[Chethan B G]

While the cars are fantastic to drive, like other German manufacturers BMW leaves a few features “Inactive” even though the hardware for the same is very much part of the package. These can either be simple features or even very important ones. Reasons for leaving these features disabled can just be product positioning / marketing strategy OR can even be local regulatory requirements (?).

It is important to consider local regulatory requirements if any, but the product positioning strategy of a Manufacturer makes no sense to the consumer and therefore can aspire to add a couple of features as a bonus for his ride.

As this activity is limited to only enabling / disabling features that are already installed in the vehicle, additional hardware is not required and therefore, the OEM status (hardware) of the car is retained. While some of these are very simple and straight forward to code, others may require coding through expert mode which requires caution.


Following are the few interesting features that I am looking to enable / change on X1-F48:

1. Auto Start/Stop to be OFF by default at start
2. Lane change indicator – 5 blinks
3. Seat belt reminder – front passenger (surprisingly missed by BMW)
4. Auto fold/unfold ORVM with lock/unlock
5. Auto Handbrake activation – Except that there is no switch to activate / de-activate ON-THE-GO, it is possible to permanently activate this feature through coding!
6. Single pull / Double pull release for door locks


Like there is VCDS for VW family of cars, there are a few coding devices / software available for BMW cars too:

1. Carley for BMW: Mobile based

2. Bimmer code: This is an iOS app to be purchased

3. E-Sys: Laptop based


Other References:

Carly Vs BimmerCode

BMW Coding with E-Sys


While E-sys is the most extensive laptop based hardwired type of an arrangement, the other two are mobile based wireless options. BimmerCode comes with expert-mode which provides a lot more options for people who are experts in coding. I personally would opt for BimmerCode.


The important question is, “Does this void warranty?” As there can be BHPians who would have already tried these options, I would like to hear from them, their experiences WRT the products they have used and also their experience with the ASC after carrying out these updates. Any suggestions and opinions would be helpful!

I would request everyone to post their coding experiences and possibilities for BMW vehicles here, as it can be documented and made easy for other viewers.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to Tech Stuff. Thanks for sharing!

I got my 5-Series coded in 10 minutes:

- Power & torque meters on the iDrive
- ///M startup screen on the iDrive
- Putting the annoying start / stop system OFF by default (had to earlier switch it off on every drive)
- ORVM fold / unfold on lock / unlock
- Bright angel eyes even with headlamps on
- Song name on HUD
- Put foglamps ON when unlocking the car (earlier headlamps only)
- Some other cool stuff that I don't remember

I don't think this will affect warranty as it's all there on the car. Not really added or modified anything.

[graaja]

Originally Posted by GTO

I got my 5-Series coded in 10 minutes...

Did you get this done at BMW service or a third party programmer? More than anything I want to disable the automatic stop feature which is very annoying! Haven’t checked with the workshop yet.

[androdev]

A bit off topic, but I do not recommend auto fold/unfold mirrors or automatic steering/seat positioning for easy ingress, etc. Simply to avoid too many cycles on these delicate German electrical motors. By the same token, disabling auto start/stop is very wise. In fact when possible, I move the seat into position before sitting to reduce the load, etc. I don't mean to baby them so much but just a bit of thought or mechanical empathy brings good luck. In my experience, chauffeured cars develop many issues compared to owner driven cars mainly because most drivers don't give a damn - I am not even sure if many drivers wait till the engine warms up.

This whole "BMW will void warranty" is being too paranoid. There are more cases of getting good will warranty/discount than refusing warranty claim for trivial reasons. In the worst case, you may have to speak to some senior person in the chain to get them to honour the claim. They usually play very nice if you are the first owner, stick to a single dealer and carry out service as per schedule, etc. If you have also bought their BSI, secure, repeat customer, etc. then it gets even easier.

My experience with BMW Bangalore service has been pretty good. The senior guys are pretty level headed. I am no special customer, nor did I try to build any extra rapport.

PS: I am referring to simple comfort/convenience feature coding, etc. and not anything complex like tweaking engine, transmission or suspension.

[Santoshbhat]

Originally Posted by androdev

A bit off topic, but I do not recommend auto fold/unfold mirrors or automatic steering/seat positioning for easy ingress, etc. Simply to avoid too many cycles on these delicate German electrical motors. By the same token, disabling auto start/stop is very wise.

Agree with you on this. One of the headlamp washers on my car got stuck in open position once and had to be replaced under warranty. After this I cringe every time these washers come on automatically with head lamps on and windscreen spray operated. At times, if it isn't too dark, I turn headlamps off, spray the screen and then turn the lights back on, simply to avoid these washers from being operated!

It pays to be gentle with these cars and lesser the number of usage cylces, the better.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by graaja

Did you get this done at BMW service or a third party programmer?

I went to Akshay1234's place at night and got it done (he has the software on his Macbook).

Originally Posted by androdev

A bit off topic, but I do not recommend auto fold/unfold mirrors or automatic steering/seat positioning for easy ingress, etc. Simply to avoid too many cycles on these delicate German electrical motors.

