[jsf721]

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Guys,

I have spent some time reading a lot of posts on his topic. I asked my dealer to code a few things for me. Like easy exit and a few other non performance creature comforts I’ve been spoiled with in past vehicles that are missing in my 540.

Dealer will not do any of it. I wanted tbe dealer to do it because I don’t want to void any warranty or be accused of causing a problem that may arise.

These cars keep a log of any and all changes made through coding or flashing and changing it back to normal setting is not going to works. Each change is logged and if not accompanied by a BMW tech number your screwed.

There is a guy who blew an engine on the M5 board and warranty was denied because of a flash that was detected.

I’m posting this so that you play at your own risk. The engine with Labor is 50-60k. BMW is ahead of the tuners and with good reason. They don’t want to warranty stuff caused by tuners or coders.

Don’t flame me for posting this and if you want to mess with your car it’s fine with me. Just be warned.

[AddyDaddy]

I'm sure coding the trunk to work with your remote to close, window up non interrupt, default starting mode, horn not active while locking doors while engine running wouldn't be cause to void a warranty. I agree with flashing a tune of course would void. But I'd be surprised if simple creature comfort coding would lead to a warranty void unless it caused say the window motor to break. That's me just thinking Common sense. I do know sure the dealers will obviously try to get out of covering what they can under warranty. I want a flash tune so badly but can't risk it in case of the engine blowing and being stuck with a $40k engine Bill :/

[SteveinArizona]

There is a difference between a tune (including a flash) and merely coding your car to select an option for which BMW has already provided.

Coding should be fine. But installing a tune that increase boost and HP is where the problem can occur.

[ezaircon4jc]

I coded quite a few things on my F10. My dealer is quite aware of the coding and is supportive of coding in general. Coding is nothing more than turning switches on and off.

Flash tunes? That is a completely different animal!

[hlothery]

I wanted some simple coding done, went to a certified BMW privateer here in SA. They tried to do it, but if you use BMW software, which they do, it requires an authorization code. They did an inquiry with BMWNA to try to get authorization codes, and BMWNA said no. Some things, like coding Auto Stop/Start to off or last mode used, seems simple, but is a violation of their agreement with the EPA for mileage certification, etc. The shop told me the only way to do it was to "hack" the BMW system with 3rd party software. I decided not to do it, since that was their view of what is happening....the "hack" part. I also doubt this would void warranties (like a flash would), but just didn't want to do it after that experience. YMMV.

[SteveinArizona]

To void a warranty the action must be a cause of the problem. BMW won't make the changes, or let its dealers do it, if that impacts on its EPA ratings. But you are not bound by that. Almost all coding changes, or at least the ones I am aware of, won't cause a warranty problem. For example, making the ACC default to closest distance is only asking the computer to do what you would otherwise do with a couple of presses on a steering wheel button.

[jsf721]

I was told any changes not made and logged with the authorized BMW service laptop. That record date, work done and by whom (tech number) all opens you up to a voided warranty a a a BIG Headache if anything goes wrong.

These cars are rolling computers and if you hack the written, tried and tested computer code if on you. -my service department.

All I wanted was the dealer to set up my seat to slide back upon motor shut down like my Infiniti, my Jeep, and my Acura.

[mobilejo]

Originally Posted by jsf721

I was told any changes not made and logged with the authorized BMW service laptop. That record date, work done and by whom (tech number) all opens you up to a voided warranty a a a BIG Headache if anything goes wrong.

These cars are rolling computers and if you hack the written, tried and tested computer code if on you. -my service department.

All I wanted was the dealer to set up my seat to slide back upon motor shut down like my Infiniti, my Jeep, and my Acura.

They would say that though wouldn't they. They can't say to you "sure, go ahead and code your car", it would be silly of them to say that.

It doesn't mean they can enforce it.

I have coded lots of convenience options on my car. It has been in for warranty work 2 or 3 times, coded. They don't care at all.

[Pictor]

Originally Posted by jsf721

I was told any changes not made and logged with the authorized BMW service laptop. That record date, work done and by whom (tech number) all opens you up to a voided warranty a a a BIG Headache if anything goes wrong.

These cars are rolling computers and if you hack the written, tried and tested computer code if on you. -my service department.

