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BMW INPA diagnostics an idiots guide to getting started

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343K views 127 replies 37 participants last post by  Bill H 
#1 · (Edited)
This is an original guide by myself the creator of it any other versions of this guide are hijacks or stolen versions of it...

INPA is factory BMW diagnostics software that connects to all the systems and modules on BMW cars not just engine like generic scanners, it reads all BMW trouble codes and gives live diagnostics and data and GUI pages and test functions...


Ok this is an idiots guide for INPA! it is "NOT" for ppl to say oooh!! its cheaper doin it this way or its piss easy and cheaper using a modded vagcom cable, or a USB interface etc etc!! its just a guide for the simplist and easiest way to hook your car up and diagnose with INPA for the beginner..

1.the absolute simplist way to connect to your OBD2 compliant car or ADS car is via the way it was designed for in the beginning,,and that is via a serial port connection with a INPA compatible serial interface/lead..

2.you can connect to your OBD2 car soley in ADS mode you do not need OBD mode (the cutdown INPA version 63mb on the net is an ADS only version and it is all you need for either type of system if you are using a serial interface and connection)

3.you need an INPA compatible double kkline serial interface cable..

4. an older type cheapo laptop or any laptop with a serial port preferably with XP loaded.

5.a copy of INPA/EDIABAS software cutdown version @ 63MB works fine on OBD2 or ADS cars.

6.if your car is pre OBD2 it will be either a crossover car which has both 20 pin round socket under the bonnet and 16 pin OBD2 in the cabin by your right knee or soley the 20 pin round under the bonnet (ADS socket)

7.if you have soley the 20 pin round socket under the bonnet and or pin 15 is populated? this is a fully ADS car not OBD2..

8.an ADS car you need an ADS adaptor interface or an ADS/OBD switchbox to access all the cars modules
9.you cannot connect to all modules on an ADS car with the cheap 20 pin (ADS) round to 16 pin OBD2 adaptors like that are sold on Ebay..

10.USB interfaces can be and will be more problematic for the INPA beginner plus USB interfaces will NOT connect with INPA set in ADS mode…

11.you can acess all modules, fault code read with INPA, including ABS,airbags,engine ECU,parking sensors and do live diagnostics via a GUI screen and reset codes, airbags and adaptions etc etc

12.No serial port on your laptop? PCMCIA to serial port adaptors or USB to serial port adaptors can be made to work, but again can be seriously problematic for an INPA beginner…

So to sum up if your car is a pre OBD2 car and has a 20 pin round socket under the bonnet with pin 15 present you will need:
A cheap laptop with a serial port and XP loaded.
A basic cutdown version of INPA in ADS mode 63MB in size or a normal version set to ADS
An ADS serial interface or an ADS/OBD serial switchbox interface like below…if you want some basic engine connection and function and a few other modules then the 20 round adpator will suffice most find this sufficient but as mentioned you CANNOT connect to everything with this cheaper configuration ...

ADS switchbox




If your car is OBD2 you will need..
A cheap laptop with serial port and XP loaded
A basic cutdown version of INPA in ADS mode
An OBD2 BMW INPA compatible serial interface double Kline type..like below.(.NOTE the 20 pin round ADS adaptor in the kit may connect to some modules but not all of them on ADS cars, it is “NOT” a full ADS interface!!)

serial OBD2 kit with 20 pin none full ADS round adaptor

Cable Electronic device Technology Adapter Electronics accessory



There are other ways to connect and other versions of INPA with different interface combinations etc etc ..this guide is not for that its just an idiots guide for a basic DIY’er whose just found out about INPA and is the easiset and most basic way to get started

modified VAGCOM connection guide...

http://www.bimmerforums.co.uk/forum...on-modded-usb-vagcom-interface-winxp-t102843/

Feel free to comment if I have ommitted anything or you have something to add…i shall add to it or edit if i i remember anything more of use...

a small update: if you are looking for cheaper robust laptops for your INPA setup? then some older IBM's fit the bill, but IBM laptops stopped having serial ports at the T30 model, models after the T30 still have the architecture for a serial port internally, but no external serial port, but if you connect it to a suitable IBM port replicator dock (very cheap these days on Ebay) you then have a fully functioning serial port on the dock ready for INPA...

an example: i now have a second setup of INPA fully functioning on an IBM T42 which is docked on a port replicator like below..

