Coding and warranty (UK)

RedPepper · 10-14-2019, 03:05 AM

Apologies if this has been covered already - searched but couldn't find anything.

I like the idea of coding (as a software / system architect, I'm forever extolling the virtues of configurability!) but am worried about what it might do to my warranty were anything to happen to the car.

I've seen a few threads that talk about certain changes being "undetectable" (to be fair, these were more about engine tuning), but say I changed the dials to the Alpina look, that'd be quite obvious to a BMW technician.

Anyone have any view or experience of this? I'm in the UK and it seems - perhaps wrongly - that coding or modifying is less prevalent/accepted than in the US, so not sure if that will make a difference?

Thanks.

Dandle · 10-14-2019, 03:12 AM

From my experience with BMW and the warranties they are really good but if theres a get out they will use it, this is obviously at the discretion of the workshop manager though so will vary.
If you code stop start off, Alpina dials and other things that are easy for them to spot, it wont necessarily be just those items that they wont warranty though as they can say the cars been tampered with. Thats what has put me off coding my car.

RedPepper · 10-14-2019, 03:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dandle

If you code stop start off, Alpina dials and other things that are easy for them to spot, it wont necessarily be just those items that they wont warranty though as they can say the cars been tampered with. Thats what has put me off coding my car.

Yeah, that's exactly where my head is right now... might have a chat with the dealer to get their perspective next time I'm in, but can't imagine them say "no problem, go for it!"

verysideways · 10-14-2019, 03:46 AM

Just had exactly this with Alpina dials - they asked me to put the standard dials back on and replicate the problem. If the problem is still there with the car "back to stock" then they can pursue the warranty aspect with HQ.

The problem i am having is with ABS incidentally, nothing to do with the dashboard as such.

clivem2 · 10-14-2019, 04:00 AM

If you were wanting IT support for a computer at home or work where you'd reconfigured what's supposed to be a set configuration you'd be unlikely to get full support. I can't blame BMW if they are precious about this. They could insist you pay for a full re-flash of the car before they'll even look at it.

As someone who's worked in IT for a few decades and being involved with Telematics & IOT I can see BMW's point of view as well as our own driver/owner PoV.

RedPepper · 10-14-2019, 07:21 AM

Thanks chaps - this is all reinforcing my initial "gut feel" that coding is probably not for me, as I don't want there to be any wiggle room if there was an issue.

Shame, as those iDrive 7 Alpina dials are rather nice!

If only BMW would make things like the dials configurable - should be easy enough given it's just changing a colour palette within a screen - and then you could match the ambient lighting to the dials, etc.

clivem2 · 10-14-2019, 08:57 AM

It's the Alpina dials that are at the top of my list too. I'll see what's involved now that ID7 seems to be able to be coded now. Maybe putting the dials back to default would be a 2 minuted job with an enet cable

bmw335d · 10-14-2019, 09:09 AM

I say u guys do it and if you need to go to the dealer just recode the defaults, takes a couple mins

Dandle · 10-14-2019, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmw335d

I say u guys do it and if you need to go to the dealer just recode the defaults, takes a couple mins

That's assuming you don't get recovered back to the dealer, where you wont get that option.

teaston · 10-14-2019, 09:13 AM

It's absolutely fine, they actually couldn't update my cars software because I'd coded EBT, and they just rang me and let me come down there with my laptop to uncode it!

I do uncode obvious things like Alpina guages etc when it goes in for service, only takes a few seconds with Bimmercode and an Enet cable though!

clivem2 · 10-14-2019, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teaston

It's absolutely fine, they actually couldn't update my cars software because I'd coded EBT, and they just rang me and let me come down there with my laptop to uncode it!

I do uncode obvious things like Alpina guages etc when it goes in for service, only takes a few seconds with Bimmercode and an Enet cable though!

Is it easiest to use an enet cable directly into a W10 latop? I see Bimmercode needs an Android emulator to run.

An alternative is enet cable into an ethernet into usb c but then my android phone may need a driver which could be hassle and may/may not work.

teaston · 10-14-2019, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clivem2

Quote:

Originally Posted by teaston

It's absolutely fine, they actually couldn't update my cars software because I'd coded EBT, and they just rang me and let me come down there with my laptop to uncode it!

I do uncode obvious things like Alpina guages etc when it goes in for service, only takes a few seconds with Bimmercode and an Enet cable though!

Is it easiest to use an enet cable directly into a W10 latop? I see Bimmercode needs an Android emulator to run.

An alternative is enet cable into an ethernet into usb c but then my android phone may need a driver which could be hassle and may/may not work.

Forget laptops, Bimmercode app is much easier and faster. I see Android Bimmercode doesn't support enet cable yet so just get a dongle instead.

clivem2 · 10-14-2019, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teaston

Forget laptops, Bimmercode app is much easier and faster. I see Android Bimmercode doesn't support enet cable yet so just get a dongle instead.

What are you using on your laptop then? Presumably not Bimmercode.

teaston · 10-14-2019, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clivem2

Quote:

Originally Posted by teaston

Forget laptops, Bimmercode app is much easier and faster. I see Android Bimmercode doesn't support enet cable yet so just get a dongle instead.

What are you using on your laptop then? Presumably not Bimmercode.

It was e-sys, that was a few years ago before Bimmercode came out. I still have e-sys on my laptop, but no idea if it still works, Bimmercode is just far more convenient.

