Coding Plug in IC. Reprogrammed without removal? - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

BoSJo · 19th June 2008, 22:45

Hi.

Can anyone tell me if it in anyway is possible to reprogram the coding plug, without removing it from the Cluster?

It's no secret that any one can reprogram a coding plug at home using a interface and a hex editor, you just need to know what to edit.

But would it be possible to do it without removing it, and thus break the seal on the plug?

Look at mine :

The sticker with the VIN on it is missing, but the plastic cover is 100% untouched.

An IC Self Test does come up with the correct VIN, so it's not that some one switched the IC and took of the sticker to hide the VIN.

Just wondering if it has been tampered with

Elekta · 20th June 2008, 00:28

If the sticker is off, then it's been tampered with...

bastiges

BoSJo · 20th June 2008, 00:33

Are you absolutely sure that they wouldn't have to take it out?
Can they just remove the sticker, and take out the white center piece?

Edit.
I wouldn't be surprised if it had been tampered with though.
Most older cars have been tampered with at some point in time

Elekta · 20th June 2008, 00:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoSJo

Are you absolutely sure that they wouldn't have to take it out?
Can they just remove the sticker, and take out the white center piece?

Edit.
I wouldn't be surprised if it had been tampered with though.
Most older cars have been tampered with at some point in time

The only way to get the sticker off is by removing the IC. If the IC has been removed and the sticker is off, how can you presume anything else except that the coding plug has been tampered with...if it was only the sticker is anyone's guess.

I was unable to track unknown miles on my car, but after replacing the drive shaft etal and subframe bushings and accumulators and other necessary infrastructure on a 130km wagon, most data points to greater mileage than shown. Disappointing yes, but the car is still an M5T and it is still in my garage. I imagine that post chain tensioner should be done just do prevent undue worry. My repair bills just surpassed $6k...

BoSJo · 20th June 2008, 01:30

Just been out in the garage.
Went through a lot of stuff and finally found a code plug for an M50B25.
It would be quite difficult to take out just the white center piece, as it has arms extending down into the blue plastic of the plug.
It brakes when you pull it out.

So you would have to source out a new white center piece, and glue it in.
4 of the pins go out on top, as you can se (Under the white center)
Question is then, is it enough to have access to those 4 legs to reprogram the chip or would you need access to all 8 legs??
Any electrical engineers in here???

images here : http://s205.photobucket.com/albums/b...o/E34%20M5/IC/

There is not a single scratch on the plug or around it.

The IC could have exchanged bulbs, so that is one reason to take it out.
To removed the VIN sticker is no problem with the plug in place, could have been done to investigate if it was possible to tamper with it

Well all in all, I got the car pretty cheap, I knew the history on it was missing, It's very strong and have no problems and i can read part numbers of it under neath.
So I'm quite confident that no matter what, I didn't throw money out the window.

But still, i find it quite interesting to find out if somebody actually knows if it was done without removing the plug for further reference.
I would imagine that one would be able to hook up wires inside the Cluster, and get access this way

Not asking for a how-to just just technical advice in the form of yes/no
I got 2 E34's, and there certainly will be more to follow, so it would be nice to know

Elekta · 20th June 2008, 16:31

I plan to change my coding plug to miles, as this elekta will never cross back over the pond again...though I will probably wait until 100k to do it.

inertia8 · 20th June 2008, 16:56

Could the cluster have malfunctioned and been replaced at some point in the car's history?

I know amongst my car's service receipts there is a cluster replacement receipt that I believe was performed under warranty. Perhaps when BMW replace the cluster no new VIN sticker is added, they just reprogram the k's as per old cluster etc?

Elekta · 20th June 2008, 18:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by inertia8

Could the cluster have malfunctioned and been replaced at some point in the car's history?

I know amongst my car's service receipts there is a cluster replacement receipt that I believe was performed under warranty. Perhaps when BMW replace the cluster no new VIN sticker is added, they just reprogram the k's as per old cluster etc?

I would love to see evidence of this at the dealer level. It would eliminate a lot of idle chatter.

BoSJo · 20th June 2008, 21:48

@internia8
It sure is a valid point you put forth.
I seriously doubt that anybody would be able to order a new back plate with conductor plate not mounted and without giving full information to BMW first, and then they would program it before assembly.
If a cluster was to be replaced after the production of the cars stopped, it could very well be that they no longer would be able to print out new stickers, or the system in itself was not able to print out new stickers as a security measure (employee, black sheep, need I say more)

There is no way to get the coding plug out of the IC without either removing seal or destroy the plastic fittings inside the cluster and take out the whole conductor plate.
You would be able to see it if you where to do any of the above.

I have two spare IC's here, and i must sadly admit that it looks like you can get around the seals and reprogram the plug without removing anything

I will take it to an Electronics engineer that I know and get some information out of him.....I hope he tells me it can't be done the way i think.

And I might as well say it now : Don't send me PM's asking what i found out and how to do this and that, you won't get any info WHAT SO EVER

BoSJo · 21st June 2008, 20:22

Well boys and girls, sad news...sad news indeed

.

I can now confirm that this can be done with as small investments as 40-50Dollars and some minor skills.

The worst part is that you would be able to do it without leaving a single trace of it ever been done.
You simply wouldn't be able to see if it was done.