Bmw Assist & TCU re-initialization
06-13-2013 | 04:39 AM
#1
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Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 37
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From: midwest
My Ride: 04 530i
Bmw Assist & TCU re-initialization
Alright I think I have a unique issue here as I have not been able to find much about it.
1) I recently bought an 04 530i
2) the previous owner let the SOS subscription lapse more than 45 days and BMW disabled the TCU remotely
3) I wanted to start a new subscription, called bmw assist, they verified the vehicle was eligible, told me to go to the dealer, and fill out paperwork for new membership, let them activate it, get their two mid min numbers etc, then go back and have them re-enable the TCU
4) everything goes smoothly until i bring it in to have tcu re-enabled.
5) after one hour in the shop exactly, SA comes out and tells me they are continually getting "SOS BLOCK" as a response from the car and they have tried a total of 5 different TSB's for this process.
6) SA offers me a loaner car since it is late in the day and tells me they will call BMWNA and BMWassist this morning to make sure they are "doing it right"
dealer is an official bmw dealer but also deals mercedes and volvo.. does this mean they may not know since their techs likely focus on all three and not solely bmw's?
7) I call bmw asisst last night from the loaner car and they assure me this can take up to 24 hours to get it right and that it is an open and shut process. they assure me it is extremely rare to have a TCU go bad when it was simply disabled 4 years ago. they also seem to think that because when i hit the button, it displays accurate GPS data and says emergency call, but "no network" that it is working properly.
THOUGHTS? is the dealer just trying to get me to buy a loaner car or perhaps incompetent with this TCU re-initialization process? (they did admit they only do these once a year or less)?
Is the SOS Block excuse a joke? does it actually say something like that? I thought the terminals they used for this stuff were mostly in german like NCS?
I'd really appreciate some insight!
1) I recently bought an 04 530i
2) the previous owner let the SOS subscription lapse more than 45 days and BMW disabled the TCU remotely
3) I wanted to start a new subscription, called bmw assist, they verified the vehicle was eligible, told me to go to the dealer, and fill out paperwork for new membership, let them activate it, get their two mid min numbers etc, then go back and have them re-enable the TCU
4) everything goes smoothly until i bring it in to have tcu re-enabled.
5) after one hour in the shop exactly, SA comes out and tells me they are continually getting "SOS BLOCK" as a response from the car and they have tried a total of 5 different TSB's for this process.
6) SA offers me a loaner car since it is late in the day and tells me they will call BMWNA and BMWassist this morning to make sure they are "doing it right"
dealer is an official bmw dealer but also deals mercedes and volvo.. does this mean they may not know since their techs likely focus on all three and not solely bmw's?
7) I call bmw asisst last night from the loaner car and they assure me this can take up to 24 hours to get it right and that it is an open and shut process. they assure me it is extremely rare to have a TCU go bad when it was simply disabled 4 years ago. they also seem to think that because when i hit the button, it displays accurate GPS data and says emergency call, but "no network" that it is working properly.
THOUGHTS? is the dealer just trying to get me to buy a loaner car or perhaps incompetent with this TCU re-initialization process? (they did admit they only do these once a year or less)?
Is the SOS Block excuse a joke? does it actually say something like that? I thought the terminals they used for this stuff were mostly in german like NCS?
I'd really appreciate some insight!
06-13-2013 | 11:23 AM
#2
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 19
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From: Gainesville, FL
My Ride: '06 550i, '07 335i, '97 750iL, '93 525i
IB, I just bought a 2006 550i last Saturday at an out of town BMW dealer. I paid them for the subscription which totaled $400 for both the safety and convenience packages. Because it was late in the day, they told me I'd have to take it back to my hometown dealer and have them perform the service bulletin on it since it had been deactivated.
When I press the SOS button, I get no response at all from the car. I'm taking it into my local BMW dealer tomorrow to get this issue and some other sundry issues dealt with. I've activated BMW Assist on two other used BMWs I've owned and the process is never as easy as they make it out to be. It always seems like BMW and the dealer don't know what the other is supposed to do, because both times they've had to go back and forth with each other to get the system back online.
I'll keep you posted on how my attempt fares and I'll be interested to hear what the final outcome is in your case.
When I press the SOS button, I get no response at all from the car. I'm taking it into my local BMW dealer tomorrow to get this issue and some other sundry issues dealt with. I've activated BMW Assist on two other used BMWs I've owned and the process is never as easy as they make it out to be. It always seems like BMW and the dealer don't know what the other is supposed to do, because both times they've had to go back and forth with each other to get the system back online.
I'll keep you posted on how my attempt fares and I'll be interested to hear what the final outcome is in your case.
