DVDinmotion REx Hold Mod

[WoodlandHills]

I downloaded the files, but now I am having trouble installing them. The instructions are written for an ICE car and are not very clear at all for our cars.The first try using the radio button to reboot the iDrive was a fail, now I am trying the lock the doors and wait 10 minutes method while awaiting an email response from Lucie at dvdinmotion.
It looks like the car is reading the USB drive, but I cannot get it to reboot with the new files. I will keep you all I formed of my progress. BTW I got the Rex Hold and the removal of the confirm screen which is all they offer for an i3 besides the DVD thing.

 

[Idleup]

Keep Us Posted!!!!

 

[WoodlandHills]

Lucie replied very quickly and said that the i3 needs to be left off and locked for "some time" after loading their .bin file. Then when you unlock the reboot begins, so now I am waiting a while to give it time to work. I will try 20 mins......

 

[Sparky]

How do you anticipate using this feature?

 

[WoodlandHills]

For trips, I intend to use it like the guy in the UK whose name I cannot recall, but posts here: turn on the REx ASAP and drive it as an ICE car to my destination. Drive on gasoline until the tank goes dry, proceed on battery to the next gas station, fill up, turn on the REx and drive away. Repeat as necessary until arrival at destination. This way we always have enough battery to avoid the power collapse of a dead battery and a REx creeping along uphill at 6 mph.

Once we arrive, we plug it in and drive as an EV with a REx backup, just like we do when based at home. To return we trun the REx on and drive back with a full battery like before on the way up.

This way instead of using our ICE all weekend, we use the i3 as an ICE for a while, but also have a BEV to use too.

 

[WoodlandHills]

No luck so far with the installation. The instructions are not very good as far as i3 s go. It's all for older ICE cars, but I was assured that our cars are covered nonetheless. Lucie is responsive, but no success at all. Nothing.

 

[Sparky]

Sounds like a good feature.

 

[websterize]

Lucie replied very quickly and said that the i3 needs to be left off and locked for "some time" after loading their .bin file.

Obviously you threw the salt over the wrong shoulder.

Seriously, coding meet-ups are one of a dozen reasons why membership in the BMCCA is such a great idea.

https://www.bmwcca.org/chapterfinder

And CCA members with at least a year on the clock, who took delivery of an i3 the past few months, received a $1,000 check from BMWNA. (It's usually only$500). Membership starts at $50/year — it's a no-brainer.

 

[FrancisJeffries]

...the guy in the UK whose name I cannot recall,

'twas me!

 

[WoodlandHills]

I left the car sitting locked while I took the dogs for a walk in the hills and when I returned it had installed! The confirm screen was gone and I now have a Range Extender option, when you click it shows an info screen with a Hold % Charge option that I cannot click as it is not highlighted. I suspect that is because I am at 91% SOC so I plan on running a few errands and checking the screen again, although it may be a couple of days before I get below 80%. I also have an email into Lucie to verify this....
I guess the wait of "10 minutes or longer" should be "longer"! If they start to sell a bunch of these to i3 owners, they really should develop i3 specific instructions. Things like "start the engine" are kind of confusing to an i3 owner. "Press the START button until the READY light is on and the P on the shift selector is illuminated" would be a bit better.

 

[WoodlandHills]

...the guy in the UK whose name I cannot recall,

'twas me!

Yes! :idea: Sorry I forgot, your posts have been among the most useful and informative for me and I plan to follow your methods for long distance travel.....

 

[WoodlandHills]

Success! I set the Range Extender option to button 8 then opened up the page. I monitored the SOC in % as it dropped to 80% and then to 75%.... After a few seconds at 75%, the Hold %SOC button highlighted and I clicked it. The REx came on a second or two later and ran as long as I was not at a complete stop reaching maximum above 56mph just as predicted on this forum.

I did notice that the 8 programmable buttons were erased, but it was no problem to reset the radio. Also there were some strange beeps and audio messages that were too quiet too understand at first, but after parking at the store they did not return. Much stranger was the soft music that I could hear from under the dash with the radio turned off and the iPod unplugged. No idea of the source and it did not respond to the volume knob. It too went away after the second stop and shutdown of the car.

We will see if the audio ghosts return, but I am a happy camper so far! I recommend this to anyone who wants control of their REx.

 

[Idleup]

Thanks for the update - it should not take more than 10-15 minutes of driving to get the battery down - you might just hit the "precondition" while shes parked to get the battery down in the garage.

Ok - the info is on the USB flash card and you transferred it to the car. Does the flash have to stay in the USB port. Or removed after the install

Ideally, it would be neat if it only worked while the USB was engaged this way you could just remove it when you have to go in for service.

Thanks

 

[WoodlandHills]

You remove the USB drive as part of the installation process. To erase the changes rerun the procedure you use to install using the USB drive. The device acts as a toggle switch, but is not kept plugged into the car. The installation process is rather time consuming and not something you would want to do daily.

 

[mindmachine]

You remove the USB drive as part of the installation process. To erase the changes rerun the procedure you use to install using the USB drive. The device acts as a toggle switch, but is not kept plugged into the car. The installation process is rather time consuming and not something you would want to do daily.

Having done it once and knowing how to do it, how long would it take you the next time assuming everything works right.

 

[WoodlandHills]

3 minutes plus however long the car needs to be locked for the reboot to take place. In my case it was over an hour, but I didn't sit and watch, just locked it up and left to do something else for a while. When I came back the change had occurred. You also have to delete and reload the .bin file on to the stick each time you want to reload the change into your car, according to their instructions.

 

[Idleup]

Could you give us a brief description on loading unloading the mod (menu wise) when the i3 reboots does it install the stock software again?

 

[Idleup]

Here's the instructions from the coding source:

 

[WoodlandHills]

Could you give us a brief description on loading unloading the mod (menu wise) when the i3 reboots does it install the stock software again?

No I cannot. There is no menu when loading. You posted the instructions, did you read them? If so, now you know as much as I do. I am not about to delete my changes just to answer questions for you: if you want to see what happens buy your own and let us know. I am pretty sure I have done my part already by posting my experience with the installation. Now you can post yours with the removal.....

 

[Idleup]

Could you give us a brief description on loading unloading the mod (menu wise) when the i3 reboots does it install the stock software again?

No I cannot. There is no menu when loading. You posted the instructions, did you read them? If so, now you know as much as I do. I am not about to delete my changes just to answer questions for you: if you want to see what happens buy your own and let us know. I am pretty sure I have done my part already by posting my experience with the installation. Now you can post yours with the removal.....

I was not asking you to delete anything - especially when you haven't even drove the car to see if it works! My advise to you is; you best also find out how it does un-install or you could end up with a car with no warranty should you need a visit to the dealer!

The instructions are confusing at best - they talk about a radio so for the most part they don't even give a good guideline of whats happening. What was puzzling to me is they say install the USB - then unplug it - them hold the radio knob down - then shut it off - lock the doors and it installs?? Is that what you did?

Thanks