RE: BMW puts the OBD fix in

[oyster]

What makes me laugh is whilst this open flaw has been played out, there are still tens of thousands of people keen on buying these exposed cars.

[nightflight]

I've just got rid of my BMW 535D tonight, and have never been so pleased to see a car go. It was the worst car I have ever owned in my life, and I will never ever allow another of their products to be parked on my drive. I had been considering buying the new GS motorbike next year, but not a bloody chance. The car broke down so often, that I have had to use my "reliable" TVR Griffith, which when I get in it, it bloody works!

[Thehandshake]

[Z4monster]

OK random resurrection of a thread with an entirely new thought stream.

Not seen that one before. Anyone want to bet there may be alcohol involved?

[brianspratt]

It's wrong of BMW to blame the European Regulations for the poor security record on their models - the fact that MBs, Audis and other cars are not being stolen in such numbers shows that the security problem is a BMW design fault or, at best, an oversight.

The last thing motorists need is for the EU competition rules to be rigged in favour of the car producers.

That would mean thousands of independent garages would not be able to service those cars, which would give dealers a monopoly; and what does a monopoly create? Higher prices !

There are not enough dealer locations around to service all the BMWs or other marques on the road, so that would lead to a service shortage; and what would that lead to? Higher prices.

Long live the independent garage !

[OddCat]

Just to resurrect this, I have recently bought a 2010 330i and have only subsequently found out about all this poor security malarkey.

And there was me thinking these cars with no keys were impossible to steal without an original fob ! D'ohhh !!

If I understand it correctly, it is possible for a thief to gain access to the car, lean in and, without setting off the alarm, plug a device into the OBD port, create a copy key there and then, and drive away. I actually can't believe I'm typing this as for BMW to build a car with such a combination of howling flaws beggars belief !

This thread died without anyone finally confirming what BMW's fix was, nor any accounts of people getting this done. Nor any assessments of how successful it was ?

Surely this issue hasn't simply gone away has it ?

Thanks

Oddcat

PS Someone alluded to having a kill switch. I had one in a Ford Fiesta in the 1980's so nice to see BMW encouraging retro anti thief methods !! Actually, it is a bl**dy good idea in the circumstances. The thieving gits have obviously figured out how to use the high tech so let's see how they deal with low tech !!

[LocoBlade]

I had the software update done on my 1 Series at the time a couple of years back, as far as I understand it basically turns off the OBD port unless the ignition is on, meaning you need a key to then access the OBD. Previously it was live all the time.
I think it also may have updated the central locking so the windows no longer wind down when the key (or a forced screwdriver...) is turned and held in the barrel lock, which is how I understood they were gaining access initially.

[OddCat]

Thanks Loco,

Did BMW write to you ? Or did you have to ask them to do it ? Or did they just do it automatically at service (which would make sense )? And how complicated is it ? (is it a 5 minute job ?)

Any idea how I can find out if mine is done ?

I can't understand how there can have been so many threads about this on so may sites, and TV programmes etc, and so much anger, and the whole issue suddenly then died without many, many, people relaying what they had done, how they had made it happen and whether it was working etc !

Oddcat

[Swanny87]

OddCat said:

Thanks Loco,

Did BMW write to you ? Or did you have to ask them to do it ? Or did they just do it automatically at service (which would make sense )? And how complicated is it ? (is it a 5 minute job ?)

Any idea how I can find out if mine is done ?

I can't understand how there can have been so many threads about this on so may sites, and TV programmes etc, and so much anger, and the whole issue suddenly then died without many, many, people relaying what they had done, how they had made it happen and whether it was working etc !

Oddcat

Common sense would suggest that this would have been some kind of recall so just take it BMW and you shouldn't have to pay anything. Even if you do, what's the price for an hour's labour weighed up against the cost of an insurance claim if your car does get stolen? When it comes to it, I wouldn't dwell on it a second longer considering your car could be at risk if the upgrade was missed...

[OddCat]

Unfortunately Swanney, common sense from BMW in respect of this issue appears to have been a little thin on the ground. I doubt there has been a recall. Nor a fee free fix.

But surely there must be a formal process here now ? If there is a BMW fix to make the OBD live only when there is a key in the slot, then getting this done must be more formal than just those people who know about it asking BMW to apply the fix ?

Not much point me getting het up about getting it done if it has already been done. So I still need to understand how I would find out.

And do BMW apply the fix on every affected used car they sell ?

Any PH’ers on here know the facts ? Anyone on here work for BMW ?

Thanks chaps

Oddcat

[rallycross]

Contact your local Bmw dealer they will know if this affects your model or not if you do have to take it in there is no charge for the update.