All I wanted was the dealer to set up my seat to slide back upon motor shut down like my Infiniti, my Jeep, and my Acura.

You where mislead. When most people talk of coding they're talking about FDL coding which is just flipping a value in the software that's already there. If you use E-Sys to code you're also using BMW software to flip those bits so calling it hacking is a bit strong although it's common. VO coding is another type of coding that will change your vehicle configuration but works in a similar way. VO coding is what you would need to update your vehicle to, for example, use LED headlights if you've upgraded the hardware from say Xenon lamps.

Either way, coding is essentially enabling or disabling features that are already there and may by offered in one market or another. For example, I have coded several of my cars to allow me to open and close the windows and trunk remotely. This is already a feature in other countries but in the US you can only open the windows or trunk with the remote by default.

I have never met a dealer who will code a BMW. They simply won't. You either need to do it yourself or pay someone to do it for you.

I've never had a dealer say one word about any coding that I've done to any of my BMWs. However, when they update an ECU the coding done to that ECU is set to the factory default and I simply recode that ECU until next time.

Flashing your engine is a different thing all together. In the US, the manufacturers have to prove that your modification is what caused the vehicle to fail to void a warranty claim. If the engine 'blew' and your engine had a 3'rd party modification of any kind then it's reasonable to deny a warranty claim for that engine failure. However, if you code the car to enable windows to roll-up with the remote and your engine fails then it would be quite a challenge proving there was a connection between the engine and window to deny the warranty claim.

[AP]

Yes I tend to agree that it is very much at owners risk.
Ecus coding is very obvious as pointed out.
FDL coding also has its risks.

Looking at it fromBMW's point of view I can certainly understand their right to refuse as you have made a change to an known state. In the case of esys even though this is genuine bmw software was it obtained legally?
Even if the change is minor like disabling stop start , the software is not at the agreed level.

Having said this I coded my previous f10 and I took the view that this was at my own risk. I only coded a few things using esys like stop start and when I traded the car in , the salesman noticed that stop start was off by default and asked if it had been coded. I answered honestly and said yes and said bmw should sell cars that have been coded even if the new owner would probably appreciate that particular feature. I suggested just applying the latest istep to wipe it back to defaults. Nothing more was said.

In summary I agree with the statement that any change is at owners risk and if you accept that, then fair enough. I think you do have to look at from BMW's point of view.

Leave it up to someone who works for bmw to know what really goes on in the real world as regards bmw detecting this.
What really happens when the car goes in for work or servicing? Anyone on work for bmw who is prepared to say?

Different dealers may also take different views on it, some might not be bothered but others may make a big deal out of it potentially.

For my g30 I decided not to code, one because I didn't want to take any risks and secondly simply there wasn't anything I really wanted to do anyway.

[530iDriver]

Originally Posted by jsf721

Guys,

I have spent some time reading a lot of posts on his topic. I asked my dealer to code a few things for me. Like easy exit and a few other non performance creature comforts I’ve been spoiled with in past vehicles that are missing in my 540.

Dealer will not do any of it. I wanted tbe dealer to do it because I don’t want to void any warranty or be accused of causing a problem that may arise.

These cars keep a log of any and all changes made through coding or flashing and changing it back to normal setting is not going to works. Each change is logged and if not accompanied by a BMW tech number your screwed.

There is a guy who blew an engine on the M5 board and warranty was denied because of a flash that was detected.

I’m posting this so that you play at your own risk. The engine with Labor is 50-60k. BMW is ahead of the tuners and with good reason. They don’t want to warranty stuff caused by tuners or coders.

Don’t flame me for posting this and if you want to mess with your car it’s fine with me. Just be warned.

Yep if you play be willing to pay, else stay away!

[530iDriver]

Originally Posted by Pictor

You where mislead. When most people talk of coding they're talking about FDL coding which is just flipping a value in the software that's already there. If you use E-Sys to code you're also using BMW software to flip those bits so calling it hacking is a bit strong although it's common. VO coding is another type of coding that will change your vehicle configuration but works in a similar way. VO coding is what you would need to update your vehicle to, for example, use LED headlights if you've upgraded the hardware from say Xenon lamps.

