iDrive / Nav system crashing (rebooting)

[awretham]

You had to burst my bubble I really hope that's not the case... And this code is just a by-product of the battery failing

I measured the battery directly before I reconnected it (I disconnected it to charge it fully). That said, I think when I checked via BimmerLink a couple minutes later it was reporting 97%. Going back to the initial test though, which was 63% less than 48hours after driving it a good 3-4 hours, that surely doesn't seem right?

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[climhazzard]

I measured the battery directly before I reconnected it (I disconnected it to charge it fully). That said, I think when I checked via BimmerLink a couple minutes later it was reporting 97%. Going back to the initial test though, which was 63% less than 48hours after driving it a good 3-4 hours, that surely doesn't seem right?

It’s hard to say and depends so much on your driving profile. I wish we had access to the algorithm, but from the documentation that is available, IBS charges the battery during deceleration events (an oversimplification, there’s plenty of disparate information out there if you want to read more).

I drive my Supra on average once every week or 2 and hook up a trickle charger afterwards until it shows as fully charged. Battery is 5 years old and seems to be in great shape, but I rarely check the SoC. My G20 however struggles to keep above 50% but also isn’t driven a lot. It has the mild hybrid system, so I suspect the (12V AGM) charging strategy is a bit different and possibly even less aggressive. I’ve had the SoC decrease after taking it for a drive, but this is sort of anecdotal as it’s not a controlled test and is limited data.

 

[awretham]

I guess I've gotta start somewhere, and the best possible outcome would be it's the battery... So I'll try that first. If the issue remains then it's going to become a right headache dealing with Toyota.. I have read (somewhere) there's a possibility that my DME might get bricked when attempting to update it, which would be an extremely costly problem, I think I'll speak to Femto and see what they say

 

[awretham]

Ordered a replacement AGM battery, hopefully it'll arrive tomorrow, once it's fitted and I've tested driven the car again I'll report back

I've also started speaking with PowerTex about shipping a battery over to the UK, apparently this is something they can offer (just awaiting a shipping quote). After looking at the options we currently have here in the UK, they don't really match what PowerTex offers (all the extra features their batteries have). Antigravity batteries are available in the UK but cost almost £1000! And the Deadweight alternative, all though a lot more cost effective, doesn't appear to be a drop in replacement (I'd need to modify the mounting brackets,) and doesn't have the same features as the PowerTex.

I've also reached out to Femto about the possible fallout of my ECU getting reflashed by Toyota. I've had to send my ECU to Femto twice already, once for the initial unlock, and again for the MHD+ code upgrade. Both times the process has been super smooth, so I don't have any concerns around sending it back to them again, as long as Toyota don't fuck things up in the process.. but let's hope it doesn't come to that

 

[FLtrackdays]

I did / am actually considering a Lithium battery. Though being in the UK I cannot get the same make everyone is running in the states, but have reached out to a UK company:

https://www.deadweightindustries.co.uk/products/touge-max

This looks like it'll do the job, but isn't cheap

I assume you're not having any issues with yours? I know I'll obviously need to program the car for the new battery, but is there anything else to be aware of?

I have also read that when parking the car for long periods it's best to disconnect the battery rather than keep it on a battery tender.

Sorry for the delay… The only issue I had with mine was letting it sit around prior to installing it. PowerTex was great and sent me a new one. I used a proper lithium battery charger & juiced it up fully before installing it and she’s been running great ever since.

 

[awretham]

Good news.. I can rule out the battery

So that was £170 wasted; problem still occurs. Looks like I'm going to have to speak to Toyota.. I can see this being a complete sh*t show for me (as the cars fairly heavily modified).

Can anyone tell me, a second hand headunit, I'm assuming this will need to be coded to the car? I'm just thinking that maybe a more cost effective route now, as I cannot see Toyota doing this under warranty and I dread to think how much a new unit would cost.

I've spoken to Femto and they are going to help me out on the price to unlock the ECU again, so that's something at least.

FML this would happen to me

 

[awretham]

@climhazzard sorry to @ you, but thought you might know the answer to this maybe... Is there a Toyota specific instance for ISTA? Or will a normal BMW specialist be able to code the module? I'm just thinking it maybe cheaper to go down that route (depending on what Toyota say next week...)

 

[nanaisu]

Good news.. I can rule out the battery

So that was £170 wasted; problem still occurs. Looks like I'm going to have to speak to Toyota.. I can see this being a complete sh*t show for me (as the cars fairly heavily modified).

Can anyone tell me, a second hand headunit, I'm assuming this will need to be coded to the car? I'm just thinking that maybe a more cost effective route now, as I cannot see Toyota doing this under warranty and I dread to think how much a new unit would cost.

I've spoken to Femto and they are going to help me out on the price to unlock the ECU again, so that's something at least.

FML this would happen to me

If you go to an indie shop, they can update just the specific control units with eSys. I'd try that route before letting the dealer update everything with ISTA.

Fair warning - labor cost is going to be high, HU still runs on a HDD and not a SSD, so update time will be incredibly slow.

If you're technically inclined, you could try it yourself, though you'll need to buy a power supply to power every electronic control system in the car.

https://www.supramkv.com/threads/any-interest-in-guide-to-doing-istep-update-yourself.13044/

I'd definitely ask an indie shop who's experienced with esys first.

 

[awretham]

That's seriously useful thank you! I will speak to a guy I know about the eSys update first then. If that doesn't work, I'll go down the ISTA route myself

EDIT: I just wanna thank everyone for their input / help with this! All has been very much appreciated. I've been dealing with some personal stuff and yeah I dunno this issue, all be it minor, kinda made me lose my head (or more than I had already). I actually feel a bit stupid that I didn't investigate things a bit better myself, normally I would have

 

[climhazzard]

@climhazzard sorry to @ you, but thought you might know the answer to this maybe... Is there a Toyota specific instance for ISTA? Or will a normal BMW specialist be able to code the module? I'm just thinking it maybe cheaper to go down that route (depending on what Toyota say next week...)

in terms of licensed/legit software there is a separate Toyota instance of ISTA. If you are interested in performing the update you can purchase a short duration subscription. There’s a thread (here) floating around this forum with fairly good instructions.

@nanaisu covered the other route you could take. I’m not terribly knowledgeable on E-Sys but it‘s important to find someone who knows what they’re doing. There are people who offer this service remotely, but I don’t have firsthand experience (and have general security concerns). I’ve seen a few mentioned on BMW rebuild YouTube channels.

Probably obvious but reflashing the HU isn’t a guaranteed fix; it’s the next step to try before replacing the hardware.

Good luck and do keep us posted!

Fair warning - labor cost is going to be high, HU still runs on a HDD and not a SSD, so update time will be incredibly slow.

Wait, our cars still have a traditional hard drive? I did not realize that, ugh. When I had my i-level updated at the dealer for the brake booster recall years ago it was relatively quick, but that’s completely anecdotal.

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