Clear Z4 2007 transport mode with E39 setup?

[rdl]

A friend has a 2007 Z4 (E85) which has fallen into transport mode due to a low battery; apparently a common problem on this model. I'd like to help him avoid a trip to the dealer.

I have INPA, EasyDIS (2 versions V44 and V57) & SSS/Progman running for my 2003 530 E39; in car OBD port, not 20 pin round plug in engine bay. (Thanks to many here for both general and specific help)

Will this set up work on his E85?
If not, what changes will I need to make?
Any step by step instructions to clear transport mode, esp. for an E85?

I'm not asking for spoon feeding. Pointers to threads or posts I've missed or overlooked would be appreciated too.

He lives an hour's drive away, so I'd like to be prepared when I go visiting.
I have searched this forum & google for over an hour with no luck on the specific questions.
Thanks in advance.

Regards
RDL

[David Mc]

Assuming you have the appropriate interface, this thread may give you the idea http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1731091 . I have seen this functionality for some models in INPA, but would need to connect to a Z4 Central Body Electronics module to see if the option is available for that model using INPA v5.02.

[rdl]

Assuming you have the appropriate interface, this thread may give you the idea http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1731091 . I have seen this functionality for some models in INPA, but would need to connect to a Z4 Central Body Electronics module to see if the option is available for that model using INPA v5.02.

David
Thanks for the reply. I have INPA 4.4.7 running at the moment. It works, for my E39 so I haven't seen any benefit in changing. I have downloaded the v5.02 package from your site though (thanks very much.) I'll give it a try if 4.4.7 &/or EasyDIS doesn't work.

I had found the link started by OsinO but as you've no doubt noticed it ended with the module being sent away for repair. Final resolution, or not, was never reported. Never the less, thanks for the thought.

I'll report back on my experience with my friend's E85. Should be this weekend, or early next week latest. Depends on our mutual schedules.

Regards
RDL

[rdl]

My friend came by today with his 2007 Z4 E85 in transport mode & we can report success with the same setup I use for my E39.

We were both pressed for time so I'm afraid that I didn't take screen shots to capture a step by step log. I'll describe steps because there is another thread going with someone having trouble deleting transport mode & this may help.

First ran EasyDIS V44 & found that automatic vehicle recognition did not work. Manual vehicle ID would not offer his '07 model year as a selection. Then occurred to me that the car's build date was 07/07 & thought perhaps V44 was issued before this date.

Then ran another version of EasyDIS upgraded to V57. Automatic vehicle recognition worked. Quick test found several modules with faults. I used the right arrow (lower right corner of screen) and found transport mode listed as one of the problems.

I highlighted the transport mode error and clicked right arrow. Screen came up asking if I wanted to delete transport mode. DIS directed to used quick clear/delete to erase all other errors after deleting transport mode. Selected yes to delete transport mode. The delete process took about 1 minute.

Ignoring the other problem codes, I clicked left arrow (lower left corner of screen) twice I think, until the starting diagnostic screen that lists all modules along with the quick test and quick delete buttons appeared. Clicked on quick delete. Then exited EasyDIS when quick delete finished.

My friend checked that the systems disabled by transport mode now worked, especially A/C & yes they did. He took his car for a 10 minute spin to see if the other DTCs would reappear. We rescanned with V57 and only the left low beam light error reappeared which was fair enough since that light was inop. Something for another day.

Finished our brewskis & called it a day.

Regards
RDL

[erinday]

RDL, im very interested in the diag software and the steps you used.
I regularly pull my battery out over the winter to charge up. I dont drive my car in the winter, too much snow and crap on the roads.
My carport doesn't have a power outlet so i pull the battery out to keep it charged.
When i put the battery back in i end up in transport mode. The dealer is over an hour away and last time charged me $80 to reset and supposedly "delete" transport mode. Obviously their idea of delete is different to mine.
I think the only way going forward to make this work is to reset the transport mode myself
There seem to be so many different diag options im tryign to decipher what option will work for me
I have a 2007 z4 3.0si Coupe

Cheers,

[rdl]

Erinday

I see by your post count that you're not a regular here. Welcome

My friend with the Z4 has been through the same issues you have. Apparently the Z4 goes into transport mode when the battery is disconnected or goes flat. A bit of a design flaw, I'd say. Or a dealer full employment feature.

I'll assume you've read all posts in the thread.

EasyDIS is a hacked version of the BMW dealer software to around 2008 when it was superceded by a new system. EasyDIS is available free from various internet sites. There are lots of threads in this forum with guidance on sourcing and installing the software. This thread is a good intro to the BMW suite of programs since you're starting at ground zero.
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1391667

The link below is a thread in the Bfest E39 forum, but is actually quite generic within the BMW range. I found that the setup for my E39 2003 530i worked like a charm on my friend's Z4.
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=561237

There are other BMW compatible software brands available, but I have no experience at all with any of them.

