Firmware/Software Versions

[Super Spartan]

Originally Posted by jmciver

So what did you notice different about the car with the new software considering your car is still relatively new? Keep in mind when the dealer does a software update, all of the ECUs in the car are updated, not just the DME, if there is an update available for an ECU.

The only confirmed changes I noticed was a minor tweak to the HUD and that the frontal collision avoidance does not default to always on, but remembers the last setting (off or on) when the car was last shut down. Also, it appears that the ASD (i.e. fake engine noise) was toned down a bit, but it is difficult for me to confirm - it is just a feeling (but then I think I am one of the rare enthusiasts that does not mind the ASD in this car )

I don't mind ASD as well. The car has very good insulation so if the windows are up then you can barely hear anything and that's with my MPE.

Anyway, it is too early for me to judge so I will wait for a few days before I gave you my impressions.

[Super Spartan]

First thing I noticed, with this software update, you now have an extra M button.

You see, the car defaults to Sports steering and suspension when you start it up, the Sport steering is way to heavy for my liking for daily driving so I had my M1 button set to all comfort and M2 button set to Sports+/Sports/Comfort (for the steering)

Now with this software update, Sport is no longer that heavy, it's a bit lighter and can certainly be used for daily driving/grocery shopping so I can now set my M1 button to something else and just drive my car at the default settings when I am not planning on any spirited driving!

Best upgrade if you ask me!

[silverstar335]

After driving for over a week I can also say that this was a must have upgrade.

1) DCT feels significantly smoother in all settings.

2) Car is much more planted and not as bouncy, I am on M HAS with 20”. Ride feels very predictable and “comfortable” both in Comfort and Sport.

3) Power delivery has been “optimized” and now all that torque can be applied much more easily in lower RPM. Car feels just as responsive and quick as before.

4) Exhaust note definitely sounds differently, not as raspy, perhaps a little deeper.

[Super Spartan]

Anyone else planning on getting this DME update? it's awesome!

[frankiebones]

Originally Posted by Snappy Phoenix

Anyone else planning on getting this DME update? it's awesome!

I am debating it because I want to do M Perf HAS. However, i have Hex Tune Stage 1 and i would be locking the DME again, erasing all my coding, etc. Also, I would likely have to pay for a new tune. Fortunately, this time I could go through the ODB2 port rather than taking the engine apart to crack the DME.

I have a May, 2016 build and am still presumably running the same software.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[Super Spartan]

Originally Posted by frankiebones

I am debating it because I want to do M Perf HAS. However, i have Hex Tune Stage 1 and i would be locking the DME again, erasing all my coding, etc. Also, I would likely have to pay for a new tune. Fortunately, this time I could go through the ODB2 port rather than taking the engine apart to crack the DME.

I have a May, 2016 build and am still presumably running the same software.

Any advice would be appreciated.

I don't know what to tell you since you have a tune. I don't have a tune but Alex Alpine did some coding for me so that got wiped I hope he can re-code it again.

But the DME update, I love man! The car feels different, the steering is softer so you can actually use the Sports steering now whereas before it was very heavy for just casual cruising/parking.

The exhaust is a better, I have the MPE though, it's not as raspy but very loud and I feel the burbles are more now. Anytime I lift off there are burbles whereas before it gave me the burbles *sometimes* only it was weird.

Finally, MDM is more forgiving now and allows for some slip whereas before it was no fun, not very different from Traction Control On

[drgmt]

I got it a few weeks ago. It's aweful. Made the gearbox worse than the previous update.

Thank God for the GTS DCT flash.

[frankiebones]

Originally Posted by Snappy Phoenix

I don't know what to tell you since you have a tune. I don't have a tune but Alex Alpine did some coding for me so that got wiped I hope he can re-code it again.

But the DME update, I love man! The car feels different, the steering is softer so you can actually use the Sports steering now whereas before it was very heavy for just casual cruising/parking.

The exhaust is a better, I have the MPE though, it's not as raspy but very loud and I feel the burbles are more now. Anytime I lift off there are burbles whereas before it gave me the burbles *sometimes* only it was weird.

Finally, MDM is more forgiving now and allows for some slip whereas before it was no fun, not very different from Traction Control On

I have a non ZCP and MPE. I would definitely go right back to Hex Tune Stage 1. No matter how improved the MDM is, its still US legal MDM, and nothing compared to Euro MDM, which I currently have coded in.

I am considering doing the update with the dealer, M Perf HAS with Autocouture in NJ, then Hex Tune via ODB2. I have never been crazy about the driving dynamics of the non ZCP F80 ever since i tracked a ZCP. Such is life.

[Super Spartan]

Originally Posted by frankiebones

I have a non ZCP and MPE. I would definitely go right back to Hex Tune Stage 1. No matter how improved the MDM is, its still US legal MDM, and nothing compared to Euro MDM, which I currently have coded in.

I am considering doing the update with the dealer, M Perf HAS with Autocouture in NJ, then Hex Tune via ODB2. I have never been crazy about the driving dynamics of the non ZCP F80 ever since i tracked a ZCP. Such is life.

ohh ok I forgot that I have the Euro MDM by default.

[Jerich0]

Guys, May 2017 built F80 CP should have this update?

[jmciver]

Originally Posted by Jerich0

Guys, May 2017 built F80 CP should have this update?

Based on your build date it won't. The I-Step (i.e. firmware): 17-11-521 was released in November 2017. So unless your car was updated by the dealer while it was in for service, which does happen occasionally, you have older firmware that came with the car.

