Hi

It's a 2007 R56S
I want to swap my tachometer(no alarm light) to a ebay used tachometer(with alarm light) becouse of the heartbeat warning light function!

Anyone know how to make the "new" used tachometer work?
Will NCSExpert do the thing?

Sorry for my poor english......hope you can understand what I mean.

Thanks!

 

Hmmm... I don't think NCSExpert will be enough but I am not sure. Try it and see... If it doesn't work, you will probably have to flash it with WinKFP. The thing is, these modules store the VIN in their database and are so aware that you put them in another vehicle.

There is also an issue with the mileage. I was reading some time ago over at bimmerforums, that the mileage is stored at least at 2 different ECUs. What happens is, the car always updates to the highest value, every time it starts. So if the KOMBI you buy has a higher mileage than your car stored in, it will switch all modules and display the highest mileage. If it has a lower reading, then there shouldn't be a problem, as it will go to your actual mileage.

But as I said, I cannot confirm any of these...

 

Are you SURE your current tach does not have the Heartbeat alarm light? To my knowledge all R56 models have always had the light installed in the tach. Some models (2011+ I believe) do not have the wiring between the fusebox and the tach for the alarm light, but the light itself is always there.

Do you have the factory alarm, or have you retrofitted the alarm option (using NCS Expert)? Are you not getting any flashing alarm at all, or is just the "heartbeat" that is missing? If it is the heartbeat that isn't working, this is because the heartbeat doesn't get enabled in 2007 models by default. This can be fixed by a quick setting change using NCS Expert. See this post for the setting: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...44-post65.html

I'd hate to see you go through the expense and trouble of changing your tach only to find that you still don't get the alarm light you are looking for.

 

I believe that is correct. The circuit board is manufactured with the LED's and every tach should have them. Whether or not they light up is controlled by software.

Take a look at this thread: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-an-alarm.html. I posted a photo that shows the location of the LEDs:



You can open your tach and look, but I think you will find them already there.

 

Thanks your Reply!

Here is Taiwan.
I am sure my current tach does not have the Heartbeat alarm light,it isn't have the "red lens" on top.
Opened the tach and no those three leds.

Maybe to try WinKFP? But I must Learning how to use it before I start do it.

 

Where is your car from? Lots of the help here is mainly for US spec cars but in an instance like this, your market may not have gotten the alarm as an option or it was not equipped to be speced.

 

I think all minis in Taiwan are euro space.

Really love the heartbeat warning light function,so I bought a ebay used tach to try add this function.

 

Okay - well I guess we learn something new every day! Obviously models made for that market are different from North America/Europe.

Adding your new tach (KOMBI) should be easy, and I don't believe it will need to be coded or updated. This is because in the MINI R56 the KOMBI is actually two parts: the main unit (which stores the odometer reading) in the speedo assembly; and the second part (which we call the "tach") is actually the "Additional Instrument". This second part is a slave off the main unit.

Changing the tach should just be a simple swap. In the unlikely event that you have problems, post a message here.

Either way, it is actually not WinKFP that is used to program modules that are exchanged, it is Tool32. WinKFP is generally only used to update the flash memory programming in the module. Tool32 is a utility program that has many purposes. One of these functions allows you to change the VIN stored within the module.

Good luck!

 

I disagree:

1. Yes it is true MINI calls the tacho "additional instrument" or KOMBI2 but that IS the main unit. Check the wiring diagrams on BMW Planet. It is the KOMBI2 that is connected to the CAN bus and not the speedo. I guess the naming has to do with the size. I know it, since I changed my speedo from mph to km/h, but didn't change the tacho. It was simple plug and play and the speedo was a used ebay unit. So all the information is stored in the tacho not the speedo.

2. Yes you can use Tool32 to make specific changes, but WinKFP will also write the VIN to wherever appropriate. I mentioned WinKFP because there are different firmware versions for the KOMBI. He may need to write a different firmware on the unit to make it compatible to his car. As an example, when I changed my speedo all was working fine apart from one thing: the CEL engine light would lit the DSC light. The reason is, I have a 2007 and later models have the CEL at a different location on the cluster (basicly they have an additional light). I had to do a firmware upgrade on the KOMBI to make it lit the correct location (but it did so, without any coding changes).

 

Hello friends!
First of all sorry for activating a 2 year old thread. But i couldn't find a newer one.

I have the same problem as mr. alexs3d2. (The CEL engine light is lighting the DSC light.)
I bought a used tachometer that is from a old R56. Our is newer from -2011.

How do you do this programming he is talking about, could some one please write it more detailed. (Firmware upgrade on the KOMBI to make it light the correct locations.)




Thank you very much!!