KAFAS 4 Reset Guide + Tool32 Script (KAFASG11.prg)

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KAFAS 4 Reset Guide + Tool32 Script (KAFASG11.prg) - Restore BMW front-camera driver-assist features in minutes — tested on G-Series

KAFAS 4 RESET – STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

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KAFAS 4 (Kamera Fahrerassistenz System) is the front camera used on modern BMWs for Lane-Keep Assist, Traffic-Sign Recognition, High-Beam Assist and more.
After a windshield swap, coding error or rejected FSC keys the module may lock itself.
This guide shows how to wipe NVM / FSC and restart the unit so every camera-based assistant comes back online.

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KidSquid said:
How does this differ with Kafas 3? I need to virginize and replace mine with a donor
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Good question — KAFAS 3 and KAFAS 4 are quite different in architecture, so the procedure in this guide does not directly apply to KAFAS 3.

Key Differences: KAFAS 3 vs KAFAS 4

  • Platform: KAFAS 3 is F-Series (F20/F30/F10 etc.), KAFAS 4 is G-Series (G11/G30/G01 etc.). The Tool32 script KAFASG11.prg is specifically for G-Series KAFAS 4 — it won't work on KAFAS 3.
  • FSC handling: KAFAS 3 (F-Series) typically uses a simpler FSC structure. KAFAS 4 introduced dual-CAFD variants with more aggressive FSC rejection logic, which is why the guide has separate paths for single vs. dual CAFD.
  • Virginization: KAFAS 3 virginization is a different process. The NVM structure and personalization data are stored differently.

What You Need for KAFAS 3 Donor Swap

To give you accurate steps, I need a few details:

  • Exact vehicle? Model, year, engine (e.g. F30 320d 2017)
  • KAFAS 3 part number? Both your original and the donor unit (HW/SW numbers from the label)
  • How was the donor read? Or is it unpowered/on the bench?
  • Tools available? ISTA, E-Sys, Tool32, ENET cable, ICOM?

In general terms, a KAFAS 3 donor swap on F-Series typically involves:

  1. Flashing the donor unit with your VIN-matched firmware via ISTA/P (TAL execution)
  2. Coding the module via E-Sys with your vehicle's VO/FA
  3. Writing valid FSC certificates if needed
  4. Running KAFAS calibration (static + dynamic) through ISTA

If the donor has a different HW revision than your original, flashing compatibility becomes the first thing to verify.

Post those identifiers and I can walk you through the specific procedure.
 
KidSquid said:
I'm in a G12 not a F
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Got it — G12, so you're still in G-Series territory and KAFAS 4 applies. But replacing with a donor unit is a different workflow than just resetting your existing module.

To help you virginize the donor KAFAS and get it working in your G12, I need:

  • Your G12 variant? Year, engine, LCI or pre-LCI (e.g. 2017 750i, 2020 740d LCI)
  • Part numbers from both units? HW and SW from the label on your original KAFAS and the donor — need to confirm HW compatibility
  • Donor source? What vehicle did it come from? (model/year)
  • Single or dual CAFD? Do you know if your car has one or two CAFDs for KAFAS? (LCI models often have dual)
  • Tools available? ISTA, E-Sys, Tool32, ICOM or ENET?

The general approach for a donor KAFAS 4 on G12 would be:

  1. Verify HW number match between original and donor
  2. Virginize / clear NVM on the donor (this is where the guide's nvm_restore job via Tool32 comes in)
  3. Flash VIN-matched firmware via ISTA (TAL processing)
  4. Handle FSC certificates — deactivate rejected ones per section B of the guide if dual CAFD
  5. Code the module to your VO/FA via E-Sys
  6. Run KAFAS static + dynamic calibration in ISTA

But step 1 is critical — if the HW revisions don't match, you may not be able to flash at all. Post those part numbers and we'll confirm compatibility first.
 
KidSquid said:
Original - - HW 004.001.000 SW 020.000.173
Donor - HW 005.001.000 SW 224.000.013
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That's a hardware mismatch — and it's a significant one.