Either way, coding is essentially enabling or disabling features that are already there and may by offered in one market or another. For example, I have coded several of my cars to allow me to open and close the windows and trunk remotely. This is already a feature in other countries but in the US you can only open the windows or trunk with the remote by default.

I have never met a dealer who will code a BMW. They simply won't. You either need to do it yourself or pay someone to do it for you.

I've never had a dealer say one word about any coding that I've done to any of my BMWs. However, when they update an ECU the coding done to that ECU is set to the factory default and I simply recode that ECU until next time.

Flashing your engine is a different thing all together. In the US, the manufacturers have to prove that your modification is what caused the vehicle to fail to void a warranty claim. If the engine 'blew' and your engine had a 3'rd party modification of any kind then it's reasonable to deny a warranty claim for that engine failure. However, if you code the car to enable windows to roll-up with the remote and your engine fails then it would be quite a challenge proving there was a connection between the engine and window to deny the warranty claim.

That Magnuson-Moss act is not worth the paper is written on. Coming from nearly 20 years in the MINI Cooper scene, know of a lot of people that got burned and got their warranty coverage tossed away because they could not get the manufacturer to prove that a "certain" mod or change was not the root cause of the "issue" the car was experiencing.

Manufacturers have plenty of power, money and attorneys on their side to fight what they perceive as being bogus warranty claims.

If you mod your car do so at your own risk. You play you pay, there is no free lunch.

[Sonny185]

It has been posted here and at many other sites, dealers don't have to ability to perform FDL coding. They couldn't do it if they wanted to....So no need to inquire about it.

[Warp Ten]

Originally Posted by hlothery

I wanted some simple coding done, went to a certified BMW privateer here in SA. They tried to do it, but if you use BMW software, which they do, it requires an authorization code. They did an inquiry with BMWNA to try to get authorization codes, and BMWNA said no. Some things, like coding Auto Stop/Start to off or last mode used, seems simple, but is a violation of their agreement with the EPA for mileage certification, etc. The shop told me the only way to do it was to "hack" the BMW system with 3rd party software. I decided not to do it, since that was their view of what is happening....the "hack" part. I also doubt this would void warranties (like a flash would), but just didn't want to do it after that experience. YMMV.

I used the Bimmercode app and changed the Auto Start/Stop "Off By Default" setting from "Active" to "Not Active" which makes it retain the last used setting on start up. As SteveinArizona notes, it is just like flipping a switch and very similar to what you could do with a few pushes of a button. Not a hack, and very different from a tuning re-flash of the ECU --Bob

[AP]

Playing devils advocate here, you are trusting that this app has done everything correctly. But there is always that risk that they haven't or perhaps have adopted something bmw might consider bad practice.

I'm sure it's fine but you see my point.

Esys which is a bmw app is obtained , well let's just say it's not from bmw themselves or licensed.

As others have stated, the dealers don't have this software, and I asked one about it some years back and they had not even heard of it. My understanding is this is a tool used by advanced technicians or presumably those actually developing the software within the design department.

Bmw must be very aware that coding exists and I wonder how much attention they pay to it seeing what people are coding and perhaps more importantly, why?

I echo the point of this thread and agree as long as you accept the risk, that's your choice but don't get upset if you have an issue and bmw don't want to know.

[jsf721]

Well, I not going to debate this anymore, as my main interest was to make everyone aware of the info I got from the dealer when I asked about adding an easy exit feature.

If you choose to coder your car, you may have a problem or not according to you.

I am leaving mine bone stock.

Just be aware if you play with fire you may get burned.

Originally Posted by Pictor

You where mislead. When most people talk of coding they're talking about FDL coding which is just flipping a value in the software that's already there. If you use E-Sys to code you're also using BMW software to flip those bits so calling it hacking is a bit strong although it's common. VO coding is another type of coding that will change your vehicle configuration but works in a similar way. VO coding is what you would need to update your vehicle to, for example, use LED headlights if you've upgraded the hardware from say Xenon lamps.

Either way, coding is essentially enabling or disabling features that are already there and may by offered in one market or another. For example, I have coded several of my cars to allow me to open and close the windows and trunk remotely. This is already a feature in other countries but in the US you can only open the windows or trunk with the remote by default.

I have never met a dealer who will code a BMW. They simply won't. You either need to do it yourself or pay someone to do it for you.

