[hardrivn]

Well lesson learned! Decided after getting inspection, new tires, and 130K mile fluid flush that I should proactively replace the battery as it is more than 4+ years, and hey Walmart will install for free! While waiting in the store "browsing" because you can't have a waiting room in a covid world, with a face mask for going on 3 hours I look through the window and see 3 techs all focused on my wife's car (E92 Manual), finally get them to talk to me. Windows will not move, (driver side is down and it's 22F outside), headlights dash etc. Do a search and find that is a common way to flip your FRM module F-ME! Thankfully it's daylight so headlights aren't needed, the turn signals not working doesn't help the BMW driver reputation though, and the heated steering wheel helps with the cold air. I get the car home, pull out my foxwell ODB tool, and cannot talk to the FRM. Search ebay for listings of repair services and find the seller navcorp9 not only was he one of the cheaper ones online but the real reason I picked him was he was in NJ and I am near Philly so I figured USPS priority would be quick. That was on December 21st! Turns out due to quarantine etc my package got stuck in PHL sorting facility till January 16th! the seller flipped it the same day but with Sunday then the MLK Holiday, plus more USPS delays I just got it back today. First taking that thing out is a pain but getting it back in is even worse! Everything is working again, no affiliation other than I used his service but huge kudos to navcorp9 on ebay for fixing and flipping it back to me so quick, he saved me over $600 if I had to get a new footwell module, lesson learned next time I need something quickly flipped though I should choose UPS or FedEx, and maybe not let Walmart replace your battery where they hook up the power module while they remove the existing battery.

[jsunma]

Questions about these FRM rebuilding services have come up in threads several times over the past several months...so maybe just a few more details to help anyone who stumbles upon this in a search?

1) This eBay service, was it one of the ones where you needed to send in the FRM along with your VIN and then the rebuilt unit (when you got it back) was identical to what you sent, only fixed? No additional coding on your end was required?

2) This cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $200? (no need to be precise, I've just seen the prices on these things vary widely)

3) Other than geographic location (you explained that), what criteria did you use to select this vendor?

4) The Walmart guys fried your FRM by connecting a power source to the car while changing out the battery (presumably so that you didn't lose adaptations, clock settings, etc.)? Do you know how they connected it? Did you get them to admit that they fried your FRM? (and hopefully maybe they paid for fixing it?)

5) What was difficult about removing and installing the FRM? Seems like it sits right behind the trim and is just 2 nuts and 3 connectors (once you remove the trim). But maybe that's harder than it sounds.

Anyhow, this seems like a commonly-needed repair...so any additional insight on it from someone who's recently dealt with the issue would be appreciated. Thanks!

[hardrivn]

Going to do this inline:

1) This eBay service, was it one of the ones where you needed to send in the FRM along with your VIN and then the rebuilt unit (when you got it back) was identical to what you sent, only fixed? No additional coding on your end was required?

Yes I sent my FRM, and he repaired and sent back the same exact FRM module I sent, he was able to repair it on the day he received it and ship it out the next morning as verified by tracking numbers etc. All delays were due to the USPS and the seller exceeded my expectations for prompt turn around. I also had to do the wheel to wheel reset for steering angle sensors, reset the clock, window travel auto up and down misc stuff. Not sure if that was just from the battery or from the FRM removal and repair.

2) This cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $200? (no need to be precise, I've just seen the prices on these things vary widely)

Actually his costs were just a hair below $50 (if you search for seller in ebay advanced search he still offers the repair service).

3) Other than geographic location (you explained that), what criteria did you use to select this vendor?

I also checked for feedback from other people who bought the same service from him.

4) The Walmart guys fried your FRM by connecting a power source to the car while changing out the battery (presumably so that you didn't lose adaptations, clock settings, etc.)? Do you know how they connected it? Did you get them to admit that they fried your FRM? (and hopefully maybe they paid for fixing it?)

Still working that out with Walmart, I just fixed today. I have to go and show receipts to the service manager. My pickup needs a new battery so I think we will work something out, it is a Nissan Titan so no temperamental BMW electronics to worry about.

5) What was difficult about removing and installing the FRM? Seems like it sits right behind the trim and is just 2 nuts and 3 connectors (once you remove the trim). But maybe that's harder than it sounds.

I am old at 46, and it's not an easy position to get in and work, the wires are tucked tight without a lot of slack, lighting sucks, knees on cold concrete garage, etc, finding a short 10mm socket for the top holder, I cannot complain too much removal took about an 1 hour, and under an hour for reinstall.