The Problem

  • Original: HW 004.001.000
  • Donor: HW 005.001.000

HW 004 → HW 005 is a full hardware generation jump, not a minor revision. These are not interchangeable without complications:

  • The SW catalog for HW 005 is completely different from HW 004. ISTA will try to flash firmware matched to your VIN, which expects HW 004 — it will likely reject the TAL or fail mid-flash.
  • The CAFD structure may differ between the two HW revisions, meaning coding could also fail or produce unexpected behavior.
  • The SW on the donor (224.000.013) is from a much newer software branch than your original (020.000.173), which further confirms these are different hardware platforms.

Your Options

Option A — Find a HW 004 donor
This is the cleanest path. Get a donor KAFAS 4 with HW 004.xxx.xxx. Minor HW sub-revisions (e.g. 004.001 vs 004.002) are usually fine — the major number must match. Then the guide's procedure applies directly: nvm_restore → flash → code → calibrate.

Option B — Force the HW 005 into your car
This is possible in some cases but requires:
  • Updating your I-Level and VO/FA to a state where ISTA recognizes HW 005 as valid for your VIN
  • Potentially a full integration level upgrade of the entire vehicle (other modules may need updating too)
  • This is essentially converting your car's software baseline to LCI / newer spec — not trivial, risk of cascading issues with other modules

Recommendation: Source a HW 004 unit. It will save you hours of headaches. Do you have the full BMW part number (e.g. 66 51 x xxx xxx) from your original? That makes finding a matching donor much easier.
 
KidSquid said:
i dont see a 66 51 number anywhere on the original part
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No worries — the part number format can vary. Look for any of these on the label:

Common identifiers on KAFAS 4 units:
  • BMW P/N — sometimes starts with 66 51, 66 53, or just a 7-digit number
  • Bosch P/N — usually starts with 0 986 or similar
  • Continental P/N — if it's a Continental unit
  • A2C number — another Continental format

Also check:
  • The barcode sticker on the side or back of the housing
  • Any sticker with "KAFAS" or "TRSVC" in the text
  • The connector side sometimes has a smaller label

If you can't find anything physical, you can pull the part number electronically:

  • ISTA → Vehicle ID → read module info for KAFAS → will show the BMW part number and supplier info
  • E-Sys → SVT → KAFAS entry will list the SGBMID with HW/SW and part number
  • Tool32 → Load KAFASG11.prg → run identschwerpunkt or sgbdauskunft — should return the full identification block including part numbers

Can you try any of those? The part number is the fastest way to find a matching HW 004 donor. Also — is your original unit still in the car and communicating, or is it dead?
 
see attached photo the top item is the original, the lower the donor
 

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KidSquid said:
see attached photo the top item is the original, the lower the donor
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Good photo, now we have the full picture. Here's the breakdown:

Original (top):
  • BMW P/N: 6824300-01
  • Continental: A2-C737-3512-0-00
  • Bosch ref: 757890-13/01
  • HW: 004.001.000 / SW: 020.000.173
  • Date code: S15A-16-03-490 → 2016 production

Donor (bottom):
  • BMW P/N: 9461797-01
  • Continental: A2-C756-5021-3-00
  • Bosch ref: 757890-13/01
  • HW: 005.001.000 / SW: 224.000.013
  • Date code: S15A-11-18-490 → 2018/2019 production

This confirms what we suspected — these are two completely different parts:

  • 6824300 → pre-LCI G12 KAFAS 4
  • 9461797 → LCI G12 KAFAS 4 (or possibly G30 LCI / G05)
  • Different Continental base board (C737 vs C756)
  • Different HW generation (004 vs 005)

These are not compatible as a straight swap. The Bosch ref 757890-13/01 being the same just means they share the same camera optics module — the processing board behind it is different.

What you need

Search for a donor with BMW P/N 6824300 (any suffix like -01, -02, -03 is fine — that's just the revision). This guarantees HW 004 and the correct Continental board.