I've never had a dealer say one word about any coding that I've done to any of my BMWs. However, when they update an ECU the coding done to that ECU is set to the factory default and I simply recode that ECU until next time.

Flashing your engine is a different thing all together. In the US, the manufacturers have to prove that your modification is what caused the vehicle to fail to void a warranty claim. If the engine 'blew' and your engine had a 3'rd party modification of any kind then it's reasonable to deny a warranty claim for that engine failure. However, if you code the car to enable windows to roll-up with the remote and your engine fails then it would be quite a challenge proving there was a connection between the engine and window to deny the warranty claim.

[hlothery]

Originally Posted by SteveinArizona

To void a warranty the action must be a cause of the problem. BMW won't make the changes, or let its dealers do it, if that impacts on its EPA ratings. But you are not bound by that. Almost all coding changes, or at least the ones I am aware of, won't cause a warranty problem. For example, making the ACC default to closest distance is only asking the computer to do what you would otherwise do with a couple of presses on a steering wheel button.

Yep, wish I didn't have to do that, but have decided those three extra pushes of the ACC distance button are just a first world problem I can live with, like the extra button push after starting, to turn off ASS. I would be much more worried about possibly compromising something I know nothing about which BMW didn't want me to do. I appreciate your logic, really I do, just not of a mind to push that envelope. The car is so wonderful, I just don't have to have everything completely perfect to love it. Just my $.02. YMMV.

[530iDriver]

Originally Posted by hlothery

Yep, wish I didn't have to do that, but have decided those three extra pushes of the ACC distance button are just a first world problem I can live with, like the extra button push after starting, to turn off ASS. I would be much more worried about possibly compromising something I know nothing about which BMW didn't want me to do. I appreciate your logic, really I do, just not of a mind to push that envelope. The car is so wonderful, I just don't have to have everything completely perfect to love it. Just my $.02. YMMV.

My '17 came with ASS disabled by default from factory. Sure I can turn it on or have it active when selecting Eco Pro mode but other than that I never used and always stays off.

Lots of cars today have it turn on by default and that's pretty annoying.

[AP]

It's been that way in Europe since it was introduced on the f10.

[georgere]

I was reading in another thread somewhere that if you lease or finance the car, the financing company specifically prohibits any modifications to the car. From their perspective this lowers the market value of the car and potentially may cause reliability/warranty issues.
So before hacking, make sure you are not violating you contract with whoever 'owns' the car.

[ArchieV]

It's a fair warning but I think more than anything it usually has to do with the dealer you work with. If they know common sense one issue 99.9% likely has nothing to do with the "unauthorized" changes you made then they will probably take care of you. But if you start coming in with engine computing problem then you can't necessarily fault a dealer for not wanting to cover any of the work. It's a risk you take. I'm sure most cases won't end with a 50K motor replacement as long as you use reputable shops/equipment.

[nlaak]

Originally Posted by georgere

I was reading in another thread somewhere that if you lease or finance the car, the financing company specifically prohibits any modifications to the car. From their perspective this lowers the market value of the car and potentially may cause reliability/warranty issues.
So before hacking, make sure you are not violating you contract with whoever 'owns' the car.

Generally the requirements are to put the car back in it's original 'condition', but even that can be a bit foggy as they could require you to put driveable stock tires (size) back on if you upsized the wheels, for example.

Anyway, coding is a non-permanent change to the cars operation and as many have said generally represents options that are available to set in IDrive in other markets. An example would be the anti-dazzle headlights. Not currently allowed in the US, but are enabled (or maybe enableable) in Europe. Someone can code those 'on' in the US and then you can just switch it back off before you return the car. Or Auto-start-stop, which as far as I know needs to be enabled in markets for fuel economy numbers, if that's the way BMW tested the economy. If it's permanently disablable then the 'mileage' changes. BMW could car less, they sold you a car with a known mileage rating and how you drive it is your business. Coding can allow ASS to default off.

The few naysayers here need to get over calling it 'hacking'. You're not doing anything illegal by coding and coding non-engine-performance features is nothing BMW cares about. If you're (or anyone) not comfortable doing it fine, but scaring people (as others have tried to do) isn't productive discussion.