Need help with NCS Expert; recoding VIN into replacement gauge cluster

[ChilliBeef]

However, I have an E39, not an E36.

[enda320]

Well, E39s, no coding plug, only can have the VIN written once with regular tools, and taking them apart is risky as it'll pull the springs out of the needles unless you have some sharp thin pliers to grab the needle centre shaft tightly so they leave it behind.

E60, E90, F10 etc are all very simple. I haven't looked at getting to the chip on an E46 dash, but I guess that would be risky too.

[tiMASTER]

My experience is with E36 but I assumed similar technology would carry over for a while...

[marcinb]

Folks,

have anyone tried to use nettodat.man file to overwrite VIN (or mileage) in E90 cluster?

Very simple nettodat.man content:

B 003002E8,0008,41,42,31,32,33,34,35,XX

The meaning is:

address, length, A, B, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, checksum

2E8 is the address of the first VIN character in the EEPROM. 0008 is the length of the part of VIN including a checksum.
I am actually not sure where the checksum is stored, if it is just one byte and how it is calculated.

Use coapiCodeSgByNettoData to code the data.

It would actually be nice to be able to create additional functions for NCS that would read other parts of EEPROM,
so that I was able to read the respective data off my original cluster.

I know that "the only way" is to directly connect to the EEPROM chip.
But I haven't seen anyone to say that my suggestion is not doable.

I understand that NCS Expert doesn't offer the functionality to overwrite the VIN or mileage - and even if it does, it fails with an error.

But nettodat is at lower level.

I also am aware that there are levels of the software that may be checking the addresses that one tries to write.
Including the cluster's processor that may use simple ("protection unaware") procedures in case the coding is done
over OBD as opposed to its routine operation (coding VIN and mileage into a "virgin" module and updating current mileage).

Please criticize me.

Is there anyone who would dare to try? I am willing to provide theoretical help

I am chickening of bricking something.
The idea is "academic" based on some reading.
Especially "NCS Dummy – Taking the expert out of NCS Expert" - very good insight into the guts of the software.


I have just replaced my cluster with a used one.
Higher mileage, obviously different VIN.
My original cluster kept resetting - very annoying.

After first ignition it shows my actual mileage.
When I disconnect and reconnect, it shows its own higher mileage again - until next ignition.
The only nuisance is the tamper dot and I am not able to reset the inspections.
EVERYTHING else seems to be working fine. Including cruise control, DSC, check control (my brake pads are wearing out).

I am able to do NCS coding. Reading is not a problem.
I have to type in the VIN off the cluster in NCS (F2) to do the coding - otherwise it fails with some COAPI error.

[MParallel]

... I swapped in another 96+ coding plug and everything magically started working but I have the red dot because the VINs do not match..

A little bump, but in case anyones finds it like I did, a small correction:

There is no VIN stored on the coding plug, just the mileage. It doesn't car what car it comes from. The tamper dot lights up when the mileage on the coding plug and internal eeprom don't match.

Cluster test 9 lets you sync them up, removing the dot in the process. Whatever chip holds the higher mileage is the one used to sync the other with.