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      12-26-2016, 01:26 PM   #1
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X4 Coding - LED Lighting Package

Just an unsolicited shout-out to Almaretto who did a stellar job coding my F26. He is extremely knowledgeable and well versed in the nuances between the different F-series cars - and a nice guy to boot. He is based in Los Angeles, but I believe he also offers remote coding sessions.

If you have the LED package, you really need to contact Almaretto to get the full potential unlocked. I mean, you gave BMWNA $1,900 of your hard earned cash, so why not spend a bill to get it unlocked to function the way the engineers in Munich intended?
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      12-26-2016, 08:07 PM   #2
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Is this more involved then just selecting options in Carly2?
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      12-26-2016, 10:34 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by ctdw View Post
Is this more involved then just selecting options in Carly2?
Yes and no. Proper coding with eSys has more options than Carly. The boys at Carly have done a great job with their application. I believe all Carly really does is to read and execute scripts to code your car and as such it is "idiot proof" and really require no knowledge of how to actually code. But the number of items you can change with Carly is limited.

Proper coding with eSys require a special cable and software as well as computer skills. The options available are more complex and there are more of them. PM me with your email address and I'll send you a couple of documents outlining what proper coding can do.
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      12-27-2016, 10:35 AM   #4
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I have done the coding myself, pretty straight forward, lots of how to's on the net. Takes about 30 minutes (including the learning how ESYS works). I agree with DBU, if you have the Active LED package, get it fully activated, so worth it at night!
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      12-27-2016, 11:24 AM   #5
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Now correct me if I'm wrong but I thought the full Euro spec Active LED headlights were not street legal here in the US. That's why ours are the gimped version. Would they even be able to tell if they were fully activated ? I would love to have fully activated headlights !
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      12-27-2016, 01:16 PM   #6
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They are not approved in US/CAN because they haven't been certified for road use yet (ie tested). That being said, no one would really know unless you told everyone about them and then no one probably cares. When you bring your car for service and there is a firmware/software upgrade required, they just reflash the entire thing. I've never heard of BMW service techs looking at the previous load for any reasons. It's just standard to reflash the ECU marked for upgrade (in which can you can just turn the features on after with ESYS).

EDIT: Now that I've had them for almost a year, I can tell you that I will never want to go without them. They are amazing and it's only a taste of lighting technology that is coming up in Europe (and in centuries here in NA) such as Matrix LED and Laser light.
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      12-29-2016, 12:15 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NewBimmerMD View Post
Now correct me if I'm wrong but I thought the full Euro spec Active LED headlights were not street legal here in the US. That's why ours are the gimped version. Would they even be able to tell if they were fully activated ? I would love to have fully activated headlights !
You are probably correct, but I cannot imagine a situation where "the law" would notice this. The real test is when you drive around at night in various traffic and light situations and nobody flashes their high beams at you because you are blinding them. I have yet to be flashed by anybody and even ran a test with my wife coming the other direction. Nothing. It simply works. As someone else said "why not unleash the full potential of your LED package."
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      01-02-2017, 02:34 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ctdw View Post
Is this more involved then just selecting options in Carly2?
Five steps and about 25 changes.
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      01-24-2017, 08:59 PM   #9
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Dumb question, but what is included in the full potential of the LED package? I have it on my x4 and would like to know what I am missing...
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      01-24-2017, 09:07 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sarsippius3rd View Post
Dumb question, but what is included in the full potential of the LED package? I have it on my x4 and would like to know what I am missing...
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      01-25-2017, 09:30 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DBU View Post
You are probably correct, but I cannot imagine a situation where "the law" would notice this. The real test is when you drive around at night in various traffic and light situations and nobody flashes their high beams at you because you are blinding them. I have yet to be flashed by anybody and even ran a test with my wife coming the other direction. Nothing. It simply works. As someone else said "why not unleash the full potential of your LED package."
I've had coding done to my car. In the auto high beam mode when a car approaches the left headlight adjusts downward and in somewhat and I notice that my high beam indicator remains on in the dash. In this mode, I do get approaching cars flashing from time to time, enough that I manually adjust to low beam even when I'm in the auto mode.

Anyone else?
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      01-25-2017, 10:47 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Duke I View Post
I've had coding done to my car. In the auto high beam mode when a car approaches the left headlight adjusts downward and in somewhat and I notice that my high beam indicator remains on in the dash. In this mode, I do get approaching cars flashing from time to time, enough that I manually adjust to low beam even when I'm in the auto mode.

Anyone else?
Blue High beam icon will illuminate and remain as long as brights are engaged. This includes below 41 mph when they are just on/off as well as above when they can tunnel. But, if coded correctly, you should not be frequently flashed.
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      01-26-2017, 03:02 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Almaretto View Post
Blue High beam icon will illuminate and remain as long as brights are engaged. This includes below 41 mph when they are just on/off as well as above when they can tunnel. But, if coded correctly, you should not be frequently flashed.
I agree with that. With my coding, no one flashes me ever. I did several tests with the wife driving in front of me and opposite of me and the adaptive LED are working properly.

