Avoid Bimmer Software K+DCAN Cables

[jake 0]

Avoid Bimmer Software K+DCAN Cables - purchased one a year ago to flash my 2007 335i, worked on my car but doesn’t work on any ‘08+ cars. Bimmer Software have confirmed the cable is likely at fault (K-line is functional but CAN is not) but won’t replace it, instead have asked me to buy another one. Yeah right.

[Matth5 471]

Ebay cheap ones do just fine... higher risk of getting a faulty one but they're cheap enough that it's not a big deal. Mine works fine on my 2010 model.
I'm betting Bimmer Software just bulk orders a custom branded set with their own specifications from one of those Chinese suppliers. 

Edited October 9, 2018 by Matth5

[M3_Power 636]

Most of these type of cables require a software switch to turn it from K to D can

Have you tried this yet?

Also not all protocol chat through line 7 and 8 so when switching to D can you need to disconnect the bridge.

I find operator error more often than cable error with these things.

Edited October 9, 2018 by M3_Power

[jake 0]

Keen to try the software switch - is there a specific app for switching modes? 

[M3_Power 636]

Search for the following 2 utility software

depending on cable firmware you will need one or the other

[jake 0]

Thanks will try it out tonight. Bimmer Software have confirmed that their cable doesn’t need to be soft switched, but it’s worth a shot regardless. 

Edited October 9, 2018 by jake

[M3_Power 636]

8 hours ago, jake said:

Thanks will try it out tonight. Bimmer Software have confirmed that their cable doesn’t need to be soft switched, but it’s worth a shot regardless. 

I’ve yet to come across a cable that doesn’t require switching between K and D and I own loads of them!!!

Most of the time the cables are shipped in D Can mode which can still talk to earlier K Line cars because pins 7 and 8 are bridged

The better cables are shipped without this bridge and have an adaptor that bridge the two pins for K line cars.

The cheapercable vendors then built a manual toggle switch to bridge this and called it K&D Can capable.

Post 08 cars require true D can, so it may just be that your cable was shipped in K line state instead of D Can state. 

As I said, I’ve never seen a cable (especially those clear ones) that don’t require software switching to be fully functional.