Regards
RDL

[erinday]

Rdl, thanks for the info. Yes long time lurker first time poster. I had previously thought the dealer had "deleted" transport mode so it would not occur again
Now I know that's not the case I need to find a permanent solution. I live in Whistler, Canada. The closest dealer is in Vancouver, 115 Km's away. I don't want to drive to Vancouver every time I take the battery out of the car.
Yes I've read a lot of the posts, and to be honest, withe all the terminology and acronyms for different software it can be a bit confusing

Ill check out the links, I appreciate it. Im pretty sure what I need is DIS V57. To reset the transport mode and a OBDII cable that supports D-CAN

Cheers

Edit: rdl- those links are great. You've directed me to the mother-load! now to go buy the right cable!
Cheers, again

[rdl]

Erinday
I'm pleased that you have found something usefull.

It occurs to me that there are other solutions to your particular challenge.

First option
Ask around at the local repair shops if their diagnostic systems can clear transport mode. It's quite possible that a full featured professional multi-OEM system that a well fitted independant shop would have could do this. Since the time required is only 10 minutes or so, they might be willing to do it for only a few dollars rather than dealer rates. Plus you would avoid the time & cost of a drive to Vancouver.

Note that the CEL/SES emissions related trouble codes can be read by any generic code reader. Other systems such as HVAC, radio, lights, security alarm, etc. need a diagnostic system programmed for your BMW model and year.

BTW, the $80 you paid wasn't too bad compared to around here in Ontario. My friend with the Z4 mentioned $125.

Second option
If you have a spare battery and two jumper leads you could avoid setting transport mode.
1) while the car's usual battery is in place, connect the +ve post of spare battery to +ve terminal in the car. Likewise for -ve side.
2) Carefully remove the car's usual battery while taking care not to dislodge the jumper leads even for an instant. You need to keep 12V on the car at all times.
3) take the main battery inside to charge
4) the car's electronics are kept alive by the spare battery
5) Each week check the state of charge of the battery in the car with a voltmeter. At 0C, fully charged is ~12.6V, 50% is ~12.2V, 25% is ~12.0V. So when the voltmeter reads around 12.0V it's time to swap again.
6) You could do the swap with a 2nd pair of jumper leads just as for the backup battery if you wish. It would be a little more convenient.
7) repeat the cycle through the season until you're ready to put the Z4 back on the road.
The spare battery could be a small, inexpensive lawnmower battery which should last a couple of weeks or so. The car's main battery should easily last a month or more.

On the other hand, it would be nice to have a full BMW diagnostic system for your car. Especially if none of the local shops can read any & all electonic modules on your BMW. If anything at all went wrong, you could run the diagnostics yourself. With a little luck you would be able to have a repair done locally and avoid the need for a trip to Vancouver.

Regards
RDL

[erinday]

Hi rdl, yes i thought about all those options. i guess i like to be autonomous up here, and frankly i dont really trust the local auto guys with my car. Probably being a little too harsh on them but most of them have a care factor of zero.
I think all i need is the inpa software to do the transport reset.

It's now turning into a personal challenge!

this morning i built a Windows7 32bit VM on my Mac Air in parallels
Installed inpa 6.4.3 and got it up and running. dont have a cable yet so cant test but it at least loads the main screen.
im downloading the 6.4.7 and 5.02 packages now to install.
My goal is this - purchase a OBDII DCAN USB cable, and plug it into the Windows VM and then reset the transport mode with just INPA. Looking at multiple posts both here and the forums it seems possible. Mac hardware and Parallels is a bit of a wildcard i admit

Failing the mac/vm option i can easily get my hands on an XP laptop so that would be plan B.

[rdl]

Erinday
I have heard of people running INPA as well as DIS on an Apple. With a little luck you will be OK too.

BTW I think the cable for your E86 coupe needs to have what is termed BMW k-line. At least my E39 system, which worked on the E85 roadster, is k-line but not D-CAN. It is possible that E85/86 will work with D-CAN directly, but you couldn't prove it by me. However, most D-CAN cables I've noticed also support k-line. I'd recommend that you verify the one you choose does so. If k-line isn't mentioned, I'd look to see that it specifically say it supports E85/86.

Regards
RDL

[erinday]

Hi , i thought id post a bit of an update. Im back from vacation and have my cable. Connectivity to the car with the cable is perfect and INPA is operating fine and can talk to the car. Trouble is i cant see anywhere where "Transport Mode is listed" i can see an air conditioning section under Body or chassis and when you read the error messages it says it's in "energy Saver mode" i try and clear the error but it doesnt work. Im at a bit of a loss. My next step will be to see if i can get easydis57 running

[rdl]

INPA may be able to clear transport mode, but if so I've no idea where in the menu structure one would find it.

On the bright side, with INPA working you at least know that the cable and EDIABAS are configured to connect your computer to the car.

