[Poochie]

Originally Posted by ZPrime

So I discovered that if you install the proper European headlight switch in a US-spec car, the FEM (front electronics module) complains (see attached PDF).

Any thoughts on how to fix?

I don't want to alter the car's FA / VO to the point where a US dealership has a problem working with it... But I just had my car in for the iDrive screen (phantom touches / they replaced it) and they complained on the work order that they couldn't correctly update software on some piece due to the FEM error.

The only reason they receive that error is because when they updated the software, the vehicle defaulted to US mapping, which is not written to no recognize the European switch..

The whole point of coding is so the vehicle's CANBus system can dictate instructions to the parts for which the software is written for..

Since the US software is not written to work with the European switch, the vehicle is rejecting it. You need to recode the FEM module to accept the new Euro switch and then the CANBus will recognize the new part, remove the error and then work with the new switch.

Your vehicle is engineered in a modular form to accept both the US & Euro switch, so you are not compromising the vehicle in any way by changing the factory mapping. Coding nonissue unless the software is updated again, which defaults it back to factory settings.

In that case, just rinse and repeat the coding.

[Poochie]

Originally Posted by McGary911

I could have swore I responded to this but maybe hit the wrong button. Anyway.....


I KNOW the button won't light because I pulled mine out and tried it. I saw the momentary contact button for the on\off on the right and what looked like a surface mounted LED in a little silicone tube on the left. The LEDish thing in the tube didn't light but it was there on my US switch assembly.

I'm wondering if there's some coding in advanced (bimmercode) that would tell the car to activate that LED? It wouldn't surprise me at all. Someone just has to find it.

Here's a pic I snapped with the button removed.

The fact that the Euro switch is triggering a error message with US software, leads me to believe that the ROM chip inside each individual headlight switch controls the LED for the rear fog light button.

Since the control circuit power subset is not mapped to illuminated the LED on the US switch, coding is will work in this case.

And like Andrew said, it's pointless since there is no transparent fog indicator button available separately.

[ZPrime]

Originally Posted by andrewc89

If you look at the PDF he attached one of the errors says the supply voltage is off.

Take another look at the PDF... The line about voltage is simply referring to the required conditions in order for the fault to trigger. The fault itself is simply "wrong switch is installed."

The "supply voltage" just needs to be between 9V and 16V, and "Terminal 30F" has to be on.

[ZPrime]

Originally Posted by Poochie

The only reason they receive that error is because when they updated the software, the vehicle defaulted to US mapping, which is not written to no recognize the European switch..

The whole point of coding is so the vehicle's CANBus system can dictate instructions to the parts for which the software is written for..

Since the US software is not written to work with the European switch, the vehicle is rejecting it. You need to recode the FEM module to accept the new Euro switch and then the CANBus will recognize the new part, remove the error and then work with the new switch.

Your vehicle is engineered in a modular form to accept both the US & Euro switch, so you are not compromising the vehicle in any way by changing the factory mapping. Coding nonissue unless the software is updated again, which defaults it back to factory settings.

In that case, just rinse and repeat the coding.

Have any ideas what might need to be changed in the FEM though?
I need to pull out my Windows laptop again and start digging through ESYS, just was hoping maybe someone else had run into this before and knew where to start.

Note that I already have the coding changes made to make the fog lights work / etc. I can push the button, the cluster "telltale" for the rear fog comes on, the lights work. The only "problem" is the error in the FEM that is seen by ISTA+.

[Poochie]

Originally Posted by ZPrime

Have any ideas what might need to be changed in the FEM though?
I need to pull out my Windows laptop again and start digging through ESYS, just was hoping maybe someone else had run into this before and knew where to start.

Note that I already have the coding changes made to make the fog lights work / etc. I can push the button, the cluster "telltale" for the rear fog comes on, the lights work. The only "problem" is the error in the FEM that is seen by ISTA+.

According to my research, there is an additional parameter that needs to be coded in order to eliminate this error:

FEM_BODY> 3064 LCECONFIGURATION>[COLOR="DarkRed"][COLOR="BLACK"]LCE_BEL_LIN_VAR>[/COLOR]BEL_FLC_NSL[/COLOR] if you're using a Euro switch..


This should sync the FEM module with the Euro switch. Good luck.



BEL = beleuchtung = lighting.
FLC = (automatische) fahrlichtsteuerung = (automatic) headlight control.
NSW = nebelscheinwerfer = front fog lights.
NSL = nebelschlussleuchten = rear fog lights.
LWR = leuchtweitenregulierung = headlight range adjustment (not in North America).