This here is the proper way: http://x3.xbimmers.com/forums/attach...3&d=1450979992

but often the X3/X4 is improperly coded with the F30 series settings and the LED beam alignment is off which will cause glare to other drivers (and defeating the purpose of GFHB).
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      01-26-2017, 03:11 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by elimpfor View Post
but often the X3/X4 is improperly coded with the F30 series settings and the LED beam alignment is off which will cause glare to other drivers (and defeating the purpose of GFHB).
Very true. I have fixed a number of F15's, F25/F26, and F80/F82/F83's, because people used either dated or incorrect as well as missed a few FDL's .
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      01-27-2017, 06:48 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Almaretto View Post
Blue High beam icon will illuminate and remain as long as brights are engaged. This includes below 41 mph when they are just on/off as well as above when they can tunnel. But, if coded correctly, you should not be frequently flashed.
Exactly my experience. I have yet to be flashed.
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      02-01-2017, 09:54 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Almaretto View Post
Very true. I have fixed a number of F15's, F25/F26, and F80/F82/F83's, because people used either dated or incorrect as well as missed a few FDL's .
Almaretto, can you help with 2 items;
1) F25 activation of highbeam shutter from pin 41 on FRM. I ony get Xenon bulb to light but shutter gets no power. I did a full Halogen to OEM Xenon headlight upgrade.
2) what function in 3060 sets the rear parking lights to half brightness as mine are always on (full brightness) when parking lights are activated.

Cheers.
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      02-01-2017, 11:04 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BMWTwinPWR View Post
Almaretto, can you help with 2 items;
1) F25 activation of highbeam shutter from pin 41 on FRM. I ony get Xenon bulb to light but shutter gets no power. I did a full Halogen to OEM Xenon headlight upgrade.
2) what function in 3060 sets the rear parking lights to half brightness as mine are always on (full brightness) when parking lights are activated.

Cheers.
1) I am not sure what that is. For any OEM solution, you can always use VO coding. Did you try scanning vehicle with ISTA+?
2) I am not sure. I have only looked at the front headlamp coding, but not adjusting rear.
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      02-07-2017, 03:07 PM   #18
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Another thanks to Amaretto for coding help.

Duke
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      02-13-2017, 08:39 AM   #19
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Recoded with coding from #13 above and Amaretto's pm. Works perfectly. No more flashing from oncoming traffic.

Thanks all.
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      02-16-2017, 09:11 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Almaretto View Post
1) I am not sure what that is. For any OEM solution, you can always use VO coding. Did you try scanning vehicle with ISTA+?
2) I am not sure. I have only looked at the front headlamp coding, but not adjusting rear.
Would you think ISTA-D could do it or should i use ISTA-P?
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      02-16-2017, 09:30 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BMWTwinPWR View Post
Would you think ISTA-D could do it or should i use ISTA-P?
ISTA+ (AKA Rheingold or ISTA-D)
  • DIAGNOSTICS for All Vehicles
  • PROGRAMMING for F/I/G/RR & MINI, but requires ICOM
ISTA-P
  • PROGRAMMING traditionally for all chassis, but is being phased out by August 2017, except for legacy E-series.
  • ICOM Recommended. An ICOM emulator with K+DCAN or ENET can be used, but will NOT not communicate over all protocols to program every ECU.
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      02-18-2017, 11:45 PM   #22
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I coded the variable lighting and anti-dazzle on my LED headlights, as both are decoded here in Canada.

I noticed that if I have my fog lights on, then the auto mode simply enables or disables the high beams as it does with anti-dazzle decoded . However, with the fog lights off, then the "anti-dazzle" mode does work and does the whole variable euro style headlights. The problem isn't so much that oncoming cars flash me, which they do on occasion, but as I habitually drive faster than most cars on the road, mostly in the left lane, so I'm constantly passing cars in the right lanes.

The problem I've noticed is that approaching a car from behind, about 150 feet back the anti-dazzle swithces back to low beams, but as this happens the right headlight moves from the right > back to the center position in about half a second during which it sweeps the car I'm approaching in what seems like a high beam wave. Needless to say, almost every other car than flashes its high beams on in anger as I pass by them, essentially a middle finger salute.. and I can't say I blame them

Is this normal for all anti-dazzle coded LED cars? Or does this sound like the "bad F30 style" coding some have mentioned is often mistakenly coded into F15/F25 cars?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Duke I View Post
I've had coding done to my car. In the auto high beam mode when a car approaches the left headlight adjusts downward and in somewhat and I notice that my high beam indicator remains on in the dash. In this mode, I do get approaching cars flashing from time to time, enough that I manually adjust to low beam even when I'm in the auto mode.

Anyone else?
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