[bm5bullit]

Well, I was pretty pleased when I got my Bootmod3 activation license and bundle package on Friday. I didn't have time to install it on Saturday so I set aside Sunday to get it done. I had experience with it on my F90 M5 but I did get help with it from one of the independent tuners that made sooo easy to set up. There are specific steps to take when installing the tune bundle but I had already gone thru this once so I felt pretty confident. IT WAS NOT TO HAPPEN THIS TIME.

I went thru the initial steps of activating the license and making sure that my VIN and other information was accurate. The first thing the website servers do is backup the stock tune which was not hard. The problems started when I tried to download and activate one of the maps. I was able to download it but, things started to go south. I attempted to flash the tune when - the first big surprise, warning, the next step will require a bench unlock of the DME's! The flash may or may not be accepted. Proceeding may cause a failure of the tune to flash. I proceeded anyway. The next announcement caught me by surprise - You do not have enough credits to support this flash. I knew this was a bad sign because I purchased the bundle package.

I thought that maybe that this was an error for that specific flash tune so I proceeded to try 3 other tunes. Same story for the other tunes. I figured it was time to save this for another day when tech support to be available so, I attempted to return to the stock tune. Not happening!!!! The message warned that this may require to do a bench unlock and may result in failure. How right it was. I was not able to load the stock tune. I started to get a bad feeling about this. I tried at least ten more times to re-load the stock tune to no avail. I did take a couple of breaks and researched these issues but found nothing. Now, I'm out the use of my car.

I couldn't wait to email tech support for some answers. BTW, phone communication is not possible, not even if you pay for it. I carefully explained what I had gone thru to the support staff and they asked me to take some screen shots of what the server had installed on my DME's. You do this by clicking on your VIN on their website installation steps which then reveals a short string series of alpahnumeric data. I was asked to take this screenshot and email this to their tech department to confirm if it was accurate. I sent them the screenshot to which they responded "no, we need a screenshot of the data after you click on your VIN". I told them that I only had one VIN showing at this point of the install and I had sent it to them. They insisted that this was incorrect so I repeated this 3 more times hoping that maybe I missed something. The day wore on and finally ended because their workday ended on the east coast. Still, I have a car that I can't use.

Anyone on this or other forums offer any insight as to possible answers for this? I contacted a couple of the authorized tuners on their recommended list and they would not help with the stock tune.

[larrylam646]

Originally Posted by bm5bullit

Anyone on this or other forums offer any insight as to possible answers for this? I contacted a couple of the authorized tuners on their recommended list and they would not help with the stock tune.

Run ISTA+ diagnostics to determine the issue(s) with your vehicle. If your vehicle's DME bootloader is not screwed-up, it may be as simple as flashing your DME back to stock.

If you do not have/know how to run ISTA+ and flash ECUs, there may be members (local to you)/(FDL coding) service providers that may be able to help.

The other option is to have your vehicle flat-bedded to your dealer and have them resolve the issue(s)....

Good luck

[kuzdu]

Your DME might be locked, when i first flashed it went all the way through then failed. i was able to flash back to stock and called it a day.

[bm5bullit]

Thanks for the advice on the issues. I have an older version of ISTA but I am going to purchase the newer version. I think you might be right about the DME's being locked but I find it strange that Bootmod3 was able to get in and do a stock flash backup. I will keep at it.

[mike@x-ph.com]

Let us know how it goes

[xnick101]

Even though you get that message for the bench unlock, you can still flash it back to the stock map and the car will work. I see on your cars that you have 2021. Assuming its a pre 06/20 made car, you're DME is definitely going to be locked and you need a bench unlock before you can flash it again. Don't try flashing it anymore before you get a bench unlock done.

[chenry]

I think your DME is locked but at the same time I would have thought a "DME locked etc" message would have been generated when you tried to flash so maybe something else is working against you? Perhaps call BM3 during business hours? This type of trouble shooting can be tough over email and IM etc...

