|
BRICKED!!!! A Cautionary Tale. UPDATE!
We just got my wife a nice 2013 E70 but it only came with one fob. Found a local "expert" who claimed he could cut & program a new fob for the car at a fraction of the dealer cost. He came to our home Saturday morning and plugged in his his computer, fired up the fancy $1200 software package that works through a $800 dongle and started to read the CAS. All did not go as expected and he was only able to read part of the information therein. At this point everything was fine in the vehicle. (Nav on, P displayed in dash and on the shifter.) Then a "backdoor' attempt was made. CLICK! Everything went dark in the Nav, dash and shifter. The vehicle was bricked. No start, no lock/unlock, nothing. The only electrical response I could elicit was the "Follow Me Home" lights low beams. Nothing would revive the vehicle. After several hours and attempts the vehicle had to be flat-bedded to local dealer. They have subsequently informed me the CAS is "shorted out" and a new CAS module is on the way. At this point we are looking at close to $1K for repairs and towing.
So to quote Sgt Esterhouse of Hill Street Blues "Hey, lets be very careful out there." Just picked up the X5. New CAS unit fitted and programmed to vehicle. Old unit had shorted internally and blown a fuse. Total with towing $1082.73. Just broke the news to our wonderful key programmer and waiting for response. Cue Jeopardy! clock music. |
Congratulations :D those huge western prices for that which actually costs less than 100$ :D
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk |
Yikes! So will the "expert" be paying your expense? I had a key cut for $450 at my dealer. Sounded like a lot at the time but now it sounds like I got a deal.
|
Quote:
Yep, the $tealer key replacement cost sure sounds like a bargain now. |
Hope it really IS only the CAS module....
Although it really isnt a consolation, I cannot recall hearing of bricked cars as a failure mode in coding keys. I suppose it is like being told you have a super, super super rare cancer: just makes you feel super super super unlucky. |
Wow...Just Fookin Wow. :wow:
Lost one of our our '01 X OE fob keys a year ago, but after reading the umptyseven threads here on the out of the box key fix methods, we simply did the local Dlr new fob order/code process. In hindsight, the ~$275 the BMW Dlr charged seems like a bargain... Of course, we found the 'lost key' a week later, but I simply tossed it. What a fookin nightmare, Zulu. I hope it works out and I wish you Good Luck. md |
Whilst researching the problem I came across an article in a "Brit" online vehicle blog where the author was reporting a new free security upgrade offered by BMW for all 2007 and newer vehicles. The upgrade was to combat the growing problem of cloning a key via the OBD port at the side of the road and driving the vehicle away to destinations far east of where it was stolen.
Writer had returned to his vehicle to find it open and dead. Clone attempt had been made that bricked this vehicle also. It was transported to local dealer and a new CAS/keys/lock had to be fitted to restore normal operation. At this point I/we will be happy if it is only the CAS and a quick reprogram of the existing key plus linking the new key purchased from the dealer. The proximate causee of the event has ceased communication and gives every sign of evading financial responsibility. |
Did the "proximate causee" hook up a power supply before he attempted coding/reading your X?
|
To the vehicle? No. Apparently it takes a total of 6 minutes from initial reading to coding and cutting key.
Given the extent he managed to damage the vehicle without any other connections other than OBD it is maybe just as well. I spoke with the SM at the dealership and it is not unheard of for the CAS and the GM/ECS modules to sometimes lose linkage and need realignment. (He did not offer explanation as to why.) When he called back later he stated the CAS was "shorted out" and that a new module had been ordered. When it comes time to replace the '01 I'm thinking a "Bullit" style Mustang from around 66/67 might be best where the closest thing to a module in it is the AM radio in the dash. :rofl: |
Why don't you give the name and location of your "Expert" so others know not to use his services?
|
Quote:
|
Quote:
|
Let me play the role of devil's advocate, you chose to assume the risk of using an independent coder for a less expensive price than BMW. Was there no communication about the possibility of modules being bricked and you being responsible if that happened? Did you assume that the coder would pay if there was an issue?
Its a well known fact that modules can get bricked, even when BMW does the coding. The FRM3 module warranty extension was due to his exact type of behaviour, but how many people paid out of pocket before BMW chose to acknowledge the problem. I am not saying that you getting reimbursed is not the right thing, I am asking did you just assume that would happen? |
No mention of "Brick" potential. "Simple process where I read the CAS and then code a key and enter it into the module. After that I cut the key on my laser cutter. Does not take long at all." That is the best of what I remember.
After it happened: "Don't worry this is on me." followed by "Do not understand what happened. This should not have happened. It's on me." If we assumed anything it was that the "expert" would most likely disappear into the night and we would have to eat his mistake. We assumed that from the moment he left to go program keys for somebody else. Then we got right on to dealing with it and arranging to get the vehicle to BMW to get it fixed. |
Reading modules doesn't brick them. Writing to modules with wrong code, low voltage or interrupting writing, bricks them. BMW says 13v minimum for coding/programming. Ignition on, DRL's lit and fan running can put system voltage in low 12's, very risky for coding/programming.
|
pshovest:
Any or all of the above could have been part of the conditions present at the time of "Bricking". |
As I recall, BMW procedures call for use of a battery charger to be attached to car when coding, no?
|
You are correct. Most BMW coding I have experienced ran for many hours. I guess, as the usual run of key coding lasted only minutes, hubris and or ignorance of voltage requirements prompted the elimination of this safety factor.
|
I am thinking at some point a module here or there switched on or something happened to allow the voltage to drop- not really 'running out of power' per se, but enough to corrupt whatever was being done at that moment. Bummer
|
BMP.
|
Quote:
TIA! Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk |
Which fob? The CA fob uses lithium "coin" batteries.
|
^ I see what you did there....
There are two fobs...comfort access and regular. As I recall the ca has a replaceable battery. The non-ca has a built in battery. Since it must be inserted into the dash slot, it is thereby recharged. Pretty easy to open your CA fob w a butter knife. |
I just did it to both of our fobs. The older fob was triggering the "Fob Battery" symbol but I just did both while I was at it. Two minute job.
|
Quote:
Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk |
Have to ask, Zulu95, did the "coder" ever step up and pay for the mistake?
|
Give him his dues he paid in full. Painful lesson for both of us. I talked with some experts over in England with insider info and they more or less confirmed that the security update bricks the CAS if you try to clone a key without the dealer equipment. It is all to do with the rash of radio rebroadcast of the remote signal to open and disarm the vehicle thefts that are going on. Hard to drive off a vehicle with a dead CAS module.
|
Wow! good on him to pay for the mistake :) and this is some very good info, Thanks for posting.
|
So are you saying that if the cas software was older, not updated, it might have worked?
In that case, that might be a workaround if it can be downgraded with winkfp before adding a key. |
The free security upgrade ain't free! I applaud BMW for being proactive about it but it comes at a price when you need a key. They get you one way or another.
I do not know if you can back it out. Could be it has a logic bomb built in for that as well. The idea is to defeat the crooks so they may have thought of them backing out the upgrade. I guess time will tell. It was applied to LCi and beyond if the customer requested it. So not everyone will have it. Our vehicle started as a dealer owner's vehicle. |
| All times are GMT -4. The time now is 08:56 PM. |
vBulletin, Copyright 2026, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
SEO by vBSEO 3.6.0
© 2017 Xoutpost.com. All rights reserved.