YES! Intentional E39 speedo error seems FIXED, or, "I think I'm turning Japanese."

[geargrinder]

Been gettin wicked annoyed at the +5% speedo error on the ol' Touring, and finding it tends to make me drive FASTER than I would otherwise now as I disregard the indicated speed as being bogus... Kinda got worried the other day when I found myself doing a speed that will remain unmentioned and realizing it'd be a $$$ ticket if I sailed into LEO range... Well, I had some time yesterday and today to kinda dig into it w what software tools I had at hand.

Obviously there's no easy NCSExpert solution since if there was everyone would be driving around without speedo errors anymore... But taking a page from some E46 work that Terraphantm did, long story short there are indeed parameters for speedo calibration that are not available in the trace file via NCS Expert. And accordingly, there is a whole list of potential values for each of those, including the values for Japanese E39 w/ 250kmh speedometers (as well as Alpina and M5 300kmph speedos, and active cruise, and all kinds of other stuff...)

Well after some testing the basic E39 Japanese settings seem to be as dead nuts on for speedo as you could want, when checked against my cell phones GPS at several speeds and for sustained cruise.

[EDIT - updated to simplify based on newer NCSDummy ease of use]

So it seems the newer NCSDummy versions make this super easy as it now reveals what before were hidden fields. The simplification should make the guys who get infuriated at having complicated technical details posted in a thread happy. I wont mention how to use or setup NCSDummy but that info is all easy to find.

TACHO_OFFSET - select Japanese E39 250km

TACHO_SKALA_ENDWERT - select Japanese E39 250km

TACHO_OFFSET_KOMPL - select Japanese E39 250km

TACHO_SKALA_ENDWERT_KOMPL - select Japanese E39 250km

(deleted all details of hex editing and other tools.... Warnings still apply - if you brick your cluster dont blame me... But it should be pretty easy)

[edjack]

Perhaps the Japanese government demands an accurate speedo. The national speed limit, at least years ago, was 60 kph. All cars had a chime that went off at a speed just above that.

[caryalon]

That's cool. The speedo error really bugs me. I just wish I understood your instructions better - seems like a different language...

[geargrinder]

That's cool. The speedo error really bugs me. I just wish I understood your instructions better - seems like a different language...

If you toss a shout-out on the diag forums or a local Bim GTG mebbe you can find somebody who will do it for you at a meet up some weekend... it really is pretty easy - only thing that would take longer is if your cluster was a different PN and so you had to go look up the values over again (I could do that for somebody too and post up the info, but they'd need to know what cluster exactly it was from INPA/NCSExpert)

[caryalon]

It's a 2002 530i with the high OBC cluster. Same as yours?

[edjack]

You guys worry far too much about trivial stuff. Hope you don't have a fatal heart attack.

[luravua]

Perhaps the Japanese government demands an accurate speedo.

[geargrinder]

You guys worry far too much about trivial stuff. Hope you don't have a fatal heart attack.

Ha! So funny the little bunch of hater trolls around here that come to chime in on stuff they dont care about just to be sure everybody knows they hate anybody who does anything.

- - - Updated - - -

It's a 2002 530i with the high OBC cluster. Same as yours?

Im not an expert but if i get a sec i'll look up part numbers and take a guess, I'd guess it is from seeing how configurable the IC is (aka code in engine, transmission, etc but you can never be sure...)

- - - Updated - - -

Perhaps the Japanese government demands an accurate speedo.

Would not at all be surprised if this was the case in Japan. Supposedly the error originates from German liability aka if you get in accidents or get tickets in DE the owner could claim it was the automakers fault because the car was not indicating the full speed so all cars read 5% low... At any rate its cool to have figured out the solution to accuracy...

[jstern]

Geargrinder - What a great find!! It sound like language from another planet to me too but it is very cool. I'm always trying to figure out how fast I should be driving according to my speedo. A definite PITA!

[geargrinder]

It's a 2002 530i with the high OBC cluster. Same as yours?

OK so ETK lists a shidload of part possible numbers for a 2002 530 w/ high OBC...

For manny tranny:

62 11 6 924 895
62 11 6 923 069
62 10 6 948 265
62 10 6 942 197

For slushtranny:

62 11 9 134 786
62 11 9 155 822

My PN is 6 914 897 so looks different, but you'd have to dig into the details to see what coding is for whatever cluster you have. I'm betting most of that is minor coding differences, and they all have essentially the same layout, but you can't be sure and that's about all the work I want to do at this point. Steps to do it if you can find somebody w/ INPA/NCSExpert and PASoft would be:

• Scan modules w/ NCSExpert to find out what version of software & parameters your car has (mine was KMBI.E38.C12 but there are a lot of KMBI.E39.??? entries too...)
• Use NCSDummy to dump Module Functions for what you just found
• Look in the module function file for the addresses of the 2 variables I mentioned (and should verify that the Japanese codes are same as I have listed above, or use different 250km Japanese codes if they are not)
• Switch cables, now use PASoft to read the EEPROM
• Edit the hexadecimal appropriately based on what you found (save as new filename so you have the original to fall back on in case of problems)
• Write the EEPROM in PASoft
• Reset the time & date in your cluster, and you're good to go.

