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The odometer is stored in the speedometer/chrono/nav and its value is copied every 60 miles to a second location (LCM).
Both locations are coded by VIN. If the VINs mismatch, the tamper light will be on.
If you reinstall your nav, the VINs will match again, but if the mileage mismatch by more than 120 miles, an error code will be stored. It isn't clear but it is probably just an internal code and doesn't appear on the dash.
I did some research and found I was correct. When the MINI receives the chrono package either at the factory or as new retrofit purchase from dealer, the VIN number is burned into the unit. It's a tampering issue.
So if you purchase the chrono package components used, it will always show donor cars mileage and vin.
you can do this at home with ista\p that is the dealer software
Hello, the clusters have memory inside that cannot be written through OBD so no you cannot alter the VIN or the milleage on them.
There are only two ways:
- either swap the eeprom memory chip from the old cluster to the used cluster that you mounted now
- either read the eepromp memoryc chip using an eeprom programmer and change the VIN and milleage in the dump file
The convenience features can be coded using NcsExpert and many buy the tool for same purpose.
regards!
----
Also, ALLMAG Auto Parts is taking care of me, returning the parts. Glad they've got good customer service. I've also gotten a few quick replies as Dustin Akers (president) researched what other's did who purchased the Chrono. Sounds like others had same issues.
You mean fix the mileage without getting orange dot?
no, you can program & code a NEW (not used!) module with ista/p that's what it's for it's what the dealers use to do the same thing. You can program/code some used modules, like airbags but not the kombi (center cluster).
I've used it to install new modules on my bmw's and to retrofit options, like recarro seats in my r53
the only way I know of to reset a module is to replace the write once chip on the circuit board. bmw's are documented and people know how to do it on those, mini's are not, I have not done research on it in the past 6 months, not sure if anyone has documented it sense.
no, you can program & code a NEW (not used!) module with ista/p that's what it's for it's what the dealers use to do the same thing. You can program/code some used modules, like airbags but not the kombi (center cluster).
I've used it to install new modules on my bmw's and to retrofit options, like recarro seats in my r53
the only way I know of to reset a module is to replace the write once chip on the circuit board. bmw's are documented and people know how to do it on those, mini's are not, I have not done research on it in the past 6 months, not sure if anyone has documented it sense.
Sounds like you know what you're talking about. Can you address this advice I received?
- swap the eeprom memory chip from the old cluster to the used cluster that you mounted now
From this website all you need to do to fix mileage is remove the eeprom and rewrite the correct mileage.
Different perspective.
Im coming from e46 /e83 and researching R53 Mini.
They’re basically the same as far as computers are concerned.
A> yes installing a virgin cluster will cause it to pull the vin and mileage from what we call lkm, possibly bc1 also.
B> used clusters are not virgin and will trigger a tamper dot.
C> Bmw can not reprogram a used cluster to work. They lack the tools and resources to do so.
D> you can not swap EPROMs. These aren’t late 80s e30s!
D> you or I can revirginize a cluster or lkm ourselves using a combination of two computer tools.
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.
You need pasoft 1.4 (or bmwscanner 1.4, the clone program $30) to be able to reset the vin and mileage to 0 on the used cluster or lkm... ie revirginize.
Then you use NCSexpert to code the now newly virgin module to your vin/ FA, and then again also to the modify your FA to reflect the changes you have made, chrono, Nav etc. By changing the cars build options stored in those locations and recoding the entire car so everything works the way it should.
Again this is not something the dealerships can do. But it is something someone with a modicum of time and computer experience can do... so never trust a digital odometer.
Have a spare EU lkm that I re-virginized to my e46 whilst I was installing city lights and rear fogs, before I ended up swapping faceplates onto the US one and modifying options in NCS instead. Took all of 5minutes.
Different perspective.
Im coming from e46 /e83 and researching R53 Mini.
They’re basically the same as far as computers are concerned.
A> yes installing a virgin cluster will cause it to pull the vin and mileage from what we call lkm, possibly bc1 also.
B> used clusters are not virgin and will trigger a tamper dot.
C> Bmw can not reprogram a used cluster to work. They lack the tools and resources to do so.
D> you can not swap EPROMs. These aren’t late 80s e30s!
D> you or I can revirginize a cluster or lkm ourselves using a combination of two computer tools.
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.
You need pasoft 1.4 (or bmwscanner 1.4, the clone program $30) to be able to reset the vin and mileage to 0 on the used cluster or lkm... ie revirginize.
Then you use NCSexpert to code the now newly virgin module to your vin/ FA, and then again also to the modify your FA to reflect the changes you have made, chrono, Nav etc. By changing the cars build options stored in those locations and recoding the entire car so everything works the way it should.
Again this is not something the dealerships can do. But it is something someone with a modicum of time and computer experience can do... so never trust a digital odometer.
Have a spare EU lkm that I re-virginized to my e46 whilst I was installing city lights and rear fogs, before I ended up swapping faceplates onto the US one and modifying options in NCS instead. Took all of 5minutes.
