Dealer Doesn't Want to Put Newest DCT Firmware Update

[hdpt00]

'08, car is in for it's 15k service and I asked if they can put the newest DCT software on. He said no, so I said, well it stalled once or twice when going down a big incline in first gear and not pressing the break, just coasting. So he said they had to run a bunch of tests, blah blah.

Car is there overnight now - how do I get them to just put the damn new software on? I haven't had an update in at least 14 months...

[AMP]

The easiest way is to find some other issue that is easily replicated that calls for a software update. This can be any issue on any system as the update of one module forces the update of the entire car (including DCT).

In my case I found an issue with the shift lights not remaining activated after the car was shut down and restarted. Easy to replicate and called for an update of the instrument cluster software (which updated the entire car).

[mkoesel]

+1 to what AMP said. I got the latest software by doing the exact same thing.

BTW, AMP, do you have IDrive? I am trying to get a firm answer on whether IDrive cars have the same shift-light on/off interface available that non-IDrive cars have, and thus whether they also exhibit the same shift-light bug.

[dar2008]

I just read the pdf manual for DCT cars on this site, and that shows that it does have the same mechanism for enabling shift lights via the indicator stalk... pages 68 + 69. I'll be looking into it this weekend!

...quoting from the manual...

"After the ignition is switched off and the engine is restarted, the status set for the remote control in use is active, refer to Key-dependent settings on page 55".

This might suggest the 'problem' is only confined to non-iDrive cars

[mkoesel]

dar2008, thanks for following up on this (from the discussion we had had in the master M-DCT thread).

I decide I would search and find the original discussion I'd had about this topic, and it turns out it was AMP, who just posted above, who clued me into the details originally. See our past discussion here (with the relevant part starting at post #10):

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=380275

In short, it sounds positive. It worked for AMP, so it should hopefully work for you too.

[ShockDoc]

I'm taking my 04/09 build DCT coupe in for maintenance on Monday. I asked for latest DCT upgrade (citing lag which I offered to demonstrate). I also cited the shift light issue and directed them to the SIB (though I have I-drive). The lag on my car really wasn't that apparent to me until I drove a few 2011 DCTs that do not have any lag. What a difference in the 2011! I politely but firmly asked for the latest DCT upgrade. The SA indicated the software will be updated. We'll see.

[sg///M3]

Or just tell them that you have the 3-2 hesitation/lag at slow speeds. There's a service bulletin about that issue. It worked for me.

[AMP]

The shift light issue is present on iDrive cars. To demonstrate you need to deactivate the lights in iDrive and then activate them by the stalk. When you re-start the car the lights will be deactivated.

Having said that my impression is that the shift light issue appeared after one of the summer/fall 2009 software releases. If the software in the car is prior to that then the shift light problem may not be the right ticket.

I do believe that there were some audio-related issues in the 2008s that were corrected in software so that may be the route to take for the OP.

BMW used to release a TSB with all of the updates in a particular release but stopped doing that after customers got a hold of them, found a problem they could replicate, and then used that to get an update under warranty... typically related to a rarely used function.

[dar2008]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

dar2008, thanks for following up on this (from the discussion we had had in the master M-DCT thread).

I decide I would search and find the original discussion I'd had about this topic, and it turns out it was AMP, who just posted above, who clued me into the details originally. See our past discussion here (with the relevant part starting at post #10):

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=380275

In short, it sounds positive. It worked for AMP, so it should hopefully work for you too.

Thanks for pointing me to that thread Mkoesel. But I'm still concerned. Many in that thread refer to this being a 'bug' (the shift lights not staying set), yet clearly the manual states this as a 'feature', saying in order to have the lights permanently on you need to do the key-dependent settings (via iDrive). Sorry if I'm being a pain about this but I'm trying to pre-empt what the dealer will likely say...

1) I disable shift lights from being on via iDrive
2) Drive to dealer and demonstrate enabling shift lights via the stalk, then restarting ignition and showing they are no longer set.
3) Dealer says "ah, that's a documented feature as shown in the manual... if you want them on permanently you need to do it via iDrive"
4) No update occurs

I may be lucky and the technician isn't that familiar with iDrive settings etc and get an update out of them, but I fear I'd have to be extremely lucky. We shall see...

[AMP]

Another thing that really helps is an SA who's been around long enough to understand how the system works. A good one will do a little research and find an appropriate issue to use in order to warranty the update.

The problem is that often times the updates fail and now that the dealers have switched to yet another computer system (ISIS) the process is even more fraught with problems. A lot of dealers don't want to do an update as a favor as BMW pays them a flat rate to update the software and often times it takes them way more time than allotted by BMW.

[AMP]

Originally Posted by dar2008

Thanks for pointing me to that thread Mkoesel. But I'm still concerned. Many in that thread refer to this being a 'bug' (the shift lights not staying set), yet clearly the manual states this as a 'feature', saying in order to have the lights permanently on you need to do the key-dependent settings (via iDrive). Sorry if I'm being a pain about this but I'm trying to pre-empt what the dealer will likely say...

1) I disable shift lights from being on via iDrive
2) Drive to dealer and demonstrate enabling shift lights via the stalk, then restarting ignition and showing they are no longer set.
3) Dealer says "ah, that's a documented feature as shown in the manual... if you want them on permanently you need to do it via iDrive"
4) No update occurs

I may be lucky and the technician isn't that familiar with iDrive settings etc and get an update out of them, but I fear I'd have to be extremely lucky. We shall see...

This is a software bug. Regardless of whether or not the car has iDrive one is supposed to be able to enable it (and have it stay enabled) via the turn signal stalk. The TSB specifically describes the problem as a software issue and authorizes the dealer to update the software as a warranty claim.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by dar2008

I may be lucky and the technician isn't that familiar with iDrive settings etc and get an update out of them, but I fear I'd have to be extremely lucky. We shall see...

Well, since we know that there is indeed a real issue, what you could do is find a dealership with a 2011 M3 on the lot and simply ask that they compare the behavior of that car with the behavior of your car (and in your presence). This will clearly demonstrate the problem and might do the trick. Although I suppose the dealership could still try to claim that it is simply a new feature of the newer model car.

[gr8000]

Tell the dealer that "sometimes" at random the paddles won't convey upshift commands to the DCT. I actually had this issue and the dealer updated the software - no questions.

Just hit the rev limiter a few times just to make your point that the car didn't upshift on demand and there you go. The beauty of this excuse is that the dealer cannot provide evidence to the contrary / against you. You tell them the paddles miss upshifts sometimes, they can see that the rev limiter has been hit a few times so there you go!

[aus]

I told them my radio will freeze up and I can't even turn it off. I had to turn the car off and then it worked again. It only happens a couple times a month. There's a SIB for that and it requires a reprogram.
The low speed shifting is much smoother and much less of a throttle blip with the new software. You could also complain about that after you drove your friends 2011 car.

[Lagunae92]

Sometimes my radio stops working, as does my phone controls through the car. I had my software reflashed when my HD radio did not work properly, and since then, my Blackberry call waiting does not work. I addressed this issue with them, and they said my phone was not on the approved list. Now it is, so I will be going in for a reflash. Will this phone software effect the transmission software as well?