Introduction to the world of BDC2 cars

It seems I tend to rant on constant evolution and ever evolving software and so on. There is a good reason for that because I tend to often describe to you our product of our labor. This product requires evolution by definition. If a software product does not constantly evolve it is no better than dead.  As you have heard we have a few new additions to both software and hardware. Today the topic is BDC02. This is a very common immobilizer and comfort module installed in late F series and G series cars. It is very much more complicated than the first generation BDC (Body Domain Controller) but we already have some very good ideas on how to continue the development. Currently supported models include the following cars.

Any software version of BDC02 installed in:

M5 (F90)

5 Series (G30/G31/G38)

4 Series (G80/G81/82)

6 series (G32)

7 Series (G11/G12)

X3/X4, IX3 (F97/F98, G01/G02, G08)

M8 (F91/F92/F93)

8 Series (G14/G15/G16)

What do we have so far?

In case you are an occasional reader of my blog you know I have a particular place in my heart for German cars, Mercedes, Porsches but most of all the Bayerische Motoren Werke. I have worked on many of them, had a few but I am always excited to see what the next generation of electronic wizardry they have invented in full detail. As the guys from the Abrites Diagnostics for BMW team continued working on the BDC02 cars I started hearing a bit more details from them about the logic BMW used in these cars. The first step that was available was the ability to add keys. I was really excited to try the first car I did – a G30, I disconnected the battery, took the BDC module from the car and took it to my bench. Dismantled it, connected my prototype ZN095 and the ZN0151 distribution box to the bare PCB and started the procedure. It was very exciting because I have received “Ready to use” software and hardware combinations from developers before and I knew things don’t often go to plan. It is not my first rodeo, and the car may have very well ended up at the dealership with an awkward explanation required on my end and a massive bill. I was pleasantly surprised that the procedure went through, saved the coding, asked me for a working key and using my PROTAG (you can use your old PROTAG too) I was able to add a key. At least in theory. The software restored the BDC module to its original state + one extra key and things were looking good. Too good for the first live test… This is a very Bulgarian thing of me. In our culture we have a weird thinking process where if things are going too well we are sure that something will go horribly wrong. After restoring the car to a physically sound state I reconnected the battery and saw that the key was not turning the car on. There, I was right and things were about to go very wrong. Panic… wait… Don’t Panic as Douglas Adams had taught me. Little did I know I had to present the key to the emergency key slot and press the ignition a few times.  The car springed into life. A sigh of relief. I wasn’t out of the woods yet. Quick scan, clear faults – Nothing returned. A deeper sigh of relief. All good.
I then moved to the more interesting part – testing a key which I had renewed previously. By the way this is another great functionality – if you want to use a second hand BMW key you can do that by renewing it. Both Abrites diagnostics for BMW and the ABPROG now have this ability. You can take a used key and renew it – then program it to a different car. Just make sure the frequency of the remote matches the BDC.

What to expect?

This brings me neatly to the topic of what to expect. Our developers have put forward a plan of development which includes the ability to renew BDC2 and reprogram them from one car to another, therefore there is going to be the same functionality we now have for the first generation Body Domain Controller – replacement and then, of course, all keys lost.
It was interesting to tell you my first encounter with the BN020 license. People asked me how I liked the EEPROM reading clip of the ZN095. It was OK, it clipped on, second attempt but once it was over the EEPROM I had no issues with it. The reading went through wonderfully and I was able to read all three of the BDC2s perfectly.

I can’t wait to share more as the development progresses 😊

Until next week, try to have fun at work,
Alek