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      07-13-2021, 01:22 PM   #1
celsdogg
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My recent (2021) great experience with ECS Tuning and the Schwaben BMW Scanner

TL;DR - ECS replaced my oddly functioning Schwaben BMW Scanner (by Foxwell) more than two years after purchase with very little fuss. The new replacement unit works perfectly with F chassis' and works with older E chassis' where the old unit didn't work at all. Thank you ECS!


Long Story
I wanted to get this story out into the ether about my recent experience dealing with ECS Tuning. A few years ago there was a lot of negativity concerning ECS and their customer service and also their acquisitions of brands. I really didn't feel one way or the other about it; I ordered from them and they sent me what I ordered, no problems. I continued to use them as one of the places where I bought parts.

After picking up a couple F-chassis', I decided it was time to get a newer scan tool. I had been using a Peake R5/FCX but getting newer Bimmers demanded newer tools after the loss of our E46. I loved the Peake for its simplicity and portability. It worked in my E30, E36/5 and E46 and I also came to seriously appreciate how quick it was.

But the Peake only diagnosed DMEs and with the handful of electronic modules in newer cars I decided to go with the Schwaben BMW Scanner (after a year with Carly which I hate). Yes, yes, yes, ISTA. ISTA is definetly more comprehensive and complete but I do not want to lug around a laptop, ENET cable, charging brick, etc. around with me. I also liked the idea where it claimed to be able to work with BMWs going back to 1987. That would cover everything in my stable. Now, I knew that it was made by Foxwell and simply rebranded. I thought about just getting the Foxwell NT510 and getting both the BMW and Toyota software (for my Sienna) but I am really tired of the ubiquity of Chinese products with minimal post-sale support. If ECS decided to stamp their house brand name on it then I at least knew where I could go to talk to someone, even if they told me to pound sand.

In April 2019 I received the unit (with white buttons) and a 20 pin round adapter. The unit had a good feel to it. It felt robust and well made with a rubber bumper guard and it came with a case, SD card reader, and a USB-A to mini-USB cable (such an aging cable type). I tested it out on my F22 and F30. It worked but man it was slow. I was a little disheartened by the speed but at least I had something that can give me data on all 20-ish modules in the F-chassis. Over the couple years of owning it I was able to check and clear DME codes (PO of my F22 put the OE charge pipe back in without seals), register new batteries, and all the other little things you need to do in BMW ownership.

The unfortunate thing was that it did not work at all with my E30 or E36/5. I'll get more into the quirks by model below but I decided to forget about using it with the older cars since I had the Peake and these cars basically only have DMEs to worry about (I also have a Peake SRS unit for airbag safety system stuff).

Earlier this year I started the F22 and it was a odd and a little rough. I hooked up the scanner and it gave me some MAF errors. I popped the hood and found the sensor unplugged. I must have forgotten it last time I was fiddling around in there. Either way, I decided that with all my ample COVID time, I am going to upgrade the firmware and hopefully Foxwell will have decreased the connection time and overall slowness.


Old scanner with original firmware while MAF was unplugged, also found that charge pipe had no seals

I booted into Windows (I roll with tux) and logged into my Foxwell account. I had made it shortly after purchase to register the unit and ensure I would get future updates. I followed their links to download the FoxScanner software. Initially, it would not work because the link gives you a PDF to download. But it is not a PDF. After changing the extension to ".exe" and scanning the suspect file, I ran the new executable and installed the software.

Foxscanner updated me to:
  • OS-Software V9.60
  • BMW V11.30
  • OBDII V6.23


Foxscanner available updates


Testing on both the F30 and F22 showed that the firmware update made it worse! I can now only connect to these 4 modules:
  • ICM Integrated Chassis Management
  • Airbag-ACSM Crash Safety Module
  • CIC Car Information Computer
  • FRM Footwell Module
  • INSTR Instrument Cluster

If I tried to force it to connect to the DME it would tell me it can't communicate with it. Same with any other module not above. I tried for a few weeks to fix it myself. I wrote zeros to the SD card and had FoxScanner download the packages again. I tried a different SD card. I forced a downgrade to BMW V11.29. Finally, I decided to open a ticket with Foxwell Support at the beginning of May 2021. It is now July 2021 and it has still not been responded to.

Ten days later, I decided to email service@foxwelltech.com as directed in the description of the product on the ECS website. I only asked that someone take a look at the ticket so I could get this scanner fixed. They responded that "She" will reply to me later. I quote this only because it seemed to indicate that a single person was handling support duties. Or it might have gotten lost in translation as the email came with a contact block from Shenzhen. I waited another week for the ticket to be updated but it was not, so I replied to the email with the information on what was wrong with the scanner. They emailed with some non-sensical questions and stated that the F-chassis' required the newer NT530 and the E30 was not supported. They told me to buy an NT530.

After that revelation I made my first contact with ECS through their website's online chat feature. After more than 2 years since purchase, I expected them to be indifferent since I was definetly out of any warranty period. They are under no technical obligation to help me out. And that is pretty much how I felt it went. The online customer service rep let me know that they can't troubleshoot any issues with the unit since they didn't build it and to contact Foxwell. Of course I do not expect them to troubleshoot it, I wanted them to at least attempt to leverage their business relationship with Foxwell to get me some help! In the end, he said I emailed the wrong address despite it being listed on their website (and still is as of July 2021). He said to try with support@foxwelltech.com. Reluctantly with hope fading, I did.

