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BMW Service Technology – The Evolution of Diagnostic Equipment

Not merely has BMW electrical architecture changed during the last decade, but so has the equipment to service them. The equipment has evolved, the interfaces have changed as well as the complexity of setup and use.


Early tools

Within the 1990’s, the audience Tester One (GT1) was introduced. There was a few versions, like DIS Plus (stationary setup), however the GT1 is the most common and is what’s going to be referenced here. The GT1 is a portable device which contained a rechargeable battery. It features a touchscreen display for straightforward use. It contained software for Diagnosing and in addition had software called TIS (Technical Information Display) which is Service & Repair Information. Early versions of Diagnostics also contained software called Coding, Programming & Individualization (CIP). So from your same tool, you can Diagnose the issue, look up how to switch the component after which carry out the needed initializations for that new part. Two interfaces were used: EDIC (yellow interface) and the OPS (orange interface). Later versions from the OPS were called OPPS, simply because they carried additional diagnostics for that Byteflite system and so they were also yellow, but much bigger compared to the EDIC. Authentic GT1s take presctiption the portable touchscreen unit. There are numerous “cloned” units on the market, adapted to be effective over a PC. Either genuine or cloned, the interfaces work the same and correct with an Ethernet port.

Later versions with the GT1 software removed CIP, and moved it with a separate computer (for storage), but nonetheless accessible from the GT1. This new software was called Progman (short for Program Manager). This new software contained all of the CIP functions and added new features like multiple car programming and dual channel programming for each and every car (DIAGBUS and MOST bus simultaneously).

Third Generation equipment

Go forward to about 2008 once the Third Generation (3G) of equipment premiered: ISIS. The items in ISIS are really large, that server colocation are set up in the dealership. An online version can be obtained towards the aftermarket for a small charge, called OSS. It can be bought at video archive. With all the introduction of ISIS comes a new interface, called ICOM. Previous interfaces (EDIC & OPS) won’t work with ISIS. ISIS includes a few parts, since it completely replaced GT1 & Progman. The main a part of ISIS which is used in the shop is named “ISTA”, which can be further broken down into two parts: ISTA/D for Diagnosing vehicles and ISTA/P for Coding, Programming & Individualization.

Comparison

GT1s can be found just about anywhere, including eBay for very cheap. BMW realized that the tool was easily cloned and sold worldwide. Many amounts of security have been placed into the development of ISIS to stop this, in both resident servers and internet based versions. This will make it much harder for non-dealer shops to be effective on the newer cars. One could feel that since the GT1 was discontinued in ’09, you can just keep using for a number of more years before newer system became more available, however, BMW stayed one step ahead! Whenever a car is programmed using the new ISTA/P, it upgrades the program at night level of what Program can recognize. Which means, when a car may be updated with ISTA/P, you’ll never use Progman on it again, rendering the “cloned” versions useless with that particular car. Also, whenever a new module is installed, the application that’s pre-installed with that module is also newer compared to what Program can recognize, which could steer clear of the entire programming process, forcing the automobile to be programmed by ISTA/P.

Just what exactly does this mean for that BMW owner? As a result of the newer systems, many BMW owners cannot repair the cars themselves. Many aftermarket shops will also be sending the cars to dealerships consequently. However, not every aftermarket shops have fallen behind. There are a limited number of BMW specialty shops that stay on top of manufacturer technology, to ensure that no car is averted! While searching for a location to service your BMW, ensure they can do Every aspect of repair, including Diagnostics and CIP!

One shop is Auto Specialties of Lake Norman: Auto Specialties of Lake Norman. If you are looking with a potential shops website, look for signs that they have the latest equipment. BMW Repair Shops that can’t “do it all” can often cause increased time and cost after they discover everything has been incorrectly diagnosed or parts installed now need programmed or initialized.
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