[Poochie]

Originally Posted by sspade

Poochie

Wouldn't my 2016 320i (build date 2016-02-09) go against your theory posted above?

Apparently Im not eligible for the upgrade yet I should have NBT Evo ID4 ?

Yes, this requires a minimum of NBT Evo ID4, to qualify or be capable for this upgrade.

This is what my ConnectDrive options looks like below. Obviously different from yours, so I assume their are some hardware variations.

I have a 2016 M2, built date 03/2016 NBT Evo ID4 with already a 4G LTE telemetry, early built and I although I assumed I was in the clear, I was just informed, indirectly, that I qualify for the telematics upgrade.

The cut off for vehicle build date is unofficially 07/2016 and beyond builds, based on my own hypothesis, based on replacement equipment part number in service date.


.

[Ameyer]

Originally Posted by Poochie

That's odd, I know the 4G LTE telematics unit for the F30 is in the trunk, under a cover..

Why did they state that they had to remove the headliner to replace it.. #Weird..

Regardless, glad it worked out for you..


.

Honestly have no clue what they did.. was happy with the 430i loaner they gave me though! Haha

[RalF-BMW]

There are two kinds of 4g ATM modules, one that is installed in the trunk and its a black box and a roof mounted module that is directly attached to the antenna inside the shark fin.

Convertibles, M3, and coupes have the trunk module, while sedans, grand coupes, suvs etc. have the roof module.

Originally Posted by SMFD21

Maybe try another dealer? BMW has made this process a mess. I asked one dealer and they told me they didn't have the parts yet and to try to get an appointment later, BMW CS told me it wasn't eligible, another CS rep told me it was and to call the dealer. I called my local BMW dealer and they told me it was eligible and gave me an appointment so we'll see what happens.

Originally Posted by Poochie

That's odd, I know the 4G LTE telematics unit for the F30 is in the trunk, under a cover..

Why did they state that they had to remove the headliner to replace it.. #Weird..

Regardless, glad it worked out for you..


.

[nitro_boss]

Originally Posted by pdxpeter

It did not. I had bootmod3 flashed when the dealer did the software update. Once I got it back everything was clearly reset. I had xHP on there too and it was gone as well.
Came home and reflashed bootmod3 and xHP with no issue.

mine was locked, tried flashing bootmod3, now bricked bm3 won't even read the drivetrain/transmission malfunction codes, let alone clear them. car is bricked now.

can someone explain why bootmod3 could unlock my DME before but now it can't after the update? why do i need a bench unlock now when i didn't before?

[im_an_alien]

Originally Posted by nitro_boss

mine was locked, tried flashing bootmod3, now bricked bm3 won't even read the drivetrain/transmission malfunction codes, let alone clear them. car is bricked now.

can someone explain why bootmod3 could unlock my DME before but now it can't after the update? why do i need a bench unlock now when i didn't before?

That's a new thing from BMW. I had a similar experience with my MHD flash, the first time it unlocked and flashed fine, then I got a new rack and after the new i-step MHD would stall and I had to get the bench unlock. BMW is getting user unfriendly, some Gxx folks can't even get a bench unlock...yet

[BlitzerRadic]

Posting this here since I'm not getting any replies on the F80 board.

Took my car to get the update on Sat, dealer told me that they couldnt update because my LCI headlights are not stock and the system does not recognize them. Said I have to go back to stock in order to update.

That's fine with me, but my concern is that if I upgrade then I wont be able to use my LCI headlights... which if that's true I would just sell the car. I always thought when you upgrade to a newer istep, it doesnt matter what the current condition is because it all gets wiped anyways and I would just have to recode my lights.

[RalF-BMW]

Originally Posted by BlitzerRadic

Posting this here since I'm not getting any replies on the F80 board.

Took my car to get the update on Sat, dealer told me that they couldnt update because my LCI headlights are not stock and the system does not recognize them. Said I have to go back to stock in order to update.