[ZPrime]

Originally Posted by Poochie

According to my research, there is an additional parameter that needs to be coded in order to eliminate this error:

FEM_BODY> 3064 LCECONFIGURATION>LCE_BEL_LIN_VAR>BEL_FLC_NSL if you're using a Euro switch..


This should sync the FEM module with the Euro switch. Good luck.



BEL = beleuchtung = lighting
FLC = (automatische) fahrlichtsteuerung = (automatic) headlight control
NSW = nebelscheinwerfer = front fog lights
NSL = nebelschlussleuchten = rear fog lights
LWR = leuchtweitenregulierung = headlight range adjustment (not in North America)

That's fantastic. I will give that a try over the weekend and report back.
Many thanks!

[ZPrime]

So it looks like "LCE_BEL_LIN_VAR" also has an option for "nicht_active" (werte FF), and the comment text next to it in ESYS says that setting Werte to FF "means not check of the variant ID".

So that seems like it would make the FEM_BODY stop caring about which switch is installed, i.e. I could change between the two at will without a problem. I'm going to try coding it to this first and see if that makes things happy, because then the switch module can be swapped without needing to be recoded each time.

Also interesting though - there is another entry called "LCE_BEL_LIN_SPARE_VAR".
Currently it is set to "ersatz_variante" which has a Werte of FE.
There are no other options in the drop-down for the setting, but I could obviously hand-edit the Werte.

I wonder if the "SPARE_VAR" is meant to allow you to use another LIN module temporarily without changing the coding on the "main" entry? This seems like it would be exactly what I want... but per Google Translate, "SPARE" auf Deutsch translates to "save" in english. So I don't really know WTF this actually does, and I don't want to break stuff.

[ZPrime]

Originally Posted by Poochie

According to my research, there is an additional parameter that needs to be coded in order to eliminate this error:

FEM_BODY> 3064 LCECONFIGURATION>LCE_BEL_LIN_VAR>BEL_FLC_NSL if you're using a Euro switch..


This should sync the FEM module with the Euro switch. Good luck.



BEL = beleuchtung = lighting
FLC = (automatische) fahrlichtsteuerung = (automatic) headlight control
NSW = nebelscheinwerfer = front fog lights
NSL = nebelschlussleuchten = rear fog lights
LWR = leuchtweitenregulierung = headlight range adjustment (not in North America)

So per my earlier message...

I just tried messing with the "LCE_BEL_LIN_SPARE_VAR" and that didn't seem to work, although I just realized now (after coming back in the house), that I coded the wrong Werte into LCE_BEL_LIN_SPARE_VAR. (BEL_FLC_NSL is Werte 06, but for some reason I coded 04 into SPARE_VAR - this could explain why it didn't work, I don't know what switch that Werte corresponds to but it isn't BEL_FLC_NSL!)

After that failed, I reset LCE_BEL_LIN_SPARE_VAR back to default (werte FE I believe), and tried coding "nicht_aktiv" (werte FF) for LCE_BEL_LIN_VAR. nicht_aktiv didn't work, contrary to what the Comment in ESYS implies.

So then I finally went back and coded to BEL_FLC_NSL, and huzzah!


Attached image from ISTA+ as proof... interestingly, the error in FEM did not clear on its own - it was still "recorded," but there is a column for "current" or "Active" or something, and that changed to "No" after I set the proper value, indicating that the actual error wasn't "live" anymore. So I still had to then clear the error memory to make it go away for good.

The learning takeaway here: "nicht_aktiv" for LCE_BEL_LIN_VAR doesn't seem to work, at least not on a 2018 F87. You have to code it to the proper matching setting for the switch, which if you have the one mentioned elsewhere in these threads (rear fog button but no front fog button), you want "BEL_FLC_NSL". (The default value for a US-spec car is just "BEL_FLC".)

[Poochie]

Originally Posted by ZPrime

So per my earlier message...

I just tried messing with the "LCE_BEL_LIN_SPARE_VAR" and that didn't seem to work, although I just realized now (after coming back in the house), that I coded the wrong Werte into LCE_BEL_LIN_SPARE_VAR. (BEL_FLC_NSL is Werte 06, but for some reason I coded 04 into SPARE_VAR - this could explain why it didn't work, I don't know what switch that Werte corresponds to but it isn't BEL_FLC_NSL!)

After that failed, I reset LCE_BEL_LIN_SPARE_VAR back to default (werte FE I believe), and tried coding "nicht_aktiv" (werte FF) for LCE_BEL_LIN_VAR. nicht_aktiv didn't work, contrary to what the Comment in ESYS implies.

So then I finally went back and coded to BEL_FLC_NSL, and huzzah!


