You only need to save a coding file onto a USB stick and put it in the USB port in your BMW, whenever you want.

Please try again using your full 17-digit VIN, or select your model and year below.

Please enter your VIN above - our website will decode it, check your factory installed options and show you which products are compatible.

Remember that no personal information can be obtained from the VIN.

It could even come down to something as simple as your country; BMW deactivates some iDrive features in certain markets.

Not ideal if it means missing out on something you could really do with.

Best Ubd2 To Usb For Bmw How To Use It

We take a look at what it is, how to use it and how picking the right BMW coding options can make a world of difference to your car.

In most cases, those features are already baked into your iDrive by BMW, and coding is only required to make them available.

An example is coding to activate an aftermarket backup camera iDrive is already designed to accommodate a rear view camera in cars that come optioned with one from the factory, and activating a retrofit kit only requires unlocking those software capabilities.

Coding usually refers to making minor changes to your vehicles software configuration, generally unlocking features that BMW itself makes available in some of its vehicles.

Programming, on the other hand, is often used to refer to more drastic changes that fundamentally change the way your vehicle works through new software.

For example, a tuner might program your vehicle to alter the engine management systems.

These processes carry a far more significant risk.

In the US, this is covered by the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, and similar legislation may be in place in other countries.

Best Ubd2 To Usb For Bmw Free To Take

American consumers are free to take their car to an independent shop or work on it themselves, and can also use aftermarket or recycled parts without affecting their coverage.

To deny service under warranty, the warranty provider must demonstrate that the fault was caused by the modification or poor quality work done by an unauthorised party.

Making changes to your iDrive parameters wont stop you from making a warranty claim on a faulty wiper motor, but if your iDrive system starts malfunctioning, BMW might not be willing to pick up the cost.

As the coding options being activated were designed by BMW and are often available from the factory in select vehicles and markets, changing the parameters wont do any damage to your vehicle.

Issues resulting from coding are usually the result of inexperienced coders making the wrong changes to their software, which is why its always best to rely on an expert.

When buying a BMW coding cable, its important to make sure youve bought the right one for your vehicle; F and G Series cars will need an ENET cable, while older E Series cars need a DCAN cable.

You can then use your coding tool to navigate your vehicles software and modify the different parameters.

Youre likely to need a reference to make sure youre changing the correct options.

Many people dont feel comfortable making software changes to their vehicles, and its easy for inexperienced coders to make mistakes.

If you do decide to code your BMW by yourself at home, its important to make sure you always back up your cars iDrive system configuration before making any changes.

That way, if you make a mistake, you can roll back to the latest working version.

While a coding shop will require you to take your car in for their technician to work on, BimmerTechs innovative BMW iDrive coding process means you can code your car quickly at home at a time you choose.

Best Ubd2 To Usb For Bmw Mac