[OddCat]

.....but the process surely can't just be "you only get it if you ask for it". that would be ridiculous.

BMW must have some sort of strategy for dealing with this ? I has to be part of the standard procedure for cars being serviced by them doesn't it ?

There are lots of unanswered questions here re fix accessibility / process, effectiveness of fix etc

Someone must know the facts ?

Thanks

Oddcat

[ladderino]

OddCat said:

.....but the process surely can't just be "you only get it if you ask for it". that would be ridiculous.

BMW must have some sort of strategy for dealing with this ? I has to be part of the standard procedure for cars being serviced by them doesn't it ?

Take a look at this - http://www.bmw.co.uk/en_GB/topics/discover-bmw/all...

Key point "We are now in the process of offering, to any concerned customers of targeted models, extra technical measures" - i.e. it's a feature not a fix, so you can have it if you ask for it.

I wouldn't assume it would get added unless requested - don't think dealers update firmware by default anyway as it's a slow process and can lead to issues. I explicitly asked my dealer to apply the update, and then checked the firmware afterwards on my laptop to confirm that the version had changed.

[OddCat]

Hmmmmmm........

The BMW TEXT SAYS "We are now in the process of offering, to any concerned customers of targeted models, extra technical measures which will mean that their car cannot be taken using the equipment highlighted in these stories"

Leaving aside that it should say "making available" and not "offering" as they are not offering anything but responding to a request (if I say to my wife "make us a cup of tea love" she is most certainly not 'offering' me one !) this suggests that the fix is something other than just stopping the window going down when something is jammed in the door lock.

....."the car cannot be taken using the equipment highlighted...." to me is very specifically meaning that the equipment if plugged into the OBD port will not clone a key.

I'm sorry to sound like a broken record - but we still have not got to the key 'nubs' of this issue. Does anyone have any actual experience of this fix, what it does, how it prevents key data download from the port, how to get it done and how long it takes ?

Thanks chaps

Oddcat

[RicksAlfas]

I just asked my dealer to apply it when it was in for a service.
There was no charge. Don't make life any more difficult than it needs to be!

[OddCat]

Thanks RicksAlfas but.......what are they going to apply to you car and how does it work ?

Is it the just removal of the 'comfort' access thing (which I understand to be the thing that drops the windows if you hold the button down on the fob which can also be triggered by a screwdriver in the lock) ?

Is it some software programming that prevents the cloning of a key from the OBD port ?

How will you ever know they did anything and that they haven't just told you they have done something ? How can you test it ?

Given BMW's behaviour over this (and a lack of "oh my god we've f*cked up and must create a fix and be proactive about getting all affected cars upgraded") I'm not at all sure they are to be trusted...

Oddcat

[paulmoonraker]

It litterally takes 5 minutes and a screw driver to detach the OBD port and tuck it out of the way. You can also order a replacement port which you can fit in its place, which are litterally about a pound.

When I took my M3 in having done this, I simply explained to the guy at the service desk and it was fine.

[OddCat]

Oh I see. Tuck the real port away and put a dummy one in its place. Genius !

Why hasn't anyone else thought of this in the three years this has been an issue !!!

Paul you are a star !

Still doesn't excuse BMW's shoddy attitude to the whole affair though. I should have bought Japanese.......

[ladderino]

OddCat said:

Thanks RicksAlfas but.......what are they going to apply to you car and how does it work ?

Is it the just removal of the 'comfort' access thing (which I understand to be the thing that drops the windows if you hold the button down on the fob which can also be triggered by a screwdriver in the lock) ?

Is it some software programming that prevents the cloning of a key from the OBD port ?

How will you ever know they did anything and that they haven't just told you they have done something ? How can you test it ?

Given BMW's behaviour over this (and a lack of "oh my god we've f*cked up and must create a fix and be proactive about getting all affected cars upgraded") I'm not at all sure they are to be trusted...

Oddcat

There were two software changes made -
1. Disabling the opening of windows by comfort access - stops a screwdriver being jammed into the lock and turned to drop the windows
2. Disabling the CAS from accessing the key memory unless a known immobiliser key is in the slot

This would seem to fix things, however, apparently it doesn't - there's a way to force a downgrade of the CAS software. So Mr Thief can come along, remove your updated software, and then clone his key.

Also neither solve the problem with the alarm having a dead spot between the window and the OBD port.

Moving the port and replacing with a dummy is the best option.

[djdestiny]

OddCat said:

Oh I see. Tuck the real port away and put a dummy one in its place. Genius !

Why hasn't anyone else thought of this in the three years this has been an issue !!!

Paul you are a star !

Still doesn't excuse BMW's shoddy attitude to the whole affair though. I should have bought Japanese.......

People were doing it on bmw forums years ago