BMW FDL coding with E-Sys
Changing one setting in one module: what CAFD, NCD and FDL mean, every click in the FDL-Editor, and how to go back.
FDL coding in one minute
Every module in an F, G or I-series BMW (head unit, body module, instrument cluster, lights, and so on) keeps its settings as coding data. FDL coding means changing single settings in that data with E-Sys's FDL-Editor, instead of changing the whole car's vehicle order. It is how most "coding" changes are made: folding mirrors on lock, the seatbelt chime, the start screen, light functions and so on.
The other way, VO coding, changes the vehicle order and lets every module code itself to match.
CAFD, NCD and FDL
| Word | What it is |
|---|---|
| CAFD | The coding description of one module: which settings exist and which values they can take. Its name has an ID and a version, for example CAFD_000000F6_005_022_005. |
| NCD | The coding data read from your car's module, saved as a file. This is what you edit and what you keep as a backup. |
| FDL | The list of settings (functions) inside a CAFD, shown as a tree in the FDL-Editor: group, setting, value. |
| Werte / values | The choices a setting can take, often aktiv (on) and nicht_aktiv (off), or numbers. |
Step by step: change one setting
- Connect with an ENET cable or ICOM and a battery charger (see connecting E-Sys).
- Read FA and press Activate FA, then Read SVT to list the modules and their CAFDs.
- Select the module and press Read Coding Data. E-Sys saves the NCD. Keep this file: it is your way back.
- Expand the module, right-click its CAFD and choose Edit FDL. The FDL-Editor opens.
- Find the setting. Right-click it and choose Edit, pick the new value, and save the file.
- Back on the coding page, select the CAFD and press Code (some versions say Code FDL).
- Switch the ignition off and on, and test. If it is not right, code the saved NCD back.
Never press "Code Default Values" unless you mean it: it resets every setting of the module to the factory default for your vehicle order, so earlier changes are lost.
Why many settings show as "."
BMW removed setting names from the data E-Sys uses. F-series modules are mostly named in older data; G-series modules never were, so the FDL-Editor shows long lists of dots and numbers. That is why FDL coding on G-series is hard without a cheat sheet.
FDL coding with E-Sys MAX
- Every setting in English right in the FDL-Editor, also the ones E-Sys shows as a dot, wherever a name is known.
- What can I code? lists the ready-made changes for that module and your car, what is on and what is off. One click sets the value.
- Code several changes: tick changes in several modules and code them in one go, module by module.
- Safety check before E-Sys writes: the coding file must belong to the car that is connected, and the battery voltage is shown.
- Backups and coding history: each write keeps the old NCD, and history shows exactly which settings changed and puts them back.
Questions
Is FDL coding the same as flashing?
No. Coding changes settings; flashing (programming) replaces a module's software. FDL coding is the gentler of the two and is easily undone with the saved NCD.
My FDL change is gone after VO coding. Why?
VO coding and "Code Default Values" recode modules from the vehicle order, which puts FDL settings back to their defaults. Do VO changes first, then FDL changes. E-Sys MAX's coding history can re-apply your earlier changes.
Can I edit the NCD file without the car?
You can open and edit a saved NCD with its CAFD in the FDL-Editor, but writing it needs the car connected.
The FDL-Editor, in plain English
E-Sys MAX names the settings, lists ready-made changes and keeps a backup of every write. Free for 3 days.