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      08-22-2017, 03:31 AM   #1
MikeHawk7
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Combox 4G retrofit

So as well all know, the old Combox has been replaced with the 4G hardware for 2017. I want to retrofit the new hardware in myself since it seems that the main job is replacing the Combox itself and the dealer wants to charge me way too much for them to do it. I really do want the ConnectedDrive/BMW Assist services.

Is it as easy as swapping 84102447926 in and activating the service? And then maybe have a local tuner program it in and/or update the software? I can't seem to find any information on anyone DIYing this but I don't see why it couldn't be done.
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      08-25-2017, 11:17 PM   #2
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I don't think BMW will allow you to start new services. Everything I read stated you had to have a currently active account to transfer services to a new combox. I still have the old telematic combox and I would love to gain active services too. I currently just use an active iPhone 4s for my car only and it still locates my car for me when I look on my iphone 7 in maps but I cannot remotely unlock it is all. The iPhone 4s stays in my car for music, videos, hotspot for apple tv, so when I open the default maps on my iphone 7.....there is an icon displaying my car location on the map.
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      08-25-2017, 11:25 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Scrippy View Post
I don't think BMW will allow you to start new services. Everything I read stated you had to have a currently active account to transfer services to a new combox. I still have the old telematic combox and I would love to gain active services too. I currently just use an active iPhone 4s for my car only and it still locates my car for me when I look on my iphone 7 in maps but I cannot remotely unlock it is all. The iPhone 4s stays in my car for music, videos, hotspot for apple tv, so when I open the default maps on my iphone 7.....there is an icon displaying my car location on the map.
That's a weird way to not take people's money haha! I checked with BMW Assist customer service and the dealer and they both say that I need to retrofit the new hardware, sign up with a new contract, and pay the $199 or 398/year.

The thing I kept reading about for current service is for BMW to pay to retrofit the hardware. In my case, I'm paying out of pocket.

What you and I want will cost us retrofitting a 4G Combox and $199/year for BMW Assist.

I'll eventually go through the process and see what happens.

Last edited by MikeHawk7; 08-25-2017 at 11:35 PM..
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      09-04-2017, 11:54 AM   #4
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Right on! Let us know how it goes. I have the old combox and plugging in another one is not hard to do. I'd be interested to see if they'll let me start service
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      05-09-2018, 05:17 PM   #5
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Sorry to revive this tread. Any updates on this? Just got a new to me 2012 m3 and BMW Connected app doesn’t link up to the car. When I called Assist they also told me I need to retrofit the new combox because the 2G is no longer supported.
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      05-09-2018, 05:33 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by daarts View Post
Sorry to revive this tread. Any updates on this? Just got a new to me 2012 m3 and BMW Connected app doesn’t link up to the car. When I called Assist they also told me I need to retrofit the new combox because the 2G is no longer supported.
I haven't done this yet, though I still want to eventually. However it's very low on my priority list at this time. I'm pretty sure just swapping out the Combox and getting it coded is all that is needed, plus subscription services of course.
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      05-13-2018, 08:53 AM   #7
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I had this done when they offered to do it for cars with a still active subscription. I had never used the associated services so i installed the bmw application on my smartphone and checked it out. I was stunned how useless this is, Basically all you can do is open/close your car from your smartphone if you ever accidentally lock the remote inside the car (which i read is nearly impossible anyway). And the application can open a google map to see where the car is but just to make this feature useless it only works if your smartphone is within a mile or less distance from your car. This is not a radio limitation but a software lock so that people cannot use this feature to locate their stolen car to replace a Lojack subscription fee. So basically, your smartphone location and your car locations are determined from the 3/4G network and/or GPS and then the bmw software decides *not* to give you your car location. I confirmed this when my car was at the dealer and i was home, did not work. Then there is the emergency call button function in the car. It's a raket to ask money for these gimmicky superficial features (Except for the emergency call) and it should be illegal for a company to have a non-optional feature on new cars disabled after a few years or extra payment required to continue the functionality. I guess bmw bet on the uselessness of these features for not getting sued for terminating them, they were right about that. It goes to show what kind of company they are.
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      05-25-2018, 10:28 AM   #8
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Smile

Greetings,

I have wanted to also upgrade to the 4G Combox as well, but then I'm not sure of what all services will be available. Can someone list off what services could be utilized by swapping to the 4G Combox ?


Thanks,

Merlin
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      05-30-2018, 03:28 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by Merlin_83 View Post
Greetings,

I have wanted to also upgrade to the 4G Combox as well, but then I'm not sure of what all services will be available. Can someone list off what services could be utilized by swapping to the 4G Combox ?


Thanks,

Merlin
Based on my research and based on the posts above, it seem mainly you get the ability to do an SOS call, ability to send destinations to your car via your phone, and real time traffic (maybe). Other than that, not sure I see much value.
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      05-30-2018, 04:24 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rajmun340 View Post
Basically all you can do is open/close your car from your smartphone if you ever accidentally lock the remote inside the car (which i read is nearly impossible anyway).
I have done this a handful of times with the OnStar app. I guess it's useful if you just need to grab something from the car and you don't have the key on you, or if you parked the car and suddenly couldn't remember if you hit the lock button or not.

