turbo.steve

I replaced the TCU in my 2004 530 (01/2004 build date) with a newer model from a 2006 last night. The swap was as expected quite easy but now I get an SOS malfunction error every time I turn the car on. I have not gone in to the dealer to get reprogrammed yet (planning on dropping it off later this week) but I was wondering if this is normal? From what I'm reading in the threads this error occurs when the fiber connection gets lost to the TCU. I'm trying to determine if the (new) TCU could potentially be bad or not.

Help, suggestions or thoughts?

Steve

turbo.steve

I've also read in the older posts that the TCU must be programmed to that cars VIN, would this potentially cause the problem I'm seeing?

Steve

turbo.steve

Anyone have thoughts or experience with this?

ademitt

The TCU is coded to the VIN. When the dealer replaced my TCU seveal years ago, they had to reprogram the entire vehicle which took about 6 hours. I am failry sure that the TCU is not plug and play and that the errors are due to the part changeover.

danosimo

It has to do with the BMW BT paired with a phone and not connected at check ignition time. If the paired phone is not available (not enough time to connect at ignition time) then no SOS call possible. Just ignore it. Should be fixed in later CIP ver.

Rudy

545felix

yup. The TCU has its own phone for the SOS function, the presence of a bluetooth phone is required solely for your convenience. the car needs to be coded. I don't get an SOS error if I don't bring my phone with me when I drive the car.

turbo.steve

Thanks for the input guys, I suspected that it's solely because the TCU needed to be coded to the car. Sadly since I've posted this I've still not been to the dealer to get it coded, this time of the year is always just to busy. I'll post an update when I get it done (hopefully in the next 2 to 3 weeks).

Steve

nigxdoof

I recently swapped my TCU also without going to the dealer and I received that error message too.

I went in to get bluetooth software retrofitted and they were able to take that message away and gave me bluetooth too.

turbo.steve

Thanks for the feedback, I actually spent some time at the dealer getting this programmed yesterday. I arrived at 7:45 with my car and was waiting around for them to recode. By 11:45 the service lady grabbed me and said it failed the load and they had to start all over again and I should go home for a bit [they loaned me a new 135i for the afternoon, gawd damn that things a little rocket! but that's for another thread]. I called them around 4 and they said the software failed to load 2 more times but they look like they got it working. I came and got it and sure enough it's working great. I ran in to so many troubles mainly I was told because I had the original CIP on there and it had never been updated so the computer had to load a LOT. The tech told me that future updates should be quick and hopefully painless.

Best part......... 1 hour of labor.

What a deal, I think I got half that in the free muffins and gourmet coffee they gave out. Now that I think about it that's probably why they sent me packing a loaner prolly saved them money.

Steve