[sam2428]

My SA is going to schedule a software update for my car.

My question is...if i buy and install an alarm system (since my car is pre-wired), will this software update make my alarm fully functional or is a different update required?

[MusclezMarinara]

if he does a full car update and they code it for an alarm yes...most likely they wont code it unless you pay for it and have the alarm already installed.

[sam2428]

hmm ok, maybe i can talk to him and ask him since theyre already going to do it if they'll code it for me

anyone else have any experience with this?

[mike3000fl]

gonna need to get it coded, slip tech a 20 and ask nicely.

[sam2428]

Thanks guys, I'll try that...hopefully it works!

[MusclezMarinara]

i installed mine myself, had a "friend" in bmw dealer program it threw him 50 bucks sad part was the car had to be entirely reprogrammed and i didnt have the car for 1 day.

[Oulixes]

Originally Posted by Takashi

1 day is understandable. I don't have the car for 3 weeks because the programming failed and the ECU crashed during programming. They have to ship a brain from Germany.

I trust what you say but do not believe what the dealer says. The CPU (or what BMW calls ECU) crash normally means that the re-programming has failed and will have to be started all over again, but no fatal damage is inflicted on the hardware (nothing but the code has to be replaced). One wonders what they really did to the ECU if it indeed had to be replaced, or whether the dealer only thought it had to be replaced. I hope that the decision to keep the car for three weeks has not been made unilaterally by the dealer, that a BMW field engineer has seen the car.

[spdy330]

When they did mine I had two modules fail. They needed to keep the car over night. I did not even get a BMW for a loaner. I got a camry

[ShastaMan]

When I had my alarm activated, the "CIC" module failed two times. Took a special BMW troubleshooter to fix the problem. 3 weeks later I got my car back. My loaner was a 08 335i.

[Evil E90]

Originally Posted by spdy330

When they did mine I had two modules fail. They needed to keep the car over night. I did not even get a BMW for a loaner. I got a camry

When I had the software on my E90 updated I had a shiny new 335i as a loaner. That car was sweet. It would of been sweeter if it was 6mt and not automatic.

[Spydeputy]

let us know how you make out.

[toughluck]

Originally Posted by mike3000fl

gonna need to get it coded, slip tech a 20 and ask nicely.

And/or say you will give them all '5s' in their customer satisfaction survey afterwards.

[Race_Doc11]

No! I was charged an hour for the Alarm activation for my M3. You will still get the software update as it is mandatory for activating the alarm and warranty should cover for that. If your dealer is nice they might through the alarm activation for free. In my case I had to shop around since some dealers wanted to charge me 3 hours activation for the Alarm (I installed myself) Good luck!

Originally Posted by sam2428

My SA is going to schedule a software update for my car.

My question is...if i buy and install an alarm system (since my car is pre-wired), will this software update make my alarm fully functional or is a different update required?

[MusclezMarinara]

my dealer only has 328s to many people totaled the 335s, spoiled the fun for the rest of us

[Oulixes]

Originally Posted by Takashi

Well, as far as I know after the alarm install my car turned into a $$ piece of paperweight. The only thing that works is the manual key lock in the trunk and the door. Everything else was not working.

Keeping the car for 3 weeks was their decision since my car is dead and it takes 3 weeks for parts to arrive from Germany. I just feel bad for the dealership though. So now whenever I hear the word "Software Programming" or "software update" I will start to worry.

Sorry to read about your car problems - three weeks without the car is way too long. After all, it is just a simple OEM alarm. I've re-read through the whole thread and am quite amazed how many people had similar problem. I share your feelings about the software updates. They are risky, take too long, and I'm not sure the dealerships can keep up with the frequency of the updates.