- - - Updated - - -

Geargrinder - What a great find!! It sound like language from another planet to me too but it is very cool. I'm always trying to figure out how fast I should be driving according to my speedo. A definite PITA!

Thanks! Yeah I'm psyched. If you want to try it some time let me know, I'm curious to try it on an I6 and see if it works the same. I'm just down on Cape Ann but have in-laws up in Po-po so I'm running up/down coast periodically, plus a buddy in Po-mouth I hit up for lunch periodically - might be doing that week after next in fact.

[JimLev]

Geargrinder, are you going to the BAV Show and Shine in Oct?
Maybe you can bring your stuff and fix mine. Not that it really bothers me, it's probably saved me from a few tickets.
John Stern, you going? I want to see your blown I6.

[Bruce SEA 993]

Kudos to you for figuring this out! I hate this optimistic speedo (but it is not going to give me a heart attack!) and am hoping to see this turned into a DIY or a easily understood task that one could take the car to someone with a BMW scanner could do. I like the idea of a mass correction at a GTG.

Keep up the good work!

[geargrinder]

Quick update:

Still working great although the cluster does flash "EEPROM KI" when the car starts sometimes - I hadn't noticed that before. I am betting there is some validation check since the car is coded as a "DR63" - aka USA 540iT Auto - but then says it's Japanese. Or there could be some check where the IKE (cluster module) asks another module for validation.

At any rate, nothing functional seems to be wrong so I don't care so far. If the cars were still in warranty it'd be a potential issue w dealers but since this car is unlikely to EVER see a BMW dealer again, it's a non-issue for me.

Geargrinder, are you going to the BAV Show and Shine in Oct?
Maybe you can bring your stuff and fix mine. Not that it really bothers me, it's probably saved me from a few tickets.
John Stern, you going? I want to see your blown I6.

Would like to, but after poring over their site + blog + facebook they don't seem to say the date. First weekend of October usually? If so I might not be able to make as I have to be in Germany on Sunday night. But will make it if I can...

Kudos to you for figuring this out! I hate this optimistic speedo (but it is not going to give me a heart attack!) and am hoping to see this turned into a DIY or a easily understood task that one could take the car to someone with a BMW scanner could do. I like the idea of a mass correction at a GTG.Keep up the good work!

Yeah to be honest, for somebody who has the ability & comfort w/ PASoft and editing hex values to do it, everything that I posted is more than enough which is why I dumped so many tech details there. I will go edit the post a bit to add something about looking up different clusters than the exact one I have.

But I've been around enough stuff like this and seen enough bricks made that I am wary of trying to make it too "for dummies" and then have a guy do the wrong thing or not pay attention and end up with angry losers screaming because they ignored the "do this at your own risk you might brick something!" warnings...

[Graham E39 528i]

You guys worry far too much about trivial stuff. Hope you don't have a fatal heart attack.

Yeah, I agree. This project is 'busy work'.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using BF.com

[Bruce SEA 993]

Yeah to be honest, for somebody who has the ability & comfort w/ PASoft and editing hex values to do it, everything that I posted is more than enough which is why I dumped so many tech details there. I will go edit the post a bit to add something about looking up different clusters than the exact one I have.

Yes, I agree...this is not for your average DIYer but more for a few guys with the abilities. I am thinking some folks may step up in different regions and be able to make the change for a modest contribution. Kind of like loaner special tools.

Thanks!

[geargrinder]

Yeah, I agree. This project is 'busy work'.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using BF.com

Ha again! I really didnt know i had to apply for your approval for doin little projects that are fun... Who knew?! Is there a list of grand wizards that i am supposed to send my application to?

Amazing that so many kids spend tons of time fitting modded angel eyes and other completely non-functional cosmetic stuff and posting about it here, but you single out correcting the 5+% speedo error as a waste of time? Do you even actually know that your speedo is off by better than 5%?

Well in turn I hope all the hater trolls dont have panic attacks and psychotic episodes from freakin out over what somebody else has modded on their E39.

Relax, bros.

[Skwisgaar]

Ha again! I really didnt know i had to apply for your approval for doin little projects that are fun... Who knew?! Is there a list of grand wizards that i am supposed to send my application to?

Amazing that so many kids spend tons of time fitting modded angel eyes and other completely non-functional cosmetic stuff and posting about it here, but you single out correcting the 5+% speedo error as a waste of time? Do you even actually know that your speedo is off by better than 5%?