Attached image from ISTA+ as proof... interestingly, the error in FEM did not clear on its own - it was still "recorded," but there is a column for "current" or "Active" or something, and that changed to "No" after I set the proper value, indicating that the actual error wasn't "live" anymore. So I still had to then clear the error memory to make it go away for good.

The learning takeaway here: "nicht_aktiv" for LCE_BEL_LIN_VAR doesn't seem to work, at least not on a 2018 F87. You have to code it to the proper matching setting for the switch, which if you have the one mentioned elsewhere in these threads (rear fog button but no front fog button), you want "BEL_FLC_NSL". (The default value for a US-spec car is just "BEL_FLC".)

Happy it worked for you! And this should help other members who might have this issue..

In my previous post, I attached the glossary of terms for each legend and corresponded "BEL_FLC_NSL" for the F87 with the Euro switch (No front fogs or light control).

I don't recommend you interfere with it again, since you already got it to sync properly but if you want to the SPARE_VAR coding to work, you have to manual enter the Werte [COLOR="DarkRed"] "FF" [/COLOR] for both parameters.

I believe that leaves the PCB unchecked by the FEM_BODY and allows you to alternate switches, without an error message. But I am not sure what are the affects of leaving it unchecked.

[AndrewC1989]

Originally Posted by Poochie

According to my research, there is an additional parameter that needs to be coded in order to eliminate this error:

FEM_BODY> 3064 LCECONFIGURATION>LCE_BEL_LIN_VAR>BEL_FLC_NSL if you're using a Euro switch..


This should sync the FEM module with the Euro switch. Good luck.



BEL = beleuchtung = lighting
FLC = (automatische) fahrlichtsteuerung = (automatic) headlight control
NSW = nebelscheinwerfer = front fog lights
NSL = nebelschlussleuchten = rear fog lights
LWR = leuchtweitenregulierung = headlight range adjustment (not in North America)

Originally Posted by ZPrime

So per my earlier message...

I just tried messing with the "LCE_BEL_LIN_SPARE_VAR" and that didn't seem to work, although I just realized now (after coming back in the house), that I coded the wrong Werte into LCE_BEL_LIN_SPARE_VAR. (BEL_FLC_NSL is Werte 06, but for some reason I coded 04 into SPARE_VAR - this could explain why it didn't work, I don't know what switch that Werte corresponds to but it isn't BEL_FLC_NSL!)

After that failed, I reset LCE_BEL_LIN_SPARE_VAR back to default (werte FE I believe), and tried coding "nicht_aktiv" (werte FF) for LCE_BEL_LIN_VAR. nicht_aktiv didn't work, contrary to what the Comment in ESYS implies.

So then I finally went back and coded to BEL_FLC_NSL, and huzzah!


Attached image from ISTA+ as proof... interestingly, the error in FEM did not clear on its own - it was still "recorded," but there is a column for "current" or "Active" or something, and that changed to "No" after I set the proper value, indicating that the actual error wasn't "live" anymore. So I still had to then clear the error memory to make it go away for good.

The learning takeaway here: "nicht_aktiv" for LCE_BEL_LIN_VAR doesn't seem to work, at least not on a 2018 F87. You have to code it to the proper matching setting for the switch, which if you have the one mentioned elsewhere in these threads (rear fog button but no front fog button), you want "BEL_FLC_NSL". (The default value for a US-spec car is just "BEL_FLC".)

Good stuff guys!

Just coded this for my M2 and all seems well.

I also have a 328 I did a euro switch replacement and coding on but it has a front AND rear fog button. Any idea what the BEL_LIN_VAR setting would be for that car?

I assume it would be BEL_FLC_NSW_NSL?

[Poochie]

Originally Posted by andrewc89

Good stuff guys!

Just coded this for my M2 and all seems well.

I also have a 328 I did a euro switch replacement and coding on but it has a front AND rear fog button. Any idea what the BEL_LIN_VAR setting would be for that car?

I assume it would be BEL_FLC_NSW_NSL?

I am not sure which model year 328i you have but I am assuming it has auto headlights..

If so, you're correct, the proper coding for that with a Euro switch installed would be: [COLOR="DarkRed"]BEL_FLC_NWS_NSL[/COLOR].

The only other option is "headlight range control" [COLOR="DarkOrange"]LWR[/COLOR].. Which for some reason is only available in countries like India.. :

[AndrewC1989]

Originally Posted by Poochie

I am not sure which model year 328i you have but I am assuming it has auto headlights..

If so, you're correct, the proper coding for that with a Euro switch installed would be: BEL_FLC_NWS_NSL.

The only other option is "headlight range control" LWR.. Which for some reason is only available in countries like India.. :

It's a '15 F30. Just checked and it's exactly the same coding as the M2 just with the added NSW.


