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      10-18-2014, 05:34 PM   #1
AlpineV8
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Small rant about warranty / ECU

So I'm in my second E90 M3. A 2010 that I got on 6/8/14. Needless to say the warranty was up so I wanted to do the smart thing and purchase an extended warranty. I purchased the Safeguard Platinum because I wanted everything covered, free loaner cars blah blah blah.

Well for awhile now I noticed that the tpms dash light was on but tire pressure was ok so I just chalked it up to a faulty sensor. Then about a couple weeks ago I noticed that the DCT was not shifting properly/quickly enough and the brakes seem to have a mind of their own. Well the dash is showing another 8k miles before my next scheduled maintenance so... maybe I'm just imagining this stuff..?

Not quite. Last weekend while roughly 100 miles away at a wedding for the weekend I hop in the car and immediately get a transmission malfunction light on the dash. Fantastic. To make things even more fun, I only have gears 2,4 and 6. Well this happened and then the light went away and all seemed normal again except the gearbox with a mind of it's own.

Anyway.. I took the car in and explained the situation. Next day, I get a call:

BMW: You have an old version of the ECU software. It needs to be updated to the newest version to the tune of $468 which is NOT covered by your extended warranty.

Me: Fantastic! Because I already have a $250 deductible so let's add on some more cash! Wait... why not just fix the issue?

BMW: I called the warranty dept. and they won't authorize us to even look for any damage etc. until the current software is installed.

Me: Ok I get it. So keeping the old software that the car came with will yield more problems in the future?

BMW: Yup.

Me: So I basically have no choice here if I want you to check the trans fluid for metal, brakes, or anything in the future?

BMW: Yup.

So my problem is sort of two fold. 1) Why would the computer that originally run the car just stop working in the car? and 2) It's sh!tty bait n switch tactics to say that unless I pay for the ONLY thing apparently not covered by the warranty, that there's nothing they can do that will be covered under warranty.

I guess since everything is run by the computer these days in cars, it makes sense to omit that from warranties.

BTW: new software in car and everything's running like new. Oh well... at least the cashier forgot to charge me my deductible today..
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      10-18-2014, 05:43 PM   #2
///M Ryder
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Yeah this sucks.....but you don't pay a deductible unless the warranty company is footing the bill. This was a out of pocket expense on you unfortunately........Phil
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      10-18-2014, 05:46 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ///M Ryder View Post
Yeah this sucks.....but you don't pay a deductible unless the warranty company is footing the bill. This was a out of pocket expense on you unfortunately........Phil
Alright that makes sense then. I hand't thought about that.
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      10-18-2014, 07:20 PM   #4
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Fuck that dealer.
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      10-18-2014, 10:02 PM   #5
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Ordinarily I'd have said to take it to another (perhaps indy) shop that wouldn't insist on installing the latest software before looking any further, but the fact that the software update did in fact resolve the issue kind of weakens that position. And like the OP, I too am wondering how the older software that was perfectly good the day before was all of a sudden total crap that had to be replaced the day after. Maybe the update reset something that would have fixed it had that reset been performed on the existing code??
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      10-20-2014, 07:13 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by s85e90 View Post
Fuck that dealer.
Please elaborate. Would another dealer have dealt with this particular issue any differently?

Quote:
Originally Posted by jphughan View Post
Ordinarily I'd have said to take it to another (perhaps indy) shop that wouldn't insist on installing the latest software before looking any further, but the fact that the software update did in fact resolve the issue kind of weakens that position. And like the OP, I too am wondering how the older software that was perfectly good the day before was all of a sudden total crap that had to be replaced the day after. Maybe the update reset something that would have fixed it had that reset been performed on the existing code??
Exactly what I was wondering. How is it that the software that was intended for the car to begin with, is now somehow obsolete for that vehicle..
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      10-20-2014, 07:33 PM   #7
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Just go see Tom at EAS.
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      10-20-2014, 07:42 PM   #8
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As long as your problems got fixed it wouldn't bother me much.

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      10-20-2014, 08:10 PM   #9
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Its a great scam, expensive parts + expensive cost to fix + expensive warranties+ warranties that don't pay + unreliable high tech that breaks down way too often + no service tech manual = Money pit....
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      10-28-2014, 11:28 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SinfulM3 View Post
Its a great scam, expensive parts + expensive cost to fix + expensive warranties+ warranties that don't pay + unreliable high tech that breaks down way too often + no service tech manual = Money pit....
Soooooooooooo, why do you have an M3?
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      10-29-2014, 12:12 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by whats77inaname
Quote:
Originally Posted by SinfulM3 View Post
Its a great scam, expensive parts + expensive cost to fix + expensive warranties+ warranties that don't pay + unreliable high tech that breaks down way too often + no service tech manual = Money pit....
Soooooooooooo, why do you have an M3?
because race car?
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      10-29-2014, 01:19 PM   #12
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a good SA would update your sw for free or an hourly fee (maybe 1-2 hours?).
time to get aftermarket software.
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      10-29-2014, 07:33 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AlpineV8 View Post
Please elaborate. Would another dealer have dealt with this particular issue any differently?



Exactly what I was wondering. How is it that the software that was intended for the car to begin with, is now somehow obsolete for that vehicle..
My dealer updated it for free. I wonder why they charged you. It takes like 30min update...
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      10-29-2014, 09:46 PM   #14
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I was under he impression that the software would be updated for free if necessary...
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      10-29-2014, 09:50 PM   #15
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This sounds like BS. It's not like you missed a required BMW firmware update and now things are going bad. The car came this way and there was no update made available to you during the regular warranty. Why should you have to pay for the update since that's what's required to "fix the problem?"
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      10-29-2014, 09:55 PM   #16
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Does BMW update the software to the latest software before reselling cars as CPO? I would hate to think my car (bought 4 months ago) is still on the original version.
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      10-29-2014, 11:23 PM   #17
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Just go see Tom at EAS.
+1
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      10-30-2014, 11:52 AM   #18
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You could have updated the software for 60 bucks.
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      10-30-2014, 11:54 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SinfulM3 View Post
Its a great scam, expensive parts + expensive cost to fix + expensive warranties+ warranties that don't pay + unreliable high tech that breaks down way too often + no service tech manual = Money pit....
Just sell the car and fuck-off to Corvette-land already. I know you have a bearing phobia, but you're turning into Petros.
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      10-30-2014, 01:54 PM   #20
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fuck that dealer!
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