[simon the pieman]

After a few of the forum members have suffered at the hands of thieving bastards and not been able to locate their car through the remote app car locator because they were out of the 1.5km range ( thankfully they have been recovered now ) I decided to contact my local dealer to see if there was an update to bring this up to date with current cars and be able to locate your car any where.
Turns out that cars built after July 2014 had the option to select bmw gps car locator with no range restrictions. Pre this is the stupid 1.5km range. The dealer said there is no specific update but if you were to have your software updated it might install this feature. He wasn't 100% sure as he could find any solid info from bmw themselves.
He told me software only gets updated when there is a fault on the car and then it's updated, not just by itself as I had thought.
So there it is no real answer for pre July 2014 cars with pro nav and remote services but only a maybe!
A software update is £150 from my local dealer and if it works then great, but if not you've still updated all the software so you haven't paid for nothing.
Sorry for the long post but some people may be interested.
Cheers.

All this info was from a bmw dealer and not from my knowledge so if any thing is inaccurate then apologies.

[Kal101]

Do all cars have this remote locator app thingy or is it only nav package ones

Can I download from anywhere ???

[simon the pieman]

Originally Posted by Kal001

Do all cars have this remote locator app thingy or is it only nav package ones

Can I download from anywhere ???

You have to have pro nav and remote services.

[ajfoggy]

can you not invent a fault? i-drive keeps rebooting, etc. Even if there are no error codes surely if you kept on complaining they would just do the update to see if it clear the "fault".

Worth a try. I you could be bothered.

[simon the pieman]

Originally Posted by ajfoggy

can you not invent a fault? i-drive keeps rebooting, etc. Even if there are no error codes surely if you kept on complaining they would just do the update to see if it clear the "fault".

Worth a try. I you could be bothered.

Maybe. My dealer said when it's next in they'll do an end of warranty inspection (as it will be coming towards the end of the warranty) and anything that needs a software update would be done.

[ajfoggy]

Originally Posted by simon the pieman

Maybe. My dealer said when it's next in they'll do an end of warranty inspection (as it will be coming towards the end of the warranty) and anything that needs a software update would be done.

Start getting your list together ;-)

[MarkG_M5Comp]

It's a no go I'm afraid...

Had a complete software update with my steering rack - got the updated pro nav software but still have the 1.5km limit.

[simon the pieman]

Originally Posted by MarkG335

It's a no go I'm afraid...

Had a complete software update with my steering rack - got the updated pro nav software but still have the 1.5km limit.

Ok mate thanks. You would have thought bmw could easily do an update for this

[philiper1]

Originally Posted by simon the pieman

You have to have pro nav and remote services.

How does the teleservices work? As with that they send help for you to your location and it comes with business nav as well

[simon the pieman]

Originally Posted by philiper1

How does the teleservices work? As with that they send help for you to your location and it comes with business nav as well

I suppose bmw locate you by gps and the remote service app communicates with the car. I don't know.

Edit. Probably uses your phone position to send help rather than the cars gps maybe.

[....,,,,..,,..]

Originally Posted by simon the pieman

I suppose bmw locate you by gps and the remote service app communicates with the car. I don't know.

Edit. Probably uses your phone position to send help rather than the cars gps maybe.

I believe the car receives it's code (likely to be the VIN) and then responds with whatever is asked.

So likely a data tag with other elements asking, mileage, GPS location, etc.

The car then responds to the data tag with a reply tag.

That's how I believe it works, however could be totally fucking wrong

[simon the pieman]

Originally Posted by Brigand

I believe the car receives it's code (likely to be the VIN) and then responds with whatever is asked.

So likely a data tag with other elements asking, mileage, GPS location, etc.

The car then responds to the data tag with a reply tag.

That's how I believe it works, however could be totally fucking wrong

Exactly. Who knows what ze Germans do.

[SteveChester]

Originally Posted by simon the pieman

After a few of the forum members have suffered at the hands of thieving bastards and not been able to locate their car through the remote app car locator because they were out of the 1.5km range ( thankfully they have been recovered now ) I decided to contact my local dealer to see if there was an update to bring this up to date with current cars and be able to locate your car any where.
Turns out that cars built after July 2014 had the option to select bmw gps car locator with no range restrictions. Pre this is the stupid 1.5km range. The dealer said there is no specific update but if you were to have your software updated it might install this feature. He wasn't 100% sure as he could find any solid info from bmw themselves.
He told me software only gets updated when there is a fault on the car and then it's updated, not just by itself as I had thought.
So there it is no real answer for pre July 2014 cars with pro nav and remote services but only a maybe!
A software update is £150 from my local dealer and if it works then great, but if not you've still updated all the software so you haven't paid for nothing.
Sorry for the long post but some people may be interested.
Cheers.

All this info was from a bmw dealer and not from my knowledge so if any thing is inaccurate then apologies.

It's total bollocks what a stupid rule to put in place it must be reversed!

[simon the pieman]

Originally Posted by SteveChester

It's total bollocks what a stupid rule to put in place it must be reversed!

Agreed. Might email bmw sometime and ask them to explain that shite!!

[SilverFox335D]

SWMBO is actually in Munich (supposedly) supporting her company hold some conference today and tomorrow which is being held at BMW.
I told her to find some one and ask them a few pertinent questions. One of which is this very matter. (Another one was why there is no PPK for the 335d).
If she can't get them to sort it out I don't hold much hope for an e-mail to be honest. She scares the s**t out most people with a glare! Let alone letting rip. Even Santa leaves our presents next door! Mrs Bucket eat your heart out.

[xenon]

Originally Posted by MarkG335

It's a no go I'm afraid...

Had a complete software update with my steering rack - got the updated pro nav software but still have the 1.5km limit.

The 1.5Km limit is removed on my car (Nov 2014) but you have to enable "Location Services" in settings. Have you looked to see if that setting is there since the software was updated?

[simon the pieman]

Originally Posted by xenon

The 1.5Km limit is removed on my car (Nov 2014) but you have to enable "Location Services" in settings. Have you looked to see if that setting is there since the software was updated?

After July 2014 there is no range limit

[xenon]

Yes I know....

But you still have to enable it in settings.

[simon the pieman]

Originally Posted by xenon

Yes I know....

But you still have to enable it in settings.

Yes I get that too. But after the July 2014 build the idrive system is updated and one of the features/options which you have is gps car locator with no range limit. There is no software update for this in pre July 2014 models with pro nav and remote services. This is what my local dealer has told me.

[xenon]

You're very probably right but I was just responding to the post who said he had a software update which made no obvious difference that it may, in fact, have provided this feature but the poster was unaware it needed switching on.

You're dealer is probably right - first time for everything....

[simon the pieman]

Originally Posted by xenon

You're very probably right but I was just responding to the post who said he had a software update which made no obvious difference that it may, in fact, have provided this feature but the poster was unaware it needed switching on.

You're dealer is probably right - first time for everything....

Yes I understand your point.
I think though ( and I may be wrong ) location services on your phone will only allow the app to place your position along with the car. If location services is turned off your phone can't be located, but the app will still locate the car.
And as for the dealer, I think customers seem to know more than them sometimes

[xenon]

No I mean the location services in the car, not on the phone.