Headlight range control is also available in the UK I believe. It's another knob on the switch that allows drivers to adjust the level of their low beams manually. Seems like it would be useful but I guess the DOT thinks most of the people on the road here are too dumb to figure out how to use them correctly. I'd have to agree with them given the amount of times I drive at night and see people forgetting to turn their headlights on/people driving with their high beams on. No shortage of idiots on the road.

[ZPrime]

While we are on the topic of lighting mods...

Anyone know if there is a way to make the DRLs turn off when the headlight switch is at "0"? I know that I can manually shut them off via iDrive, but I like the idea of the switch's "off" setting turning off *all* the lighting, including the DRLs.

[AndrewC1989]

Originally Posted by ZPrime

While we are on the topic of lighting mods...

Anyone know if there is a way to make the DRLs turn off when the headlight switch is at "0"? I know that I can manually shut them off via iDrive, but I like the idea of the switch's "off" setting turning off *all* the lighting, including the DRLs.

Not sure what you mean...

In my car when you shut off the DRLs in iDrive they work exactly in the way you just described. The 0 position turns everything off, the parking light setting will turn on the DRL's only and the auto or headlight on setting turns everything on.

[ZPrime]

Originally Posted by andrewc89

Not sure what you mean...

In my car when you shut off the DRLs in iDrive they work exactly in the way you just described. The 0 position turns everything off, the parking light setting will turn on the DRL's only and the auto or headlight on setting turns everything on.

I want "0" to shut everything off, regardless of what I've set in iDrive.

When I'm sitting in the garage coding the car, I try to minimize power draw to help the battery. It's annoying having to dig through the iDrive settings just to toggle the DRLs on and off. Would be easier if I could just set the headlight switch to "0" and they'd go off.

[AndrewC1989]

Originally Posted by ZPrime

I want "0" to shut everything off, regardless of what I've set in iDrive.

When I'm sitting in the garage coding the car, I try to minimize power draw to help the battery. It's annoying having to dig through the iDrive settings just to toggle the DRLs on and off. Would be easier if I could just set the headlight switch to "0" and they'd go off.

Why can't you just shut them off in iDrive once and then leave them off?

Does setting default back to active every time you code the car?

[ZPrime]

Originally Posted by andrewc89

Why can't you just shut them off in iDrive once and then leave them off?

Does setting default back to active every time you code the car?

I don't want them off all the time... If you turn them off in iDrive, then even when you turn the switch to Auto, you have no DRLs.

Just trying to be lazy / avoid having to screw around in the iDrive menus.

[AndrewC1989]

Originally Posted by ZPrime

I don't want them off all the time... If you turn them off in iDrive, then even when you turn the switch to Auto, you have no DRLs.

Just trying to be lazy / avoid having to screw around in the iDrive menus.

Okay now I understand. Have no idea how you'd accomplish that with coding though.

For the time being I would just set a shortcut to the DRL setting within the exterior lighting menu with one of your programable memory buttons on the radio. It's not the solution you're looking for but it's better than nothing I suppose.

[Poochie]

Ever wonder why BMW doesn't activate the rear fogs in the US market?

Here's why; I was forced to follow this guy in a new Range Rover with his rear fogs on, blinding me for miles..

I am pretty sure he was trying to turn on the front fogs (on also BTW) and hit the rears, without even being aware

#PeopleAreStupid

[AndrewC1989]

Originally Posted by Poochie

Ever wonder why BMW doesn't activate the rear fogs in the US market?

Here's why; I was forced to follow this guy in a new Range Rover with his rear fogs on, blinding me for miles..

I am pretty sure he was trying to turn on the front fogs (on also BTW) and hit the rears, without even being aware

#PeopleAreStupid

In my experience it's always a soccer mom in a Q series Audi

[Deleted-User]

Is anyone in need of a brand new switch? PN: 61316847520

I bought it from Schmiedmann and have receipt in hand. It was 160, I’ll let it go for 160 shipped. It was never installed, I simply took it out and compared and noticed the surrounding trim will not fit mine. I need a different part which I’ve already ordered.

PM me, I’ll also post this under classified. Thanks.

[MPBK]

Well, I did this mod, and...
First of all, thanks to OP and others for the tips in this thread. Very helpful.

It so happens that in the 2018 M2, the rear fog lights is all but useless.
The light is so weak that there's no danger of "blinding" the tailgater with it. I wonder if they'd even notice it.

I modified the bottom button, which turns on the rear fogs.
Is it logical to assume that the top button is for front fogs?
Is there any tips on how to activate it and where the wires would be in the front, if I were to install front fogs?