BMW made my car illegal

[JBelbute]

     Featured on BIMMERPOST.com

Heads up to anyone importing a BMW to Portugal, I went through a lengthy process to convert my US BMW X1 to meet Portugal specs. It included getting new tail lights, a switch for the rear fog lights and getting the teil lights reprogrammed to be amber. The cost was pretty significant but in the end my car passed inspection. The only issue was that I needed to get BMW to certify the engine number. So I took my car to Caetano Bavaria and while it was there they reset the vehicle to the original values meaning that it was back to miles, no rear fog light and red rather than amber turn signals. Several days later I noticed the red turn signals. I raised the issue to BMW and they acknowledged that they did it and said that they would do it any time a vehicle is serviced. If they do not correct the problem I will be filing a criminal complaint

[Marcoose]

You ought to sue the person who said you could take a vehicle overseas and be plug and play, so to speak. Or even cheap or easy to make it work.

[JBelbute]

I wasn't expecting it to be easy but once I passed the Portuguese IMT Inspection I did not expect BMW to tamper with my car without my permission. They do not own the car so they had no right to make an unsolicited modification to my car

[Marcoose]

If you weren’t expecting it to be easy, then your expectations are met.

If I may advise you, do the reprogramming again, and find an indie. Much easier than suing BMW.

[Rafichicago]

What is important is that they did some service OP did not ask them to. BMW has nothing to do with that. Any software updates done automatically through BMW dealership will set the car to US spec by the vin number associated with the vehicle. It’s the dealership that is responsible for that.

[Marcoose]

If the dealer will reset to factory, then do not take the car to the dealer. It’s that simple.

[Fugly M3]

I can certainly understand the frustration, as what you've gone through sucks. However, why not just buy a Euro spec X1 in Portugal?

[MooMooM2]

Originally Posted by Fugly M3

I can certainly understand the frustration, as what you've gone through sucks. However, why not just buy a Euro spec X1 in Portugal?

you would be surprised how much cars cost in Portugal.

If he already had car in the US and was moving it was probably much cheaper to just ship it than to sell it here and buy a X1 there

[Fugly M3]

Originally Posted by MooMooM2

you would be surprised how much cars cost in Portugal.

If he already had car in the US and was moving it was probably much cheaper to just ship it than to sell it here and buy a X1 there

I'm aware generally how much more cars cost in Europe (and the rest of the world). My brother lives in Australia (and now is Australian) and it's insane what they cost there. However, in leaving the US, that would be a consideration you'd think you'd take into account. I wouldn't expect to be able to take my car with me and have anything close to a smooth transition - unless it were to a second or third world country where nobody would care if it met the regulations. That would, of course, negate even taking the car.

[________]

You guys are missing the point…
Guy took his car to the dealer and the dealer performed a software update on the modules, resetting the coding to the original one per VIN as stated above.

Happens to all of us every single time we take our cars to the dealer… but we don’t come here to post it with a sensationalist title… lol

OP, just recode the car and next time save the settings so you can reapply them when you update the software again.

[MooMooM2]

Originally Posted by Fugly M3

I'm aware generally how much more cars cost in Europe (and the rest of the world). My brother lives in Australia (and now is Australian) and it's insane what they cost there. However, in leaving the US, that would be a consideration you'd think you'd take into account. I wouldn't expect to be able to take my car with me and have anything close to a smooth transition - unless it were to a second or third world country where nobody would care if it met the regulations. That would, of course, negate even taking the car.

Some places in Europe are not that bad but Portugal the prices are insane. Why a lot of people in Portugal buy from other places in Europe because prices are VERY different. Maybe not why he brought it from the US but I would guess thats the case.

[MooMooM2]

Originally Posted by Onesie

You guys are missing the point…
Guy took his car to the dealer and the dealer performed a software update on the modules, resetting the coding to the original one per VIN as stated above.

Happens to all of us every single time we take our cars to the dealer… but we don’t come here to post it with a sensationalist title… lol

OP, just recode the car and next time save the settings so you can reapply them when you update the software again.

this is not really true though, I just went to the dealer and there was a recall that would update the software, they asked me if I wanted to do it and I said nope and thats that. THey don't go updating your stuff without asking.

[DocL]

Originally Posted by Marcoose

If you weren’t expecting it to be easy, then your expectations are met.

If I may advise you, do the reprogramming again, and find an indie. Much easier than suing BMW.

I think BMW also has really good lawyers on payroll who will suck the OP's bank account dry if he hires an attorney to try and sue them. But hey, it's worth a Boy Scout try.

[________]

Originally Posted by MooMooM2

this is not really true though, I just went to the dealer and there was a recall that would update the software, they asked me if I wanted to do it and I said nope and thats that. THey don't go updating your stuff without asking.

Sure, let’s say your anecdotal experience is the norm and commiserate with the OP.

You guys enjoy that lol cheers

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by JBelbute

The only issue was that I needed to get BMW to certify the engine number. So I took my car to Caetano Bavaria and while it was there they reset the vehicle to the original values ...

You don't say what "BMW certifying the engine number" involves?

Is this part of the issue?

[MJBO]

Originally Posted by JBelbute

If they do not correct the problem I will be filing a criminal complaint

lol, exactly what criminal law have they broken?

If they plugged in a diagnostic tool to read engine numbers or whatever, there’s every chance it flagged a coding anomaly that the system resolved.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by MJBO

lol, exactly what criminal law have they broken?

If they plugged in a diagnostic tool to read engine numbers or whatever, there’s every chance it flagged a coding anomaly that the system resolved.

That's what I'm thinking.

Getting a Certificate of Conformity, (if that is what is necessary by involving BMW) may be needing 'corrections' for the VIN number.

[Pheonix]

Not sure if they have the same systems Portugal but the dealerships I been to in the USA get the car information from the key fob.
I think this was an honest mistake and BMW stated that they will fix it when the car back in foe services so not sure why the OP is so upset. Bring the car back in if you want them to correct the mistake right away.

[TheUltimateDrivingManiac]

The guy who coded your car did a bad job - should have changed the FA to make changes permanent. But go ahead and blame BMW instead.