module where you installed the button on) if it's not there, check CAS.

2real4u · Feb 9, 2016

FDC button physically connects to SZM, not KGM/SGM.

Kurt_ · Feb 9, 2016

Well, I'll check again tonight, but as far as I can tell this is not in any of those modules... I've looked through them all.

Nothing in szm, cas2, cas3, or kgm...

Is it possible bct does not have servotronic?

fdriller9 · Feb 9, 2016

Don't use a blank .man to default module. That is the incorrect way.

You should be using a profile with manipulation off to default modules based on VO. Normally this is the "Expert Profile."

I would manipulate the VO/FA the way you want, write it to CAS/LMA and default the car. Save your trace files. Then edit the VO again, default the car, and then compare traces.

You will be able to easily see the changes and from there you can enable/disable the features you want either through trial and error or by figuring out what the lines do.

Get a copy of NCS Dummy and enable the 2nd trace file in the settings. You can then use that to compare 2 trace files for discrepancies.

bct · Feb 9, 2016

I do have Servotronik, option $216 in my VO. Also when I changed the FAHR_DYNAMIK_CONTROL in SGM module to 'aktiv' the steering became much much stiffer.
I don't know whether you should mess around with your VO to disable the stiffening of your steering wheel in sports mode. If you remove option $216 you disable your Servotronik, which may not be desirable.

bct · Feb 9, 2016

Are you sure you don't have FDC parameter in your SZM module? Besides in the SGM module, in my car I found it also in SFZ, SZL and SZM modules.

Kurt_ · Feb 9, 2016

I was just poking around in ncs dummy. I'll download the modules from my car tonight to be sure.

rice_rocket88 · Feb 9, 2016

You got it in the first post... I have yet to do this correctly with NCS Expert (I was using bmw coding tools to change it, you can only modify what is there).. but.. you can add additional lines for varying speeds (actual editing of the .man files) .. by default there is only one setting, which I put to 3 and it's totally fine.. in fact, I can barely tell it's harder when I turn on sport mode. 1 which is the default for sports mode is super stiff in the parking lot. So... if you add in the 3 lines for each module it should be easy in the parking lot, but stiff at highway speeds.

To solve the super stiff steering wheel I went with the KGM module:

GESCHWIN_WERTE_SPORT_KGM
default is wert_01 you can go all the way up to 9 as stock.. I put it as 3 and it's good. Someone mentioned adding lines ie:

Wert_02
wert_05
wert_06

Also need to modify:

STROMWERTE_SPORT_KGM

with the same wert values.

Kurt_ · Feb 10, 2016

Wow! Thank you everyone for teaching me NCS Expert. I think I'm past the learning curve as far as basic coding goes.
I edited just the KGM and the steering works how I wanted it to. That was easy. Should I be editing other modules, though? For completeness?

I was a bit confused at first by the values for sport/komfort servotronik. I thought I had to select my model of car as indicated in NCS Dummy or it would mess something up.

In order to accomplish altered steering characteristics, I did the following:

First I found what my speed and current values were in comfort mode:

GESCHW_WERTE_KOMFORT_KGM - SPEED VALUES IN COMFORT MODE
WERT 09 (0,10,25,40,50,60,70,80,90,100,115,130,150,180,200,250)

STROMWERTE_KOMFORT_KGM
WERT 09 (215,155,140,133,128,125,122,119,115,108,95,75,48,13,0,0)

Then I changed the values of the sport mode to match. The default setting here was ZERO across the board. No wonder it felt so stiff. There was minimum power steering at all speeds. Possibly none. I'm not entirely sure how servotronic works and what no current indicates.

GESCHWIN_WERTE_SPORT_KGM - SPEED VALUES IN SPORT MODE
was: WERT 01 (0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0)
now: WERT 07 (0,10,25,40,50,60,70,80,90,100,115,130,150,180,200,250)

STROMWERTE_SPORT_KGM - CURRENT VALUES IN SPORT MODE
was: WERT 01 (0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0)
now: WERT 07 (215,155,140,133,128,125,122,119,115,108,95,75,48,13,0,0)

In the KGM FSW_PSW.MAN file, it looks like this:

GESCHW_WERTE_KOMFORT_KGM
wert_09
GESCHWIN_WERTE_SPORT_KGM
wert_07
STROMWERTE_KOMFORT_KGM
wert_09
STROMWERTE_SPORT_KGM
wert_07

Final question: Is it possible to enter my own values for servotronic motor current? Or am I only able to select from the list of values? I want a bit less assist than comfort mode in sport mode and would love the option to fully customize this.

Edit: Here's what I'm going to try out. Thoughts? I don't want it to be erratic.

fdriller9 · Feb 10, 2016

You can edit the ECU file in NCS dummy, update it, then push it to the car how you normally would.

Or you can use nettodat coding to force custom values to the car.

Kurt_ · Feb 10, 2016

You, sir, are a wealth of knowledge.

Sport Mode: Coding more power assist

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