That's fine with me, but my concern is that if I upgrade then I wont be able to use my LCI headlights... which if that's true I would just sell the car. I always thought when you upgrade to a newer istep, it doesnt matter what the current condition is because it all gets wiped anyways and I would just have to recode my lights.

Its my understanding that after the ISTEP update you should be able to reinstall and recode your LCI ligths.

I have a 6WB and for now I put back the stock dashboard to be able to have the update. I dont expect any problems reinstalling my new dashboard later.

[gnolivos]

Originally Posted by RalF-BMW

Its my understanding that after the ISTEP update you should be able to reinstall and recode your LCI ligths.

I have a 6WB and for now I put back the stock dashboard to be able to have the update. I dont expect any problems reinstalling my new dashboard later.

Did the original cluster work properly when you put it back in? No recoding needed?

[BlitzerRadic]

Originally Posted by RalF-BMW

Its my understanding that after the ISTEP update you should be able to reinstall and recode your LCI ligths.

I have a 6WB and for now I put back the stock dashboard to be able to have the update. I dont expect any problems reinstalling my new dashboard later.

Do we even need this update? Like what will happen if I dont update? It's a huge pain in the ass to have to go back to stock and then turn around and put the lights back on.

[im_an_alien]

Originally Posted by BlitzerRadic

Do we even need this update? Like what will happen if I dont update? It's a huge pain in the ass to have to go back to stock and then turn around and put the lights back on.

If you want to retain connected drive services like RTTI then you need it, if you don't update then sometime in 2022 you won't be able to get that info. Depends on how badly you want connected drive services.

[kcounsel]

I got the email today. An update is NOT available for my 2014 428i.

[kcounsel]

Anyone heard of any third-party solutions to the 3G issue?

[bkdore]

Originally Posted by kcounsel

Anyone heard of any third-party solutions to the 3G issue?

I was wondering this myself. I'd assume some high end aftermarket alarms would do cellular unlock/remote start and could call for help if the airbags deployed which is all I'd really want.

I've also seen where the entire infotainment stack from a newer BMW can be retrofitted. I'm wondering if I did that and it was coded for my VIN and car cell number would I still be able to use the BMW services or if they would still refuse to offer service or renew services because of my VIN and original configuration.

[KingsXman]

Originally Posted by joesid

You're like me. My 2016 is at the dealer right now for the upgrade. They had to order the part, so I'm in a loaner. 2016 models seem to have 4G, but have equipment limitations that need to be upgraded.

So I just called the BMW dealer where I bought my car. Service department said 3G being phased out will effect my car. He said my car is eligible for the software/hardware upgrade free of charge. Have to drop it off Saturday and get a loaner.

[rambalu80]

Took my car (2016 340i, July 2015 build) in on Thursday (06/10/21) for the 4G upgrade. SA informed me that the car only needed a software update and would be ready next day. Received a call on Friday to pick up the car, but turned out they did an oil change and no 4G upgrade/update

After I told them that I didn't drop the car off for an oil change, SA realized her mistake and asked me to leave with the loaner. Received a call back on Monday (06/14/21) that the software update failed and they would have to replace the ComBox and would have it ready today, which they did.

Picked up the car and all my coding, every single code...completely wiped out. Still figuring out if I can do the ESys coding again.

Before I took my car in, I had Teleservices, Ecall Assist and Remote Services active until 08/31/2025. Now, I still have Teleservices and Ecall Assist, but not Remote Services anymore. It doesn't work on my phone (My BMW app) nor does it show up as active on my Connected Drive Account.

SA informed me that the BMW Genius Team should be able to fix it for me, but after 2 hours on the phone trying to get it fixed and after being bounced around to multiple agents and departments, they went from I never had Remote Services active on my car to finally informing me that the upgraded ComBox would not permit (what is left of) the 10 years of Remote Services that was offered with the original ComBox. They offered to compensate me with a month of Remote Services for my troubles...seriously?

Anyway, now after all the troubles, I feel like I made a big mistake taking the car in to get this update. At the very least I would have kept my coding and had my Remote Services for anotehr 8 months. Now, with the update, I lost the free service that I had and would have to pay them to get it back. Not to mention, all of my coding has been wiped out too.

