Following on from intermittent brake light thread!!

otruk

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Has anyone connected a 2007 (or that era) bike to BMW's ISTA+ program before? I have ISTA+ and use it with my newer BMW cars and it works great via an ENET cable. I figured I would try using the tool to diagnose some issues with the ABS on a 2007 BMW GS 1200 (K25 series).
I have bought a K-DCAN cable and a BMW GS OBD Adapter plug, I have then tried connecting to ISTA+ using EDIABAS, setting the K-DCANs COM port number and serial time out, ensuring to use K-CAN as i believe that's the protocol in use?
I have not found anyone using ISTA+ on an older GS via a K-DCAN cable. I cannot seem to get the program to connect to the bike and was hoping someone could point me in the right direction!
Here is the cables I am using:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0983MC4WH?ref_=pe_27063361_487360311_302_E_DDE_dt_1
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rapid-Revi...-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1
Tutorials I have tried following:


Thanks.
 
I think ISTA is a Car only platform for coding and diagnostics.
 
It has a motorad setting for bikes. So assume it can cope
 
That might depend on the year of availability for the software compatibility with the Bike
 
From what I have seen/ read it will read bikes. I believe it's ista p. ATM

The big issue with the older bikes I believe is speed of data transfer, so coding modules can take a long time

The other issue is you need an icom cable,
A data lead, and a very high amperage battery charger
 
I’ve got Ista-d that I use on my old 2005 E61 via usb works fine on IBD cable.

Then on newer car like the 2018 X5 it works with enet cable.

Be interested to see how you get on with the bike.

It’s a great bit of software for diagnostics, never thought of trying on bike.

Keep us updated..
 
ISTA-P - what VCI is the challenge, anything here

Thread 'ISTA and K-DCAN cable'

Anyone had any experience using ISTA-D and a K-DCAN to connect to a water cooled boxer? I know the ICOM module already works but that's only required for programming, although it can do diagnostics too.

Right now I'm just trying to get the diagnostics to work but I cannot get it to communicate with the bike properly. All the info I have found is from older model bikes.

I'm thinking I'm going to have to fork out for a ICOM NEXT box. Trying to be a tightarse though :)
 
Horrah! Using an ICOM A2 scanner from a friend we were able to diagnose and read the codes on the K25 series GS with no issues. I tool radar was used alongside the ICOM A2 (part number IME 4201201 made by I+ME ACTIA). The ISTA+ program was set to use EDIABAS and BMW MOTORAD settings. Now we know the process is possible. I am going to retest using a much cheaper and more accessible K-DCAN cable to see if i can make that work through ISTA. Failing that, I will buy my own ICOM A2 chinese clone unit (they go for around £250). The ISTA program made diagnosing the brake issues on this GS way easier, we could run tests on the ABS unit and think the root cause of our faulty brake circuit staying on may actually be caused by a low battery voltage to the ABS unit upon initialization, more testing needed!.. Oh also ISTA+ literally tells you how to fix things and the best order in which to do them, whilst providing wiring diagrams and other useful information.
 
yep dealer tools on german vehicles are painting by numbers - so garages can employ sacked mcdonalds workers - and then they spend all the money on slick training courses teaching how to convincingly lie and spread BS to lemmings in their posh showrooms
 
Have to say that just about anyone could follow the instructions, however still doesnt show brake light issue!!!!!!!! Will try the bulb holder.

Will plug in to 1200 lc and see what it does.
 
canbus fun - (I'm guessing how it does this but run with me) each brake light switch sends a message to the ZFE (central chassis electronics) this sends a PWM signal to light the tail light... there are no fuses on the bike, the ZFE mooches around instead and says if it likes the look of the circuit and the power consumption - if for any reason it can't be arsed, it can throw error an message to the cluster and just give up bothering...

and the real joy of canbus - if the network has a damp soggy connection with non std resistance - it might be the driver, or the module might be muddled, or the module might be worn out, or the bulb might be blown, or pretty much anything in life can cause it to have a turn just for the hell of it....
 
No wonder it went to 2 separate dealers and neither could sort the fault! Looks like it back to a good old multi meter and taking the loom apart, progress is a wonderful thing!
 
was a recent'ish post on a K1300GT forum with no brake lights - where they went round the houses getting nowhere - reading how that model does its tail light seemed impossible - but you check the parts diagram and yes (two times) single filament bulb... the ZFE sends half PWM power to do a tail light then when you brake it sends full power to get brighter etc. in the end after 6 months they fitted a new ZFE and all was good - few weeks later a similar issues for another guy
 
Now looking it seems the ZFE unit may be faulty, though scanning it shows no issue. All wiring is good so it means getting another unit and the joys of recoding to that bike?
 
At last we have brake lights! So ZFE unit thought it was sending a signal but no out put voltage was recorded. BMW wont sell a new unit for that bike it seems, so you have to scrap it!!! Buy second hand ZFE, using BMW ISTA program and a bit of wizardry, reset second hand unit with this bikes vin and bingo back in action. Why you can't have 2 switches like just about every other bike is beyond me. Also seems you can not trust the ISTA program as it does not always tell the truth, and you can beat old school fault finding.
 
CANBUS - a nice way to create special extras throughout a vehicles economic lifetime - then get it off the road 10 years before corrosion and engine wear would have done...
 
botus said:
CANBUS - a nice way to create special extras throughout a vehicles economic lifetime - then get it off the road 10 years before corrosion and engine wear would have done...
Click to expand...

You could always wire in a manual brake light switch.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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