Coding our own E63-E64 Success_Finally!

[zerocks1]

After countless hours of reading, experimentation, chats with other experts from various forums, I finally have succeeded in doing what the guys over at the E60 and E90 forums have done. Code our cars with options that exist in various modules.

If you haven't ventured into this topic, here is a short version of what we will now be able to do at home.
- Communicate with individual modules in the E63-64
- Change parameters to enable or disable things like; the Legal Disclaimer start up screen; Auto folding and unfolding outside mirrors; disable that annoying door open with key in ignition 'gong'; DVD in motion (2008+), Seat belt chime; bulb testing upon startup and/or during operation; enabling a digital speed icon as an added option when you press the bc button on the left stalk; these are just a few

I am not a computer code writer. I know OHM's law, use common sense, and read a lot to get this working. Getting this to work was the challenge I wanted to accomplish. This may not be for everyone and there is some risk in killing a module I suspect. But if you can read instructions, and have a basic knowledge of a PC, you can do this.

The short version of what took so long is that the E63-64 writes the code changes slightly different than other models. In the end, the compilation of information required minor changes in a program known as NCS Expert. It also took me some time to figure out how to get the cable below to communicate with the car using USB and not a serial adaptor, which many use on the other boards.

So if this wets your appetite, or any other bodily function, I will be doing a DYI in minute detail during the next week or so. It's actually very simple, once you begin to understand it, but it is a slightly different procedure than has been written for other models.

Here is a taste and some pictures of what I did today until I got distracted by a rustling noise in my garage. Thought it was the hot water heater expanding and contracting; until a saw Ben and his wife. A couple of very large rats. Seems the usual sunny L.A. weather (which has been rain) do not agree with rodents, so indoors they come. So I got diverted with a trip to Home Depot for some traps and a calming session with the wife. I kept thinking about an older thread where another member had them chewing hoses and cardboard undercarriage parts on his M.

Anyway, back to the project. While I deal with my rodent friends, and until I get to a thorough DYI written, including links where to d/l the sw and drivers you will need, here are some pictures of what I accomplished today.

. A K+DCAN USB OBDI connector, which you will need and are available from many sources. (I have the drivers that allow it to operate with the USB cable vs others who used a serial adaptor). I will add a link where I got mine.
. A picture of my new boot up screen without the legal disclaimer (after the usual BMW screen appears) it also starts at the last function it was in when the car was turned off
. A picture of the additional option of digital speed (just for fun) when pushing the bc button on the left stalk. It now changes from time>miles til empty>oil level>digital speed>etc.
. Turn signal indicators on the HUD display (when not in M Mode)

I have a list of other changes I'm going to make including auto folding outside mirrors; turn signal frequency when pushing turn signals up or down in the momentary mode; cold and hot bulb check elimination (I have LED's everywhere and where I don't have resistors, they blink for a few seconds. Drives me crazy, Side markers as an example); HUD entertainment display option; Seat belt 'gong' disablement. Thats just a taste. Once I gain more confidence in German to English, I can see there are many more options I will change.

I read all the modules and backed them on on a thumb drive, in case I want to return to stock. I checked for errors with my BT (Bavarian Technic) cable and sw. No errors with these changes, so they would be undetectable by the dealer, although they would be over written, if a SW upgrade were performed by the dealer. By the way, the BT cable will not work for this. It's wired differently than the cable in the picture. Even the professional version. Two different uses.

So just a taste, and more to come...

[4speedn]

Originally Posted by zerocks1

After countless hours of reading, experimentation, chats with other experts from various forums, I finally have succeeded in doing what the guys over at the E60 and E90 forums have done. Code our cars with options that exist in various modules.

If you haven't ventured into this topic, here is a short version of what we will now be able to do at home.
- Communicate with individual modules in the E63-64
- Change parameters to enable or disable things like; the Legal Disclaimer start up screen; Auto folding and unfolding outside mirrors; disable that annoying door open with key in ignition 'gong'; DVD in motion (2008+), Seat belt chime; bulb testing upon startup and/or during operation; enabling a digital speed icon as an added option when you press the bc button on the left stalk; these are just a few

I am not a computer code writer. I know OHM's law, use common sense, and read a lot to get this working. Getting this to work was the challenge I wanted to accomplish. This may not be for everyone and there is some risk in killing a module I suspect. But if you can read instructions, and have a basic knowledge of a PC, you can do this.

The short version of what took so long is that the E63-64 writes the code changes slightly different than other models. In the end, the compilation of information required minor changes in a program known as NCS Expert. It also took me some time to figure out how to get the cable below to communicate with the car using USB and not a serial adaptor, which many use on the other boards.

So if this wets your appetite, or any other bodily function, I will be doing a DYI in minute detail during the next week or so. It's actually very simple, once you begin to understand it, but it is a slightly different procedure than has been written for other models.

Here is a taste and some pictures of what I did today until I got distracted by a rustling noise in my garage. Thought it was the hot water heater expanding and contracting; until a saw Ben and his wife. A couple of very large rats. Seems the usual sunny L.A. weather (which has been rain) do not agree with rodents, so indoors they come. So I got diverted with a trip to Home Depot for some traps and a calming session with the wife. I kept thinking about an older thread where another member had them chewing hoses and cardboard undercarriage parts on his M.

