I have a 97 M3 that I'm trying to get smogged. Everything checks out fine until they try connecting to the DME. It doesn't want to communicate with the dyno smog!!!
What do you think I should do about this as far as disputing it with BMWNA?
I've never known about this problem before and because of this new test, I know now!
Just wondering if any of you are having the same problem. At least with more of us with the same issue, I/we would have fire power as to a recall or something in that nature.
BTW, if any of you know how to fix this, please let me know.

Gonna move this to the cali forum ... we're pretty much the only ones with this level of smog weirdness ......

Is the car 'sharked' or whatever the popular term is for reprograming the ECU in the OBDII cars? If so THAT could be the problem. You might want to take it by a dealership and see if they can link to the ECU. They hav the means to, and could tell you if it is still stock. If you aren't the first owner, it is possible it was done before you got the car and never knew until now.

Well actually I sharked it myself but reverted it back for the test.

Was this at the dealer? I did a search about this topic a while back as I'm smogging this winter **crosses fingers**.

From what I read, paying the few extra bucks to have the dealer smog it and PASS it was worth it...

So you aren't modded at all? I'm stock except for the KandN...If anything that'll help the car breath better.

Keep me posted...But I'm taking mine to the dealer...Unless someone here has a better place to PASS?

Well I'm modded, kind of wish I wasn't at times like these. I'm bringing it in to get checked and will keep you all posted on what they find.

Just a few words of advice:

Don't take a modified car to the dealer for smog. They know what to look for and what to flag you down on. Also, not all smog shops have the ability to plug into obd2 cars with their machines. If I were you, I would take it to a hole in the wall gas station smog shop.

Also, as far as your sharking device goes, make sure it doesn't change the comm code of your program when you reflash back to stock or else the computer wont connect due to a mismatch in numbers.

Well I'm not sure about changing the comm code because the only buttons I see on the flasher is upgrade and restore. I just restored my ECU so, wouldn't that load back to stock setup? I mean the way it was before?

Thanks for all your help guys....

I'm not taking it to the stealer, I've had way to many problems with them in the past. Warranty issues they wouldn't fix but charged me for the service....BS! I'm taking it to Good Stuff Auto in Santa Rosa...

I can't explain what happened... It is totally strange.
Took it to the shop and they didn’t find anything wrong? I then took it to another smog station and it passed without a problem. I was like WTF? So I took it back to the first smog station to see if it would communicate and it did? I don't know what happened? As long as she passed, that's all I care about...

I can't explain what happened... It is totally strange.
Took it to the shop and they didn’t find anything wrong? I then took it to another smog station and it passed without a problem. I was like WTF? So I took it back to the first smog station to see if it would communicate and it did? I don't know what happened? As long as she passed, that's all I care about...

That's good news...Maybe the Tech didn't know what they were doing...Or maybe...Just maybe:

E36 Electrical Gremlin :mad

Our cars are infamous for electrical ghosts and gremlins...

If you are a AAA member you get your car smogged over there for $8.50 :D that is where I got mine. Passed no prob. I just hope that the SC will pass when I get it.

If you are a AAA member you get your car smogged over there for $8.50 :D that is where I got mine. Passed no prob. I just hope that the SC will pass when I get it.

Really...didn't know that...

So you gonna race your Uncle's E55 when you get the SC?

That's good news...Maybe the Tech didn't know what they were doing...Or maybe...Just maybe:

E36 Electrical Gremlin :mad

Our cars are infamous for electrical ghosts and gremlins...

Isn't that the truth!!!