Not merely has BMW electrical architecture changed over the last decade, but so has the equipment to service them. The apparatus has evolved, the interfaces have changed along with the complexity of setup and employ.
Early tools
Back in the 1990’s, the gang Tester One (GT1) was introduced. There were a couple of versions, like DIS Plus (stationary setup), however the GT1 is easily the most common and it is what is going to be referenced here. The GT1 can be a portable device which contained a chargeable battery. It features a touchscreen display screen for straightforward use. It contained software for Diagnosing and also had software called TIS (Technical Information Display) which is the Service & Repair Information. Early versions of Diagnostics also contained software called Coding, Programming & Individualization (CIP). So in the same tool, you can Diagnose the issue, look up the way to switch the component then carry out the needed initializations for that new part. Two interfaces were used: EDIC (yellow interface) as well as the OPS (orange interface). Later versions with the OPS were called OPPS, given that they carried additional diagnostics for your Byteflite system and they were also yellow, but larger compared to the EDIC. Authentic GT1s are saved to the portable touchscreen unit. There are lots of “cloned” units out there, adapted to be effective on a PC. Either genuine or cloned, the interfaces work the same and connect via an Ethernet port.
Later versions with the GT1 software removed CIP, and moved it with a separate computer (for storage), but nonetheless accessible in the GT1. This new software was called Progman (short for Program Manager). This new software contained all of the CIP functions and added extra features like multiple car programming and dual channel programming for each car (DIAGBUS and a lot bus simultaneously).
Third Generation equipment
Fast forward to around 2008 if the Third Generation (3G) of equipment was released: ISIS. The items in ISIS are really large, that hosting are installed on the dealership. An internet version is accessible to the aftermarket for a small fee, called OSS. It can be bought at bmw rheingold ista 40531 standalone sdp 4.05 22 ista p 3.61 4.002. With all the introduction of ISIS comes a brand new interface, called ICOM. Previous interfaces (EDIC & OPS) will not work with ISIS. ISIS consists of a few parts, as it completely replaced GT1 & Progman. The key part of ISIS which is used in the shop is called “ISTA”, which can be further separated into two parts: ISTA/D for Diagnosing vehicles and ISTA/P for Coding, Programming & Individualization.
Comparison
GT1s is found almost anyplace, including eBay for inexpensive. BMW remarked that the tool was easily cloned and sold worldwide. Many degrees of security have already been placed into the roll-out of ISIS to stop this, both in resident servers and online versions. It is then harder for non-dealer shops to operate on the newer cars. One could feel that since the GT1 was discontinued last year, you could just keep using that for several more years before the newer system became more available, however, BMW stayed one step ahead! Every time a car is programmed using the new ISTA/P, it upgrades the program beyond the degree of what Program can recognize. Which means, when a car may be updated with ISTA/P, you cant ever use Progman about it again, rendering the “cloned” versions useless with that particular car. Also, each time a new module is installed, the application which is pre-installed on that module can also be newer than what Program can recognize, which can stay away from the entire programming process, forcing the car being programmed by ISTA/P.
Just what exactly does that mean for your BMW owner? As a result of the newer systems, many BMW owners can no longer repair the cars themselves. Many aftermarket shops will also be sending the cars to dealerships because of this. However, don’t assume all aftermarket shops have fallen behind. There are a select few of BMW specialty shops that stay on top of manufacturer technology, to ensure that no car is beaten down! When looking for a location to service your BMW, ensure they could do ALL aspects of repair, including Diagnostics and CIP!
One such shop is Auto Specialties of Lake Norman: Auto Specialties of Lake Norman. Should you be looking in a potential shops website, try to find signs which they will have the most recent equipment. BMW Repair centers that can’t “do it all” can often cause increased time and expense after they learn things have been incorrectly diagnosed or parts installed now need programmed or initialized.
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