Remote closing of roof by coding only

[Pbondar]

This is addressed to all those that use INPA / NCS Expert..

A person on Facebook in response to a discussion on what it takes to enable an E89 to remotely close the roof once opened, stated that any E89, irrrespective of options could be coded to remote close the roof.. and that he had done it 'many times'...by 'change the programme line from non activ to activ'

Has any of the Z4 Forum elite gurus (or in fact non elite gurus) performed such a fix?

[Silverstar]

I am no coding expert but I found someone online via Youtube I think, based in London who coded the roof to close with the remote on an E93. I called him and had a chat and he told me the roof systems are pretty much the same between the E93 and E89 and he believes he could do it on the E89 but can't be 100% certain until he plugs the car to his equipment and checks. Problem with that was that I am about 1500 miles away and have no plans to drive back to London anytime soon. Based on that and what you have seen on Facebook I believe it may well be possible to do.

[Pbondar]

Silverstar, thanks, I'm having difficulty rationalising this..

Why would people sell add on boxes at quite a significant expense if it could be coded for free?

Why wouldn't some of the apps like Carly/Carista/Bimmer Geeks have this functionality in it?

Why after 10 years of E89 existence are there not several people around who have done it?

Not to say it can't be done but..

[enuff_zed]

I'm sure there was a similar thread on here only a week or two ago where it turned out to be a misunderstanding about what options you needed on the car and how maybe different BMWs were able to be coded, therefore someone had 'assumed' Z4s were the same.
Like the OP, I would be interested to see the outcome, but being a cautious soul, who reads all the stories about weak batteries on E89s, I think I'll stick to doing it with the engine running.

[Silverstar]

Silverstar, thanks, I'm having difficulty rationalising this..

Why would people sell add on boxes at quite a significant expense if it could be coded for free?

Why wouldn't some of the apps like Carly/Carista/Bimmer Geeks have this functionality in it?

Why after 10 years of E89 existence are there not several people around who have done it?

Not to say it can't be done but..

All very valid points. Just a shame I didn't discover the chap when my car and I were still in London, maybe then I could have found out for sure. I just found the YouTube video of him with his contact details:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-kaVCa_x_U

Also found another video from another coder:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gje44sVFHeU

Both for the E93 but like I said the systems are pretty similar so maybe possible on the E89 too?

Not sure why more people have not been able to discover it or do it but I found the same situation with the headlights and changing them to deflect left or right, until I did it myself all the information I found online pointed to the headlight being flat beam and no adjustment necessary or possible. It was only a video I saw on an E85 where the chap showed the lever in the headlight that change the beam deflection that I decided to strip my lights and take a look and found the lever to do it. Saved me some 1000 euros in the process!

[Jembo]

I’m sure it is a similar situation to the E85

- not a U.K. option, but any E85 can have its key coded using proper kit where holding the open button lowers the roof. Downside is foB battery does get weak if cars not used much. Closing hold the lock button
- the gaptech automates the process with key presses... hence its popularity of being able, with too much posing use, to discharge the car battery rather than the fob

[Pbondar]

I've found that on many items although the E89 shared history and parts with 3 series and the E85 there is often a little gotcha that means yes it works on 3 series but not quite on E89s..so just cause it works on 3 series it's not guarantee that it will work on E89s all IMHO..

[Nictrix]

Why would people sell add on boxes at quite a significant expense if it could be coded for free?

There are people sell a kit for CDV delete when all you need to do is connect the ends together after removing the CDV.
It makes money.

[Pbondar]

Why would people sell add on boxes at quite a significant expense if it could be coded for free?

There are people sell a kit for CDV delete when all you need to do is connect the ends together after removing the CDV.
It makes money.

Not quite the same thing, hundreds of videos / articles on CDV...can’t find a single E89 roof up in software only mod, yet..

[tintoverano]

Comfort Access provides this capability, which then one can turn on/off with coding

those of us who don't have CA added, need a 3rd party CT module

[Pbondar]

Comfort Access provides this capability, which then one can turn on/off with coding

those of us who don't have CA added, need a 3rd party CT module

That was my understanding..

[Nictrix]

Why would people sell add on boxes at quite a significant expense if it could be coded for free?

There are people sell a kit for CDV delete when all you need to do is connect the ends together after removing the CDV.
It makes money.

Not quite the same thing, hundreds of videos / articles on CDV...can’t find a single E89 roof up in software only mod, yet..

It was an example. And although there are videos and articles, the CDV kits still sell.
There are numerous forum posts asking about remote roof closure and saying it can be done but people still buy the box as its easier.

[Pbondar]

There are people sell a kit for CDV delete when all you need to do is connect the ends together after removing the CDV.
It makes money.

Not quite the same thing, hundreds of videos / articles on CDV...can’t find a single E89 roof up in software only mod, yet..

It was an example. And although there are videos and articles, the CDV kits still sell.
There are numerous forum posts asking about remote roof closure and saying it can be done but people still buy the box as its easier.

Nitrix I accept your point, the counter point is that a CDV delete seems to be fairly trivial techncially whereas it appears that's not the case with E89 remote roof raise..can you point to an E89 one video /article please that has been validated?

[Silverstar]

I've found that on many items although the E89 shared history and parts with 3 series and the E85 there is often a little gotcha that means yes it works on 3 series but not quite on E89s..so just cause it works on 3 series it's not guarantee that it will work on E89s all IMHO..

You are right there is no guarantee and our Zeds are that little bit more special

I suppose the only way to know for sure is to get one those coders who have successfully coded the E93 to have a look at an E89. I think only then we will know for sure.

[Nictrix]

Not quite the same thing, hundreds of videos / articles on CDV...can’t find a single E89 roof up in software only mod, yet..

It was an example. And although there are videos and articles, the CDV kits still sell.
There are numerous forum posts asking about remote roof closure and saying it can be done but people still buy the box as its easier.

Nitrix I accept your point, the counter point is that a CDV delete seems to be fairly trivial techncially whereas it appears that's not the case with E89 remote roof raise..can you point to an E89 one video /article please that has been validated?

No. I have never looked but trust that yourself and others have almost exhausted this avenue with no result.
My point was only that even if this could be coded there would still be people selling boxes that done the job for you.
Whats annoying, that you will have found out many times, is that the internet is full of forums with threads about various things but most never have the answer at the end of them. Up until the weekend I had been searching the net for an answer to my bike issues where there were dozens of others over a decade with similar problems but none ever had the answer to the problem at the end.