>Return-Path:>X-Sender: newell@library.ucsf.edu >Date: Fri, 11 Apr 1997 12:37:44 -0700 >To: pmoyes@ns.net, kevin.newell@scz.ssi1.com, newell@telerobotics.jpl.nasa.gov, > mike@newell.xo.com, NEWELLR@ULVACS.ULAVERNE.EDU >From: Patrick Newell >Subject: FYA > >Date: Thu, 10 Apr 1997 14:01:52 -0400 >From: Nick Zervas >Subject: BMW fixes transmission via dialup to car > >My dad's new Beamer [1996 540i], ya' know, the ultimate driving machine, >turned itself in to the ultimate PITA [pain...], as relayed by my dad: The >automatic tranny locked up in OD after he nailed it, doing the ol' power >downshift that automatics can do. This left him quite overgeared and >useless from a full stop. The instrument panel read 'program missing ' or >some such fibbishness. Back at Beamer local, the center-of-gravity guys >found that he had a corrupted or missing tranny 'program'. The Beamer >system is designed to sense driving habits and adjust shifting patterns >accordingly, storing the 'changes' in firmware. Apparently, the nailing was >outside dad's established params so the 'program' balked. They had to >connect the car to Beamer central in Munchen via dialup to download a fresh >program. > >NickZ > > [Evidently the extreme parameters resulted in either > a Variant Beamer or a Bavariant Creamer. PGN] > > "Many things, having full reference to one consent, may work contrariously; as many arrows, loosed several ways, fly to one mark; as many ways meet in one town; as many fresh streams meet in one salt sea; as many lines close in the dial's center; so may a thousand actions, once afoot, end in one purpose, and be all well borne without defeat." Henry V, I, ii, 205 -William Shakespere