[yoyolate]

Hello forum,

I recently finished my 335d build and I am loving it (well mostly, sans the new smells), the thing is that I kept getting pushed back by the dealer on my Airbag Recall (they didn't have them, etc.) and now my ECU is "upgraded" to accept the off road program.

With this in mind, you think it would be a risk to take it for the recall on account of the Dealer probably reflashing my ECU and rendering my track car useless?

I would love an answer from someone who works or has inside knowledge on an actual USA dealer, preferably in a non emission test state like the free Republic of Tejas.

If I risk they bricking my car, I rather run the risk of dying by way of an airbag explosion or ruining my latin lover looks.

Thanks!

[Nadir Point]

I have the OBD connector marked with a "No Touch!" label on white tape, with an accompanying post-it note taped to the dash and a clear understanding with the service writer beforehand. You just need to have them evaluate and agree whether or not what is being done requires ECU connect. In the case of the battery and blower recalls, it was not.

I also have a spare, deleted ECU. Can't be too careful.

[335stoner]

i don't know how the dealer does the airbag swap, but it can be changed without having to change programing.

Us normal people just have to disconnect the battery and change the airbag and reconnect the battery and its good.. i would not think the dealer has to do much more than that. i would say you should be 87% safe from them flashing your car.

i myself need to get the recall done and i am planning on rolling the dice and going in with my non-sport D with a sport airbag / wheel and see what happens...

[apexit4]

Originally Posted by 335stoner

i don't know how the dealer does the airbag swap, but it can be changed without having to change programing.

Us normal people just have to disconnect the battery and change the airbag and reconnect the battery and its good.. i would not think the dealer has to do much more than that. i would say you should be 87% safe from them flashing your car.

i myself need to get the recall done and i am planning on rolling the dice and going in with my non-sport D with a sport airbag / wheel and see what happens...

Are you saying that you are planning on bringing a 335D that is not covered by the recall in hopes that they will swap out the airbag and then you move it over to the car that is covered?

If so, that probably wont work. Dealers verify all warranty and recall work with the VIN of the car before performing any work.

[335dlci]

It does not get programming. This has been discussed many times.

[335stoner]

Originally Posted by apexit4

Are you saying that you are planning on bringing a 335D that is not covered by the recall in hopes that they will swap out the airbag and then you move it over to the car that is covered?

If so, that probably wont work. Dealers verify all warranty and recall work with the VIN of the car before performing any work.

No....

i have a Non-sport D with a non sport steering wheel and airbag that needs to be replaced.. i am changing my non-sport steering wheel to a sport steering wheel with the airbag before i go in.

I will play dumb if they ask any questions about the "incorrect" airbag and steering wheel and say the car came like that..

[apexit4]

Originally Posted by 335stoner

No....

i have a Non-sport D with a non sport steering wheel and airbag that needs to be replaced.. i am changing my non-sport steering wheel to a sport steering wheel with the airbag before i go in.

I will play dumb if they ask any questions about the "incorrect" airbag and steering wheel and say the car came like that..

Ok, that makes more sense. I think that could work too. If it does, let us know

[BB_cuda]

Originally Posted by 335dlci

It does not get programming. This has been discussed many times.

Fully agree with you. I put notes on OBD door and cluster just the same. All was fine for the blower motor harness and power cable recalls. I just had an upgrade on tune from JR 2.0 to 2.8 and they always start by reflashing to latest BMW load and then tune from there.

[yoyolate]

Originally Posted by apexit4

Are you saying that you are planning on bringing a 335D that is not covered by the recall in hopes that they will swap out the airbag and then you move it over to the car that is covered?

If so, that probably wont work. Dealers verify all warranty and recall work with the VIN of the car before performing any work.

nevermind, now I know that message was not for me.

[yoyolate]

Originally Posted by Nadir Point

I have the OBD connector marked with a "No Touch!" label on white tape, with an accompanying post-it note taped to the dash and a clear understanding with the service writer beforehand. You just need to have them evaluate and agree whether or not what is being done requires ECU connect. In the case of the battery and blower recalls, it was not.

I also have a spare, deleted ECU. Can't be too careful.

I keep my Carly plugged in, but I will ad a DO NOT TOUCH! Label.

[Mik325tds]

Originally Posted by yoyolate

I keep my Carly plugged in, but I will ad a DO NOT TOUCH! Label.

It is better to ask not to reflash the car or DDE. The'll need access to the OBD port to clear faults. Any good dealer would always read faults before and after repair and make sure no new codes appear from the repair.

[Nadir Point]

Originally Posted by Mik325tds

It is better to ask not to reflash the car or DDE. The'll need access to the OBD port to clear faults. Any good dealer would always read faults before and after repair and make sure no new codes appear from the repair.

So you're saying my dealer is not a "good dealer?" Perhaps a dealer who follows the customers wishes and cooperates with unusual requests such as this is really the "good" dealer" Perhaps I can read my own faults and prefer to do my own diagnosis and be aware of the faults before they get cleared?