In the meantime, I had access to an R56 Mini Cooper S and I gave it a go with the scanner. It was incredible. The scanner was fast, scanned everything and worked flawlessly like I hoped it would when I first got it. The scanner still worked. This seemed to be a software problem for sure.

I emailed support@foxwelltech.com and initially it seemed like it would go well. They offered me some not yet released firmware in an attachment and instructions on how to flash it (which just means copying it to the SD card. This scanner smarts are all on the SD card which is just a plain FAT32 block device). Unfortunately, he sent me Benz software. Once I clarified with him he told me that the E30 was too old and the E36/5, F30, and F22 all require a NT530. If that is the case, what is this thing supposed to work with?!?!

I informed them that the scanner hardware still worked with the R56 as proof. I just asked for some old firmware I could try just so I could get it back to where it was. He attempted some techno jargon on me on why it wouldn't and couldn't work. I persisted and eventually they offered a "trade-in policy" where I could purchase a NT530 for lower than "market price".

I thought about it and almost did it. But then, I thought, I'd be in the NT530 for the price of the NT510 + the discounted price of the NT530 just to have a orange Foxwell tool that at some point in the future, they decide to release a firmware that would prevent it from working as it had previously. No thanks.

I went back to ECS thinking about how I was going to ask them to support this product since they put their name on it and that it had to mean something other than being left with a half functioning tool. I ended up wasting a lot of brain power. I got back on their online chat, informed them of what happened with Foxwell and before I got anywhere close to mentioning branding the customer service rep told me that she was checking on getting the unit replaced.

Replaced? After more than 2 years since purchase? I was floored. I had never had a bad experience with ECS but in today's world we somehow always expect bad customer service. I couldn't be more happy with how I was dealt with! I received the new unit a few weeks ago and the firmware is very different than any of the versions I had with the other unit. It connects with everything and works quickly. And the new unit also works with older cars like the E30 and E36! One thing that the new unit does that the old one did not was during the connection process, it restarts all the modules (if the engine is running while plugging it in, the engine will turn off). I do not think I will be bothered to update the firmware on this one and if I did, I would use another SD card and keep the one I got "stock". Heck, I might even back it up.


New scanner connected successfully to E30 with 20 pin adapter

In the end I can say the ECS stood behind their Schwaben brand and supported them in stark contrast to Foxwell. In a world where a lot of things are built via contract (like a huge percentage of a car is) having the support of the brand that prominently puts their name on a product is sometimes all that matters.


Cliff notes per vehicle

For these notes, ODB2=EOBD. "OBD2 port" will indicate the physical connector. "OBD2 protocol" will indicate reading ODB2 DTCs.

E30 (Motronic 1.3)
Old Scanner (with original and updated firmware)
  • would not connect with 20 pin round adapter to under hood diagnostic port
New Scanner
  • connects and reads DME with 20 pin round adapter to under hood diagnostic port
  • When using a 525 ECU and engine is running, engine will turn off when unit plugged in. With 173 ECU the engine keeps running.

E36/5
Old Scanner (with original and updated firmware)
  • would not connect using either the ODB2 port or 20 pin diagnostic port under hood with adapter
  • OBD2 protocol would not connect
New Scanner
  • Connects to ODB2 port under dash and reads DME and OBD2 protocol
  • States successful connection to airbag system with 20 pin under hood diagnostic port. However, I have an airbag light for faulty connection to a seat belt pretensioner. My Peake SRS scanner can find and clear the code but the new scanner does not display a code. Will test more and update when I get around to fixing this.

F22
Old Scanner (with original firmware)
  • Auto detect VIN feature would fail after a long attempt to connect, then connect successfully if retry was selected
  • Connected and read modules slowly
  • Was able to read and clear codes
  • ODB2 protocol connected quickly
Old scanner (with updated firmware)
  • Connected slowly
  • Auto detect VIN does not work
  • Can only find and read 5 modules
  • ODB2 protocol connected quickly
New Scanner
  • Connects quickly
  • Auto detection of VIN works the first time and quickly
  • Performed DSC bleed procedure that is similar to ISTA+
  • ODB2 protocol connected quickly

F30
Old Scanner (with original firmware)
  • Auto detect VIN feature would fail after a long attempt to connect, then connect successfully if retry was selected
  • Connected and read modules slowly
  • Was able to read and clear codes
  • Successfully registered new battery for IBS
  • ODB2 protocol connected quickly
Old scanner (with updated firmware)
  • Connected slowly
  • Auto detect VIN does not work
  • Can only find and read 5 modules
  • ODB2 protocol connected quickly
New Scanner
  • Connects quickly
  • Auto detection of VIN works the first time and quickly
  • ODB2 protocol connected quickly

2008 Toyota Sienna
Old Scanner (with original and updated firmware)
  • ODB2 protocol connected quickly
New scanner
  • ODB2 protocol connected quickly

I intended to purchase the Toyota specific firmware to support this vehicle but my direct experience with Foxwell has changed my mind.

I'll keep this post updated as much as I can with how this scanner does. If there are any questions about what it can do let me know and I will try my best to answer.
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KIA - '91 E30 325i AT (146k) | '02 E46 325i MT (212k)
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Last edited by celsdogg; 07-13-2021 at 01:34 PM..
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      07-13-2021, 04:25 PM   #2
123Britt
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Foxwell to Autel

My Foxwell from ECS Tuning started giving me intermittent problems where
the screen would go blank. Had it for many years.

Decided on the Autel MX808 from JB Tools.

The icarsoft Max is similar but with free updates.

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