Recall: March 2017

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ASUN

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 9, 2015
Messages
131
Location
Vancouver, BC
Hello,

I received a call from BMW recently regarding a recall. Does anyone have more information about this recall? The guy on the phone gave me the basics saying it pertains to the calculation of the remaining range.

I did a similar recall last year already, is this one new?

I am in Vancouver, BC.

Thanks.
 
Just picked up my car from the dealer for the fuel vent recall and software update. They added the clip to keep the vent tube from rubbing and my software was already up to date since it was updated when my motor mounts were upgraded.
So, that update seems to be the latest software.
 
How long did it take for the dealer to do both software update and fuel vent fix?

I just booked my service and was told it would need to be with the dealer for a day at least. Might even be a day and a half. They did say that they will provide a no-charge loaner. Am curious why it would take that long.
 
Got the fuel vent recall letter yesterday. According to the letter it should take an hour and dealerships now have the part. When I called to make an appointment the dealership said that they don't have the part so they will call me next month once they get it. They will do the software update recall at the same time. I can't see why the software update should take more than a few minutes. No mention of a loaner. They usually offer a shuttle ride for drop off and pick up. I live in Toronto Canada.
 
TOEd said:
I can't see why the software update should take more than a few minutes.
BMW seems to have a very antiquated software update system. Instead of local caching of software updates, apparently a car being updated must connect with a server in Germany where the updates are stored. Instead of incremental software updates, BMW apparently performs a complete reinstall for the module(s) whose software is being updated, so the sizes of updates tend to be quite large. Internet congestion can lengthen update times. I welcome a correction of my misconceptions by a BMW dealer employee.

My dealer has told me that updates fail fairly frequently which requires repeating the lengthy update process and that updates are frequently started at the end of a workday so that they can continue overnight. So accurately estimating the time required for a software update isn't easy. As a result, my dealer seems to estimate a longer update time than would occur if the update proceeds without any problems.
 
Hi,

I checked the WORKORDER and it only lists "C/S: 0013690200 B130117 RECALL - I3 REX FUEL TANK VENT L" without the part number.

I suspect BMW has one or two depots that hold all the parts and the people sending out the letters can see the parts are in stock ... at the depots. But the local dealers apparently can't order the parts unless they have the vehicle 'in hand.' This ensures we'll have at least a day delay as the parts are ordered and shipped.

Bob Wilson
 
Because of the significant potential variety of the modules in a typical BMW car (build date, vendor, model, option package(s), etc.), BMW customizes each s/w update for a particular car...IOW, it is not a 'generic' update since some parts may need to differ to account for the exact build date and who supplied the relevant parts that need to be programmed. As a result, no two s/w update packages are typically identical, nor would they work properly in all aspects if you tried to use the same one. So, they must connect it to the server in Germany to assemble an appropriate version. IF there's a hiccup in the process, it has to start over again, at least in part. If all goes perfectly, it takes a couple of hours. If it doesn't, it could be much longer. Also, while it's not very common, sometimes, a module will not accept the update, and it might have to be replaced with a new one. Not every dealer has a super fast internet connection, either.
 
jadnashuanh said:
Because of the significant potential variety of the modules in a typical BMW car (build date, vendor, model, option package(s), etc.), BMW customizes each s/w update for a particular car...IOW, it is not a 'generic' update since some parts may need to differ to account for the exact build date and who supplied the relevant parts that need to be programmed.
Computer operating system software vendors have dealt with much more complicated situations than what BMW encounters with i3 software updates. There are many different hardware modules on a computer made by many different manufacturers, and most operating system updates are incremental, not complete reinstallations, so they are smaller and thus faster to download and install. I can download a single operating system update and apply it to a variety of computers; I don't need to download a different update for each computer. Logic in the update itself determines which portions of the update apply to each computer.

BMW doesn't seem to be anywhere close to implementing its updates as well operating system manufacturers. People who know how to update computer systems could be hired by BMW to design its software updates to be smaller, faster, and more reliable, but that doesn't seem to be happening. I worry that BMW's software is so poorly written that updates could have undesirable side effects that are difficult to detect in advance, especially if updates were incremental.
 
alohart said:
jadnashuanh said:
BMW doesn't seem to be anywhere close to implementing its updates as well operating system manufacturers. People who know how to update computer systems could be hired by BMW to design its software updates to be smaller, faster, and more reliable, but that doesn't seem to be happening. I worry that BMW's software is so poorly written that updates could have undesirable side effects that are difficult to detect in advance, especially if updates were incremental.

They should hire you! You seem to know what you are talking about! :D
 
TOEd said:
Got the fuel vent recall letter yesterday. According to the letter it should take an hour and dealerships now have the part. When I called to make an appointment the dealership said that they don't have the part so they will call me next month once they get it. They will do the software update recall at the same time. I can't see why the software update should take more than a few minutes. No mention of a loaner. They usually offer a shuttle ride for drop off and pick up. I live in Toronto Canada.

I have a BEV, so it's not the fuel vent recall. Perhaps it's just a software update.
 
Anyone know what operating system the i3 utilizes? I think it may be VXWorks. Some OpSys work better at incremental updates than others. I think that they build a new image, and download that, but I'm not positive.
 
TOEd said:
Got the fuel vent recall letter yesterday. According to the letter it should take an hour and dealerships now have the part. When I called to make an appointment the dealership said that they don't have the part so they will call me next month once they get it. They will do the software update recall at the same time. I can't see why the software update should take more than a few minutes. No mention of a loaner. They usually offer a shuttle ride for drop off and pick up. I live in Toronto Canada.
Followed up with dealer today May 25. They still don't have the part. However I am on their list to get a call once the part comes in. Six weeks to get a part! That must be some kind of record.
 
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