Originally Posted by Santoshbhat

After this I cringe every time these washers come on automatically with head lamps on and windscreen spray operated.

I don't believe in trying to 'restrict' wear & tear like this. These are functions that are (and should be) designed for lakhs of repeat operations. To me, cars (and their features) are built to be used liberally. I follow the same attitude with all my cars, electronics or any possessions.

Let's not take the thread anymore off-topic please.

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by GTO

I went to Akshay1234's place at night and got it done (he has the software on his Macbook).

Originally Posted by GTO

I got my 5-Series coded in 10 minutes:

- Power & torque meters on the iDrive
- ///M startup screen on the iDrive
- Putting the annoying start / stop system OFF by default (had to earlier switch it off on every drive)
- ORVM fold / unfold on lock / unlock
- Bright angel eyes even with headlamps on
- Song name on HUD
- Put foglamps ON when unlocking the car (earlier headlamps only)
- Some other cool stuff that I don't remember

I got a similar list of stuff added on my 3 GT as well - from Akshay1234. Although I haven't got it on my car, the software can also trigger stuff like M - sports style mode on the gearbox with a similar "enabling" concept.

[pramods]

I have both the ESys and ISTA-D/P software ( April 2017 version), have done lots of changes on my motorcycles( BMW software are same for car/bikes/entire BMW family).

Most notable ones for me are
1> Upgrading the complete Software for R1200GS to later version as on April 2017
2> Enabling the Hill Hold
3> Changed auto blinker stop distance/time, Miles to KM's and 24 hours to 12 hour clock.

4> Fuel tank capacity modification ( this need changes in the CAN Gateway module as well as Kombi module.



ESys is most powerful and dangerous, I have VCDS for Skoda too, nonetheless ESys ( Developer tool) and ISTA-D/P (Dealer tool) are not as user/consumer friendly as the third party VCDS!


-Pramod

[abhiram7912]

I did coding using the Bimmer Code app and a OBD 2 (V-gate iCar 2 Wi-fi) adapter. My car, a 525d (3.0L), doesn't have COMBOX and has the smaller screen size, so what i could do was limited. Only useful things i coded in are brighter angel lights and sports auto gear box. Sports auto gear box has faster shift times compared to the normal gear box that came in my car. That was worth the 2000 or 3000 rupees i spent on purchasing the app and the OBD 2 adapter.

Between Carly and Bimmer Code, i prefer Bimmer Code, because
1) Less overall cost
2) Works with wider range of OBD 2 adapters
3) The developer is friendly and takes time to answer your questions or problems if you have any.
4) Can code unlimited cars.

Compared to Carly where you have to buy their specific adapter and lot of other restrictions. Even though Bimmer Code is not able to access all modules it can do most of the options one would be interested in. The number of options you can code using Bimmer Code would significantly increase if you have the COMBOX and larger screen iDrive namely, NBT or NBT Evo. You can check on the Bimmer Code website what modules you can access and what can be changed based on the model code (e.g. Fxx, Exx)

P.S. If any one in Hyderabad, wants to code their car using the Bimmer Code app, please let me know. We can meet up and do it. Free of charge of course!!

[Sail]

Guys, my two cents here.
Whatever you do, keep back up of your original setup.

Whenever your car requires any interface at work-shop, restore to original set up before going to the w/shop. In my case, BMW X3 20d vs 30i dilemma I made a blunder.

FYI: Routine service does not demand this, but any software upgrade, bulb changes, any error removal or any coding by them will.

Trust me, BMW India is well aware about who does these coding. They specifically informed me the names.

Akshay, any in-put / suggestions from you will be welcome for all bimmer fanatics like me.

Cheers,
Sail

[zombiedriver]

Originally Posted by graaja

Did you get this done at BMW service or a third party programmer? More than anything I want to disable the automatic stop feature which is very annoying! Haven’t checked with the workshop yet.

I have checked with the workshop specifically for the same reason. It is so annoying but they said they can't do it. Would appreciate it if you let me know if you find someone who can do the stuff that GTO has done on his car here in coimbatore. I am not too much of a tech person and can barely use my phone let alone mess with something as complicated as a cars software and would appreciate some help.

[Sail]

Originally Posted by zombiedriver

Would appreciate it if you let me know if you find someone who can do the stuff

@zombiedriver

Please write an email here: bmwcodingindia@gmail.com
It will be done at your home via Team Viewer.

You need to get obd cable & software beforehand from them.

Brdgs
Sail

P.S.: I am no way connected to bmwcodingindia. Only a bimmer fan helping other

[Chethan B G]

BimmerCode & BimmerLink with Vgate iCar2 Wi-Fi adapter - X1 F48

Enabling hidden features at the consumer level is mainly meant to improve Comfort / Convenience and maybe, to activate a few other cool stuff. It is important that the engine / drivetrain parameters are left untouched unless one is trained to do so. It is prudence to limit Coding only to activate the important features that make our life easy on the day to day basis and not to keep meddling with it on a regular basis. As we are just changing the status of the stock features, the changes made are only over-written in the registry. Coding as we do with the BimmerCode does not add lines to the programme and therefore, the checksum or the coding registration should not change. This is similar to selecting options from the iDrive Infotainment system, except that they are not directly accessible.