There may be a shortcut for you to getting DIS running. I uploaded a running VM image that some were able to use almost out of the box. DIS would start and run, but would not connect to the car. However they had only to use the utilities in the DIS admin menu to link the network adapter specific to their computer to the VM. The specific adapter in my machine, and identified in the VM image, wasn't present of course.
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...=561237&page=5
Read posts 105 to 131.

Now for the bad news - I uploaded EasyDIS V44. You would still need to upgrade to V57. Or, if you provide the site and instructions I'll upload a V57 image and you can start from there.

Regards
RDL

[erinday]

hi RDL, im pretty cluey with these systems. Im a Microsoft/VMWare and linux systems engineer so can get stuff worked out pretty quick. i got DIS v44 running in a couple of hours. problem is i need the source for v57. Found a russian version which isnt much help to me.

I'll keep looking but i may PM you and let you know an upload place. maybe even dropbox?

[rdl]

Two hours! I guess it pays to know what you are doing.

Unfortunately, the site at which I found the English V44 to V57 update is now inop. If you get stuck on the search, I saved the files. A 7 part rar: 6 @ ~195MB and the 7th ~7MB.

I don't think you can PM until you have 10 or 15 posts to your credit. Post here if you need the help. You'll have to provide the expertise on a method for the file transfer.

Regards
RDL

[erinday]

Hi, thanks for the reply. i think i found the same rar fileset and am updating now and it's taking a Loooooooooooong time. Will let you know how it goes!

I got Dis v57 running, upgraded the original v44 installation. It would have probably worked sooner had i not been worried about the "low battery/voltage" warnings.
With the car running DIS was able to automatically detect my car and it was pretty easy to walk through the menus to delete transport mode. Thanks for your help, and honestly all the help that was available on bimmerforums, bimmerfest and z4post websites.

I'll now be able to store my battery inside during the winter and easily reset my car when i've put it back in. You've saved me a lot of $$$ and made my life much easier!

Cheers.

Erin

[rdl]

Hi Erin

I'm happy to hear that you've succeeded. Nice that now you can drive to Vancouver when you wish to go, rather than when you have to go.

It is amazing how much really usefull help is offered on these forums isn't it? All the people so generous with their time and expertise have saved me thousands in the 2 1/2 years I've owned my E39.

Regards
RDL

[rsutoratosu]

Thanks so much, my z4 battery just died, I put off on replacing it last winter. I'll be buying a new battery tonight and going to buy the cable and reset transport mode myself.

Luckily for you guys, I would have to visit the stealership and get rip off.

Any recommendation on cables ? I saw a bunch on ebay

[BlissDrive]

Hello Erinday.

My wife has a 2007 Z4 coupe and has the same issue that you had with the Transport Mode. Since she needed the issue fixed quickly she took it in and was charged $130, even after telling them what it was (reading this thread) and being assured that if the transport mode was the issue she will not be charged. Long story short, it just adds to the dissatisfaction with the Schomp dealership in Colorado.

I would like to be able to fix this type of issue on our own and would greatly appreciate if you could let me know what we need in terms of Hardware and Software.

Thank you.

- - - Updated - - -

Hello rdl.

My wife has a 2007 Z4 coupe and has the same issue that you had with the Transport Mode. Since she needed the issue fixed quickly she took it in and was charged $130, even after telling them what it was (after reading this thread) and being assured that if the transport mode was the issue she will not be charged. Long story short, it just adds to the dissatisfaction with the Schomp dealership in Colorado.

I would like to be able to perform these on my own so it would be greatly appreciated if you could identify for me what Hardware and Software I need, and where is best to get them.

Thank you.

[rdl]

Hello Erinday.
...
Hello rdl.
...
I would like to be able to perform these on my own so it would be greatly appreciated if you could identify for me what Hardware and Software I need, and where is best to get them.

Thank you.

Software & hardware you will need is described in this thread.
You will find more information including sources in this forum, especially the parked threads on page one.

In brief
You will need a cable to connect the car's OBD port to your computer. ebay is a good place to search. The key terms to look for are k-line and BMW.

For software
First you need INPA. INPA is a diagnostic program that is quite easy to install and get working. It's often included with a cable. However some people have reported finding viruses in those packages. Better to use the sites listed in the links for clean versions. INPA installation serves as a test that the car and computer are able to talk to one another.

Then you need to install DIS V57. DIS was the dealer software until roughly 2008 or so. Most people first install EasyDIS, a hacked version of DIS V44. They then run an upgrade package to move EasyDIS (V44) to V57. V44 won't recognize your 2007 car since it's issue date was pre-2007. EasyDIS and V57 both use communication modules installed with INPA, which is the reason for getting INPA working first.

Regards
RDL

[AngryWhopper]

I would like to say THANK YOU to rdl. After about 3 weeks of my car being in transport mode and waiting for my cable/software to come from eBay, I just successfully took my Z4 out of transport mode.

[rdl]

...
After about 3 weeks of my car being in transport mode ... took my Z4 out of transport mode.

Happy that you're back in business.
I assume transport mode was caused by loss of battery voltage. What was BMW thinking?

Regards
RDL