What is the difference between the IHKS and IHKA modules?

Why would a car need to have all its' codes redone if it is working fine?

I'm come from the old school of points, carb and timing baby! These new computer driven cars are a mystry to me...

 

Anyone?

My Goggle searches seem to indicate IHKS is "S"tandard manual control for A/C & Heat and IHKA is "A"utomatic control for the same. If that is the case, then does each Mini only have one or the other? Or do they have both?

If these are the actual control panels in the center console, I know the manual panel looks different than the automatic climit control panel. So I'm guessing each car only has one IHKS or one IHKA and not both.

Clearly I don't understand these systems. Please help clarify...

 

You are correct. Standard (temp ****) versus automatic (LCD screen).

One or the other, not both.

Please clarify your coding question.

 

Dealer claimed they had to update/recode the Mini? Only thing that they claimed was my key said front and rear brakes needed replacing. The tach never mentioned it to me. The dealer and I both know they did not need replacing. Only took the car in for its first dealer oil change at 16500 (2500 & 10000 done by me).

Phone call received said recode FAILED and they needed to keep the car to replace the IHKS and recode. Next day they called asking if they could keep it another day. Continued FAILS. Picked it up on good Friday when SA was not there.

Paperwork says they replaced the IHKS and IHKA, plus the rear brakes and sensors.

1) How can they replace an IHKS and IHKA in the same car?
2) The big question for me is, why did they need to update/recode a perfectly good running justa with no problems when it was brought in for an oil change?

Ironically, I have the wheel lock key, so I know they did not replace the rear brakes. Who knows if they replaced the sensors???

 

Oh okay, That is very strange they would put that on the repair order. The tech probably isn't very good at typing, and accidently put both down. The only thing I can think, is that maybe they had to replace the board that the toggles (those communicate with IHK module) use as well.

For the recode, there are many reasons for the software update. And MINI must have recommended/required them to do it (since I see you have a '12 model) probably for the carbon buildup issues (even though it is not a turbo engine) and possibly oil change interval changes. The dealer definitely does not want to reprogram cars if they don't have to, it is a pain-in-the-you-know-what for them as well as you (as you have painfully discovered). However, the car will probably be better off with the update.

So for the brake change...BMW sells a tool kit with every wheel lock key so I am sure the dealer has that on hand, imagine all the time wasted digging around customer's cars trying to find a wheel key that isn't there. I am sure that kit is just part of the required tool packs the dealers have.

Take a look at the pads (you should be able to see them through your wheels) to see if they are new and thick. If they didn't change them, all they did was reset the CBS reminder to check the brakes. If the brakes are truly low, the CBS warning cannot be reset (like my car is currently stating I have 1000 miles left, but it has been saying that for 6000 miles!). If they didn't replace the sensor you would have a constant warning message.

 

They replaced the IHKS module after the first FAIL. They tried 2 more times and it FAILED. Then the manager took over and replaced the IHKA module (according to the receipt) and it apparently worked (?). The receipt clearly states both modules (IHKS & IHKA) were replaced. Error or addtional billing to BMW?

They claimed it needed recoding because of the early brake replacement indication (that I never received on my tach?). I assume BMW is like any other dealer and gets reimbursed from the parent company for repairs made under warranty, so they do have incentive to complete as much work as they can create if that is the case. I've been told some dealers do warranty work at a reduced rate, thus they try to double the labor cost to make up for it (don't know if that is true).

That is news to me and all the criminals out there. The rear brakes had 8mm and the fronts 7mm (stated on the receipt), then states replacement not needed for both. Later it states rear brakes and sensors were replaced?

I thought the "sensors" were a known problem issue. If they needed to be replaced and CBS reset, then great. Just do that. There was no warning message on my dash regarding the brakes to begin with! They claimed the key scan indicated it.

I question all this labor, because I have had past dealers run up the bill to their parent company on my time and vehicle before. If this dealer is playing those kind of games, then I don't want to use them anymore. I've had issues with the last three out of four new cars I've bought with dealer repairs. Lies, cheating, creating problems that didn't exist, breaking other components, attemped replacements of large dollar items, etc... Sometimes under warranty and sometimes not; attempting to bill me [IE: Toyota - The right rotor had to be replaced because the pad failed, the warning system didn't work and it got gouged below the limit (low mileage), so you have to buy a new left rotor (not damaged at all and at my expense) or the car will pull to one side when braking].

The one out of four that never had a single issue was the one that I NEVER took to the dealer for anything other than the first complimentary oil change. I was hoping that this complementary oil change was going to be uneventful, but it wasn't.

Now I have a receipt that has repairs stated that may or may not be accurate (suspicous to some extent) and it states everything was done "at customers request" (I only requested an oil & filter change, they requested the rest), even the windshield wipers that were just fine. Probably their way of justifying the expense to the parent company.

I hope the new software is better. I wasn't aware of any carbon build up issue with the Justa's, but I do have the black soot on my tailpipe that everyone says is normal. I've never had a car that has black soot on the tailpipe that isn't running extremely rich! Maybe Mini uses a rich mixture to act as additional cooling because the "S" model clearly runs hot (I don't know).

I guess I'd be better off not concerning myself with any of this as long as the car runs great, but I now have to deal with the oil change overfill issue that many others have reported during dealer service. I will be addressing that today. So far it looks like it is at least a 1/4+" on to the metal rod, ABOVE the top bulb.

 

Called the dealer to question the invoice. They say there are errors on the invoice language. Only the IHKS module was replaced and the system recoded to correct the early brake replacement indication they say my car key was flagging. None of the brakes or sensors were replaced, just a brake system software reset.

In the end this was the actual parts/labor list:
1) Oil, filter & change kit.
2) Windshield wiper blades.
3) Rear window wiper blade.
4) IHKS Standard A/C & Heater module.
5) Labor for all the work.

Lost all my settings the dealer did for me when initially purchased, but they referred me to the "All About Mini" site to get easy to follow instructions on how to reset all those. They would not do the settings I requested that others have done to their mini on their own.

Glad I got sick the day after dropping the car off, so the extra two days didn't really make a difference to me. I was still sick when I picked it up the third day into what was supposed to be a lobby wait first morning appointment service...

 

That's great they were able to clarify/correct the invoice. Makes a lot more sense now!

Probably was a case of the person at the dealer who takes the info scribbled down from a tech and types it into the computer had no idea what they were doing. The actual work was probably just fine. These issues where certain modules will not update are not uncommon. Good to have it done while the car is still under warranty.