Software Update is 3.56.4.003

[MikeS]

Anyone know the details of what update 3.56.4.003 contains? BMW Uk only say 'There are many changes some of which we do not have technical description of. The change we are aware of are to the way in which the range is calculated, therefore making the range and actual mileage covered more accurate.’ They are struggling to give more info. I’ve said I want to know anything that is going to be changed that I as the driver would be aware of - such as changing the region which I do not want!

 

[mindmachine]

Anyone know the details of what update 3.56.4.003 contains? BMW Uk only say 'There are many changes some of which we do not have technical description of. The change we are aware of are to the way in which the range is calculated, therefore making the range and actual mileage covered more accurate.’ They are struggling to give more info. I’ve said I want to know anything that is going to be changed that I as the driver would be aware of - such as changing the region which I do not want!

I am not 100% sure, but after the update the regen seem to be slightly less aggressive, and yes the rang estimation is different and for me it still underestimates my driving style. Additionally if you check the usable capacity of the battery in the hidden menu on the main screen, mine is now 19.9 kWh, which is an increase of about 1 kWh. So it appears the decided to allow us the use of more battery.

 

[MikeS]

Mindmachine - thanks for the reply. I really don’t want my region changed unless they can make it more aggressive! I love driving without needing the brakes!

 

[FrancisJeffries]

mindmachine:

...if you check the usable capacity of the battery in the hidden menu on the main screen

How is that accessed, please?

 

[jadnashuanh]

FWIW, with all of the things controlled via software, and different markets, it is really hard to say what functionality is in any one software build for a particular country. IOW, what may show up in one market may not always show up in others. The only way to know for sure (and it is sometimes like pulling teeth) is to find out specifically from the local country distributor or, maybe your local dealer, what is in any particular release. What shows up in a USA release, may never show up elsewhere and vice-versa.

 

[mindmachine]

mindmachine:

...if you check the usable capacity of the battery in the hidden menu on the main screen

How is that accessed, please?

To enter the menu, hold down the trip meter button on the side of the instrument cluster screen for 10 seconds. From then on, pressing this button means "next" and holding down the button means "select".

To begin with you have only these options available:

1 Identification
1.01 Conv. Index (1/mls)
1.02 SWFL 1
1.03 VIN
1.04 HMI Version
2 System test
3 Start roller
10 Unlock

To unlock the following menus, you will need the VIN from 1.03 above. Add the last FOUR digits together (other BMW models require adding the last five digits) to get your unlock code. e.g if your VIN is L12345, your code is 2+3+4+5=14. If that doesn't work, try adding the last five digits.

11 Consumption
11.01 Consumption dist. (l/km)
11.02 Consumption time (l/h)

12 Range
12.01 Range consumption (l/100km)
12.02 Range (km)

13 Fuel Tank/Battery
13.01 tank left (ohm)
13.02 tank right
13.03 tank left (litres) - zero
13.04 tank right 7.9l
13.05 tank total
13.07 display value
13.07 tank phase. 1
13.08 Batt. Kapa. Max. 19.8 kWh (maximum designed battery capacity)
13.09 State of charge
13.10 Batt. Ladung (battery charge)
13.11 Batt. Anziege (battery meter indication)

14.01 O. Temp. Sensor
14.02 O. Temp. Raw data
14.03 coolant temp
14.04 oil temp
14.05 batterietemp

15.01 litre counter
15.02 time counter
15.03 distance counter
15.04 kWh-Zaehler ("kWh counter")

16.01 v CAN (km/h)
16.02 v Display (km/h)
16.03 Cruise Control (km/h)
16.04 Rev. Counter (1/min)

17 System Voltage
17.01 Ubatt (V)

18 Accoustics
19 DTC
20 Dimming LCD
20.01 LCD temp. Sensor (ADC)
20.02 LCD temperature (C)
20.03 Light sensor
20.04 LCD luminance

21 Dimming PWM
21.01 Dimming wheel
21.02 Display
21.03 Scales/pt. orange
21.04 Underfloor pointer
21.05 Status lights
21.06 Status lights blue

22 CBS (condition based service)
22.01 km/year short term (km)
22.02 service call status
22.03 Limit, time (Month)
22.04 Limit, distance (km)

23 Check
24 Correct. Factor (careful!)
25 software reset

 

[MikeS]

But as I said - BMW UK only statement is 'There are many changes some of which we do not have technical description of. The change we are aware of are to the way in which the range is calculated, therefore making the range and actual mileage covered more accurate.’

Also note no mention of any increase to battery usability, just a different calculation.

 

[mindmachine]

But as I said - BMW UK only statement is 'There are many changes some of which we do not have technical description of. The change we are aware of are to the way in which the range is calculated, therefore making the range and actual mileage covered more accurate.’

Also note no mention of any increase to battery usability, just a different calculation.

While they did not mention the increased usable battery capacity to me either when I asked what changed, I found out by accident because, earlier before the update my capacity was 18.8 kWh and after it was 19.9 kWh. While I do not like the less aggressive regen, I feel the increased use of the battery is worth getting the update.

 

[psquare]

Despite being an upgrade freak myself, I have decided not to undergo any car firmware upgrades, unless absolutely crucial. I've now witnessed on a couple of occasions how much learning there is still to do for BMW i dealers - I don't want to lose my car for days or weeks on end because of problems with an upgrade that might have given me a little additional feature on my dash or maybe 0.5% more efficiency.

Never touch a running system.

