edl

Hey all - so bring in the car for its 2nd service per the inidicators (so oil change and whatever else the service manual says) - ask them to upgrade the "operating system" - they try - and have to keep the car for SIX days - they say that the upgrade won't take - BMW Technical (whoever that is) keeps having them reboot (hmmm...sounds like typical tech help) - finally BMW Tech authorizes a "new computer" - this has arrived - I am told that "everything" has to be reprogrammed to the new computer, which itself is a customized part to accomodate the features of your particular car - all i can say is that if this what happens when you fix something that ain't broke...!!!!!!

Is the above typical for BMW??

thanks - ed

pharding

Not all dealers are created equal. That was way too long. It should have taken 1 day to upgrade the software under normal circumstances.

jrsamps

Did your dealer supply you with a loaner for 6 days?

edl

yep ... '07 328i w 9mi on it ... no offense, but really weak car for the $$

JSpira

I don't think it's the dealer. The upgrade process is prone to error. Some modules don't accept the upgrade and have to be recoded. Sometimes the upgrade can fry the CCC.

This just happened to my car - new CCC as of two weeks ago. And that was after upgrading to 25.2 - which fried voice command - two weeks earlier.

edl

LONG POST - SKIP IF IN HURRY!!!!


"If it ain't broke don't fix it" - wiser words were never said!

So I have found the gory details of why my car went absent for 7 days - the best way to describe this is by relating excerpts from the 5 page invoice i just got - there was NO CHARGE for any of this - just using the descriptions from the invoice line items.

Background: brought the car in for its second oil change (per the indicator light); asked for an update to the software program; the windshield wipers were streaking; the tires were a little rough and front window (right) would sometimes stop half way going up and go back down.


Software upgrade

- "23118 Completed SIB [huh?] 84 22 06/84 23 06 CK [hut, hut, HUT] NAD [huh?] found to be 1 needed TCU repair" - english translation...TCU was bad - of course, this seems weird - the car was running perfectly - as in NO PROBLEMS OF ANY KIND

- "Started repair on TCU and TCU failed with NAD of 3" - gee, if I had 3 nads, I would be less likely to fail!!

- "Replaced failed TCU" - ok - so dealer caused this thing to fail...but a like for like replacement - that can't be so bad, right?

- "Started vehicle update - during update found MPM [huh?] and GW [huh?] not responding" [Scotty...we need power NOW!] - hmmm, so now they have crapped out the TCU, MPM and GW - well I have a 3 letter acronym too - WTF??!!!

- "Replaced GW due to water damage (CP)" - wow, went in working - now not only is it broken, but it has water damage - maybe tech spilled his coke on it?? - well...I asked for the upgrade so this is my fault [you know, the promiscuous rape victim defense!]

- "Completed vehicle update including CAS [huh?], and on final report stated GW failed and can not respond." [Kepten - i have i give her any more she just won't take it!]

- "Completed battery reset [so the "reboot" fix is universal] and still failed with DTC of 1060 (CoApi) error" [and you kiss your mother with that mouth?!] - so at this point, a perfectly functioning 545 now has a dealer caused crap out on the: TCU, MPM, GW and DTC - sweet mercy!!

- "Submitted PUMA case # blah" - ahhh, now we're getting tough - call the uber tech at HQ

- "PUMA requested I run short test under fault symptoms - select 6500 mask and CK symptoms under this test plan" - and what a plan it was!

- "Completed with DIAGCODE: D612 000M-ASK_90_910_650012-302 [are these guys computer technicians or car mechanics??] - and fault still present" - so ok, I am starting feel for this tech - probably not his fault that an upgrade crapped everything out - maybe BMW's? - karma?

- "As per PUMA [nice non-aggressive acronym] ran #12-2-1-0-FM455-1" - possible translation...listen to "My Little Deuce Coupe" on the FM radio??

- "Replaced failed Mask-GW" - wow another item crapped out and replaced - no wonder BMW needs to raise prices!

- "Completed programming on Mask-GW and BO [huh? when did BO enter in to this - just take a shower!!]

- "After programming completed AFS calibration [how can these guys keep all these acronyms straight??] and cleared fault - END" - and let us all say amen - Dear BMW, I officially apologize for wanting my software updated - it sounds like this made the whole computer crap out, which you then had to replace at probably thousands of dollars at your cost - had I only known...!"

