4G TCU retrofit update (it's positive)

[tezarc]

If you are unfamiliar with my saga, in response to the 3G sunset notice I tasked my local dealership to acquire and retrofit a 4G TCU into my 2014 i3. To read the details of that adventure please see my original post:
https://www.mybmwi3.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17401

To summarize everything worked seamlessly until the cutoff in February when I found out BMW would not let me renew ConnectedDrive services past the sunset even though they could verify I had a 4G TCU.
I walked away from the matter keeping the ability to perform remote operations like scheduling departures, preconditioning until 2024 and immediately losing real time traffic and BMW online after the sunset.

Fast forward to now. After getting system errors when trying schedule departures in the app a few days ago I logged in to the ConnectedDrive website to find a new item in the store:

I purchased the package out of curiosity, knowing I have 30 days to get a full refund should nothing happen. Well hours later real time traffic and BMW online is back!

So it eventually worked out after all those roadblocks.

 

[eNate]

Wow, I didn't expect that! Congrats. So, it's just the matter of a owner locating the 4G box and having it officially installed and registered by a BMW service department?

 

[tezarc]

Correct. Basically all the dealership costs is because you need legitimate ISTA+ access to update the VIN to IMEI in the ConnectedDrive database.
I would surmise if you obtain a new, unused 4G TCU yourself then ask the dealership to do the work they may do it and you'd save $300, but I wasn't going to chance it.

 

[frictioncircle]

tezarc –

Thank you for sharing this latest bit of news.

I very much enjoyed reading about your 4G upgrade in the original thread: https://www.mybmwi3.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17401

My 2014 BEV is greatly missed, so it's a true delight seeing that you're able to now access (on your 2014) live news regarding Taylor Swift vs. Ticketmaster!

 

[frictioncircle]

Just adding on that I wasn't joking, tezarc, I love that you're now able to get online services again.

It also is nice to see the original i3's UI, and how distinctive it was compared to the rest of BMW's iDrive designs.

 

[3pete]

Thanks for going through this and sharing your updates! It's nice to know BMW is lying about there not being an upgrade path, but also it's a little reassuring that their tech isn't as horribly designed as the customer service claims when they say it's impossible to upgrade a modem.

As a fellow 2014 owner, have you at all broached the topic with BMW that your car was sold with 10 years of Connected Drive included, so you shouldn't even need to pay the subscription fee until 2024? :lol:

 

[airman2482]

Glad you got it solved!

Fortunately for me, my old TCU failed while under BMW warranty and the dealer replaced it with a new 4G LTE box. My connected drive works fine.

Again, glad to see it was solved for you!

 

[partialteen]

So great. Congratulation! I didn't even find a way to solve it thinking it was impossible.
krunker