The Z3 Diagnostics Thread: Instructions, Experiences, Discussions, Experimentation

[328 Power 04]

Select any of the XP compatibilities. (You can try even older)

It is done like this http://help.unc.edu/help/win7vista-w...s-7-and-vista/

[Outrider]

That was a big help. The clarification would be to right click each of the three .exe programs before launching them so you can set compatibility and administrator permissions. Once those are set, run the .exe

[NolliM3]

Well, I read through the entire thread and wanted to be clear on this: would ADS work on a 64bit laptop with original DB-9 serial port? I have a 95M3 and can't access DME with the 20pin/USB adapter. So, I want to sell the laptop I have (32bit with Windows 7 that has no DB-9 serial) and get a 64bit laptop with an original DB-9 RS232 that has up to 8GB/16GB memory in order to run DIS, INPA, EDIABAS, as well as, importantly, run BMW ISTA+ (Rheingold) ISTA-P Coding/Programming/Diagnostics E & F-series that I recently bought before I learned that my problem communicating with the DME was the interface. The BMW ISTA+ (Rheingold) ISTA-P, from what I understand, consumes memory and the one I bought had been tested on a 64bit Windows 7.

Of course, running DIS, INPA, and EDIABAS would be in Windows XP compatible mode.

[328 Power 04]

No, ADS will not work on 64-bit. I tried it and it didn't work.

It has to do with the ADS driver itself.



If you don't want to mess with all that old stuff.... and can spare $200-300 on an interface, I would just get an ICOM clone and use it with ISTA. ICOM connects via ethernet to the computer.


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You paid for ISTA-P? I hope it wasn't much... there's almost nothing of use on E36 with ISTA-P.


Rheingold ISTA-D yes, but only with ICOM.
DIS yes, but it's so old, fragile setup, and antique, that I keep as far away as possible.

- - - Updated - - -

More questions for you... What module are you trying to diagnose?
If it's a check engine.. can you just do the stomp test http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/sh...pre-96-only%29! ?

Airbag will work with USB cable. Not sure of any other modules on a 95.

[NolliM3]

No, ADS will not work on 64-bit. I tried it and it didn't work.

It has to do with the ADS driver itself.



If you don't want to mess with all that old stuff.... and can spare $200-300 on an interface, I would just get an ICOM clone and use it with ISTA. ICOM connects via ethernet to the computer.


-------


You paid for ISTA-P? I hope it wasn't much... there's almost nothing of use on E36 with ISTA-P.


Rheingold ISTA-D yes, but only with ICOM.
DIS yes, but it's so old, fragile setup, and antique, that I keep as far away as possible.

- - - Updated - - -

More questions for you... What module are you trying to diagnose?
If it's a check engine.. can you just do the stomp test http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/sh...pre-96-only%29! ?

Airbag will work with USB cable. Not sure of any other modules on a 95.

Thanks for the fast response. Yes, I know of the stomp method; however, I need to checkout the wire diagrams, DME. I paid $25 for the entire Rheingold ISTA-D and ISTA-P package before learning I could have gotten it here on the forum.

I will look for a 32bit laptop that will run Windows 7 then.

[spidertri]

Thanks for the awesome thread and files! I got INPA up and running with no issues, used it to pull the SRS fault codes.

Got the dreaded 240...great. Also, 80, supply voltage too low. Any insight into those codes or is it time to pull the module and send it somewhere?

Edit- I'll check the battery/alternator voltage and report back...

[328 Power 04]

You're welcome!

That's an unrecoverable error; and more and more common. My roadster had that fault. In my investigations, the airbag module itself has a hardware fault inside. I have tried resetting/reflashing the eeprom without success. I still keep it in case some electronics expert discovers what is wrong. I have not yet tried reflowing all solder, but there is nothing I can see with the bare eye.

I replaced it with a used module from the same year/model/options.

- - - Updated - - -

Thanks for the awesome thread and files! I got INPA up and running with no issues, used it to pull the SRS fault codes.

Got the dreaded 240...great. Also, 80, supply voltage too low. Any insight into those codes or is it time to pull the module and send it somewhere?

Edit- I'll check the battery/alternator voltage and report back...

Has the car had any airbag deployments?

The internal fault error will not allow clearing of codes.

[spidertri]

No airbag deployments that I know of. The light was off when I bought it and for almost a year after that.

I had taken the car on a trip and it was outside that night at the hotel, got fairly cold that night, then the next morning when I started it the light was on. Cheapie b800 tool said internal fault, I finally got INPA running to confirm.

