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I firmly believe we have the best and most complete solution for FBS4 in the world. I was recently asked by an acquaintance on a forum “Adapting fbs4 modules has there been a big demand for this out of interest???”. That got me thinking, instead of replying to a forum thread why not take you back to September 12, 1962.
 
A brilliant and inspiring leader then stood before the whole world and declared:

“We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard. Because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone and one we intend to win."


John F. Kennedy was so inspiring that despite it being unthinkable the NASA guys achieved the impossible in almost seven years (July 20th, 1969). My favorite part of this is the “not because they are easy, but because they are hard”. If it is hard then no one else is willing to do it unless they are crazy enough.

There isn’t much we have not discussed about the MN032 license and the DAS4. What we still need to tell you is that we will never stop moving forward on FBS4. As you know in 2015, we were the once who managed to overcome the FBS3 cars for module replacement as well as key programming. Later other companies started doing the same thing but today, in mid-September 2023 we remain the sole people who provide FBS4 solutions of any serious kind. We are finally ready with the next update to the Abrites FBS4 manager and here is what you need to know.

Whenever a DAS module breaks in an FBS4 car you are left with three options:

I.  Go to the dealer where you are expected to pay thousands to get a replacement and for this replacement to be adapted.

II. Use AVDI with the needed licenses when you can read the data from the defective module. If you can read the DAS related data – either in the car or on a bench you can safely save this data and transfer it to another module of the same type – be it an ECU or TCU you can simply read from the old, make the secondhand donor virgin and repair your customer’s car. This is the easiest way, not because it is easy but because we have made it as simple to use as possible. This is the goal – everything needs to be as simple to use as possible. Here you need nothing but your Abrites tools. All the details in the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3Swan4BmNM

III. Use AVDI with the needed licenses when you cannot read the data from the defective module. This is a bit trickier. We are the only company who can provide you with a tool to make more and more used FBS4 modules virgin and even if you do not have the original module to use its data you can still adapt them. All you need is a friend with online access to a factory tool and you will be able to achieve this. Make the new (used) module virgin and adapt it to the car with the OEM tool. Online access is required here so find a good Mercedes specialist to take you through. The factory tool treats it like a brand-new Off-the-shelf part and allows the adaptation with no problem as shown in the video below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPv_7QT3ITA

That is good but it is never enough. Typically, DAS systems have many other components, and this is why with the new software version, which is getting ready as I am typing this, we are adding Direct Shift Modules to be added to the MN032 software license. But this is not all because now we also have the 9-G tronic transmissions added to the software as well. We have many new modules too. Some of them require you to have the EP003 license and the ZN051 Distribution Box and you can find them in the list below:

• ECU CRR1(SID307) and CRR1+(SID310) – Done completely by OBD!
• ECU MRD1, MRG1 (manufactured up to 2021) – Bench connection using ZN051 Distribution box and EP003 are required.
• ECU CRR2 (MD1CS006) – Bench connection using ZN051 Distribution box and EP003 are required.
• ECU MED41 (MED17.7.7) – Bench connection using ZN051 Distribution box and EP003 are required.
• Transmission Control Unit VGSNAG3 (9-Gear) - Bench connection using ZN051 Distribution box and EP003 are required.
• Transmission Control Unit VGSDCT (Dual Clutch Transmission) - Bench connection using ZN051 Distribution box and EP003 are required.
• Direct Shift Module (DSM) – ABPROG (ZN030) is required to connect to the module’s microcontroller and read data directly from it to extract the data and use it with the ABRITES software.

Speaking of transmission controllers, we need to make one very important point about the operation of the software there - we do not simply clone transmissions. Instead, we only transfer the necessary data and you do not lose the calibration values which helps you to avoid this tedious process, saving you time and money. There is no need to perform the calibration of the transmission which will otherwise ask of you to basically have a dyno stand to do. This Alone saves you half of the work when adapting a TCU.

One last thing before we conclude today’s blog is the MN033 - Mercedes-Benz FBS4 Vehicles Electronic Steering Lock Repair – This is a license people use daily because it is the only one which can reset the FBS4 ELVs and for those who know this is a very sore thumb when discussing the most common A, B, C, CLA, GLA, even E class cars from Stuttgart.

So, to answer the question our colleague had in the beginning – we choose to keep working on FBS4 module adaptation because it will eventually lead us to the moon, and we will be able to culminate with our own July 20th, 1969, and a proverbial end to our version of the space race. It might take slightly more than seven years if we count 2015 as the beginning but we will get there are you, my dear friends will be there with us to see the Abrites flag waving.
See you on Monday when I have the history of digital dashboards ready for you to enjoy.

Alek