Weird DME issue not showing proper VIN

[iEatSand]

I got this car sometime ago and have been dealing with an odd issue. To pass my states emissions the VIN on the DME needs to match with the VIN on the chassis. For some reason the VIN is pulling up as a 07 335i. I'm a dealer and this is my personal driver so I ran the carfax on both cars to make sure nothing fishy was going on. The 07 335i is located in New York, still getting driven, and my car is located in Oregon(bought in Florida).

I had a local guy in Portland check the DME. The VIN from WINKFP(if I recall) showed the proper VIN. He told me it could be a used JB4 messing with the VIN. I removed the JB4 and the VIN was still reading to the 07 335i.

The last thing I can think of is it having someones MHD tune? Is that even possible to use someone elses MHD flash even though they're VIN locked? I was thinking since it's VIN locked it could just piggyback their DME vin onto my 135i?

Thanks

[Jesse00]

I had a local guy in Portland check the DME. The VIN bazoocam from WINKFP(if I recall) showed the proper VIN. He told me it could be a used JB4 messing with the VIN. I removed the protonvpn JB4 and the VIN was still reading to the 07 335i.

The last thing I can think of is it having someones MHD tune?

[iEatSand]

As an update for anyone who comes across this issue. My friend/BMW guru did a software update and flashed out any MAP/tune that was on the car.

It now reads the proper VIN.

Cruise control wasn't working, it does now. The sound system seems to be much smoother and louder sounding. Everything on the car feels better electronics wise. It was getting DSC failure/Trans malfunction warning lights occasionally and shifting hard. The hard shifts are gone, I'm worried that it might need a new trans after running it for too long as it did have the trans malfunction once last night after fixing the issue.

[iEatSand]

Originally Posted by Jesse00

I had a local guy in Portland check the DME. The VIN bazoocam from WINKFP(if I recall) showed the proper VIN. He told me it could be a used JB4 messing with the VIN. I removed the protonvpn JB4 and the VIN was still reading to the 07 335i.

The last thing I can think of is it having someones MHD tune?

We talked about this last night. a JB4 flash/chip will NOT change anything related to the DME/software/VIN. Used or not it won't ever mess with the VIN.. Chances are if you have the same issue as me, it's because you have a copied flash file from a different vehicle. I recommend getting it checked out asap. You can direct message me and I'll send you to the BMW guy I go to.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by iEatSand

As an update for anyone who comes across this issue. My friend/BMW guru did a software update and flashed out any MAP/tune that was on the car.

It now reads the proper VIN.

Cruise control wasn't working, it does now. The sound system seems to be much smoother and louder sounding. Everything on the car feels better electronics wise. It was getting DSC failure/Trans malfunction warning lights occasionally and shifting hard. The hard shifts are gone, I'm worried that it might need a new trans after running it for too long as it did have the trans malfunction once last night after fixing the issue.

There's your major clue... early COBB Tuning app's would work well on N54's but the cruise control would stop working. I bet you had a Cobb flash tune. They do "lock" to the car's VIN... so someone bought a used Cobb tune and used it on your car.

The a/t transmissions are quite strong - don't worry. I would change the ATF and filter though.

Dack

[iEatSand]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

There's your major clue... early COBB Tuning app's would work well on N54's but the cruise control would stop working. I bet you had a Cobb flash tune. They do "lock" to the car's VIN... so someone bought a used Cobb tune and used it on your car.

The a/t transmissions are quite strong - don't worry. I would change the ATF and filter though.

Dack

It was just odd that even the sound system was sounding extremely poor. It must've changed the entire setup to mimic that of a 335i. Sound was really poor quality like it was a 1994 civic.

If the trans does go out it's the perfect time for a manual swap, with me being a dealer and COVID-19 tanking the car industry a parts car would be cheap cheap.