Battery and alternator voltages seem good to me. I guess I'll keep an eye out for a module.

[328 Power 04]

Well temperature fluctuations can crack RoHS compliant solder. I wonder if a reflow can get it back.

[ArkansasTed]

I just got everything working on my laptop...and just cleared my airbag light. I'm running a Toshiba Satellite A665 laptop that originally had Win7 on it but I got the free upgrade to Win10.

When I first hooked it up to my car's 20 pin connector under the hood I got an error message. But when I went into device manager and changed the virtual com port (with USB cable connected) from com 3 to com 1 it connected to the car without a problem.

I've only had the car a month and it had the airbag light on when I got it. I had the seats out to replace the rail bushings (and replaced the rear window in the convertible top). I did have to turn the key on with the seats out...but since it already had the airbag light on when I got the car....that didn't matter.

All is well now....and the airbag light is off....!

Thanks a bunch to all the people who contribute to this forum...! I was about to order one of the Creator C310 code readers....but it doesn't look like I'm gonna need it now .

[328 Power 04]

You are welcome! Glad it was sorted out easily. It's pretty much always a COM number mismatch that causes connection issues.

INPA et al. is so much better at doing BMW diagnostics/coding/programming than any 3rd party tools. But yes, it does have a 'developer only' feel to it. Once you get used to it, you will be amazed by the power in it. I am still learning new things using WinKFP and Tool32, and I have been using these for years.

[Ebby1600]

Wiping sweaty forehead...INPA up and running! Had three fails and all three were me not following instructions to the tee. That said, my motivation was to troubleshoot a DSC/Brake warning light on a 2001 3.0i roadster with automatic transmission.

Some observations and questions:

Ignition in position 2 engine not running. I selected (F2)E36/Z3 and got V1.15 then I selected Chassis. I went through the the list shown in the right hand column and the only item on the list that responded was the DSC MK60 and that was with a version mismatch with possible malfunction error message. But I did get a screen with options. Is that normal? I selected status then digital or analog and saw many 'green bars'. Which I assume is good. On the left the green bars were all green except Brake circuit 1 and Brake circuit 2 which were nearly all green. I'm still thinking that's good. The bars on the right hand side had black triangular indicators which were all nearly centere in the green. That's got to be good.

I chacked the wheel sensors, all green. I did replace both front wheel pulse generators and clean the pulse wheels. All other sensors in the green.

I landed on on a screen that listed four switches. There is an open circle next to each. The switches are:

Brake Fluid
DSC Switch
Brake pedal
Hand Brake

i read in my Bently manual the DSC switch sets to 'on' each time the ignition is turned on. So I started the engine and the DSC switch open circle did not change. Next I pulled the hand brake and the open circle next to the hand brake filled black. I released the hand brake and the circle went open. I disconnected the canon plug at the brake fluid reservoir and it's open circle went black. It went open when I reconnected the plug. I stepped on the brake and the open circle went black. After releasing the brake pedal it went back to open. When I pressed the DSC button on the console the open circle remained open. When I pressed it again the circle remained open.

Now im not 100% sure I have INPA working properly but if it is I'm thinking I have a loose connection on the DSC switch, a bad DSC switch or chafed wires connecting the DSC switch to the control module.

What at does the collective genius of this forum think?

Having a ball with my Z!

[328 Power 04]

But what DSC errors do you have in the error menu? Your INPA is working normally so far.

[Ebby1600]

image.jpg image.jpg In the excitement of success with INPA I didn't look closely at my error report. So is it the Yaw Sensor that is junk?

[328 Power 04]

Yes, you will need to replace your yaw sensor. It is under the driver's seat on the Z3. You can unbolt the seat and lean it aside, and then just raise the carpet from the middle split to access it.

I would look for a used yaw sensor from E46 cars, as a new one is ridiculously priced. Find one with a newer part number revision.

[Ebby1600]

Yes good advice. New prices are steep. I'll check ETK for some part numbers. Thank for posting the instructions for INPA and cabling.

[Ebby1600]

Yes good advice. New prices are steep. I'll check ETK for some part numbers. Thank for posting the instructions for INPA and cabling.

Success! Purchased a blue label yaw sensor on EBay ($120) and installed this morning. Connected the laptop and ran the INPA software. I selected the analog view for DSC sensors and the new yaw sensor index was right in the middle of the green bar. The two warning lights were out and then I cleared the existing error code in memory from the old yaw sensor. I did not have to calibrate the yaw sensor. I'm not sure if it is a sensor that can be calibrated. I'd like to know.

