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This is a how-to for those of you who have the very expensive EDC (VDC) electronic adjustable damper control and want to replace with either coilovers or other non EDC dampers. It will cost £2,500 to replace the EDC dampers on all 4 corners and they are only available through BMW.

Now assuming you have replaced all the dampers for new units or coilovers, you will have the EDC warning light on every time you switch on the ignition. You can either buy an EDC defeat kit at approximately £300 which don't always work or code out.

To code out, open the bonnet and remove the ECU box cover at the right rear of the engine bay (it has 11 T25 torx screws). The EDC module is at the back of this box and has two connectors, one white one blue. Disconnect both of them and put ecu box cover back on and tighten screws.

Then connect up your laptop to the zed and load up NCS-Expert. First remove option 2VF from the Vehicle Order (VO) on the CAS using FA_write; then change ECU and FA_write the NFRM.

Now code the DSC and Kombi modules. This is the point that most online forums get to and the EDC error warning still comes on. You now have to edit the FSW_PSW.MAN file using notepad. Search for EDCK_ALIVE_ZAEHLER and then set EDCK_ALIVE_ZAEHLER to nicht_aktiv and search for EDCK_ID_MONITOR and set to nicht_aktiv.

The EDC is now removed completely from the zed and no more warning lights. If I did it again I would be tempted just to change the FSW_PSW.MAN file first and code just the Kombi to see this works before recoding the DSC.

As a precaution or if you want to change back later, take a READ of each of the modules (CAS, FRM/NFRM, Kombi, DSC) using NCS-Expert and then if anything goes wrong you can revert back or reinstall EDC dampers again.


I have non-Idrive but if you have it then this next step may also be required -
If you have the first gen idrive (08) in CAPPL set EDC to nicht_aktiv. / if you have the later idrive in CIC set EDC_CIC to nicht_aktiv

Make sure that you are confident using NCS-Expert before doing this as I do not accept any responsibility if something goes wrong whilst you are coding. There are plenty of guides on the internet to NCS-Expert.

Great stuff, thanks for the info. Will try this out!

Thank you very much. I found this guys to do this for me + to program folding mirrors to close and open as i open and close the door with remote. they will go to garage where car is and do all for £100 - i am just happy not to have light + not to press to close and open the mirrors

keving1 wrote: ↑Mon Oct 23, 2017 1:43 pm This is a how-to for those of you who have the very expensive EDC (VDC) electronic adjustable damper control and want to replace with either coilovers or other non EDC dampers. It will cost £2,500 to replace the EDC dampers on all 4 corners and they are only available through BMW.

Now assuming you have replaced all the dampers for new units or coilovers, you will have the EDC warning light on every time you switch on the ignition. You can either buy an EDC defeat kit at approximately £300 which don't always work or code out.

Or take out BMW extended warranty for less than £500 a year, which will cover not only your suspension but also the other bits that might fail.

Busterboo wrote: ↑Sat Sep 21, 2019 12:19 pm

keving1 wrote: ↑Mon Oct 23, 2017 1:43 pm This is a how-to for those of you who have the very expensive EDC (VDC) electronic adjustable damper control and want to replace with either coilovers or other non EDC dampers. It will cost £2,500 to replace the EDC dampers on all 4 corners and they are only available through BMW.

Now assuming you have replaced all the dampers for new units or coilovers, you will have the EDC warning light on every time you switch on the ignition. You can either buy an EDC defeat kit at approximately £300 which don't always work or code out.

Or take out BMW extended warranty for less than £500 a year, which will cover not only your suspension but also the other bits that might fail.

BMW warranty will not pay out on EDC dampers if it has been highlighted by MOT or by BMW before you take out the warranty and will also not cover past 100k miles

Yes, you're right and I was wrong.

That said, any car that's spec'd with adaptive suspension but doesn't have it when the owner comes to sell it will, I suspect, be hard to shift for anything like decent money even without a red light on the dash.

Busterboo wrote: ↑Sat Sep 21, 2019 9:33 pm Yes, you're right and I was wrong.

That said, any car that's spec'd with adaptive suspension but doesn't have it when the owner comes to sell it will, I suspect, be hard to shift for anything like decent money even without a red light on the dash.

I’d imagine it depends a lot on the cars age, mileage, and how long someone is keeping it Buster, an early car, pre facelift, or even early facelift with, say, 60-80k on it is well worth swapping the adaptives out once they start weeping for aftermarket. The sum they lose on a non original damper car would probably easily be cancelled out by not having to buy new adaptives.

john-e89 wrote: ↑Sun Sep 22, 2019 9:11 pm

Busterboo wrote: ↑Sat Sep 21, 2019 9:33 pm Yes, you're right and I was wrong.

That said, any car that's spec'd with adaptive suspension but doesn't have it when the owner comes to sell it will, I suspect, be hard to shift for anything like decent money even without a red light on the dash.

I’d imagine it depends a lot on the cars age, mileage, and how long someone is keeping it Buster, an early car, pre facelift, or even early facelift with, say, 60-80k on it is well worth swapping the adaptives out once they start weeping for aftermarket. The sum they lose on a non original damper car would probably easily be cancelled out by not having to buy new adaptives.

I don't know, John. My view is that the more a car cost when it was new, the more costs there are when it's old. In the case of adaptive suspension, it seems illogical to remove it and pay for a non-adaptive replacement in order to save money. If someone doesn't want adaptive suspension (especially with the risk of failures), they can save money by not buying a car with it in the first place.