BMW Service Technology – The Evolution of Diagnostic Equipment

Not only has BMW electrical architecture changed over the last decade, but so has the equipment to service them. The equipment has changed, the interfaces have changed and also the complexity of setup and use.

Early tools

Back in the 1990’s, the Group Tester One (GT1) was introduced. There were a few versions, like DIS Plus (stationary setup), however the GT1 is the most common and is what will be referenced here. The GT1 is a portable device which contained a rechargeable battery. It has a touchscreen display for easy use. It contained software for Diagnosing and also had software called TIS (Technical Information Display) which is the Service & Repair Information. Early versions of Diagnostics also contained software called Coding, Programming & Individualization (CIP). So from the same tool, you could Diagnose the problem, look up how to replace the component and then perform the needed initializations for the new part. Two interfaces were used: EDIC (yellow interface) and the OPS (orange interface). Later versions of the OPS were called OPPS, since they carried additional diagnostics for the Byteflite system and they were also yellow, but much bigger than the EDIC. Authentic GT1s are on the portable touchscreen unit. There are many “cloned” units out there, adapted to work on a PC. Either genuine or cloned, the interfaces work the same and connect via an Ethernet port.

Later versions of the GT1 software removed CIP, and moved it to a separate computer (for storage), but still 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 car (DIAGBUS and MOST bus simultaneously).

Third Generation equipment

Fast foward to about 2008 when the Third Generation (3G) of equipment was released: ISIS. The contents of ISIS are so large, that dedicated servers are installed at the dealership. An online version is available to the aftermarket for a fee, called OSS. It can be found at BMW’s tech website. With the introduction of ISIS comes a new interface, called ICOM. Previous interfaces (EDIC & OPS) won’t work with ISIS. ISIS consists of a few parts, since it completely replaced GT1 & Progman. The main part of ISIS that is used in the shop is called “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 levels of security have been put into the creation of ISIS to prevent this, in both resident servers and online versions. This makes it much harder for non-dealer shops to work on the newer cars. One would think that since the GT1 was discontinued in 2009, you could just keep using that for several more years until the newer system became more available, however, BMW stayed one step ahead! Whenever a car is programmed with the new ISTA/P, it upgrades the software beyond the level of what Program can recognize. That means, once a car has been updated with ISTA/P, you can NEVER use Progman on it again, rendering the “cloned” versions useless on that particular car. Also, when a new module is installed, the software that is pre-installed on that module is also newer than what Program can recognize, which can stop the entire programming process, forcing the car to be programmed by ISTA/P.

So what does that mean for the BMW owner? As a result of the newer systems, many BMW owners can no longer repair the cars themselves. Many aftermarket shops are also sending the cars to dealerships as a result. However, not all aftermarket shops have fallen behind. There are a select few of BMW specialty shops that stay on top of manufacturer technology, so that no car is turned away! When looking for a place to service your BMW, make sure they can do ALL aspects of repair, including Diagnostics and CIP!

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

Is Your Car Making a Strange Noise?

Did you start your car, and it sounded just a little different? Did it run a little different? Did it run more smoothly before? As a car owner, you know your car, and how it normally sounds and performs when it is healthy and in tip-top shape. However, it can be frustrating when you take the automobile down to the auto repair shop, and they can’t “find anything wrong with the car.” It is always better to catch a problem before it materializes into something more substantial and catastrophic (and costly). The simple solution is finding an auto repair shop that has a Computer Diagnostics System, along with the experience to run the system effectively.

About Computer Diagnostics for an Automobile

Today’s vehicles have complex electronics and onboard computers. Diagnosing and fixing a problem with a car requires more than just some experience and a wrench. Computer diagnostics will actually pinpoint the exact problem and diagnose symptoms, including…

  • Check Engine Light is On
  • Poor Fuel Economy
  • Vehicle Failed an Emissions Test
  • Engine Hesitates or Stumbles
  • Loss of Normal Engine Power
  • Engine Cranks but won’t Start
  • Engine Stalls
  • Engine Misfire
  • Cylinder Misfire
  • Warning Light(s) On

Why Computer Diagnostics is Really Important

Auto repair shops that try to find and fix a problem in today’s cars without a diagnostics system are spending countless hours going over the car and manuals, trying to simulate, identify and diagnose the problem. This increases the labor costs substantially, and the repair shop really doesn’t know if they are fixing the main problem or just a symptom. This is where a computer diagnostics system really is helpful because it helps to identify all the problems and symptoms, then using the system expertly, a skilled auto repair technician can isolate the real problem. Just fixing symptoms creates a situation for the car owner to have to keep going back to the auto repair shop to address the same problem over and over. The computer diagnostics allow the experienced auto repair shop to quickly find the main problem and fix it once. This saves the car owner countless time and lots of money, as well as, avoiding a breakdown on the road.

Make Sure the Auto Repair Technician is Certified

Just having a computer diagnostic system doesn’t mean the auto repair shop knows how to effectively use it. The technicians using the system should be certified and up to date on their continuing education to use the system. It is a very complicated system, and it takes a lot of qualifications and experience to correctly use it.

Equus Code Reader – Charting A New Course For Auto Repair

Equus Code reader is a car engine problem diagnostic tool that has completely revolutionizes the way auto repair is being done. This article explain what makes this tool a must have for everyone who want to have the best of auto repair any day.

What Manner of Auto Repair Tool
The principle behind the working of the Equus code reader is very simple. It works in conjunction with the computer in your car, (if it has been manufactured between 1996 and now), by diagnosing any problem your car engine might be having at a particular time.

The major job involving car repair and maintenance is to discover the exact source of the problem, getting this wrong will make every other works done and the money spent useless. Before now, mechanics do use trial and error, or they just depend on their experience to determine where to check. It takes a crack, well experienced mechanic to do a real good job then. More over these mechanics only specialize on some specific brands and make of cars. Thus, you have to really search before you can get them, and you pay high price for good job done too.

This can be really frustrating if your car is hit by an engine problem in a place far from where you can obtain quick help.

Change Brought By Equus Code Reader
With the coming of this diagnostic code reader, these have changed. Now, vehicle owners who knows little or nothing about auto repair can easily diagnose their car engine problem correctly and know exactly what to do in order to get the problem solved, and all in a matter of seconds!.

It sounds like magic, but it is true, all you need to do when the check engine light in your car come on is to plug the code reader to your vehicle computer, and it will check for the problem and display the code in plain simple English that you can read, it also give definitions of codes. It tells you what to do to get the engine in proper shape, and much more.

When you unplug it you can have this codes stored securely in the back up memory of the scanner so that you can always check again or show it to your mechanic who will immediately know what to do, if you don’t want to do the repair work yourself.

You can have your own scanner code reader, it is readily available in most large stores online, but then you must shop without throwing away money unnecessarily by going for where you will get good discounts as well as quality OEM working tool.