Anyway, back to the project. While I deal with my rodent friends, and until I get to a thorough DYI written, including links where to d/l the sw and drivers you will need, here are some pictures of what I accomplished today.

. A K+DCAN USB OBDI connector, which you will need and are available from many sources. (I have the drivers that allow it to operate with the USB cable vs others who used a serial adaptor). I will add a link where I got mine.
. A picture of my new boot up screen without the legal disclaimer (after the usual BMW screen appears) it also starts at the last function it was in when the car was turned off
. A picture of the additional option of digital speed (just for fun) when pushing the bc button on the left stalk. It now changes from time>miles til empty>oil level>digital speed>etc.
. Turn signal indicators on the HUD display (when not in M Mode)

I have a list of other changes I'm going to make including auto folding outside mirrors; turn signal frequency when pushing turn signals up or down in the momentary mode; cold and hot bulb check elimination (I have LED's everywhere and where I don't have resistors, they blink for a few seconds. Drives me crazy, Side markers as an example); HUD entertainment display option; Seat belt 'gong' disablement. Thats just a taste. Once I gain more confidence in German to English, I can see there are many more options I will change.

I read all the modules and backed them on on a thumb drive, in case I want to return to stock. I checked for errors with my BT (Bavarian Technic) cable and sw. No errors with these changes, so they would be undetectable by the dealer, although they would be over written, if a SW upgrade were performed by the dealer. By the way, the BT cable will not work for this. It's wired differently than the cable in the picture. Even the professional version. Two different uses.

So just a taste, and more to come...

id love to get rid of that annoying seatbelt chime! drives me nuts!!

[mtimmy]

Very nice!., do you have more information about it? I would love to try it out

thanks

[Bavarian Beast]

I look forward to seeing the DIY!

[Mark Carson]

Sounds very cool. I'd like the DVD in motion disabled and also the seat belt gong (which is annoying in the drive through lane where I have the belt off as I fish for my wallet, then creep a few feet and GONG).

[MKSixer]

Great work! Can't wait to see the DIY. The seatbelt gong for the passengers side when my briefcase is on the front seat makes me crazy!

[M6Cabrio]

This sounds like something that is going to be very awesome!!

[MiamiSixer]

Revolutionary, I like it!

[SMBowen]

Can't wait to see some of the details of the coding. I was going to have my buddy do it to my car a few weeks back, but then people on here warned me of the difference between our cars and the rest, so I was little hesitant because he had never done the M6...even though he is a coder.

Glad you got it to work!

[zerocks1]

Checking in with some updates.

I'm getting the hang of this. There is really very little damage you can do by experimenting with changes from 'aktiv' to 'nicht_aktiv', and the reverse. The trouble I'm having is trying to understand German abbreviations that don't easily translate.

I tried 10-15 different changes today. There are definitely differences where commands are stored on our modules vs. the E60 (M5). The good news is, you can always write the OEM code (known as a xxxx.man file), back to the vehicle and return it to its original state.

So far I've saved the following to the car:
- Legal Disclaimer is gone
- Screen immediately goes to Entertainment every time the car starts. You can choose any screen option to default to
- HUD has the turn signal indicators when not in M Mode. Emergency flashers as well
- There is an option to enable 'Entertainment' in the HUD module, but thus far I cant see any entertainment visual in the HUD in any mode. Wondering if Euro models have this option?
- bc digital speed display is now an added option as shown in post #1
- eliminated 'gong' when key is in ignition and door is open
- almost totally eliminated ''seat belt gong'. It gongs twice and then stops. I know there is an option to eliminate it totally. It's the abbreviated German thats throwing me. But I'll find it
- I disabled the need to start the car with your foot on the brake. It prevented a shutdown by holding the on/off button with one touch, so I reverted back to the original state on that option
- I'm having some difficulty getting the outside mirrors to auto fold. I think it may be my aftermarket SmartTOP module interfering with the door module that controls the mirrors. Researched a lot on this one. Our method is different than the M5, so be careful if you attempt to have someone do that for you.
- There are so many options for bulb cold-hot checking, I don't know where to begin.
- There's a corner (light) delete option; ability to flash your fogs (if you have them) along with, or instead of high beams; Eject key fob when engine is turned off; A headlight time of day option, in addition to the sensor for auto headlights, that controls when the headlights are on and off. I always wondered why my headlights stayed on later in the morning even on a sunny day, and why they came on earlier in the late afternoon than other cars on the road. There's many others. Some do not do anything when you activate them. But the experimentation is fun.

I keep checking for faults with my PEAKE and BT tool. Nothing; which is good.

I'm still experimenting, which is taking me away from writing the DYI....but I will. There is a master file that contains all the factory settings that's used if a module fails, allowing the master file to write the proper code to a specific module and vehicle model. That's how BMW can use a single part number for multiple models. Fascinating stuff

Stay tuned