I run Mission Performance and when I have questions or need clarification I go straight to the phone vs sending emails - it's always much more efficient for me and nothing gets lost in translation - and if they need to remote in they can do it right then with me on the phone

Just my 2-cents - keep us updated - good luck with things - I'm sure you will be happily flashed soon enough

[bm5bullit]

Originally Posted by chenry

I think your DME is locked but at the same time I would have thought a "DME locked etc" message would have been generated when you tried to flash so maybe something else is working against you? Perhaps call BM3 during business hours? This type of trouble shooting can be tough over email and IM etc...

I run Mission Performance and when I have questions or need clarification I go straight to the phone vs sending emails - it's always much more efficient for me and nothing gets lost in translation - and if they need to remote in they can do it right then with me on the phone

Just my 2-cents - keep us updated - good luck with things - I'm sure you will be happily flashed soon enough

I appreciate all of the valuable insights into this issue. I guess there were so many internal discussions as to how to fix the problem at Bootmod3 that they just sent me an email advising that they will remote in to me tomorrow via laptop so they can sort out everything. Best news I heard today. Thanks.

[kuzdu]

Originally Posted by bm5bullit

I appreciate all of the valuable insights into this issue. I guess there were so many internal discussions as to how to fix the problem at Bootmod3 that they just sent me an email advising that they will remote in to me tomorrow via laptop so they can sort out everything. Best news I heard today. Thanks.

take a look at the build date on the dme itself under the hood, let us know that date. i built my car in Aug and my dem has a Nov build date. im locked up like Akon

[chenry]

Originally Posted by bm5bullit

I appreciate all of the valuable insights into this issue. I guess there were so many internal discussions as to how to fix the problem at Bootmod3 that they just sent me an email advising that they will remote in to me tomorrow via laptop so they can sort out everything. Best news I heard today. Thanks.

Good to hear

[bm5bullit]

Well, I guess I will live to mod another day. I got connected online with one of the bootmod3 service techs only for him to confirm that my DME's were very much locked. Surprisingly, I only got the tune bundle because the ProTuningFreaks IG page lists a couple of satisfied customers with the same year car. Exchanged messages asking about the installation and they said it was a breeze. The tech quickly unlocked my DME's and asked why I ignored the warning. I relayed to him the they have satisfied customers on their IG page and they told me that the release of the new tune was official two months ago. I guess I will look into another tune.

[kuzdu]

Originally Posted by bm5bullit

Well, I guess I will live to mod another day. I got connected online with one of the bootmod3 service techs only for him to confirm that my DME's were very much locked. Surprisingly, I only got the tune bundle because the ProTuningFreaks IG page lists a couple of satisfied customers with the same year car. Exchanged messages asking about the installation and they said it was a breeze. The tech quickly unlocked my DME's and asked why I ignored the warning. I relayed to him the they have satisfied customers on their IG page and they told me that the release of the new tune was official two months ago. I guess I will look into another tune.

Join the club. i cannot wait to unlock my dme and use bootmod3 E50 OTS and own the streets where i live haahhaah. as for now ask them for a refund and slap on a JB4 on there until our DME's are unlocked. decent amount of power is gained from it

[bm5bullit]

I removed the RaceChip I had on the car which made it run fairly decent. On their Youtube videos it dynos to 89 rwhp gain. Good video. I definitely will put it back on.

[bm5bullit]

Originally Posted by chenry

I think your DME is locked but at the same time I would have thought a "DME locked etc" message would have been generated when you tried to flash so maybe something else is working against you? Perhaps call BM3 during business hours? This type of trouble shooting can be tough over email and IM etc...

I run Mission Performance and when I have questions or need clarification I go straight to the phone vs sending emails - it's always much more efficient for me and nothing gets lost in translation - and if they need to remote in they can do it right then with me on the phone

Just my 2-cents - keep us updated - good luck with things - I'm sure you will be happily flashed soon enough

If I sent you my DME's, how long would a bench unlock take?

[xnick101]

Originally Posted by bm5bullit

Well, I guess I will live to mod another day. I got connected online with one of the bootmod3 service techs only for him to confirm that my DME's were very much locked. Surprisingly, I only got the tune bundle because the ProTuningFreaks IG page lists a couple of satisfied customers with the same year car. Exchanged messages asking about the installation and they said it was a breeze. The tech quickly unlocked my DME's and asked why I ignored the warning. I relayed to him the they have satisfied customers on their IG page and they told me that the release of the new tune was official two months ago. I guess I will look into another tune.

