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Thread: E36 diagnosis help needed, cant access DME

  1. #1
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    E36 diagnostic help needed, can't access DME

    Hello everyone, first of all, this is my first post to this forum so please forgive me if I made any mistake. I know that there are many forums here about issues regarding e36 diagnostics, but I am realy confused about what I should do to solve my issue. My 1997 318i e36 (M43 engine) does not have an OBD2 port at all, only the round 20 pin connector. The cable I am using is an obd2 to usb adapter (from BCABLES), together with an obd2 to round pin adapter. According to other forums, this setup is enough to communicate with the car to some extend, ( I know that I need an ads interface for full access). My goal is to use inpa to access DME. I can access many other modules, (such as EWS, EGS, IHKA, ABS,ZKE, airbag) but not DME. I also tried DIS, but says no dme found. Can anyone explain me what I do wrong? Pins 7,8 are already soldered together. Any suggestions/thoughts are realy appreciated, and sorry for the long post!
    Thanks,
    Kostgeor.
    Last edited by Kostgeor; 09-19-2022 at 12:18 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
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    Ads is very old, you need an INPA cable from eBay or Amazon. In the Z3 diagnostics subforum the software is free with instructions.
    Attn. NEWBIES: Use the search feature, 98% has already been discussed.
    Click the search button, select "search single content type", select the "e36 sub forum" specifically, try the "search titles" then try the "search entire posts".

  3. #3
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    Thanks for the quick responce. I already have an INPA cable. I have used two versions of INPA, including the one in the Z3 dagnosis subforum. The problem is that I cannot communicate with my DME. Other modules work fine. Do you know why this happens?

  4. #4
    dworthy's Avatar
    dworthy is offline Wagon meister :) BMW Tech Expert
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    What is the error you are receiving from INPA?
    Darin
    Current:
    16 220i Active Tourer Platinsilver MET (C08)/Dakota Black (PDSW), P7ACA, P7LDA, P7LHA, P9BDA, 6sp Manual - Wife's new toy!
    05 325it Electric Red(438)/Gray(N6TT) ZCW, ZSP 5sp Manual Back set cover, trunk mat, Euro Infra-Rot front windshield, and mud flaps! Mr. Wagon My new Winter car.
    05 M3 Imolarot II(405)/Gray(N5TT) ZCW, ZPP 6sp Manual C.F. Lip, CSL diffuser, SSK, Euro Infra-Rot front windshield and a trunk liner! Mr. Go_Fast Stored for the Winter
    Past:
    95 318is Montreal Blue Met (297)/Beige(K1SN) RIP, killed by an Idiot.
    84 M535i gray market Burgandy Rot Met/Black Leather Lowered by Intrax on bilies, poly everywhere, B&B cat back system, K&N, and a hitch! Da Beast - Still running w/400k+!
    91 316i euro Tizianrot/Gray cloth - E-36 w/M-40 RIP, but great on gas! Best was 38 MPG
    82 528i euro Saphire Blue Met/Blue Leather RIP
    79 525 euro Green/Green RIP
    79 318 Silver/Black - The first one that got it all started
    M-Flight Member

  5. #5
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    When I select my DME (BMS43) I am receiving error IFH-0009: NO RESPONSE FROM CONTROLUNIT. If I press ok, an other error comes up: "requested control unit:BMS43DS0 not found." I guess I am missing that file? Any ideas?
    Thanks for any help,
    Kostgeor.

  6. #6
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    You shouldn't have to bridge wires to get inpa working, try undoing that.
    Attn. NEWBIES: Use the search feature, 98% has already been discussed.
    Click the search button, select "search single content type", select the "e36 sub forum" specifically, try the "search titles" then try the "search entire posts".

  7. #7
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    Hello,
    The cable I bought from ebay came with pins 7 and 8 soldered togetger. (I thought that bridging those wires is a must to get inpa working). Since other modules are working fine (and other DME's from other cars) why should this be my problem? Is it something special with the DME BMS43 module? Does it connect differently than all the others?
    Thanks a lot for your time,
    Kostgeor.