 
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#48 ·
OK cool, do you know anyone on here that would know 100% or has a e39 they have tested etc... or the 10% your not sure about what is this exactly? So I can try do a investigation into that part and post my findings here for anyone else who has problems..... I would like to give somthing back to the forum if I can ... thanks for your help... Chris
 
#53 · (Edited)
Hi dailydoggy and joylove... Im working on a first registered 10/08/1998 bmw 523i se UK chassis **********BT91532 ... this has no 16pin under drivers footwell and only the 20pin under the hood ... I am using an old Compac Presario 2100 XP sp3 with real serial port and usb 1.0 port .. not sure on the bios thing you where talking about though ... trying to access the ABS - ASC / traction module on my ECU to see or clear fault that has happened ... I suspect ABS Module but need to do test to find out if any other faults are been thrown up before spending £150+ on overhall or worst still new second hand one which involves recoding... as you know abs light is a fail on mot and needs to be sorted... the ADS plug I have (I beleive its ADS) is this ebay item http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/140471558008 ... the insides of the plug where posted on this thread a day or so ago so please have a look at the setup .. I have drawn the exact position of the pacman spindal on the picture so you know which way up the plug is also there is a picture of my connection under the hood... I do not own a serail to usb connector... any help would be good .. just waiting to get full info off you guys and then will buy the vagcom setup mentioned above as need this sorting asap.... Chris
 
#56 ·
I have the following vehicles:

2000 E46 318i M43 ( with both under driver's footwell + round pin under hood ) connectors.

1998 E36 328i ( with 20 pin round connector under hood )

With DS1, I can connect to the E46 ( using the under the hood connector )..no issues here.

I cannot connect to the E36. Do I need to set DS1 to work in ADS mode ?

Thanks...
 
#57 ·
none of you are reading the original post in this for guidance...


USB interfaces will "NOT" work with INPA set in std "ADS" mode it has to be set in std "OBD" mode

ADS INPA mode will only work with a serial interface going into a serial port...


most if not all E36's (late 1990's backwards) are full ADS cars!!! OB2 interfaces and adaptors (serial or USB) will "NOT" work fully on an "ADS car" you need a " FULL ADS interface or switchbox" not an OBD2 (serial or USB) to access everything..

THIS IS ALL EXPLAINED IN THE ORIGINAL FIRST POST...
 
#58 ·
we have read it and you are right, ADS needs serial however some pcmcia that have a irq and resource configurable can talk to ADS.

with my understanding USB can not . I posted the question because My pcmcia althought it is meant to be pcmcia it has a usb to serial chip in it which means it does not work. i hope this makes sense. if u are unsure type, pcmcia ads in google and then u will find out that it will work with certain serial pcmcia
 
#65 ·
OBD to ADS Adapter (For older BMWs eg E36). Will it work on my 525d E60 (2008)??

Hi

Just hoping someone can help me with this.

I have just bought a BMW 525d (2008 Newer 5 series facelifted LCI Model)..

I had the E36 before this with a fully working set up of INPA and EasyDis. (Thanks to the guys on this Forum) I was using the below OBD/ADS Adapter, which was bought for around £60....


Cable Electronic device Adapter Technology Electronics accessory



~I would like to know if the same above, Adapter/Connector, would work with my E60 525d? I guess I would be using it with the OBD LED selected, rather than the ADS, on the interface/adapter itself.

~Would I need to make any changes in the INPA or EDIABAS Files?? In particular in the Ediabas.ini file??

Any help would be really appreciated as the car has a Misfire, in Idle and when driving. Need to get in there and read the Faults with INPA as soon as I possibly can.

Thanks in advance for any help/advice.
 
#66 ·
Hi

Just hoping someone can help me with this.

I have just bought a BMW 525d (2008 Newer 5 series facelifted LCI Model)..

I had the E36 before this with a fully working set up of INPA and EasyDis. (Thanks to the guys on this Forum) I was using the below OBD/ADS Adapter, which was bought for around £60....


View attachment 43365


~I would like to know if the same above, Adapter/Connector, would work with my E60 525d? I guess I would be using it with the OBD LED selected, rather than the ADS, on the interface/adapter itself.

~Would I need to make any changes in the INPA or EDIABAS Files?? In particular in the Ediabas.ini file??

Any help would be really appreciated as the car has a Misfire, in Idle and when driving. Need to get in there and read the Faults with INPA as soon as I possibly can.

Thanks in advance for any help/advice.
ADS is only for modules designed in the late 1980s. You should be able to use OBD2 the entire protocol to find your urgent misfire, bypassing INPA. For example an ELM327 bluetooth module and Torque Lite on Android, or a cheap handheld scanner.

For INPA on 2007+ I am lead to believe you need a D-CAN adaptor. You certainly do not want pins 16.7 and 16.8 shorted since they are no longer both K line like on 1999-2007 cars. I have yet to understand why on one hand a basic OBD2 reader will work on pin 16.7 (presumably K line) but both free OBD2 PC software does not function with a VAGCM and INPA has to use D-CAN, perhaps BMW's D-BUS is supported on the high speed Pin 16.8 only. Guesswork.
 
#68 ·
Hi There,

I'm an idiot and need someone to clearly tell me what I need to buy.

I have a 1997 E39 520i with ONLY the round connector in the Engine bay.

I don't have a Laptop with a Serial Port.

I've been reading all the guides and there's so much information, some that is outdated, some that don't apply. I'm confused :(

Pweeeze Help.
 
#77 ·
the guide is self explanatory if your car is ADS (with a round connector under bonnet and pin 15 present) you will need an ADS switchbox if you want connection to all modules,if you just want basic engine diagnostics etc then the cheaper adaptor solution will suffice..
 
