how much should I expect to pay for a reprogram

[rf900rkw]

Sorry I hurt your feelings. That was not the intent.

All communication with the DME is done on the TXD2 line. According to the first post, they are able to communicate with the DME via the 20pin. This means the DME is alive and the TXD2 wiring is good. Also from the first post, they can not establish communication from the 16 pin inside the car. Then in a later post they establish OBDii communication with an $5 ebay adapter plugged into the 20 pin.
From the three things together:

The DME is alive and can do both BMW OBDi and OBDii on the TXD2 line.

Both protocols work from the 20 pin connector

Neither protocol (okay, only one was tested) works from the daisy-chained 16 pin port inside the car

Ergo, there is a problem with the daisy-chain. The connection, the bridging of pins 2 and 17, happens in the cap.


If it was the S54 OBDii bug, it would not communicate OBDii from either port.

If it was a battery disconnect, it would communicate fine, but report "Not Ready" for the various monitors. No communication is very different than reporting incomplete test results.

If it was a "tune", again, the communication problem would be on both ports.

The problem with this thread is the lack of involvement from the OP. We're on page 2, hundreds of dollars have been spent, yet the simple question about the presence of the cap has been ignored.

[etrinka]

Quit barking at the red herrings. It's not the battery. It's not the programming. It's not anything weird. That harness you borrowed proves the DME is capable of speaking OBDii. All that harness does is recreate the 20 pin cap, a bit of wiring, and the 16 pin plug. The most likely cause of your problem is a bad 20 pin cap. The most likely reason it's bad is because it's gone missing.

I'm not stupid. The 20 pin cap is there and FYI, all of the pins in the in-car OBDII connector test correctly for positive and negative. The cap looks perfect, all of the pins are clean. I guess it could still be bad but the power output says otherwise. It's like the lights are on but nobody is home.

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Then in a later post they establish OBDii communication with an $5 ebay adapter plugged into the 20 pin.

I never said this - I used a BMW adapter lent to me right from the mechanic at BMW - The part # is 020987 on the BMW tag and bar code label - it is a genuine BMW adapter.

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I'm beginning to think that A) the cap is bad somehow or B) no idea as we get voltage in the car where we should, just no data.

also when i had my car reprogrammed they also reprogrammed a "dash module" in addition to the main computer, or so I was told by the shop foreman at BMW.

[Monolith]

etrinka,

Let's start with the following. Remove the 20 pin cap and measure the following on the cap:

Pin 2 to Pin 17 - should be a short (continuity)
Pin 14 to Pin 15 - should read 820 ohms
Pin 15 to Pin 20 - should be a short (continuity)

Now test for continuity from the 20 pin connector (with cap removed) at Pin 2 to Pin 7 of the console connector (16 pin connector).

Report back what you find.

[etrinka]

OK - I will do and report back within a day or so.

- - - Updated - - -

Now test for continuity from the 20 pin connector (with cap removed) at Pin 2 to Pin 7 of the console connector (16 pin connector).

Report back what you find.

run a jumper from the 20 pin (pin 2) under the hood to the 16 pin (pin 7) in the car? Just making sure. (with my ohm meter of course)

[Monolith]

run a jumper from the 20 pin (pin 2) under the hood to the 16 pin (pin 7) in the car? Just making sure. (with my ohm meter of course)

No, that would defeat the test. You can use a multimeter set to diode test function (usually get a beep with continuity) or an analog meter set to ohm setting (will get a zero ohm reading with needle).

See if the tests fail before running any replacement wires. At this stage of testing we're just trying to find where the problem lies.


Edit: if your "jumper" is the two leads attached to your multimeter (one lead going to pin 2 of the 20 pin and the other lead going to pin 7 of the 16 pin), then the answer is yes. If it is a straight wire between the two pins, no.

[etrinka]

Edit: if your "jumper" is the two leads attached to your multimeter (one lead going to pin 2 of the 20 pin and the other lead going to pin 7 of the 16 pin), then the answer is yes. If it is a straight wire between the two pins, no.

yes, that is what I meant.

[rf900rkw]

While the one you borrowed may have a BMW number, the $5 ebay adapters will do the same job just fine. This proves the system works.


YOu have checked power and ground to the 16 pin, pins 16 and 4. From there, the next step is to check the continuity of the TXD2 line and signal ground. The most common cause of a break in TXD2 is the cap missing. Since we now finally know the cap is there, next in line is ohm checking the TXD2 line. Monolith covered this very well. While in there, it would also be prudent to check the signal ground side. This is pin 19 of the 20 pin to pin 5 of the 16pim. This last should be okay, as BMW bridges signal ground to chassis ground. But proper test equipment should treat them separately.