Well in turn I hope all the hater trolls dont have panic attacks and psychotic episodes from freakin out over what somebody else has modded on their E39.

Relax, bros.

Rather than feed the "hater trolls" as you refer to them, why not ignore them?



Back to your OP, my dealer corrected my speedometer error when I had a new cluster installed a few years ago. I noticed it on the way home from the dealer that day as I was passing more cars than I normally would at an indicated 63mph. I checked my GPS and saw 63mph there, too. I called the dealer later and asked the service writer about it... he said, "I don't know. We just updated your software when we installed the cluster. I guess that did it."

[Graham E39 528i]

Geargawker defines a troll as anyone who disagrees with him. LOL

Sent from my Nexus 7 using BF.com

[geargrinder]

Rather than feed the "hater trolls" as you refer to them, why not ignore them?

You're 100% right of course. I usually block repeated wankers who go out of their way to just say "what you think js cool sucks and i went out of my way to crap on your thread instead of ignoring something I have no interest in" but not as easy a quick few clicks when using Tapatalk which ive been doing lately. I will say it generally seems more cranky critical and bitchy around here last few years.

Back to your OP, my dealer corrected my speedometer error when I had a new cluster installed a few years ago. I noticed it on the way home from the dealer that day as I was passing more cars than I normally would at an indicated 63mph. I checked my GPS and saw 63mph there, too. I called the dealer later and asked the service writer about it... he said, "I don't know. We just updated your software when we installed the cluster. I guess that did it."

Thats really interesting. I havent tried to update programming on the cluster to see if that made a change... Id love to read the EEPROM of your (or another replacement-reading-correctly) cluster and see what parameters it has and what software versions etc.

[jstern]

Thanks! Yeah I'm psyched. If you want to try it some time let me know, I'm curious to try it on an I6 and see if it works the same. I'm just down on Cape Ann but have in-laws up in Po-po so I'm running up/down coast periodically, plus a buddy in Po-mouth I hit up for lunch periodically - might be doing that week after next in fact.

Yeah! I'd love to try it. My trouble right now is that my wagon is up on jack stands while I'm doing many repairs/mods. I only have time to work on it about one day a week so things are going slow. Then my pickup has been giving me fits and I need that vehicle for our business. I will certainly let you know when the car is back in operation. We are not far apart so I'm sure it will be easy to get together.

Thanks so much for your offer to fix my speedo. Even though it's not that hard to figure out what speed you're going, it would be wonderful to look at the speedo and know it's correct.

Geargrinder, are you going to the BAV Show and Shine in Oct?
Maybe you can bring your stuff and fix mine. Not that it really bothers me, it's probably saved me from a few tickets.
John Stern, you going? I want to see your blown I6.

Jim-Hopefully I'll be able to go this year-it's only 12 miles from my house. The problem is that our bakery is always busy that time of year and it's unfair to leave my wife, Nancy, with the onslaught. With luck I'll be able to carve out some time in the afternoon. Hope to see you there.

[mifesto]

I would actually pay like $50 for someone local to update my ecu (if he's experienced enough). I absolutely hate having to compensate mentally on my true speed vs the bmw speedo. then I get all messed up when I drive my other car and I end up speeding by mistake.

[James39]

They sure did go a long way to make sure the speedometer is completely inaccurate. I imagine my wife wouldn't care about it and would see it as a waste of time, but I sure don't.

Mines down to about 3MPH error after getting some 18's, but I sure would like it to function as a reliable indicator of speed. I'd probably have to change the values in the cluster EEPROM and re-calculate the tire revs per mile to make mine right.

Maybe I'll try to buy another BMW scanner if this passes the test and if you can figure out how to get rid of the error message (that might drive me more nuts than the speedo being off by 3 )

[JimLev]

Jim-Hopefully I'll be able to go this year-it's only 12 miles from my house. The problem is that our bakery is always busy that time of year and it's unfair to leave my wife, Nancy, with the onslaught. With luck I'll be able to carve out some time in the afternoon. Hope to see you there.

John, if you can make it bring the iT. If you can't then next time I'm up in York maybe we can meet. My sister-in-law lives in York. At the moment she's here....and brought me some lobster! As far as I know the BAV Show & Shine will be on Oct 6th. Geargrinder, can you make it, or will you be gone?

[Aryana]

Anyone in the SF Bay Area that can update my ECU? The error sucks...I'm getting pretty good at calculating 5% over to compensate, but I'd pay $$ to get it dialed in.

[geargrinder]

John, if you can make it bring the iT. If you can't then next time I'm up in York maybe we can meet. My sister-in-law lives in York. At the moment she's here....and brought me some lobster! As far as I know the BAV Show & Shine will be on Oct 6th. Geargrinder, can you make it, or will you be gone?

Dang, I prob fly out to Germany that day.