06-13-2013 | 11:31 AM
#3
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Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 37
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From: midwest
My Ride: 04 530i
Went to visit dealer today to check on car, they have had it all night.
They were on the phone w BMW when I arrive and BMW was talkin tech through the process step by step since they dealer was unable to do it on their own.
They updated me a few minutes ago saying BMW told them to update radio firmware to remove "SOS block" signal. They said it will take an additional thirty minutes but are not charging me for it.
I will keep you updated.
They were on the phone w BMW when I arrive and BMW was talkin tech through the process step by step since they dealer was unable to do it on their own.
They updated me a few minutes ago saying BMW told them to update radio firmware to remove "SOS block" signal. They said it will take an additional thirty minutes but are not charging me for it.
I will keep you updated.
06-13-2013 | 01:40 PM
#4
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New Members
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 37
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From: midwest
My Ride: 04 530i
UPDATE:
dealer came out and said they still could get the screen to say "placing emergency call, please wait" but after that, nothing.
i confirmed this in the car afterwards by pressing the button. they system says it is making the call, but in the bottom left of the screen, it just says: "no network."
they got the correct information MDN MIN numbers from assist and the problem is not on assist's end.
the dealer thinks the TCU is fine because it is responsive, but they cannot get it "coded" to where it will actually accept a network. it does come up right away with accurate GPS coordinates for the call.
the dealer did mention they "never do this process" and they are an authorized BMW dealer but they also deal mercedes and lincoln as well.
under the "i" (or pressing down on the idrive at main screen) it shows that bmw assist services have not been reactivated. the option to "enable services" is still "greyed" out, meaning it cannot be selected.
thoughts anyone out there?
I am taking this to another bmw dealership on saturday morning (twice the price of the first one, at $120-$140 and they said that they have never had one they could not reactivate.
they also said it "may require" an extra half labor hour of coding depending on how resistant it is...
does anyone have any theories as to why one dealership is unable to do this process yet thinks the TCU is fine? the first dealer claimed they were on with BMW assist technicians to do the TSB step by step with them, to make sure they had it right. i believe them because they didnt charge me when they could not get it, but i also wonder if trying it from a different dealership that only sells bmw might help.
when i called the service dept at the second dealership to get a quote they were extremely confident, even after i explained the first dealership situation to them.
maybe they are just trying to get me to throw good money after bad.
dealer came out and said they still could get the screen to say "placing emergency call, please wait" but after that, nothing.
i confirmed this in the car afterwards by pressing the button. they system says it is making the call, but in the bottom left of the screen, it just says: "no network."
they got the correct information MDN MIN numbers from assist and the problem is not on assist's end.
the dealer thinks the TCU is fine because it is responsive, but they cannot get it "coded" to where it will actually accept a network. it does come up right away with accurate GPS coordinates for the call.
the dealer did mention they "never do this process" and they are an authorized BMW dealer but they also deal mercedes and lincoln as well.
under the "i" (or pressing down on the idrive at main screen) it shows that bmw assist services have not been reactivated. the option to "enable services" is still "greyed" out, meaning it cannot be selected.
thoughts anyone out there?
I am taking this to another bmw dealership on saturday morning (twice the price of the first one, at $120-$140 and they said that they have never had one they could not reactivate.
they also said it "may require" an extra half labor hour of coding depending on how resistant it is...
does anyone have any theories as to why one dealership is unable to do this process yet thinks the TCU is fine? the first dealer claimed they were on with BMW assist technicians to do the TSB step by step with them, to make sure they had it right. i believe them because they didnt charge me when they could not get it, but i also wonder if trying it from a different dealership that only sells bmw might help.
when i called the service dept at the second dealership to get a quote they were extremely confident, even after i explained the first dealership situation to them.
maybe they are just trying to get me to throw good money after bad.
06-13-2013 | 03:00 PM
#5
New Members
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
From: Gainesville, FL
My Ride: '06 550i, '07 335i, '97 750iL, '93 525i
I can tell you from experience that all BMW dealerships are NOT created equal. Some BMW dealers, especially high volume ones, are getting to the point that they do nothing but sell new and CPO cars and don't have a clue how to handle issues with cars older than 4 years.
Then you have other dealers who haven't experienced a lot of employee turnover, and who still have service advisors with lots of experience who know everything about every model BMW you can throw at them.
I wish BMW were all homogenous, but the reality is they can be startling different in their practices and know-how. If the second dealer is confident they can get your BMW Assist re-connected then let them have at it!
Then you have other dealers who haven't experienced a lot of employee turnover, and who still have service advisors with lots of experience who know everything about every model BMW you can throw at them.
I wish BMW were all homogenous, but the reality is they can be startling different in their practices and know-how. If the second dealer is confident they can get your BMW Assist re-connected then let them have at it!