I think there's a little bit of misinformation here. If your car is a pre 06/20 manufactured car you can bench unlock the ECU and flash it via the OBD2 port. Bench unlock requires you to remove the ECU from the car and take it to a shop near you or mail it to a shop like KiesMotorsports and they can do the unlock. You can run the Bootmod3 tune after this is done. The people who can flash directly without a bench unlock have not been to a dealer since they bought the car. The software update locks the ECU and so it is required to do a bench unlock. For instance, my car is a 05/19 which technically would not need a bench unlock. But I had the brake recall completed which updated my software and so even I need a bench unlock now. Lucky for me I have a shop 30 mins away that can bench unlock BMW ecu's. If your car is post 06/20 you are not able to even bench unlock at this point.

[chenry]

Originally Posted by bm5bullit

If I sent you my DME's, how long would a bench unlock take?

I would give Alex at Mission Performance a call during business hours (they are brick and mortar in California so PST) - you will find him to be a wealth of information not just about the unlock but also a tune itself -just don't ask him about radical pops and burbles, shooting flames or kill maps

I suspect you are outside the production window for a remote do it yourself unlock at home using his platform (this is what I did) but who knows. Anyway you will leave the call with most all the info you need to plan your appropriate next steps.

ps- cool thing is with his new software if you were able to be remote unlocked initially even if the dealer relocks your DME you can still remote unlock

Just my 2-cents, hope it helps

[yvorobyov]

Originally Posted by xnick101

If your car is post 06/20 you are not able to even bench unlock at this point.

Not true. 06.2020+ ECU unlock is possibe with femtoevo

[xnick101]

Originally Posted by yvorobyov

Not true. 06.2020+ ECU unlock is possibe with femtoevo

That is not a bench unlock. You send them your ECU, and they clone your ECU to a pre 06/20 ECU and it costs $2995. But yes, that is an option if someone wants to go that route.

[femtoevo]

Originally Posted by xnick101

That is not a bench unlock. You send them your ECU, and they clone your ECU to a pre 06/20 ECU and it costs $2995. But yes, that is an option if someone wants to go that route.

ECUs are indeed unlocked, as the flashing procedure (after unlocking) is slightly different, flasher apps must support it in order to flash them via OBD.
We've updated our own femto obd flasher and it's working perfectly.
If any other flasher is not capable of this, that's because they don't want to add support for our unlock, and not because our unlock is "not compatible with xxx or yyy flasher app".

[bm5bullit]

Originally Posted by femtoevo

ECUs are indeed unlocked, as the flashing procedure (after unlocking) is slightly different, flasher apps must support it in order to flash them via OBD.
We've updated our own femto obd flasher and it's working perfectly.
If any other flasher is not capable of this, that's because they don't want to add support for our unlock, and not because our unlock is "not compatible with xxx or yyy flasher app".

Good to hear that news. How, when and where is this available?

[xnick101]

Originally Posted by femtoevo

ECUs are indeed unlocked, as the flashing procedure (after unlocking) is slightly different, flasher apps must support it in order to flash them via OBD.
We've updated our own femto obd flasher and it's working perfectly.
If any other flasher is not capable of this, that's because they don't want to add support for our unlock, and not because our unlock is "not compatible with xxx or yyy flasher app".

This is news to me. Have not seen any info on this. So how does that work? Is a bench unlock still required? What is the price?

[kuzdu]

Originally Posted by femtoevo

ECUs are indeed unlocked, as the flashing procedure (after unlocking) is slightly different, flasher apps must support it in order to flash them via OBD.
We've updated our own femto obd flasher and it's working perfectly.
If any other flasher is not capable of this, that's because they don't want to add support for our unlock, and not because our unlock is "not compatible with xxx or yyy flasher app".

so you are saying we can unlock our DME that are encrypted via the odb port with your software? would we be able to use bootmod3 and mhd?