When i I first ran the INPA software on the original yaw sensor the analog display (the one with the green bars and black triangle indices) showed the yaw sensor index about a quarter of an inch to the left of center. I thought if the index was "in the green" it was good. If the yaw sensor can be calibrated I'm wondering if that is all I needed to do.

Anywho, thank you 328 power 04 for your expertise during this repair.

[328 Power 04]

That was a good price on the yaw sensor. Considering they are known to go bad, I don't think a calibration (if possible) would have saved it, at least for the long run.
DSC sensor calibration is best done with another program (not really wise to talk about it here), as I don't think INPA has the E46 style DSC module completely populated with possible functions. Come to think of it, I am not sure if the yaw sensor itself gets calibrated, but I am sure that the lateral accel and steering angle does.

An excerpt about yaw sensor from BMW documents:


Rotation rate sensor

The rotation rate signal (yaw velocity) corresponds to the rotational velocity about the perpendicular axis of the vehicle.

The rotation rate sensor is mounted under the driver's seat. The 3-pin plug connector has the following terminals: Ground, signal voltage, supply voltage 5 Volt.

Measuring principle: Quartz crystal tuning fork system

Function in DSC III system:

The measured rotational velocity (yaw rate) is compared with driver requirements (steering wheel angle, driving speed and transverse acceleration information). The DSC corrects the vehicle rotational velocity as required by specific brake intervention at the front or rear axle as well as by influencing the engine torque.

These interventions achieve stable vehicle handling within physical limits under all driving conditions (braking, propulsion, rolling).

[1215]

Does anyone have the stock values of the exhaust flap handy? Car off the flap is completely open. Car on the flap is maybe 3/4 closed, but not fully closed. If someone has a mechanical suggestion I'm open to that as well but before I started messing with those values the flap worked fine and all vacuum hoses look good after inspection. I have a stock flash saved so unless anyone has it at their fingertips don't bother looking it up for me. Thx.

[328 Power 04]

Here it is, but be aware that the muffler flap is an on/off deal, no angles or anything else.
The values are simply Throttle Position Sensor % when actual is under then it keeps flap closed.

[1215]

Here it is, but be aware that the muffler flap is an on/off deal, no angles or anything else.
The values are simply Throttle Position Sensor % when actual is under then it keeps flap closed.

So vacuum leak then? At idle it is not closed. Maybe 3/4 closed.

[328 Power 04]

Here is a pdf I made on how to use the NCSExpert program to code a single module that has been replaced with NEW or USED (DSC in this example) using the car's factory settings.
This is all done via 20-pin port ONLY.
Same exact process applies to a replacement airbag module coding.

BMW Z3 Single Module Coding.pdf
Click on thumbnail to download file.

[papacham]

Hi all

looking for some help here:
1. i purchased the adapter in the tutorial: $9.05 Trusted China seller with quick shipping http://www.ebay.com/itm/281312477303
2. installed all steps as instructed (Win7 64 bit - XP3 compatibility)
3. port is set to COM1 both at device manager and ini file
4. car is 2003 Z4 e85, and i am using the obd port

When loading INPA, I don't get black battery / or ignition when plugged in and starting car... on my attempt to connect i get the IFH-9000 error (No Response From Control Unit.)
I can not read the ECU, or read errors. just get ifh-009....

a. is it a bad cable?
b. i have not disabled firewall /av (will it make a difference?)
c. on com port settings what should hardware set to be ((will it make a difference?)

thx in advance!

[328 Power 04]

You must bridge your cable's pins 7&8 together for your car. (Open the casing and solder the two together, they are labeled on the male side of the plug).

That cable will not show battery and ignition until you do the MProg programming tweaks (described in the pdf). I like to see if I get the black dots, meaning I have proper PC settings, however it isn't necessary at all.

In the hardware device manager settings, make sure you are on driver 2.12.00 or 2.10.00. The newest one from Windows Update sometimes disables functionality on purpose, on these Chinese cables.
Then you have the COM Port settings and ini matched, so that is correct. Don't forget to set the Latency to 1ms.

I wouldn't be so quick to blame the cable.

[papacham]

Hello,

I have used driver 2.12 and latency is already set to 1 - obd.ini is good...

But most importantly: I will follow your advice for bridging the pins and retry... and let you know!

i want so desperately to check and clear that airbag light :-)

thanks a lot for your input!