  8. #8
    dworthy's Avatar
    dworthy is offline Wagon meister :) BMW Tech Expert
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    I don't use a bridged 7&8 with the round connector, however I also use a serial port. I don't think there is anything special about the DME, I have connected to several in the past with no issues with INPA. It's the OBD-1 and earlier models that have issues, and you need to adjust the protocols.
    Darin
    Current:
    16 220i Active Tourer Platinsilver MET (C08)/Dakota Black (PDSW), P7ACA, P7LDA, P7LHA, P9BDA, 6sp Manual - Wife's new toy!
    05 325it Electric Red(438)/Gray(N6TT) ZCW, ZSP 5sp Manual Back set cover, trunk mat, Euro Infra-Rot front windshield, and mud flaps! Mr. Wagon My new Winter car.
    05 M3 Imolarot II(405)/Gray(N5TT) ZCW, ZPP 6sp Manual C.F. Lip, CSL diffuser, SSK, Euro Infra-Rot front windshield and a trunk liner! Mr. Go_Fast Stored for the Winter
    Past:
    95 318is Montreal Blue Met (297)/Beige(K1SN) RIP, killed by an Idiot.
    84 M535i gray market Burgandy Rot Met/Black Leather Lowered by Intrax on bilies, poly everywhere, B&B cat back system, K&N, and a hitch! Da Beast - Still running w/400k+!
    91 316i euro Tizianrot/Gray cloth - E-36 w/M-40 RIP, but great on gas! Best was 38 MPG
    82 528i euro Saphire Blue Met/Blue Leather RIP
    79 525 euro Green/Green RIP
    79 318 Silver/Black - The first one that got it all started
    M-Flight Member

  9. #9
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    Hello. So I unbridged the pins 7 and 8 to no avail. Still can't access the DME. I was having a similar problem in the past when I tried to access an other module. In that case It turned out to be an INPA problem. When I installed an other version everything worked. So, to conclude, what do I need to access the dme? Is this an INPA version problem or I need the old ADS interface? I don't think 1997 is considered an early model for e36.
    Thanks for any help,
    Kostgeor.

  10. #10
    dworthy's Avatar
    dworthy is offline Wagon meister :) BMW Tech Expert
    Join Date
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    16 220i 05 325it 05 M3
    1997 is Late, which is OBD-II so no ADS interface. That is for OBD-1 cars or pre-96. I would see about checking the communications line going to the DME, for there seems to be an issue with it.
    Darin
    Current:
    16 220i Active Tourer Platinsilver MET (C08)/Dakota Black (PDSW), P7ACA, P7LDA, P7LHA, P9BDA, 6sp Manual - Wife's new toy!
    05 325it Electric Red(438)/Gray(N6TT) ZCW, ZSP 5sp Manual Back set cover, trunk mat, Euro Infra-Rot front windshield, and mud flaps! Mr. Wagon My new Winter car.
    05 M3 Imolarot II(405)/Gray(N5TT) ZCW, ZPP 6sp Manual C.F. Lip, CSL diffuser, SSK, Euro Infra-Rot front windshield and a trunk liner! Mr. Go_Fast Stored for the Winter
    Past:
    95 318is Montreal Blue Met (297)/Beige(K1SN) RIP, killed by an Idiot.
    84 M535i gray market Burgandy Rot Met/Black Leather Lowered by Intrax on bilies, poly everywhere, B&B cat back system, K&N, and a hitch! Da Beast - Still running w/400k+!
    91 316i euro Tizianrot/Gray cloth - E-36 w/M-40 RIP, but great on gas! Best was 38 MPG
    82 528i euro Saphire Blue Met/Blue Leather RIP
    79 525 euro Green/Green RIP
    79 318 Silver/Black - The first one that got it all started
    M-Flight Member

  11. #11
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    I don't know if the protocol used is OBD2 or not, but I don't have the OBD2 port under the dash! Also, I am able to access the dme with the bmw scanner 1.4.0 (error codes only, no live data available) so is it correct to assume that the communication line going to dme is correct?
    Thanks again for any help,
    Kostgeor

  12. #12
    Join Date
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    1998 e36
    To read any BMW made for Europe up to year 2001, you must use ADS interface with serial port laptop running windows XP.
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