- So after all of this - does the above mean my software was upgraded? what operating system? - jeez Marie, maybe this whole thing was a rabbit hole and they didn't even get to the software???!!!! Any help from you all?

MPM

- Well, as per the above, we knew they crapped out the MPM - but it gets better...

- "MPM was unable to communicate with programmer due to water damage - replaced and cleaned connector to MPM" - clean connectors - after only 22K miles??? - and WOW, I must have one serious leak somewhere - so GW suddenly and after drop off at dealer craps out due to water damage - then the spilled coke...ooops...water damage gets into the MPM and craps that out - poor parts...all working fine before service and mercilessly killed by either dealer, tech or BMW...what a pity - but wait...speaking of leaks

- "No leaks found" - now go figure...water damage to the GW and MPM (whatever the heck those are) and NO LEAKS - I definitely need to get a less powerful hose for my car washes!!

Frigi

- no clue what this is, but the next line item is "sprayed Frigi fresh [no, I didn't make that up] on filters" - maybe they thought a nice fresh scent would mask the all the CRAP on the software end????

Window

- "Both frt window motors replaced with updated window motors as per 51 10 06. NOTE: provided additional line for window motors to support repair"

- so when I pick the car up and aske the rep about this she says that actually it was supposed to be fixed under a different "campaign" that would not have necessitate the new motors - "so you got the parts for free" - OK...sorry guys...you can blame the next 5 series price increase on me! Another chunk out of BMW's pocket - but on a selfish note, I got new power window motors (and not just on the right where I stated the problem was - in their generosity they did both front windows!) - of course, be careful what you ask for - the windows now may never properly work again!!!

Tires

- so my car came with the crappy Dunlops that went bad after 7K mi - so at my 10/15K first service they were running extremely rough and BMW (or Dunlop) graciously replaced them for free - it was thanks to this board that I even became of aware of the issue and put a name to all of that humming noise from the tires at spped - of course, BMW replaced them with the SAME tire - Duhhh! - the tech at the time said they were newer, better same tires

- so this time I say the car "might" be running rough - after all, who am I to know for sure - I am no BMW test driver - rep says - new tires!! - ok, next price increase is definitely on me! - I figured they would take it for a test drive to see if they really needed it and most likely say NO - well THANKS BMW/Dunlop - every 10K a new set of tires...sweet!

Wiper Blades

- "Maint repleced both front wiper blades due to not cleaning" - ouch! - not cleaning! - stupid me...I should have been wiping down those wiper blades - let this be a lesson to all of you...don't be lazy like me and just ask for new, free wiper blades - CLEAN THEM!! - ching, ching...price keeps getting higher

And now...drum roll please...the reason why I actually went to the dealer - an OIL CHANGE!! - but not just any change:

- "Cust states CK oil service due per SIS" - OK...if that is what I said - "Oil Service; Filter Element; 5w30 synthetic oil; windshield washer fluid"

- "Cust states CK brake flush due" - I did??? - "Brake flush" - thanks I guess - hope this doesn't mean they crapped out my brakes!

Cup Holder

I forgot - the far right one broke - in their limitless generosity, they went ahead and replaced both.


OK - for all of you who have been taking seriously my contribution to future price increases - relax - BMW knows it is going to do all this stuff - that is why the MSRP for this particular car was $63K and change - that is, you pay it forward!!

Moral of the story - be careful what you ask for...you just might get it (where it hurts)!

(All kidding aside, if the fixes don't kill the patient, happy to have all of this new stuff!)

Blackonblackonblack

Hey don't complain, you've practically got a brand new car! You can technically call it a 2008 when you sell!

UUronL

My car was updated in just a few hours. I didn't ask for it, on the service receipt it said the update was performed due to a bulletin/recall. I dropped the car off in the AM, the SA called me at about 3PM telling me it was done (also the first service - oil, brake fluid, etc...)


Germany says that there are about 80 computer systems in the car running approx. 5 or 6 different operating systems. Under ideal circumstances, it should take about 3-4 hours.


I think the majority of failures are probably due to the wrong image being loaded, or the procedure being followed incorrectly.