RE: BMW puts the OBD fix in

[HowMuchLonger]

Do finance houses really keep a spare key for cars that they have lent money on?
Do finance houses really want to recover their assets this way. What on earth is wrong with the traditional flat bed recovery.

[Angelp]

405dogvan said:

Lost the ability to be civil and not condescend to people who don't live on these forums?

Try going outside and talking to real people - if you speak to them like that, they'll kick your teeth in

[BFG TERRANO]

After_Shock said:

Do you drive a BMW having that kit to hand!?

With this to hand you don't need to own one you just help yourself!

[0a]

PH Article said:

It's a tricky one for BMW. On the one hand, nobody at BMW can have wanted the situation to have developed this far, or for so many people to have been robbed of their pride and joy. On the other, BMW couldn't publish details of any quick DIY fix to its cars’ electrical systems, because that would have contravened certain EU laws.

What a feeble excuse for BMW's head in the sand behaviour. This was a defect with their car design that should have been corrected quickly and at BMW's cost. The vague term "certain EU laws" is a weak attempt to excuse them by insulting your admittedly EU-sceptic membership.

BMW wanted this issue to go away so they don't lose revenue from damage to their brand, and so they don't incur massive time and cost fixing it.

[masermartin]

0a said:

PH Article said:

It's a tricky one for BMW. On the one hand, nobody at BMW can have wanted the situation to have developed this far, or for so many people to have been robbed of their pride and joy. On the other, BMW couldn't publish details of any quick DIY fix to its cars’ electrical systems, because that would have contravened certain EU laws.

What a feeble excuse for BMW's head in the sand behaviour. This was a defect with their car design that should have been corrected quickly and at BMW's cost. The vague term "certain EU laws" is a weak attempt to excuse them by insulting your admittedly EU-sceptic membership.

BMW wanted this issue to go away so they don't lose revenue from damage to their brand, and so they don't incur massive time and cost fixing it.

Indeed. Quick fix - temporarily disable the OBD port, in a way that it can be reinstated when needed by an indy. How hard can it be?

[Al 450]

RicksAlfas said:

kmpowell said:

RicksAlfas said:

Is it only RHD models which have the problem?
i.e. does the alarm on LHD cars cover the OBD port?

Same sensors on both LHD and RHD (see my post a few back for part numbers), same blackspots. There are reports on BMW forums across europe of cars going walkies in the same manner.

OK ta.
Really the OBD port could do with being in a better place. Either in the door jamb so you can only access it with the door open, or behind the ashtray, or in the glovebox!

The position of the OBD port in a vehicle is mandated by European and Federal law i.e homologation requirements so car makers have only limited choice.

As someone with intimate knowledge of this kind of thing (from an OEM point of view) I can tell you that car makers have been petitioning the EU and the government for years as they were concerned about this king of thing happening. However all protests fell on deaf ears mainly due to the 'right to repair' campaign which in theory yes is good for consumers but the legislation is ill-conceived in many ways. The specialist Police vehicle crime units were also up in arms when the law was passed for obvious reasons. See http://www.r2rc.eu/

I would also say that there are legal and other (sound) reasons for needing access to a live OBD port with even the car locked (think about losing your keys and an official BMW garage needing to reprogram a new set). The fault here is not with the design of the vehicle (aside from the alarm), it is with the BMW rectification / diagnostics equipment for allowing in effect a single authentication factor method of relearning/learning new keys. Most manufacturers will require a secure one off code to allow the process to start which is normally obtained direct from the manufacturer.

The pressure for a fix will have come not from the consumer or Watchdog but from the insurance companies and Thatcham in particular.

[petrolsniffer]

Appauling they're too embarressed to do a recall....

[AlLondon]

This update will also overright any remaps done.

On these models the update will update every controller in the car. Can take a good few hours.

[Flying machine]

I was entertained to see on the BMW page that at the foot of the page:

"In addition: We recommend servicing your car at authorised BMW dealerships on a regular basis to give the opportunity of further enhancing theft protection."

Funny, the only theft seems to have been from my wallet, and I did follow your recommendations...

[donutsina911]

HowMuchLonger said:

Do finance houses really keep a spare key for cars that they have lent money on?
Do finance houses really want to recover their assets this way. What on earth is wrong with the traditional flat bed recovery.

In the past, maybe and nothing
We used to hold on to the V5 and a spare key for our most 'at risk' customers but this practice ended a while back...

[OdramaSwimLaden]

petrolsniffer said:

Appauling they're too embarressed to do a recall....

If it was a few cars they would probably attempt it. The fact is that there are 100's of thousands of cars out there which would need to be done. Just to many........

[Escort Si-130]

lmao

Flying machine said:

I was entertained to see on the BMW page that at the foot of the page:

"In addition: We recommend servicing your car at authorised BMW dealerships on a regular basis to give the opportunity of further enhancing theft protection."

Funny, the only theft seems to have been from my wallet, and I did follow your recommendations...

[anonymous-user]

We can argue about BMW's response (or lack of) for hrs/days/month on here, but the simple fact and the real nub, of the matter is that we are too soft on crime in the UK. Criminals can earn hundreds of thousands of pounds with hardly any investment or knowledge / skills. Compared to their earning in a more legal profession this is easy money. They will continue to steal our expensive cars, that us more upstanding and morally proficient people have worked hard to afford, untill we make the penalties much much tougher. Regardless of the means (robbery, car jacking or electronic means) used, it is the lack of serious penalty and the incredible impotence of the law of this country that encourages the criminals to do it. Let's face it, you need no skills or knowledge to stab someone, but you'd don't because of the penalty (and some moral robustness as well obviously!).

So, lets get tough on crime, properly tough, lets send the criminals a message that they can't ignore, one that for once and for all makes them think twice about "Living the easy, profitable, life of crime" that they currently lead!


It seems insane to me that the law protects criminals more than the victim. If someone knowingly breaks into a house or car, then they should automatically forfit their rights to protection by the law imo.

BMW can put in any extra protection they see fit, and it will make no difference in the long term. If the possibility to earn big money from the crime exists, the criminals will find a way to continue to carry out that crime.

[DeltaEvo2]

BMWFAIL!

[PeterV]

Why are is everybody calling BMW?
I would prefer an answer in writing, so it can't be denied later...

Edit: typo

[Contigo]

Let's put this all in perspective for a minute. This is a balls up from BMW but it's true that it did meet EU laws at the time and there were no hacks for this in 2005/6 that they knew of. As time goes by there are new methods to steal motors and this is the case here.

It could be worse and the steering wheel could indeed come off and detach at high speed. I can't imagine a more trouser staining moment than doing three figure speeds and that happens.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2202672/Ni...

[surveyor]

HowMuchLonger said:

Do finance houses really keep a spare key for cars that they have lent money on?
Do finance houses really want to recover their assets this way. What on earth is wrong with the traditional flat bed recovery.

DO they bks. I think Chris Harris has made up this part of the story!

[Munich]

BFG TERRANO said:

Isn't the simple answer to relocate the obd to well within the alarm range? Ie near the centre of the car? Won't help the thousands on The road now but something for new models.

I thought that but apparently the OCB has to be located where it is by law.

[E500 TAT]

It has to be within a certain distance from the (IIRC) drivers seat.

[E500 TAT]

surveyor said:

What was all that garbage about banks and finance?

If they want the car back they will get it back. And in the rare instance that they have to snatch the car I'm assuming they would just order a new key, being able to prove that they are the legal owner.

The software means a new key has to be programmed into the car you can't just have a key cut, it's not a 'key' anymore is it?

Hence it being a problem now.