#79 ·
Just an update on my query above, I can confirm that INPA does work on an IBM/Lenovo T61 laptop running a clean install of Windows XP via a port replicator/docking station. My E46 being made in 1999 is a ‘crossover’ car in that it has both the round 20-pin diagnostics plug under the bonnet and the rectangular diagnostics plug located next to your right knee when sitting in the driving seat (in right hand drive cars). As mentioned here in other guides, in ‘crossover’ cars, only the round 20-pin diagnostics plug is used to connect with INPA, read error codes carry out coding etc.

This is what I used.

Hardware:

• IBM/Lenovo ThinkPad T61 laptop. Plenty of used ones can be had cheaply on ebay
• Port replicator/docking station. There are two versions, so check that it has all the ports at the back including the serial port. Furthermore, these normally have a key and lock to secure the laptop to the docking station. Search for ‘T61 docking station’
• 6-cell laptop battery. Important if you do not have access to a mains socket near your car
20-pin round connector with interface built inside. You can also get it from ebay. This is connected to the laptop docking station via the serial port.

Software:

• Windows XP. I have a 160GB hard drive to allow all the software enough room to breathe. Windows 7 will run on the T61, just make sure you have more than 2GB of RAM installed. I do not have Windows 7, so cannot comment on INPA performance with it.
• INPA (6.4.3.rar file)

I recommend following the advice in here and other places to prepare your laptop and install INPA from a CD or, as I eventually did, from a USB key. At first I unpacked and installed INPA directly from the laptop hard drive. The result was a lot of the INPA files were not installed properly and although INPA ran, it did not work when connected to the car. I ended up deleting all INPA and starting again. So again, the advice is, install INPA from a CD or USB key and you should not have the problems such as none of the cars showing up on the main INPA window, script errors and other annoyances.

If you cannot burn onto a CD, save the zipped INPA file to a USB key, and unpack it within the key. Afterwards, you can install INPA from there and it will look for the C:\drive in your laptop. Follow the instructions to install INPA. Make the necessary adjustments to allow INPA to ‘talk’ to your car and it should work.

The order I used to get it all going was:

• Plug your laptop into the docking station
• Plug in the 20-pin round connector cable to the serial port on the docking station
• Switch on your laptop, but do not run INPA
• Plug in the 20-pin round connector end into the round connector under the bonnet of your car
• Run INPA from the desktop icon or from INPALOAD.EXE

And all being well you should be good to go. Note that while this order worked for me, it might not work for everyone, so go with what works best for you.

I highly recommend the 20-pin round connector with interface built inside. It’s well made, cheaper than the interfaces I have seen and it worked like a charm. It’s under £40 and it took just over a week to get from the USA. Be mindful of customs charges though. I cannot say whether it works for the E34, E36 or other BMWs with only the 20-pin round diagnostics connector, but it is worth a look if you own any of these cars.
 
#80 ·
sorry i never saw ya initial inquiry i missed it...


if you copy INPA once downloaded and run it from C drive as in the instructions it should install properly..


most ignore or forget this instruction and try run it from desktop or wherever they have downloaded it to, this is where it all goes pete tong usually...
 
#81 ·
No problem dailyd... your guide on ADS cars and INPA helped me out big time as well. I had all sorts of missing files in INPA when I insalled it within the C: drive, so went the USB key way which worked. Thanks to INPA I have found two error codes related to air leaks, so that will be new hoses between the MAF and engine to hopefully sort that out.
 
#83 ·
Howdy dailydoggy...

Thanks for a really useful thread :thumbsup

We have recently purchased a 2003 320d SE Touring 150bhp, and loving it!
A few days ago a fuel pipe came off/loose and we had a serious fuel leak at the back of the engine, we were away from home so had to leave it in to a garage and they sorted it.
When we collected it we went on a 140 mile round trip and all was well. The next day we went on another 40 mile trip to a meeting, when I started the car after the meeting the DDE light did not go out and the car went into safe/limp mode...:eek
So I am going to try to do the diagnostics myself because I fear the "ah we'll try new glow plugs and when were there we'll put new injectors in it too and maybe we'll replace the ECU ah sure we might as well put a new engine in it for you" attitude of some garages... :jaw-dropping

I have the 16 pin at my right knee, but as far as I can see there is no socket in the engine bay? Where in the engine bay is it supposed to be located?
Which type/ what is the name of the lead I should be looking for on ebay?

Also, could you please pm me a link to the "63MB cut down version"?
When I get fault codes I might need to post here if I'm unsure of my next step :thumbsup

Thanks again.
 
#84 ·
2003 car is full OBD2 (16 pin oblong)...cutdown INPA version does not work with USB interfaces only serial interfaces...


so you have to decide depending on if your laptop has serial interface or USB only...


a C110 handheld is an alternative to messing about with laptops and INPA it depends on your level of PC and diags skill wether a C110 would be easier and more beneficial ...

BMW C110 MANUFACTURER OBDII FAULT CODE ENGINE ABS TRANSMISSION AIRBAG SCANNER | eBay
 
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