ZCS
The dealer way of recoding the car to, for example, retrofit options is through changing the Central Coding Key
(Zentraler Codierschlüssel - ZCS). I will not explain ZCS coding into detail, but basically the ZCS is a string stored in
the Electronic Body Module (Elektronik Karosseriemodul - EKM) and the Electronic Immobilizer System
(Elektronische Wegfahrsperre - EWS) describing all options of the car. Make no mistake - the ZCS is not used by the
car or its modules. It's only used by the dealer's coding software (SSS/Progman) to quickly identify the car and its
options. The reason it's stored in two modules is redundancy. This allows the dealer to replace every module in the
car, even the EKM or EWS module without loss of the ZCS. The ZCS is not even very detailed. It doesn't list all
individual settings of each module. It's more a descriptive system where the dealer's coding software knows the
exact settings for each module. For example, the BMW E31 Light Control Module (Lampenkontrollmodul - LKM) uses
the same hardware in both Europe (ECE) and the United States Of America (USA), but its behavior is completely
different. The difference is thus in the coding. But with regards to the LKM the ZCS is not more specific than telling
the car is ECE spec or USA spec. However, knowing the region spec the dealer's coding software knows the exact
settings for the LKM module to show either ECE spec or USA spec behavior.
The ZCS coding system was designed with dealers and garages in mind. It allows them to quickly replace modules
with little to no coding knowledge and occasionally retrofit items using a reference list of ZCS changes. The ZCS
coding system was never designed for coding freedom. But that doesn't mean you cannot code the individual
module options. It's just not possible with the SSS/Progman dealer software.
NCS Expert
In comes NCS Expertentool (usually referred to as NCS Expert)... NCS Expert is part of the BMW Ediabas software
suite which also contains programs like INPA - popular and advanced diagnostic software for BMW vehicles. NCS
Expert is the coding part of the Ediabas software suite. NCS Expert was designed for internal use at BMW - in other
words, for people who know exactly what they are doing. Unlike SSS/Progman, NCS Expert provides no help or
guidance. If you don't know what you are doing, you may very rapidly end up with dead modules. Therefore the
program is often labeled as dangerous to use. One of the most powerful features of NCS Expert is the ability to
create Field Keyword and Parameter Keyword trace files (Feld Schlüsselwort - FSW, and Parameter Schlüsselwort -
PSW). Such a FSW/PSW trace file contains a human readable overview of the selected module options.