10-14-2019, 03:05 AM	#1
RedPepper First Lieutenant 184 Rep 322 Posts Drives: 2023 X4 M40d Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: North Bucks, UK iTrader: (0)	Coding and warranty (UK) Apologies if this has been covered already - searched but couldn't find anything. I like the idea of coding (as a software / system architect, I'm forever extolling the virtues of configurability!) but am worried about what it might do to my warranty were anything to happen to the car. I've seen a few threads that talk about certain changes being "undetectable" (to be fair, these were more about engine tuning), but say I changed the dials to the Alpina look, that'd be quite obvious to a BMW technician. Anyone have any view or experience of this? I'm in the UK and it seems - perhaps wrongly - that coding or modifying is less prevalent/accepted than in the US, so not sure if that will make a difference? Thanks. __________________ Current: 2023 X4 M40d (Brooklyn Grey) Former: 2019 X3 M40d (Sophisto Grey), 2016 335d xDrive Touring (Estoril Blue), 2013 330d xDrive Touring (Mineral Grey) Before that: Jag XF 3.0dS, Several Audi A6 3.0TDi Avants, BMW X5 4.4i, BMW 330Ci (and before that is too embarrassing to speak of!)
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10-14-2019, 03:12 AM	#2
Dandle Lieutenant 214 Rep 538 Posts Drives: G05 X5 M50i Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: West London iTrader: (0)	From my experience with BMW and the warranties they are really good but if theres a get out they will use it, this is obviously at the discretion of the workshop manager though so will vary. If you code stop start off, Alpina dials and other things that are easy for them to spot, it wont necessarily be just those items that they wont warranty though as they can say the cars been tampered with. Thats what has put me off coding my car.
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10-14-2019, 03:46 AM	#4
verysideways Lateral grip estimator 957 Rep 1,390 Posts Drives: i4, M2 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Cotswolds, UK iTrader: (0) Garage List 2023 BMW i4 Individual [7.83] 2010 Porsche 997.2 ... [0.00] 2002 Morgan Aero 8 [0.00]	Just had exactly this with Alpina dials - they asked me to put the standard dials back on and replicate the problem. If the problem is still there with the car "back to stock" then they can pursue the warranty aspect with HQ. The problem i am having is with ABS incidentally, nothing to do with the dashboard as such. __________________ '20 BMW M2 '23 BWM i4 Mora '10 Porsche 997 '02 Morgan Aero 8 http://petrolhead.tours
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10-14-2019, 04:00 AM	#5
clivem2 Colonel 539 Rep 2,073 Posts Drives: X3 M40i Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: UK iTrader: (0)	If you were wanting IT support for a computer at home or work where you'd reconfigured what's supposed to be a set configuration you'd be unlikely to get full support. I can't blame BMW if they are precious about this. They could insist you pay for a full re-flash of the car before they'll even look at it. As someone who's worked in IT for a few decades and being involved with Telematics & IOT I can see BMW's point of view as well as our own driver/owner PoV. __________________ Current: G01 M40i Silver / Tartufo Previous: E30 318iS, E39 520i 523i 523i, E46 vert 330i 330i, E93 vert 335i, F25 30D 35D Last edited by clivem2; 10-14-2019 at 04:09 AM..
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10-14-2019, 07:21 AM	#6
RedPepper First Lieutenant 184 Rep 322 Posts Drives: 2023 X4 M40d Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: North Bucks, UK iTrader: (0)	Thanks chaps - this is all reinforcing my initial "gut feel" that coding is probably not for me, as I don't want there to be any wiggle room if there was an issue. Shame, as those iDrive 7 Alpina dials are rather nice! If only BMW would make things like the dials configurable - should be easy enough given it's just changing a colour palette within a screen - and then you could match the ambient lighting to the dials, etc. __________________ Current: 2023 X4 M40d (Brooklyn Grey) Former: 2019 X3 M40d (Sophisto Grey), 2016 335d xDrive Touring (Estoril Blue), 2013 330d xDrive Touring (Mineral Grey) Before that: Jag XF 3.0dS, Several Audi A6 3.0TDi Avants, BMW X5 4.4i, BMW 330Ci (and before that is too embarrassing to speak of!)
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10-14-2019, 08:57 AM	#7
clivem2 Colonel 539 Rep 2,073 Posts Drives: X3 M40i Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: UK iTrader: (0)	It's the Alpina dials that are at the top of my list too. I'll see what's involved now that ID7 seems to be able to be coded now. Maybe putting the dials back to default would be a 2 minuted job with an enet cable __________________ Current: G01 M40i Silver / Tartufo Previous: E30 318iS, E39 520i 523i 523i, E46 vert 330i 330i, E93 vert 335i, F25 30D 35D
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10-14-2019, 09:09 AM	#8
bmw335d Second Lieutenant 104 Rep 247 Posts Drives: X3 M40i, 335d Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Toronto, Ontario iTrader: (0)	I say u guys do it and if you need to go to the dealer just recode the defaults, takes a couple mins
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10-14-2019, 09:13 AM	#10
teaston Banned 10995 Rep 32,881 Posts Drives: X3 M40d Join Date: May 2012 Location: The High Seas iTrader: (1)	It's absolutely fine, they actually couldn't update my cars software because I'd coded EBT, and they just rang me and let me come down there with my laptop to uncode it! I do uncode obvious things like Alpina guages etc when it goes in for service, only takes a few seconds with Bimmercode and an Enet cable though!
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