Genuine BMW Diagnostics
THE ONLY INDEPENDENT BMW REPAIR SHOP IN SANTA FE USING BMW'S OWN ISTA DIAGNOSTICS.
What is ISTA?
Integrated Service Technical Application.
ISTA is just one piece of a complex system required to diagnose and repair your BMW or Mini Cooper. Comprised of, “ISTA,” “ISTA/P,” and “ICOM.”
If your BMW service provider doesn’t know these acronyms and also own this equipment, then your BMW is in the wrong hands.
At Ian’s Garage, we have the same dealer equipment and special tools used to perform the necessary diagnostics and programming for such things as electronic control unit coding, software/firmware updates, fault finding and digital servicing records and more.
One of the many benefits to the customer is, when they describe an issue with their vehicle, one of the first procedures we take is to check for any software updates specifically relating to that issue. Checking for these first means that we can eliminate software problems before trouble shooting the apparent faulty component.
Checking with ISTA first will ensure no time or money is wasted looking for
faults that the manufacturer has already identified and released a fix for.
The Best of Both Worlds
Diagnostic equipment such as ISTA is a necessary tool in today’s computer controlled automotive systems; but by themselves they don’t uncover everything.
Unlike the skilled technicians at Ian’s Garage, computers don’t have judgement. They also don’t posses the ability to ask questions, explain their findings or intuitively know that something about the data “just isn’t right.”
Proper BMW and Mini Cooper diagnostics begins when one of our technicians analyzes the results of a diagnostics readout and then assess those findings.
A Bit About
The Future
It has been a long time since the introduction of the first fuel injection system. Back in the 90’s, the Engine Control Unit (ECU) was responsible for fuel delivery and spark timing. That was its only function. Today, almost 40 years later, BMW recently announced that is on track to deliver a fully self-driving car by 2021. That’s a huge leap in technology terms.
What's This Got to Do With Me?
You might be wondering what that has to do with your BMW or Mini Cooper and Ian’s Garage? Well, for starters, it’s good to know that your BMW or Mini Cooper is a true technological miracle. Almost every function in your car, from fuel delivery to the entertainment system to heated seats, is electronically controlled. We’re talking about, for example, a Series 5 BMW may have over 40+ electronic modules installed. As you may now understand, diagnosing a modern BMW can be challenging.
As an automotive technology leader, BMW is fully aware of this. That’s why they developed the ISTA (Integrated Service Technical Application). The BMW engineering team understood that traditional diagnostic tools were a good solution back in the days when electronic modules had “fixed programs”. However, in an age where car manufacturers like BMW and Mini seek to deliver a “personalized experience” to the end user, a new approach was necessary. ISTA and ISTA/P are highly sophisticated solutions that allow BMW technicians to literally re-program your entire vehicle. The flexibility of such a solution able to connect to the BMW cloud and download ECU programs in real-time is amazing.
Keep in mind that every function in your BMW/Mini is electronically controlled. Suppose you iDrive stops working, or your headlights require calibration. That’s something that can be fixed by reprogramming the appropriate module. Is your transmission acting erratically? Do you feel a sudden lack of power in your engine? BMW/Mini is constantly releasing software updates to improve drivability. Yes, software updates just like your Android, iOS, PC or MacOS operating system.
Generic diagnostic tools can read trouble codes and perform limited actuator tests. However, reprogramming vehicle subsystems is something that only an ISTA tool can do. Usually, that meant booking a visit to the dealer. At least that was the only option you had until now. Thanks to ISTA and Ian’s Garage, we are the only BMW/Mini service in Santa Fe able to offer you the same dealer-level reprogramming capabilities at a competitive price.
As technology advances, the need for cutting-edge tools like the ISTA and highly trained technicians will become mandatory. Excited about fully autonomous 2021 model year BMW? Ian’s Garage is prepared for the challenge of servicing current and future BMW models, the investment in the ISTA is proof of that.
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Reference:
https://www.autonews.com/article/20170316/MOBILITY/170319877/bmw-says-self-driving-car-to
-be-level-5-capable-by-2021