E60/E61: Hidden OBC Menu in Instrument Display - view R/T measurements + CANBUS data

There is a hidden way to access real-time CANBUS data through the instrument binnacle. The guide here [written by scoopz for m5board.com] mentions the E60 M5, but I used this on a 530d manual and 525d auto, so it does cover all E60/E61 models. It may work, or there may be a similar system for Fxx Series BMWs, but I have not had a chance to examine this yet.

Measurements that can be viewed include true engine temperature, true engine RPM speed, true vehicle speed and loads of other bits of information that the CANBUS system records, but the iDrive does not normally display.

LINK: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1nHxeTpZLO2X5PkZQse10ureUOTBdBJx6

GUIDE: [written by www.scoopz.com for m5board.com]

*ACCESS PDF GUIDE FOR ACCOMPANYING PICTURES*

To access the menu follow these steps:1. Ensure your engine is OFF but ignition is in stage 2. (For

     those with comfort access just press the start/stop button
     twice once in the car without your foot on the brake)

2.Press and hold the odometer reset button (from now on I shall just call it the button) for 6 seconds, during which it will

show an oil icon, then a warning triangle. Keep holding and release when it shows: 01.__ FGSTNR

After a second or two the 01.__ will be updated with 01.00 and the last 7 characters of your VIN/Chassis # will show: 01.00

FGSTNR

CU12345

     Make a note of the numbers, this is important as you will need
     them in a minute to unlock all the menus because at present you
     can only access menu 01.__, 02.__ and 19.__
Now that you have made a note of your VIN number you need to add all the individual digits together so if your VIN was CU12345


Then you need to do:
1+2+3+4+5 = 15
This number [15 in this example] is you magic unlock number and is needed for step 6.
Press and hold the button for two seconds until it shows(press button 2 seconds)
01.__
Whilst it is displaying 01.__ repeatedly press the button to cycle through the menu’s incrementally:
01.__
(press button)
02.__
(press button)
03.__
(press button)
until you get to 19.__ at which point stop and wait for it to show
19.00
LOCK: ON
CODE: 00
     Now press the button repeatedly to increment the CODE eg:
(press button)
CODE: 01
(press button)
CODE: 02
(press button)
CODE: 03
(press button)
...until you get to the number you calculated in step 4, your unlock code, in this example 15:
CODE: 15

Once you have reached your unlock code wait a few seconds and it should jump you back to 01.00 and all the other menus will be available.
There are 21 top level menus and some have sub-menu’s, for example:
01.__ 01.00
      01.01
      01.02
      01.03
02.__ 02.00
03.__ 03.00
04.__ 04.00
04.01 04.02etc
To change top level menu’s press the button for 2 seconds until the last two digits turn to underscores (XX.__) then release the button and quickly press the button repeatedly to increment through the top level menu’s, e.g.:
(press button 2 seconds)
01.__
(press button)
02.__
(press button)
03.__
etc
Once you arrive at the menu you want to go into just wait a few seconds and the two underscores will be replaced by double zeroes (XX.00) and every subsequent press of the button will cycle you through the selected menu’s sub menu:
04.__ (wait few seconds)
04.00
(press button)
04.01
(press button)
04.02
(press button)
04.03

10. Some menus don’t have sub menus so waiting for the to display




XX.00 and then pressing the button again will activate that feature, try it on menu 02.00 and it will carry out a dashboard

test and move all the needs. Press and hold the button for two seconds until the last two digits turn to underscores then release and keep pressing the button until it shows:02.__

     (press button)

02.00

     (press button)

     Dashboard will do strange things.



Ok so that’s a run down on how to access the menus and move around the different levels of the menus. I systematically accessed each menu and it’s sub menus and photographed each one to create a rough guide as to what is shown, most things I haven’t got a clue what they are but some things like current true speed, rpm and rpm limit are useful.