I wanted to do this for my Cooper, and I gave up because I lack the computer know-how.. Also, I only have Macs. Care to virginize my chrono for me?
I wanted to do this for my Cooper, and I gave up because I lack the computer know-how.. Also, I only have Macs. Care to virginize my chrono for me?
id have to have the entire car, since I don’t have an r50/53 yet.
I dont use pasoft on my e83 or e46 for much of anything except this specific purpose, or erasing codes when I don’t have time to diagnose, or know what it is already ( forgot to tighten gas cap for example)
it is worth the $60 to buy an old xp laptop ( I also run NCS in parallels on a MacBook but is way slower) to set up pasoft 1.4, NCS expert /dummies and DiS on it. $120 and a few hours of time and research and you’d save that much anyway on dealer coding and diagnostics.
FA /VO... r53/r50 does use the same kind of coding as very early e46s do from what I can see in my NCSexpert.
you can revirginize the kombi. That’s what is important, btw autologic also works. Once virginized, you can use it.
And from my end, it appears that you should be able to change the vo, as the coding and modules are concurrent with similar era bmws.
Hey, I could be wrong about the coding, but I’m not about revirginizing, because people have used various programs to do that.
You guys are all speaking a foreign language. If anyone wants to charge me to reprogram a chrono guage to work with my car, while displaying the correct mileage without a tamper dot (and no DSC error) let me know. I'd be happy to pay, if it can be done.
its been done. Like I said, on any bmw you just need that ability to revirginize the kombi, or to overwrite the vin and odo, so it can sync and pull programming from the lkm, etc.
i haven’t done it, I don’t own a mini, but was seriously considering an r53 and was doing all this research because I wouldn’t want one without chronopack.
However it would be such a downgrade in size and mpg compared to my e46/3 and require so many compromises (doesn’t seat 5, no stroller room, etc) that I honestly can’t justify it.
If it wont get better than 40 at 68mph and 35 at 75, what would be the point of having a smaller more expensive and harder to work on car?
anyway best of luck to you all, if anyone is ever around El Paso and wants some coding done, shoot me a message. I never charge for coding, just do it for the challenge and fun.
Last edited by Onizukachan; Nov 1, 2017 at 04:58 PM.
lol you linked to a thread that does not talk about recoding a module, I spent a couple weeks searching and the only place doing it is in the EU and it's a eprom wipe like the old bmw's.
burley I got the dsc error taken care of pretty quick, ncsexpert you just change the abs module version to match what your original kombi had, make sure you dump the original to text so you can check
Different perspective.
Im coming from e46 /e83 and researching R53 Mini.
They’re basically the same as far as computers are concerned.
A> yes installing a virgin cluster will cause it to pull the vin and mileage from what we call lkm, possibly bc1 also.
B> used clusters are not virgin and will trigger a tamper dot.
C> Bmw can not reprogram a used cluster to work. They lack the tools and resources to do so.
D> you can not swap EPROMs. These aren’t late 80s e30s!
D> you or I can revirginize a cluster or lkm ourselves using a combination of two computer tools.
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.
You need pasoft 1.4 (or bmwscanner 1.4, the clone program $30) to be able to reset the vin and mileage to 0 on the used cluster or lkm... ie revirginize.
Then you use NCSexpert to code the now newly virgin module to your vin/ FA, and then again also to the modify your FA to reflect the changes you have made, chrono, Nav etc. By changing the cars build options stored in those locations and recoding the entire car so everything works the way it should.
Again this is not something the dealerships can do. But it is something someone with a modicum of time and computer experience can do... so never trust a digital odometer.
Have a spare EU lkm that I re-virginized to my e46 whilst I was installing city lights and rear fogs, before I ended up swapping faceplates onto the US one and modifying options in NCS instead. Took all of 5minutes.
Don't know if you noticed or not but the previous post to yours was 5 years ago. Wouldn't hold my breath if I were you though someone else who is up on that issue might chime in.
Wow, that was a long time ago… but this thread still exists and comes up as a top result in google so I might as well set it right for the next person
so to conclude this thread, I was both wrong, and also right.
I now own an r53 (see Route 66 link in sig) and one of the first things I did was convert from the now useless standalone nav (none of this side of town even existed when the last nav high disc came out) to chrono successfully.
I was right that the used clusters can be revirginized, but wrong about the tool. Apparently pasoft can’t revirginize the r53 center “cluster” like it can on bmws. I tried, option is still there but doesn’t work.
however they can be revirginized using an r270 to reflash it with a “0” mile virgin profile($20 on Amazon, all info on GitHub). and then pasoft is easily used to import vin and programming.
It could also be done with ncs, but pasoft is far far easier.
If going nav to chrono, you do not have to worry about coding gauge angles etc. the chrono actually uses the same settings as nav, since nav came first. In bc1 there are really only two settings for aux gauges, , dual pod or single pod. If you are going center Speedo single pod to chrono you have to also go dual pod to have a Speedo, plus for warning lights etc to work, and you have to revirginize chrono, and import vin etc, then also code to match.
Last edited by Onizukachan; Oct 7, 2023 at 03:24 AM.