Hardware remains the same without any changes; it is only that their default status change and that anyway can be altered by the user ON-THE-GO. There is no way this can have any adverse effect on the car as a whole and therefore, denying warranty is not justifiable. However, preserving a copy of the stock setup file can prove invaluable at times.

BimmerCode: The App allows coding of BMW cars and has 2 stages; the first being the simple / straight forward one, which covers the most common features, that too in English. This is sufficient for most purpose. The second being an advanced one, needs in-depth knowledge and unfortunately is in German language; therefore, best avoided unless one can understand German language and knows exactly what he /she is up to. The app saves a copy of the log file every time it scans. This can be exported to an iMac through iTunes for later use.

It is a good practice to check error logs through BimmerLink before attempting any changes. This can serve as a reference for future too. It is important to keep the slate clean after every session and therefore, investing on both BimmerCode and BimmerLink makes sense; BimmerCode is used to make changes to the default status of the features and BimmerLink is used to check / clear errors if any.

It is good to turn-on Airplane mode and enable only Wi-Fi connection before starting the activity. This will avoid any calls / messages interrupting the activity itself which can stall communication.

It is recommended to keep the Engine off with the ignition turned-on during the activity. As the modules are reset after applying the changes to the registry, the engine will be turned off. This can create a tense situation un-necessarily.

As the modules are reset during the process, there can be communication drop between modules which can throw-up errors. These errors are automatically erased during the end stages of coding. However, after the coding activity, it is good to manually check for errors through BimmerLink and erase them if needed.

It is best to code features pertaining to one module at a time and verify the results before attempting another module. Some modules which are a combination of analog and digital components will be slower in communication. Therefore, for modules such as Infotainment system, Speedo-Combo, etc. slow communication needs to be selected under settings.

App can be downloaded for free and verified in the Demo mode before purchasing / unlocking the same for coding. Quick start guide and FAQ including the list of supported cars and the options available are all available within the app too.

Make sure that the Mobile battery is fully charged and plan ahead to complete the coding activity within 15-20 minutes so that the car battery does not drain. It is a good practice to keep all accessories switched off during the activity.










BimmerLink: A must have for reading and clearing errors. I would not recommend coding without having this app, as it is very important to clear errors if any, after the activity. This will also help as a future reference. The app also has features to display sensor values, control exhaust flap, along with the provision to have required parameters to be displayed as a dashboard. I am yet to check these features as everything is in German; will update as and when I figure out something!




Vgate iCar2 Wifi OBD2 adapter which was available with me came in handy. I downloaded both BimmerCode and BimmerLink apps from Apple Store for approximately Rs.2100 each. Wi-Fi dongle worked fine with communication speed similar to that I have experienced with the VCDS.

Vgate iCar2 Wifi OBD2 adapter

BimmerCode & BimmerLink


But honestly, I miss VCDS; wish Ross-Tech had their product covered for BMW too.

Features that I could successfully code:

1. Auto Start/Stop system OFF by default
2. Auto fold/unfold ORVM with lock/unlock

Indian variant X1 F48 does not have the hardware pertaining to the front passenger seat belt reminder!! Therefore this non-existing feature can-not be activated!! Crap!!

Of-late, BMW has hard-coded lane change indicator cycle selector. Therefore this can-not be accessed for coding. Choice through Infotainment system is only between 1 and 3 cycles.

Auto Handbrake activation is not possible through BimmerCode. Have to try my luck elsewhere. I read somewhere on the net that this is possible through E-Sys.

I will be glad to support fellow BHPians in Bangalore to activate these features if they need / interested. It will be nice if someone has Carly or the E-Sys in Bangalore, so that they can be compared. Maybe, they can activate a couple of things that the BimmerCode couldn’t.

Thanks for reading! Any suggestions / comments will help!

[manishk123]

Hi Guys,
I'm not so tech savvy as to try and do the coding myself, so I just purchased the unlock for Apple CarPlay on my BMW G30 from this website called carplaysolutions.com
They sent me a small file on email which I had to copy on a pen drive and insert the same into my car's centre console usb slot and voila it was done.
My question is can I use the same file for my brother's identical BMW G30 also or is the unlock VIN specific. I don't want to try without knowing and cause some other problems in his car. Pls advise. Thanks.

[Chethan B G]

Originally Posted by manishk123

My question is can I use the same file for my brother's identical BMW G30 also or is the unlock VIN specific. I don't want to try without knowing and cause some other problems in his car. Pls advise. Thanks.

Hi Manish,

AFAIK they are VIN specific and comes with an activation (FSC) code.

If the codes do not match, it may not start updating, but still it is a risk not worth taking IMO.

Also the configuration of Headunit and infotainment system should support Apple CarPlay. Only then it can be upgraded. Is your brother’s car the same variant?


All the best.