[chrisdack]

Hi

Needed full lock change on my 335i after house burgled and amongst other stuff, spare keys nicked.

Fortunately they couldn't get car as was in gatwick car-park, but full set of new locks required on car incase they returned.
To setup new keys whole car needed re-programming, including ECU,etc .

It took some time as apparently a brand new software release out April 08. All car electronics needed an update, including the on-car 'loader' as new software was incompatible with the loader in my April 07 car.

If anyone knows instructions how to get software version number I can post here.

Lastly, does anyone know if the co2 reduction in September was ECU software only change? I can't imagine BMW would run a parallel software development program, so wondering if my car is now running at the reduced level.

Cheers

[Alex1974]

The 2008 models have some hardware changes, basically a trick alternator as part of the 'Efficient Dynamics' technology. The alternator only cuts in when needed, and in addition uses energy from braking to charge the battery.

I suspect that the CO2 reduction is mostly down to the hardware changes, although software changes may also play a part.

Even if it has reduced your emissions the DVLA won't care and will always tax you based on the original CO2 figure on the V5

[red-max]

Originally Posted by chrisdack

Needed full lock change on my 335i after house burgled and amongst other stuff, spare keys nicked.

Fortunately they couldn't get car as was in gatwick car-park, but full set of new locks required on car incase they returned.
To setup new keys whole car needed re-programming, including ECU,etc .

Chris, sorry to hear your house got burgled. My keys were stolen when I was travelling last week, so I've just been through the same process; new locks and key set fitted by BMW dealer.

Of course they keys contain all the user settings, radio station presets, etc. but it never occurred to me that the car might have been re-programmed. I assumed they could just pair up the new keys. Now I'm wondering if my re-map is in place - I might have to go out and give it a test drive to be sure...

[e92phreak]

You won't be able to get the software version yourself. You need to get that from your service advisor.

[chrisdack]

Originally Posted by red-max

I assumed they could just pair up the new keys. Now I'm wondering if my re-map is in place - I might have to go out and give it a test drive to be sure...

To disable the old key was straightforward. To encode new keys involved complete reprogram, and they had the car hooked up for a whole day to do it - apparently sometimes car re-program crashes midway through.

Let me know whether re-map still there.

[red-max]

Originally Posted by chrisdack

To disable the old key was straightforward. To encode new keys involved complete reprogram, and they had the car hooked up for a whole day to do it - apparently sometimes car re-program crashes midway through.
Let me know whether re-map still there.

Thanks Chris,

I'm beginning to think that my car was re-programmed too. I thought the dashborad display looked different, and after comparing with some pics I took a year ago, I am now convinced the font has changed on the display between the intruments. It's subtle, but it is different. I will try to take some pics and post them for anyone who might be interested.

As for the re-map, I have to admit that I am really not sure. I think it may be gone. The car is still pretty powerful, but perhaps not so "keen". Then again it could be my imagination. I didn't drive the car for a week between "before" and "after", and I drove my wife's MINI down to collect the car. When I originally had the re-map done, the improvement was noticeable, but now I find it really hard to tell whether I have 286bhp or 340bhp. I might call CAA to see if there's some way to tell - I don't really want to call them out, strip the car down, take out the ECU, only to find that the re-map is still in place.

Any suggestions, apart from taking it to a rolling road? Perhaps I should time a few 0-60 runs ;-0

[dxb335d]

Originally Posted by red-max

Thanks Chris,

I'm beginning to think that my car was re-programmed too. I thought the dashborad display looked different, and after comparing with some pics I took a year ago, I am now convinced the font has changed on the display between the intruments. It's subtle, but it is different. I will try to take some pics and post them for anyone who might be interested.

As for the re-map, I have to admit that I am really not sure. I think it may be gone. The car is still pretty powerful, but perhaps not so "keen". Then again it could be my imagination. I didn't drive the car for a week between "before" and "after", and I drove my wife's MINI down to collect the car. When I originally had the re-map done, the improvement was noticeable, but now I find it really hard to tell whether I have 286bhp or 340bhp. I might call CAA to see if there's some way to tell - I don't really want to call them out, strip the car down, take out the ECU, only to find that the re-map is still in place.

Any suggestions, apart from taking it to a rolling road? Perhaps I should time a few 0-60 runs ;-0

I was the same, had been driving a mini so thought the big D was still 340+ bhp.. sometiems felt like it sometimes didnt. Went back to the tuner and had it re-mapped anyway and fook me, it WAS standard.

[chrisdack]

Originally Posted by dxb335d

I was the same, had been driving a mini so thought the big D was still 340+ bhp.. sometiems felt like it sometimes didnt. Went back to the tuner and had it re-mapped anyway and fook me, it WAS standard.

I can't even quite make up my mind whether the new program reduced power compared to the original standard version I had before the re-program; or whether I am just be looking for something that isn't there. I can't remember if car ran out of puff quite so quickly around 5.5k, or whether I'm just remembering when I put super unleaded tank before last.

[steve-p]

If you can't really tell if a remap is still there, it makes you wonder if it was worth having in the first place

[330cdsport]

I find it hard to believe that you would not know if the map was in or not - especially in the 335D.

My car was like night and day when I got it mapped. If it were to disappear, I am sure i would notice it.

[red-max]

Originally Posted by 330cdsport

I find it hard to believe that you would not know if the map was in or not - especially in the 335D.
My car was like night and day when I got it mapped. If it were to disappear, I am sure i would notice it.

Yes, that's what I would have thought - until now. I've not driven that far in the past week, but I am still undecided whether the re-map's still in place or not. It still feels pretty powerful (so the map is there) but some times it doesn't pick up as keenly as I think it should (maybe the map is gone). I think the auto box doesn't help. If I get the chance I'm going to give it some welly tomorrow in Manual mode.

[nagge]

A tip is to measure some different ranges, 80-120, 100-150 and get a rough time to compare to when you get the car back from BMW.

[330cdsport]

Originally Posted by nagge

A tip is to measure some different ranges, 80-120, 100-150 and get a rough time to compare to when you get the car back from BMW.

Good idea. I have an accelerometer and get between 5 and 5.2 secs for 0-60mph runs, so I can use this test again when the car comes back from the dealer in the future.

[red-max]

Originally Posted by 330cdsport

Good idea. I have an accelerometer and get between 5 and 5.2 secs for 0-60mph runs, so I can use this test again when the car comes back from the dealer in the future.

I just ordered a Bel Vector FX2 from eBay, which should help prove for sure if my map has gone. I'm 80% convinced it has been over-written. The car still pulls strongly but it deosn't seem quite as brutual as before, and the traction control light doesn't flicker so much in D. Then again I have proper tyres now, not the crappy runflats. I do wonder if the new software has changed other things; the reset of the auto transmission made a difference when I had the re-map done. The engine has probably loosened up a lot since 11K (I've now done 24K miles), so stock preformance (if that's what I now have) is pretty good.