On the bright side, I got a free oil change!

[Billfitz]

That's why my BMW hasn't seen the inside of a dealership in four years, and never will.

[Icecph]

Originally Posted by rambalu80

Took my car (2016 340i, July 2015 build) in on Thursday (06/10/21) for the 4G upgrade. SA informed me that the car only needed a software update and would be ready next day. Received a call on Friday to pick up the car, but turned out they did an oil change and no 4G upgrade/update

After I told them that I didn't drop the car off for an oil change, SA realized her mistake and asked me to leave with the loaner. Received a call back on Monday (06/14/21) that the software update failed and they would have to replace the ComBox and would have it ready today, which they did.

Picked up the car and all my coding, every single code...completely wiped out. Still figuring out if I can do the ESys coding again.

Before I took my car in, I had Teleservices, Ecall Assist and Remote Services active until 08/31/2025. Now, I still have Teleservices and Ecall Assist, but not Remote Services anymore. It doesn't work on my phone (My BMW app) nor does it show up as active on my Connected Drive Account.

SA informed me that the BMW Genius Team should be able to fix it for me, but after 2 hours on the phone trying to get it fixed and after being bounced around to multiple agents and departments, they went from I never had Remote Services active on my car to finally informing me that the upgraded ComBox would not permit (what is left of) the 10 years of Remote Services that was offered with the original ComBox. They offered to compensate me with a month of Remote Services for my troubles...seriously?

Anyway, now after all the troubles, I feel like I made a big mistake taking the car in to get this update. At the very least I would have kept my coding and had my Remote Services for anotehr 8 months. Now, with the update, I lost the free service that I had and would have to pay them to get it back. Not to mention, all of my coding has been wiped out too.

On the bright side, I got a free oil change!

Oh damn...sounds like there's no benefit whatsoever

[rambalu80]

Originally Posted by Icecph

Oh damn...sounds like there's no benefit whatsoever

Yes, very true in my case. I lost a lot and gained absolutely nothing.

In retrospect, I could have simply kept the car with 3G as-is and done my oil change by myself 4 months later. I would have still had my coding and Remote Services would have stayed active for another 7 months.

[rambalu80]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

That's why my BMW hasn't seen the inside of a dealership in four years, and never will.

I tried to keep it that way. Until I took it in for the 4G update last week, my car hadn't seen the dealership since the last free oil change in 2019. Oh well!

[KingsXman]

So what I'm getting from some of the posts is I should not drop my car off for the update? I should just leave it the way it is and when connected drive no longer works in February 2022 then that's that? Had a good run?

[Billfitz]

That's my plan. Whatever I need to do that requires 4G I can do with my phone. Knock on wood, but six years in I haven't used any of the connect features yet. On that note I let my paid subscription items lapse.

[visionaut]

If you’re not aftermarket OBD tuned now (or don’t plan to in future) and you haven’t modified your car electronically (hardware), and you don’t mind redoing any light parameter-coding you might have done (or possibly losing a currently code-able feature), and you have Connected services now and want to retain it as long as possible - take the upgrade offer.

I’m taking my car in tomorrow for a dry-run of the 4G telematics upgrade. I’m friends with the shop foreman - he knows I’m MHD tuned, and we’re gonna hook ISTA up as if doing the upgrade (for my car, it’ll be both a HW change on the headliner/rooftop antenna plus software) - and see what ISTA calculates as the programming plan. I was advised to reflash back to stock tune prior, since I was told if ISTA sees the aftermarket software on the DME it’s more likely it will try to include it in the plan. I can choose after the dry-run to perform the upgrade for real or not…

As my car is F-series N55 (and not an X5) I was previously informed that BMW wasn’t locking these older DMEs with recent updates. (Like B58s are being locked by recent I-steps). This dry-run is to see if that’s still true or if the latest BMW update is now locking these too. I know I’ll always have bench-unlock capability, due to my DME HW, as fallback. So we’ll see…