I suspect programmed droids unable to perform trivial maintenance tasks without stepping through a pre-defined script might be the "bad" dealers.

[335stoner]

Nadir Are you always trying to stir the pot with almost every post? Or maybe I'm not reading your posts correctly?? You seem to jump at the smallest thing as if someone pointed the finger at you... lol

Mik didn't say anything about "your" dealer and didn't say anyone was a bad dealer...

He simply said a "good dealer" meaning one following "proper" steps might verify existing codes before they clear anything. Also meaning that plenty of dealers might just simply swap the airbag without checking.. doing a straight swap isn't wrong, its just not doing anything extra and a "good" dealer might verify a pre-existing code.

99% of everyone that goes to the dealer doesn't have a scanner or a modified car and know what they are talking about. They have a car that is "broken" and need someone to fix it....

[Nadir Point]

Originally Posted by 335stoner

Nadir Are you always trying to stir the pot with almost every post?

Yep.

[335stoner]

ok just wanted to make sure i was reading stuff correctly

[Dr.Rockso]

As a tech when I see people putting labels over the OBD2 port, I always hook my scanner up and see what I can find in their car. Plus I am sure the dealer connects to do a scan of the car to make sure there are no airbag codes before they start the repair. Imagine how many people try to say "it was't doing ______ before you guys changed the airbag"

[apexit4]

Originally Posted by Dr.Rockso

As a tech when I see people putting labels over the OBD2 port, I always hook my scanner up and see what I can find in their car. Plus I am sure the dealer connects to do a scan of the car to make sure there are no airbag codes before they start the repair. Imagine how many people try to say "it was't doing ______ before you guys changed the airbag"

I dont mind the dealer doing a scan, I feel it's often necessary to properly diagnose an issue. But I'm assuming, and hope, that any tech that would see a label or plug with a warning no to flash the ECU/DME would either comply with the request or inform the owner that a re-flash is necessary to fix the issue. Would I be correct in this assumption?

[BB_cuda]

Originally Posted by Dr.Rockso

As a tech when I see people putting labels over the OBD2 port, I always hook my scanner up and see what I can find in their car. Plus I am sure the dealer connects to do a scan of the car to make sure there are no airbag codes before they start the repair. Imagine how many people try to say "it was't doing ______ before you guys changed the airbag"

That's funny. Sort of like telling someone, don't look in there. Agree, dealer has to protect themselves of car's state before any work done. I'm friends with several of the techs at my local dealer so they all know it is heavily modded/tuned.

[yoyolate]

Following your generous advice, I was very specific in telling my service writer to not reflash or update the ECU. I made sure he wrote that on the service ticket.

I got to drive a 328i loaner, my opinion is... meh.

No issues, my dealer is actually a really good dealer, I take my other car to the same franchise (a Q50S Hybrid) and they always exceed expectations. The only time it sucked it was not their fault. I took my car in after a rear end accident and they did a great job but the loaner was a miserable, miserable, miserable Nissan Sentra that made me feel sorry for those poor souls that had to live in Communist Germany or Russia and all they could aspire was to a Trabant... if lucky. Their life must have sucked as much as mine did driving that miserable excuse of transportation.

As far as technicians being snoopy. Hey, I would do the same. In fact, I have access to various corporate databases and I get a kick out of reading the creative passwords of people... and other things... curiosity is only human.

SELECT * FROM tUser

Following some examples:

15Monkeys!$%
J0cker12!$!
Foreveryours@@
Pokemon5645!
Ruger1162#!
Socrates#5135
Depechemode1^#!
F150Crewcab+
Blackhummer03$$!!

And the best one so far

B@@biEs!

[ground_zero]

I thought passwords were supposed to be encrypted! WTF!
Not crazy about you posting those even though usernames weren't listed with them, It does seem like a liability issue, There is plenty of software out there that will try to match up passwords with usernames.


When my Chevy Volt had to go in for service they lend me a Malibu, Of course the LS trim and it was a nightmare to drive, SLOW-SLOW-SLOOOOW and very bare bones.

[yoyolate]

Originally Posted by ground_zero

I thought passwords were supposed to be encrypted! WTF!
Not crazy about you posting those even though usernames weren't listed with them, It does seem like a liability issue, There is plenty of software out there that will try to match up passwords with usernames.

No worries, they belong to a server that is air-gapped, but still. I am trying to demonstrate that people need to exercise better password selection practices.

And you are correct, a mediocre DBA would hash those passcodes... but I guess I have to settle for a less than stellar one.

Originally Posted by ground_zero

When my Chevy Volt had to go in for service they lend me a Malibu, Of course the LS trim and it was a nightmare to drive, SLOW-SLOW-SLOOOOW and very bare bones.

My loaner was a 528i. I was hoping they would let me use one of those cute X2 with the very cool C pillar side emblems. But they were out of them.