[FDLT48]

Hi everyone,

This is my first post but I've lurked for a long time trying to get info on all things combox. I know this topic is beaten to death and there is a TON of info out there, I'm just at my wit's end and need some direction.

My son just purchased his first car, a 2011 328i x-drive. It was a one-owner with meticulous history and only 75,000 miles. The only issue was the dreaded SOS warning and the Bluetooth would just constantly search and never connect. After finding this great website, I determined it was probably a bad TCU. This leads me to attempt the combox retrofit since it allowed Bluetooth streaming which is what my son really wanted.

I purchased a used combox and wiring harness from eBay. I followed the instructions on several posts and videos and when I got to the programming part, I keep getting a COAPI-2020 error. I double-checked all of my connections and then decided to have the programming done remotely.

I set up a time with Alex from Alpine Motorsports and he was unable to even detect the combox. My question is where to go next. Should I try a different combox? Could the original Bluetooth issue have something to do with the CIC? Or should I try to check the pins on the harness? (which is not something I completely understand)

Again, I know this is beaten to death and I apologize for the long first post. I was hoping to gift this to my son for Christmas but I'm not sure that will happen. Thanks for reading.

*- Anyone in SW Ohio that can help, I'm willing to travel and $$$$

[smass]

Check the pins. I seem to remember that one of the guides had the wrong pin for power. It was 1 instead of 2 or vice versa. Power, ground and most fiber are all that is needed to code.

Did you remove a TCU and a MULF and replace them with a Combox? If so, you may need a most terminator for the unused most fiber.

[FDLT48]

Thanks for the reply and I will attempt to check the pins, but the diagrams make no sense to me. I did put a fiber loop on the unused portion of the most connection.

[FDLT48]

I veified the pins are correct and the fuses are intact. I've ordered anoher combox to verify that is the cause. Fingers crossed tat will solve it.

[smass]

What wiring diagram did you use? I have use the attached many times.

[FDLT48]

That's the one. And I verified the install of the pins by sending photos to the manufacturer. I just received my new combox last night and will be installing it today. I'm just not sure how to verify that the combox is installed before coding. I have all of the programs, inpa, rheingold, and BMW tools but I'm very new to all of them.

[Luper52]

May be a dumb question but is the fiber optic wire plugged in the back?

And if you have both TCU and MULF, did you loop the mulf fiber optic connector?

And lastly did you set the device settings on your computer to COM1 and latency to 1ms?

[FDLT48]

Luper52

Not a dumb question at all. The fiber is plugged in and the unused end is looped. I still have radio and door chimes so at least that much is working. Device settings are correct and I even had Alex from Alpine try to remotely program but he was unable to "see" the new combox

[Luper52]

So is he able to see other modules on the car?

If so, possibly your SP Daten isn’t new enough to recognize the combox module.

Personally, I now use BimmerGeeks ProTool on an android tablet to code stuff to the car. You could do a combox retrofit in about 10 minutes with it, it’s fairly simple.

[FDLT48]

He is able to see all of the other modules. I found another post on this site that talked about the power being on a different pin for telematic comboxs. But I double checked with the vendor of the harness and both pins 1 and 2 have power to overcome this issue.

I've looked at the BimmerGeeks stuff and now regret not initially going that route. I have another combox to try and rule out if the first one was faulty. I'll be installing that tomorrow with fingers crossed.

[smass]

Your Combox is the BN2000 from an E series? The BN2010 from the F series does not work in your car.

[FDLT48]

Yes, it's a BN2000, part number 925716401 which is the correct one for my 2011 328i.

[FDLT48]

So, I've tred te w commbox and still no luck. I keep getting a COAPI-2020 error in NCSExpert when I try to code it. I've checked everything from the pins to the combox itself and still nothing. I'm at my wits end with thi. It was supposed to be a quick retrofit but now it has become a nightmare.

Any final suggestions before I completely throw in the towel?

[TSilver335i]

Originally Posted by FDLT48

So, I've tred te w commbox and still no luck. I keep getting a COAPI-2020 error in NCSExpert when I try to code it. I've checked everything from the pins to the combox itself and still nothing. I'm at my wits end with thi. It was supposed to be a quick retrofit but now it has become a nightmare.

Any final suggestions before I completely throw in the towel?

So i guess your trying to run SG_CODIEREN on MEDIA and get no response or that error? Combox must not powering up. No other coding issues with other modules?

I had similar issue where it wasn't powered up had to move pin 1 to 2 from memory. But looks like you have already sussed that.

I dont know if this is any different but i used this pinout going from TCU to combox.

[blackout_ssri]

Hi,
Just to add some possibly helpful info.

The communication with the combox will happen via MOST bus normally, the MOST gateway will be the CIC, you don't need to use ICOM B.

If I recall correctly the fiber optics loop would be CIC->Combox->Amplifier(if Logic 7 or Individual)->CIC.

I was able to program mine without even connecting the KCAN lines to it.

Just make sure it turns on, that you have power and ground connected and MOST loop working.

While running you can pull the MOST plug on the combox and see if it emits any light, it should for a second or 2 after removing the plug.
If all that is good, you should try connecting with Tool32 to the combox.

Maybe, just maybe, you might need to recode the CIC GW with the new FA first, so that it knows it's supposed to intermediate the communications (KCAN->MOST) with the combox.

Here is the pinout for the combox, pin 1&2 both need to have power as 1 of the is for the media part and the other one is for telecom.

Hope it helps.

[smass]

Have you confirmed there is a red dot on one of the fiber going to the Combox? E90s have a lot of most fiber that is not connected to anything on the other end.

[FDLT48]

Thank you all for your suggestions. I will check the most loop again and see if I have a light to the combox. I'm beginning to think that the issue is with the most and the cic. I will have to wait a bit to get back into it because we are just starting to thaw out here in the midwest. This is driving me crazy and I'm frustrated because this is my first BMW. So much to learn.