Common sources:
  • 2016–2019 G11/G12 pre-LCI
  • Possibly 2017–2019 G30 pre-LCI (same part number used across platforms)

Once you have a matching 6824300 unit, the guide's procedure applies directly — nvm_restore via Tool32, flash via ISTA, code via E-Sys, calibrate.

Do you want to keep the 9461797 donor and try the forced upgrade path instead, or will you source a matching unit?
 
KidSquid said:
can you confirm that the original is kafas 3 or 4?
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Looking at the labels again:

Both units share the Bosch reference 757890-13/01 — this is the KAFAS 4 (MPC4 platform) identifier.

To confirm:

  • KAFAS 3 = Bosch ref 757890-11/xx (MPC3 platform)
  • KAFAS 4 = Bosch ref 757890-13/xx (MPC4 platform)

Your original 6824300-01 with 757890-13/01 is definitely a KAFAS 4.

Also consistent with:
  • Continental A2-C737 series → KAFAS 4 board family
  • G11/G12 (2016+) came with KAFAS 4 from launch
  • SW 020.000.173 is a known KAFAS 4 software branch

So both your original and the donor are KAFAS 4 — just different hardware revisions of it. Your donor search should target 6824300 specifically to stay within HW 004.
 
KidSquid said:
what is this part # 66515A081A1?
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That doesn't match a standard BMW or Continental part number format for KAFAS units.

Where are you seeing this number? Is it:

  • On the unit itself (maybe a secondary sticker or etching)?
  • From an eBay/marketplace listing?
  • From ISTA or E-Sys readout?
  • On the camera lens module rather than the ECU housing?

The format 66515A081A1 looks like it could be a BMW parts catalog number written without dashes — possibly 66 51 5A08 1A1 or 6651 5 A08 1A1 — but it doesn't cleanly parse into a known KAFAS part scheme.

A few possibilities:

  • 66 51 prefix → BMW group for camera/driver assistance systems, so it could be a superseded or regional part number
  • Could be a Teilenummer from ETK/RealOEM for the complete camera assembly (housing + bracket + ECU) rather than just the ECU board
  • Could be a vendor internal number printed on the lens or bracket

Can you share where you found it? If it's from a listing for a potential donor, post the listing or photo and I can cross-reference it against the 6824300 you need.
 
KidSquid said:
I was told that was my original part number, but that source may be wrong
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That source is likely wrong or confused. Based on the actual label photo you shared, your original unit clearly shows:

BMW P/N: 6824300-01

That's the number that matters for sourcing a replacement.

The number 66515A081A1 might be:

  • A misread or garbled number from a parts catalog lookup
  • A bracket/housing assembly number rather than the ECU itself
  • A dealer-level composite part number that bundles camera + bracket + wiring
  • Simply incorrect

Stick with 6824300 as your search term when sourcing a donor. That's what's physically printed on your unit and what the vehicle's I-level expects. Any suffix (-01, -02, -03) is acceptable — just match the base number.
 
KidSquid said:
I'm reading that Kafas 4 is a plastic body with either 1 or 3 lenses...my original is a metal body w...
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Good observation — let me clarify this because there's some confusion in the community about naming conventions.

The KAFAS generation naming depends on whether you're talking about the camera hardware or the ECU platform:

Camera Body Generations

  • KAFAS 1/2 — Metal body, single lens (earlier F-series)
  • KAFAS 3 — Metal body, dual lens (stereo camera) — F-series facelift & early G-series
  • KAFAS 4 — Plastic body, single or tri-lens — later G-series

ECU Platform Generations

  • MPC3 — Bosch ref 757890-11/xx
  • MPC4 — Bosch ref 757890-13/xx

Your unit has:
  • Metal body
  • Dual lens (stereo)
  • Bosch ref 757890-13/01 (MPC4 ECU)

So you have a KAFAS 3 camera body with an MPC4 (KAFAS 4) ECU inside. This is common on early G11/G12 (2016-2018) — BMW used the stereo metal housing but upgraded the processing board to MPC4.

This is exactly why the part number 6824300 is what matters for sourcing, not the KAFAS generation label. The generation names get muddled because the camera housing and ECU platform don't always align 1:1.
 
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