I agree though, in the year I've had the car I've probably done this five times. No way would I pay for it.
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      06-10-2018, 12:46 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PACarGuy View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Merlin_83 View Post
Greetings,

I have wanted to also upgrade to the 4G Combox as well, but then I'm not sure of what all services will be available. Can someone list off what services could be utilized by swapping to the 4G Combox ?


Thanks,

Merlin
Based on my research and based on the posts above, it seem mainly you get the ability to do an SOS call, ability to send destinations to your car via your phone, and real time traffic (maybe). Other than that, not sure I see much value.
I'm curious why folks don't still have realtime traffic updates (RTTI). I still get it with my old combox and no subscription. I thought RTTI was broadcast and all you need is the option active and functional hardware.
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      06-10-2018, 08:44 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Scrippy View Post
I'm curious why folks don't still have realtime traffic updates (RTTI). I still get it with my old combox and no subscription. I thought RTTI was broadcast and all you need is the option active and functional hardware.
I thought I had read somewhere (maybe my memory is failing, LOL) that the old traffic data was broadcast over 2G or 3G and that they shut down the 2G/3G transmitters so if you had an old 2G/3G combox you wouldn't be able to get this info anymore. I could be wrong though.
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      10-02-2018, 02:18 PM   #13
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Any update on this? My combox took a crap and I need to replace it anyhow and figured it's easier to replace with 4G than a used 2G. Any help is appreciated.
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      12-11-2018, 11:42 AM   #14
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I did update the combox 2nd generation myself in my 2013 x5.everything is ok except I am getting few eror flashing on my dashboard like Tpm malfunction.
The worst one is that my Bluetooth connection drops. I don't know if it needs any coding . I just swapped the combox....any thoughts...
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      12-11-2018, 12:25 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by donbshah View Post
I did update the combox 2nd generation myself in my 2013 x5.everything is ok except I am getting few eror flashing on my dashboard like Tpm malfunction.
The worst one is that my Bluetooth connection drops. I don't know if it needs any coding . I just swapped the combox....any thoughts...
I believe it needs coding.
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      12-22-2018, 02:31 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rajmun340 View Post
It's a raket to ask money for these gimmicky superficial features (Except for the emergency call) and it should be illegal for a company to have a non-optional feature on new cars disabled after a few years or extra payment required to continue the functionality. I guess bmw bet on the uselessness of these features for not getting sued for terminating them, they were right about that. It goes to show what kind of company they are.
Its not just BMW, its every manufacturer out there. Its not exactly the way you think it is, though - most of these companies if not all of them sell these services on a subscription basis, and then offer to pay for a certain number of years of the service up front as part of the vehicle purchase. When those years run out, how many people will sign up to continue the services? I'd venture that not many people would. Anyone that would get a woody over tech features in a given vehicle would be more likely to want a new vehicle to get new tech, rather than continue with something that isn't "the latest".

Personally, I'd like to see what happens in a couple of years, when BMW updates the systems they offer, again. When the new displays and nav and whatever make our generation look like Pong. Will the aftermarket step up and offer true drop-in updates that give an option to people who want to hang on to their "outdated" but still awesome S65 cars? BavSound takes care of the audio, Alpine and other tuners take care of DME updates, and we have services available to refurbish worn steering wheels and other interior pieces with factory quality leather and the //M stitching. I'm sure the tech offerings will step up to the plate.
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      04-01-2019, 07:32 PM   #17
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Just got news from my dealership that they "can't communicate with my combox" in my 2011.5. The solution they've offered is to replace my combox with part number 84102447926, mentioned by the OP above. From what the google tells me, that part number seems to belong to the "4g" version of the combox.

Has anybody had any experience updating their 2g combox to the 4g version and if so, was it pretty straight forward or were there some special nuances involved? Coding? Particular connectors?

Thanks in advance!
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      04-01-2019, 09:14 PM   #18
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Physical replacement takes just a few minutes and all connections/connectors are exactly the same. The hard and time-consuming part is it does require "coding" via a specialized process within ISTA/P and needs to be a fairly recent version of the software.

Once physically installed and the programming is started in ISTA/P it takes anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes to complete the process. I did it myself as I have a licensed version of the software and it took a little over 40 minutes to complete the process, including installation.
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      04-01-2019, 09:20 PM   #19
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Thanks a lot! That doesn’t sound too tough as long as you can have it coded correctly.

I’m finding that part number online for right around the $400-$450 range. Does that sound like the going rate?
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      04-01-2019, 09:28 PM   #20
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About, but check eBay too, I've seen a couple of dealers sell them around $350 on there.
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      04-01-2019, 09:35 PM   #21
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Great. Any increased functionality with the 4g version outside of the subscription services mentioned above?
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      04-02-2019, 06:42 AM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by slidewayscoupe View Post
Great. Any increased functionality with the 4g version outside of the subscription services mentioned above?
No, nothing that I've seen! The 2G network is offline so if you want any of that functionality, including using the BMW Connected app, you have to have the 4G unit.
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