[Super Spartan]

I thought that the istep version is the DME version but what Alex Alpine told me while coding my car is that's the iDrive version and there isn't any DME update for my 2018 M4 since it's already fairly new, the dealer lied to me telling me they did a DME update when all they did was an iDrive update and I got over excited when I saw the iStep number go from F020-17-07-504 to F020-17-11-540

[jmciver]

That doesn't sound exactly right.... The DME is one of many ECUs in the car. BMW routinely updates different ECUs as required, including the engine DME, but not necessarily all of the ECUs at the same time with each software update. BMW then packages the update in an I-Step, which the dealer then pushes to the car.

So iDrive (which is the NBT_EVO ECU in our cars) is not the only ECU that gets updated from time to time with an I-Step. In the particular update we are talking about, I saw changes in the HUD (which is the KOMBI ECU, if I recall correctly) and collision avoidance settings (I forget which ECU that is). There could be more as BMW does not officially have release notes for the I-Steps that are available publicly.

BMW does update the DME from time to time as well. Usually for emissions compliance tweaks, but even drivability improvements as well. That said, I would not expect a tuning (HP/TQ) increase from BMW. If you want that "officially" from BMW, you need to buy a different car, aka the CS or GTS .

So while you may have experienced some placebo effect, it is very possible that there were some drivability tweaks made in the I-step you received. While I was not as enthusiastic as you were about the update, my car did feel "improved" after the update from a drivability standpoint. I just could not put my finger on it exactly and tried to minimize the placebo effect, which can be hard sometimes.

[Super Spartan]

Originally Posted by jmciver

That doesn't sound exactly right.... The DME is one of many ECUs in the car. BMW routinely updates different ECUs as required, including the engine DME, but not necessarily all of the ECUs at the same time with each software update. BMW then packages the update in an I-Step, which the dealer then pushes to the car.

So iDrive (which is the NBT_EVO ECU in our cars) is not the only ECU that gets updated from time to time with an I-Step. In the particular update we are talking about, I saw changes in the HUD (which is the KOMBI ECU, if I recall correctly) and collision avoidance settings (I forget which ECU that is). There could be more as BMW does not officially have release notes for the I-Steps that are available publicly.

BMW does update the DME from time to time as well. Usually for emissions compliance tweaks, but even drivability improvements as well. That said, I would not expect a tuning (HP/TQ) increase from BMW. If you want that "officially" from BMW, you need to buy a different car, aka the CS or GTS .

So while you may have experienced some placebo effect, it is very possible that there were some drivability tweaks made in the I-step you received. While I was not as enthusiastic as you were about the update, my car did feel "improved" after the update from a drivability standpoint. I just could not put my finger on it exactly and tried to minimize the placebo effect, which can be hard sometimes.

Thanks a lot for this detailed explanation. I wish I could rep you thrice in a row for this post but I will rep you in other posts just for this.

Yeah when Alex told me that my DME wasn't actually updated, I kinda felt stupid for what I posted here about that improvements in MDM and better exhaust and thought oh well, that was placebo effect to the max then! What kind of voodoo magic is this LOL

[SenorFunkyPants]

Is it not the case when the software is updated that whatever minor driver "adaptations" the car has acquired are reset to default...such that the car will feel "different"?
Or have BMW dropped the whole "adaptation" malarkey.

[sacherel]

Where can you go to verify what software version you have on the car?

[Super Spartan]

Originally Posted by sacherel

Where can you go to verify what software version you have on the car?

you can't check the DME version but you can check the iDrive version.

1) Plug in a FAT32 formatted USB Stick under the arm rest

2) Go to My Vehicle and find the option to export your driver profile then choose to USB stick

3) Open the USB stick on a computer, you will find a folder, in that folder there'll be a file, double click on the file, obviously no program would be associated with it to open that kind of file so you'll get a pop up window asking you to open it with what application? choose Notepad

4) You'll see a lot of text, look for where it says i-step. the number after that is your iDrive version. It will look something like this: F020-17-07-504

[BlatantMaple854]

Heard a new version was released in March. Anyone care to share their experience with the most recent. Was hoping it would fix the damage done from the 11/17 update that messed with my DCT.

[riano]

Originally Posted by BlatantMaple854

Heard a new version was released in March. Anyone care to share their experience with the most recent. Was hoping it would fix the damage done from the 11/17 update that messed with my DCT.

I had mine updated at the start of April 2018 and MUCH prefer it to the version I had uploaded in August 2017. Seems to have made the car feel a bit more aggressive again and the exhaust has definitely regained a bit of loudness. The suspension also feels a bit more settled to me.

[silverstar335]

Originally Posted by riano

I had mine updated at the start of April 2018 and MUCH prefer it to the version I had uploaded in August 2017. Seems to have made the car feel a bit more aggressive again and the exhaust has definitely regained a bit of loudness. The suspension also feels a bit more settled to me.

Which version did you get, I currently have F020-17-11-540.

[MRCUR]

Originally Posted by BlatantMaple854

Heard a new version was released in March. Anyone care to share their experience with the most recent. Was hoping it would fix the damage done from the 11/17 update that messed with my DCT.

FYI - there's generally a new build released monthly.

[LOW4LYF]

Originally Posted by MRCUR

FYI - there's generally a new build released monthly.

That's not correct ... It's March, July and November