BMW 3132 — Vehicle Mode Message Missing
- Severity
- Informational
- Module
- DME
- OBD-II Code
- U1115
Description
Fault 3132 (U1115) is logged by the DME when the CAN message for "vehicle mode" (message ID 0x315) stops arriving on the bus. This message carries centre console button and drive-mode state (Sport/Power/Eco) from the module responsible for console switches — SZM, JBBF, GWS, or ZGW, depending on platform. When it disappears entirely the DME is no longer seeing a heartbeat from the sender. This usually points to a dead or offline transmitter module, loss of power/ground at the transmitter, or a broken CAN wire between it and the gateway.
The DME expects to see message 0x315 at a regular interval. When it has not arrived within the expected timeout the DME logs this fault. Unlike the checksum variant (fault 3131), the message isn't corrupted — it simply isn't being transmitted at all.
3132 - U1115: Vehicle Mode Message Missing - Lost communication
Symptoms
Typically no driver-visible symptom in isolation. Sport/Power button may appear inoperative on equipped vehicles. Usually logged alongside other "no message" faults pointing at the same transmitting module, which is the diagnostic clue.
Common Causes
Ranked by frequency:
- Transmitting module is offline due to its own power or ground failure
- CAN bus wire break between the transmitter and the rest of the network
- Failed transmitting module (SZM/JBBF/GWS failure)
- Battery just disconnected or replaced without proper registration — can cause transient logging
- Retrofit or aftermarket module installed incorrectly, interrupting the bus
Diagnosis Steps
- Read fault memory on every module. If the suspected transmitter is "no communication" across the board, that module is either dead or has lost power/ground.
- Attempt to connect to the suspected transmitter directly with ISTA. If ISTA cannot identify the module, you've found it — the module isn't alive on the bus.
- Verify power supply (usually KL30 permanent) and ground at the transmitter. Check relevant fuses per the vehicle's wiring diagram.
- With battery disconnected, measure CAN bus resistance at the DLC: should be approximately 60 ohms. 120 ohms means one terminator (usually at the DME or DSC end) isn't present — the transmitter may have fallen off the bus.
- If the transmitter is alive but the DME isn't seeing its messages, trace the CAN-H and CAN-L wiring from the transmitter through any junction or gateway to the DME.
Resolution
- Transmitter with no power → repair power/ground supply, check fuses
- Transmitter internally failed → replace the defective module (program and code per ISTA; select the correct variant by VIN using ETK/RealOEM)
- Broken CAN wire → repair with crimped inline splice; do not twist-and-tape
- Wrong or uncoded retrofit module → remove or properly code to the vehicle After repair, clear fault memories on all modules and re-scan.