 

[mindmachine]

Despite being an upgrade freak myself, I have decided not to undergo any car firmware upgrades, unless absolutely crucial. I've now witnessed on a couple of occasions how much learning there is still to do for BMW i dealers - I don't want to lose my car for days or weeks on end because of problems with an upgrade that might have given me a little additional feature on my dash or maybe 0.5% more efficiency.

Never touch a running system.

100% disagree, if problems exist they should be fixed,and I have apparently a top notch dealer because I never have to wait for my car to be fixed. However I do not like the fact that the dealer can not tell us what the updated will do so we can choose.

However having said that a 5% increase in usable battery capacity is a big plus and I can live with the regen change that came with it. Another words, had I know about all the details I would still have given my ok.

 

[psquare]

100% disagree, if problems exist they should be fixed,and I have apparently a top notch dealer because I never have to wait for my car to be fixed.

That's why I said "unless absolutely crucial". I would also rate my BMW dealer as "top notch", but how many i3s does a dealership see for repairs at this point on average, ie how much experience do they have with "the living thing"?

On one hand, we're rejoicing about the fact that i3s need very little servicing, yet the flip side of this is that it means less opportunity to gain experiences on the side of the dealerships.

 

[mindmachine]

100% disagree, if problems exist they should be fixed,and I have apparently a top notch dealer because I never have to wait for my car to be fixed.

That's why I said "unless absolutely crucial". I would also rate my BMW dealer as "top notch", but how many i3s does a dealership see for repairs at this point on average, ie how much experience do they have with "the living thing"?

On one hand, we're rejoicing about the fact that i3s need very little servicing, yet the flip side of this is that it means less opportunity to gain experiences on the side of the dealerships.

Ok it sounds like we agree, probably the differences in the english language between the US and UK.

I would not call 1 kWh increase of usable battery as something that is "absolutely crucial" ! :roll: :mrgreen:

 

[BoMW]

My car went in on 23 Aug for a window fix but was then held back for the software upgrade. Because I was supplied with a courtesy car I wasn't too concerned but FIVE weeks later my car has been returned with the update which had to be carried out by another dealer 30 miles away!

 

[psquare]

My car went in on 23 Aug for a window fix but was then held back for the software upgrade. Because I was supplied with a courtesy car I wasn't too concerned but FIVE weeks later my car has been returned with the update which had to be carried out by another dealer 30 miles away!

That's the sort of scenario I was thinking about.

Out of interest (I live in the Midlands), roughly whereabouts was the dealer "30 miles away"?

 

[jadnashuanh]

As I understand it, the i3 in the UK is sold direct from BMW and only at certain dealers. This means that a local shop may not be able to actually perform any or maybe only some service on the vehicle. In the USA, BMW does not sell the car direct, and any dealership can choose to sell the vehicle. Now, whether the local dealership opts to actually send many of its technicians for training, is up to them. Not all dealerships are certified body repair specialists, as that takes a different level of training and commitment to tools and facilities. This could account for differences in response time to a problem between the two different markets. FWIW, Canada (at least initially) does not sell the i3 everywhere...it is limited to certain areas, and if you opt to buy one and live in an area where they are not directly supported, it can be problematic getting service outside of those areas.

 

[psquare]

As I understand it, the i3 in the UK is sold direct from BMW and only at certain dealers. This means that a local shop may not be able to actually perform any or maybe only some service on the vehicle.

I absolutely agree. And while -especially while EV motoring is in its early stages- this is understandable from a dealership perspective, it can sometimes lead to disappointed customers. It would be great to have a repository somewhere to tell customers where to go for a body work repair, for example. Saves time and hassle going to the wrong place and then having the car transferred after a week of fiddling.

 

[Lincsat]

My car went in on 23 Aug for a window fix but was then held back for the software upgrade. Because I was supplied with a courtesy car I wasn't too concerned but FIVE weeks later my car has been returned with the update which had to be carried out by another dealer 30 miles away!

That's the sort of scenario I was thinking about.

Out of interest (I live in the Midlands), roughly whereabouts was the dealer "30 miles away"?

Can't speak for that case but can say that Soper of Lincoln did an update on my car prior to delivery in January 2015

 

[BoMW]

My car went in on 23 Aug for a window fix but was then held back for the software upgrade. Because I was supplied with a courtesy car I wasn't too concerned but FIVE weeks later my car has been returned with the update which had to be carried out by another dealer 30 miles away!

That's the sort of scenario I was thinking about.

Out of interest (I live in the Midlands), roughly whereabouts was the dealer "30 miles away"?

Leicester.
I bought my i3 in Stoke on Trent but was happy to hear that
last month, nottingham had become an i dealer.

 

[BoMW]

My car went in on 23 Aug for a window fix but was then held back for the software upgrade. Because I was supplied with a courtesy car I wasn't too concerned but FIVE weeks later my car has been returned with the update which had to be carried out by another dealer 30 miles away!

That's the sort of scenario I was thinking about.

Out of interest (I live in the Midlands), roughly whereabouts was the dealer "30 miles away"?

Can't speak for that case but can say that Soper of Lincoln did an update on my car prior to delivery in January 2015

There is now an update that supersedes JAN 2015

 

[Lincsat]

There is now an update that supersedes JAN 2015

I believe there have been a couple and I'm hoping to get one when my car goes in for the sunroof QE on the 22nd. I was told the upgrade to fix the off-peak charging issue was supposed to be available last Month but the service reception claimed there was no update available whatsoever and I know that's not true.

Incidentally, how do you find the actual software version, is it the HMI version you can see on the screen by pressing and holding the trip button?