[hardrivn]

Just to reiterate my issues were all to do with USPS messing up delivery times for priority the service seller who will gladly accept alternative shipping methods flipped the product within the same day.

[jsunma]

Originally Posted by hardrivn

Just to reiterate my issues were all to do with USPS messing up delivery times for priority the service seller who will gladly accept alternative shipping methods flipped the product within the same day.

Yeah, I get it. I had several small packages - 2 day priority mail - in transit during that same time. It ultimately took them about a month to be delivered as they made the grand circle tour of the US (from MA to FL to VA to CA back to NY). The USPS basically ceased to exist as a functional enterprise (well, at least one devoted to moving mail) between the 3rd week of December 2020 and the middle of January 2021. Unfortunately.

[John 070]

What was the root cause of the failure?

[CTinline-six]

I wouldn't let WalMart change the caps on my tire valve stems. Always know that anything WalMart TLE does for free will cost you money and time later on.

[TunafishE93]

This really is not a Wal-Mart issue, more of a BMW issue. FRM will die by thinking about them, crap now i got to go check mine.

[CTinline-six]

Originally Posted by TunafishE93

This really is not a Wal-Mart issue, more of a BMW issue. FRM will die by thinking about them, crap now i got to go check mine.

They do fail often. But who the hell keeps a car's computer connected with a charger while they swap out a battery to save radio presets? That seems like a disaster waiting to happen.

[John 070]

Originally Posted by TunafishE93

This really is not a Wal-Mart issue, more of a BMW issue. FRM will die by thinking about them, crap now i got to go check mine.

Please don't think about mine!

Does modulemaster handle, they are trusted for the DSC/Hydro....

[TunafishE93]

Yeah i agree that having power while changing battery is not a wise choice and is more than likely not a Walmart protocol. I am sure they have protocol since they do work on more cars than any local shop will ever even think about.

[CTinline-six]

Originally Posted by TunafishE93

Yeah i agree that having power while changing battery is not a wise choice and is more than likely not a Walmart protocol. I am sure they have protocol since they do work on more cars than any local shop will ever even think about.

Oh I won't debate they have more volume of work, that's for sure. The quality of their work is usually bottom of the barrel though.

[John 070]

Originally Posted by CTinline-six

They do fail often. But who the hell keeps a car's computer connected with a charger while they swap out a battery to save radio presets? That seems like a disaster waiting to happen.

Isn't this a 9V battery into the cigarette lighter? I used to do that, until I found it does NOT work on most cars. My mom's Acura was a PITA.....need the radio code as it has some bogus theft protection. More like make the legit owner pay the dealer to restore the radio!

[ctuna]

Using the battery back up usually results in the Fuse for the Instrument
Cluster and OBD connector to blow out.
But the FRM's are notably sensitive to reprogramming maybe voltage spikes
to.

[gjm120]

Sometime ago there was a discussion on whether on having a power supply hooked up when changing the battery out. If I recall, advice from some was yes. It lessened the chance of killing the FRM. I can't find the thread.

I changed my battery a couple of years ago and did not hook any power up and no problems. I think it's nearly luck given how fragile the FRM seems to be.

[TunafishE93]

I know my cigarette light (terminal 15) circuit is open with ignition off. So not sure what good cigarette lighter power supply will do.

I think issue with having power while battery being changed is the positive cable shorting out on ground. You have to be very careful moving this around, this can cause it own issues.

[hardrivn]

I think this is probably the most accurate reason, and you read a lot of instances where people brick it during a battery swap. It is very tight in the battery compartment so highly likely to happen by accident. I heard somewhere that the FRM modules track the number of surges or spikes and once it hits a certain count they brick on purpose which is why these services just reset it.

Originally Posted by TunafishE93

I know my cigarette light (terminal 15) circuit is open with ignition off. So not sure what good cigarette lighter power supply will do.

I think issue with having power while battery being changed is the positive cable shorting out on ground. You have to be very careful moving this around, this can cause it own issues.

[eku1s]

Did the US only Service Bulletin SI B01 20 16 relating to the FRM3 module not apply here? If so, could've been fixed free of charge by BMW.

[China boy Ben]

中国只需要20美金就可以搞定，我们是一个神器的国家

[lookalikehuuh]

Originally Posted by China boy Ben

中国只需要20美金就可以搞定，我们是一个神器的国家

Yes?

[nycibbyryder]

My FRM died just from reading this thread.. good thing the ebay guy I found charges $90. Glad to see this is common. Smh 😅