I originally pasted this on the e39 forum but suspect more appropriate here.

I have some questions on LCM programming for my 2001 540.6. I replaced my LCM III with a IV off ebay. All good. I've set out the steps I used below in case helpful to anyone.

There are now three things I would love to code. Have searched endlessly and not found clear steps.

1) Angel eyes as DRL (AE on whenever the car is on, no other lights).
Have seen many comments that this works on a LCM4... There are a ton of references to this working but I have yet to find the actual coding.
I've tried turning on dimmed high beam (GED FL ALS DRL Aktiv) and then dropping the brightness to zero (FL DIMMUNG ALS DRL set to Wert 01) but that doesn't bring on the AEs. Have tried the various DRL options (held out some hope for Denmark) - none work.
I understand that I could easily wire a relay to switch them. I also understand there are aftermarket canbus solutions but if those work shouldn't we be able to code directly? I'm wondering if I'm not seeing the option because my build date preceeds the always on AEs (2003?). I did look through the TRC from the LCM4 (X5) to see if it had additional code and didn't see anything.
Has anyone figured this out.

2) Tap to pass (triple blink with soft blinker touch AKA Triple Blink)
Again, I believe there are aftermarket CANBUS solutions but I thought the LCM4 would provide this.
I did see that the NCS Dummy manual actually mentions what sounds like the operative code:
MIND_ANZ_ZYKL_TIPP_BLK
This bit of code doesn't appear the e39 LCM functions (I'm using NCS DUmmy Module LCM C20 but looked at the latest one (C24) and it's not there either).
Is it possible to somehow add this?

3) Retrofit auto lights - I've seen a few guides on this and will be keeping an eye on ebay for the switch, prism etc but how does one code this?
Do I simply turn the code below to Activ?
AUTOM_FAHRL_STEUERG (AUTOMATIC LIGHT CONTROL (FLC) (SWITCH ON HEADLIGHTS AUTOMATICALLY WHEN DARK)
This was active on the LCM4 i bought (before i reset) and I got an error to the effect that there was no light sensor so perhaps that's all there is to it?


I also thought I would quickly cover the steps that worked for me - all of this is covered elsewhere but perhaps a quick recap will help others in need. I'm certainly no expert (quite the opposite) so I please forgive any inaccuracies. Just figured I would share what I learned playing with this for the first time.

A) PA Soft handled the VIN and Odo. There are tons of youtube videos on this. Got rid of the tamper dot and made things work. All my lights (including xenon lows) worked fine. But no headlight leveling, no dash light dimming, and a bunch of errors. Essentially PA Soft just fixes the tamper dot and let's you select some options (DRL, cold/hot checks, etc) but it doesn't actually conform the LCM to the new car its in.

B) The next step is what i was missing. I struggled with was what it meant to "code" it in NCS Expert. I tried pulling up the TRC file in Dummy and hunting for options - no love. For those unclear on this, the idea is to do a factory reset. In short, the steps that worked for me are as follows:

  1. open INPA to establish connection then quit INPA (NCS didn't connect until i actually quit INPA)
  2. Open NCSEXPER and choose Expert profile (not the Dummy one)
  3. Press f1
  4. Press f3 and choose chassis (e39)
  5. Press F6 (back)
  6. Press f4 to choose module (LCM)
  7. Press f2 (job) and select SG-CODIEREN
  8. Press f3 Execute. This essentially writes the module back to factory based upon your car's build (VO).
  9. Exit

All of this is within NCS Expert. I'm sure this is clear to most but it took me a while to figure that out. After that all the errors were gone, the levelers worked. Success.

I then turned to playing around in Dummy to code specific features

I might as well share those steps since I typed them out for myself:

  1. make sure file FSW-PSW.MAN (path: NCSEXPER/WORK) is empty
  2. Open INPA to confirm connection. Quit INPA
  3. Open NCS Expert
  4. File/Load Profile/NCS Dummy
  5. Click F1 lower left (VIN/ZCS)
  6. Click F3 middle button (ZCS/FA) and select e39, select one of ECUs (EWS should be ok). Top should pull in info (VIN)
  7. Click F6 lower right button (Back)
  8. Probably set to SG-CODIEREN (write to all modules). Need to change. Click F4 Process ECU and select module (eg LCM).
  9. Click F2 Change job to CODIERDATEN-LESEN. (Read).
  10. Click F3 Execute job. This writes the coding to the FSW-PSW.TRC file in the WORK folder
  11. Copy paste the TRC file to tools folder and or desktop and then make second copy (I'm not convinced this step is necessary - I don't see why you couldn't just work off the TRC file in WORK folder but certainly worth copying so you have a clean TRC file to go back to)
  12. Open Dummy, select chassis and browse to the TRC file, then select module (try each of the correct module (eg LCM) until check boxes appear - here I think you can get the HW number in NCS Expert but i just tried each - 20 worked for me)
  13. Edit as desired.
  14. Export FSW-PSW.MAN. It will save to the NCSEXPER/WORK folder
  15. Go back to NCS Expert. Leave Dummy open or it will clean the MAN file contents.
  16. Make sure LCM still selected. Click F2 change job SH-CODEIREN. (Write)
  17. Click F3 Execute (this writes the MAN (=Manipulated) data to the module)
  18. Turn on and off ignition.
  19. Delete the text in MAN file (or quit DUMMY and let it do)


Again, this is info that exists in different spots from people that are truly experts. But maybe this simplified version helps.