Windows BMW dealer software cable for programming Bimmers

Just bought my first BMW, a 2002 525i with 130K miles on it, so I downloaded the dealer software (INPA) for changing settings such as the automatic locking at 5mph (which I want to turn OFF!).

Since I have a Windows 7 machine with USB (but not serial ports), all I need now is the $20 cable to go from the 16-pin OBDII connector near the driver, to the USB port on the Windows 7 laptop.

It seems most cables online are for the newer (D-Can) BMWs, and because of that, they're more expensive ($50) than I need ($20).

But I just want the older cheaper BMW cable (with pin 7 & 8 as the K-Line).

Do any of you have an older (1997 to 2003) BMW that uses the older K-Line cables?

Where did you get your cable?

Reply to
Calia
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All sorts of BMW cables on E-Bay. The expensive ones are K. Cheap ones are D.

Reply to
Paul in Houston TX

amazon.com? or cables to go?

Reply to
Drew

The problem isn't finding the plethora of cables on Ebay or Amazon. The problem is finding a good one that works.

Reply to
Calia

that rules out ebay and amazon.

Reply to
Cydrome Leader

Understood. So, doesn't *anyone* in this newsgroup who uses Windows own a bimmer?

Reply to
Calia

Googling for "bmw inpa cable k-line e39" I find more than I can shake a stick at. Unfortunately, most are K+Dcan, which is fine, if both pins 7 & 8 are K-line (as I don't need Dcan for a BMW E39).

But, almost none of the ads state which pins are for the K-Line.

For example: $32

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$30
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$25
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What I'm hoping to find is a Windows user who owns a BMW E39 (i.e., any BMW 5-series from 1997 to 2003) who works on their own car.

The theory is that, if you work on your own car, you'll likely already have the cable.

Then you can recommend which one you use that works with INPA on a USB Windows 7 laptop & an 16-pin OBDII BMW E39 connector.

Reply to
Calia

Can you make your own cable out of one of the above?

Reply to
Paul in Houston TX

For two reasons, I am not likely to make my own cable.

  1. I don't know what I'm doing, and,
  2. It would (almost certainly) cost more than the "right" cable

My problem isn't finding cables that are supposedly for the BMW dealer INPA software.

My problem is simply finding a cable that I know is both a good cable and a good price.

For example, I don't know if this cable is worth the $100:

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Or, if this similar-sounding $40 cable is just as good:
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Or even if this seemingly too cheap $19 similar sounding cable will suffice:
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The only real way to know, is to ask someone who already owns a BMW who would likely know the answer, if they work on their own car.

Since most BMW owners who work on their own cars use the exact same software tools that the dealer used in 1997 to 2003, all I'm trying to figure out is which cable will work at a good price.

Are there any Windows BMW owners who work on their own bimmers who have the INPA cable who can then provide the advice I need to select one at a good price that allows me to program and code my new BMW 5 series?

Reply to
Calia

Calia wrote, on Sat, 03 May 2014 01:33:28 +0000:

Your application is pretty standard for BMW owners.

However, most older bimmer and even the beemer owners actually used the Windows XP *serial port* INPA & GT1 cables, specifically tethered to the venerable IBM Thinkpad T30 laptop.

So, while you're using the *same software* as the dealers used in the late 90's and early 2000s, your laptop is likely slightly more advanced than what the BMW dealership used up to about 2010.

Even so, you *should* be able to find a bimmer or beemer owner who has the USB cable, since most would have used INPA, EDIABAS, NCS, DIS, GT1, and/or Progman on Windows XP to code options, program modules, reset functions, clear error flags, and read codes.

Maybe try alt.home.repair? Those guys know everything that goes in a garage. (Ask them about huckleberries, for example!)

Reply to
Danny D.

I drive a BMW with a carb and crank-up windows and I use NetBSD.

But, I think the cable you want is pretty much a passive device, and you should just pick one at random. Most of them should work, although how long they work will vary.

--scott

Reply to
Scott Dorsey

WHICH you can use, in combination with an external usb-to-serial device.

--scott

Reply to
Scott Dorsey

Don't they have chips (ELM?) inside of the cables?

Reply to
Calia

Are you suggesting a USB to serial converter added on top of the cable?

Reply to
Calia

This page has some interesting links on it.

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This active cable does level shifting.

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No idea what this one converts from and to. If I knew what an ELM320 did, then I might hazard a guess.

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This one is active, and it almost looks like it converts serial port to the other bus standards. It uses a microcontroller, so maybe it's message based.

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The cable I have for my car is perfectly passive. That's because my scanner presumably uses CAN bus on its connector, and the card uses CAN bus, and so no protocol conversions or level shifts are needed. If an IBM PC is in the picture, there's bound to be something that needs changing in the path to the car.

And there's a metric ton of information out there. Just a matter of sifting through it.

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Paul

Reply to
Paul

That is how is how I do my Kia. obd2 plug to serial plug to usb converter. I also use the serial to usb for industrial scada work so already had the $16 converter.

Reply to
Paul in Houston TX

If you are using a cable that has a serial output, which is what the cables the dealer used to supply were, yes.

--scott

Reply to
Scott Dorsey

Hi, Very easy. I use Keyspan. I use it to access my Anthem AV receiver to run ARC. The receiver has only 9 pin serial port. Not many Desktop or Laptop has serial port aany more. I use it on my OBD II utility as well.

Reply to
Tony Hwang

Yeah, but mine bracket your age range. I think the BMW forums (eg MyE28.com for my ancient one) would be the best place to get a recommendation. Yours is an E39, so try:

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The Unix-based dealer software is a major PITA, IMHO if your charge-out rate is more than 10-20% of mine, you might be better off just paying a third-party dude to do it for you. There's always a risk of bricking the car too. All I needed to do was to reset the stupid transport mode it fell into when the battery died (due to my lack of using a battery preserver over the winter), and it took *hours* to get everything going. I just bought a recommended cable from an eBay seller- it was dirt cheap, came with a couple of CDs (BMW-specific), and works perfectly.

Best regards, Spehro Pefhany

Reply to
Spehro Pefhany

That does not make a lot of sense you know. A battery can go dead for many reasons. Why would any one want to own a car that required all that crap just to fix a simple problem like that?

Jamie

Reply to
Maynard A. Philbrook Jr.

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