ISTA as Shop Manual

Viewing ISTA Documents

I. Scope; Contents of Tutorial:
ISTA Used as a Shop Manual to View: Repair Procedures (REP); Wiring Diagrams, Interactive (SSP);
Functional Descriptions of HOW Systems work (FUB); Torque Specs (AZD); Fluid Specs (SBS); and more.
Functions NOT Connected to Vehicle: can use Desktop or Laptop w/o cable connection to vehicle
How to Open ISTA: Select Vehicle by VIN-7 or Basic Features, & Begin Search
19 Types of Documents: how to use Filter, to View selected Types of Documents.
Text Search: HOW to use to find Documents/ Content
Find Repair Instructions (REP): (A)Text Search; (B) Product Structure (Drill Down)
How to find Electrical Wiring Diagrams (SSP)
Component Locations & Connector Views: (Pin Identification) in SSP Documents
Symbols & Conventions: used in Wiring Diagrams
Functional Description: See HOW Systems work
ISTA Help: click [?] in Symbol bar @ top of screen; 52-page pdf loads. See p.48 for Task/Symbol Bar button
functions. ISTA Help describes FULL workshop system @ Dealership, NOT stand-alone computer use.

II. (A) Open ISTA; (B) Select Vehicle; (C) Begin Text Search:
ISTA can be used WITHOUT being connected to vehicle to search and view Documents:

(A) Open ISTA: Click Operations Menu Button, Top-Left of screen

(B1) Select Vehicle, Specific VIN: Enter Last-7 Characters of vehicle VIN in Input VIN box:

Press Enter or click Accept; ‘Vehicle Information > Vehicle Details’ Screen Appears (~ 20 seconds):
NOTE: Vehicle Identification appears in line beneath ISTA+ Symbol Bar/Tool Bar, at Top of Screen.

(B2) Select Vehicle ‘Basic Features’ (If Don’t Know VIN), Enter: Series/Chassis/Model/Engine, etc:

Note: Menu, Submenu & Tab buttons selected are Blue-Green Color in ScreenPrints
(C) Begin Text Search: Click ‘Vehicle management’ menu button, & either (1) ‘Troubleshooting’ or (2)
‘Repair/ Maintenance’ Submenu button, and then ‘Text Search’ Tab. ‘Search string’ box appears:

III. 19 Document Types & Filter Button:

Screen Above: shows ‘Default settings’ for Filter: 18 Document types. ALL BUT Special Tool (SWZ).

Click Filter Button: to filter for FEWER Document Types. Filtering results in faster searches & fewer ‘Hits’.
To select only ONE TYPE, such as REP, click ‘Select nothing’ button and then click the box on Repair
Instructions (REP) line. Or you can select ONLY (SSP) & (PIB) for electrical diagrams & Pinouts.

Check ONLY ‘Search in Document Title’: for fastest search (may be less complete); Note that there are Four
types of searches you can check under the Search String box. You can experiment to see what suits YOU
best. You can Cancel a SLOW search process by clicking the [X] at top-right of box and clicking ‘Yes’.

IV. Repair Instructions (REP):

 Filter for (REP) ONLY; Select ‘Search in structures’ & ‘Search in document title’
 Search “removing x”, where “x” is general term such as: fan, exhaust, disc, handbrake, filter, glovebox
 Title of many Procedures begins with: “Removing and installing / replacing”, so entering “removing filter”
gets 12 ‘Hits’: everything beginning with “Removing” and containing the word “filter”

A. Text Search:
Filter: (REP) only; Search in structures; Search in document title; Search string: “removing filter”:

Press Enter Key: with cursor in search string box (after typing), or click ‘Start search’ button, bottom-right

12 Hits: in ‘Hit List’ for that search are shown on next screen.
Double-click: any document line to view that Document. Note: ‘Hit list’ is under ‘Service plan’ Menu
button. Search terms “removing filter” appears.

NOTE Document History Icon: in Task/Symbol Bar, between Left/Right arrows. After you have opened
multiple documents, you can toggle between opened documents with those two arrows or click Doc History
button & Select desired document to view
 B. Product Structure, Drill-Down Manual Search:
Vehicle Management Menu button > Repair/Maint Submenu > Product Structure Tab; Screen 1 shown; there
are 3 more screens. Systems numbered same as RealOEM.com & Bentley: 11 Engine, 13 Fuel system, etc.
Example: View Procedure for Transmission Filter Remove/Replace on GM6 AT (GA6L45R)
Product Structure/ Main groups (shown above): Select/ Click ‘24 Automatic transmission’
Following Screen Appears:

Select ‘2411 transmission case, oil sump’ and click Start search button, bottom-right of screen:
Double-Click Removing…transmission oil filter (GA6L45R): to view REP Repair Instructions:

NOTE: ‘Necessary preliminary tasks’ are linked (just click link to view); in this case ‘Remove transmission
fluid sump’; other links provide procedures for replacing gasket, checking fluid level & Oil Type/ Spec.
Navigate: between pages using Left/Right Arrows either side of Document History, Icon Bar at top of screen.

Text Search: is faster than Product Structure “Drill-Down” approach IF you know the right search terms to
use. Using Product Structure may be less daunting at first UNTIL you learn what TERMS to use, and
depending how often/ how much you use ISTA.
Product Structure: approach helps you find the correct system/ group to search when you don’t know exactly
what you’re looking for, and/or its “technical name” as used in ISTA.

Requesting & Providing Search Terms: is encouraged, to increase the ISTA knowledge base on the Forums.

V. Find Electrical Diagrams, Component Locations, Connector Views, Pinouts:

Filter: SSP (wiring diagram) & PIB (Pinout) ONLY selected
Search in document title: selected ONLY
Search string Entry: may need to use term in Parenthesis instead of abbreviation
(1) Search by Module abbreviation: ASK, CAS, DME, DSC, EGS (“transmission control”), EKPS (“fuel
pump”), FAS (seat module); FRM, FZD (roof), JB (A4010), JBE (A4010a), KOMBI, MOST, MRS, RDC
SHD (roof), ULF, VTG
(2) Search by System/Subsystem: DME: air supply, engine cooling, fuel, ignition, valve gear; IHKA: heating
functions; FRM: window inputs, window outputs; interior lights; side light, beam (low/ high), brake,
reversing, mirror; CAS: locking inputs, locking drives, remote control; BSD (interface); radio; alternator
Each subsystem: named above has a separate wiring diagram. The trick is to know (correctly guess ;-) what the
“Title” of the Subsystem Diagram is. “Reversing” works – “backup” = NO Hits.
Also helps: to know what components are connected to/ INPUTS to/ controlled by a particular Module. The
“Overview” button at bottom of screen opens box identifying Components, Lines, Connectors, Fuses.
Example, Search “Reversing” entered in Search String, for Reversing/Backup light circuit:

NOTE: AT models use K-CAN signal to FRM from Transmission Module (EGS) to activate reversing lights.
MT models use Reversing Light Switch. ‘Overview’ button clicked to display Components / Lines Description.
Click on ‘X329’ (Connector for Tail light, inner left), and see Location Diagram & Connector View Tab:

Click Connector View: tab on that screen to see connector diagram with Pin # / Socket Identification:
Lighting Bulb/Connector Access: As described in IV(A) Repair Instructions (REP), Text Search above: Enter
“bulb” in search string; (REP) Filter ONLY; select only ‘Search in document title’: yields ‘Hit list’ (24 hits):

Combining REP Instructions with SSP wiring diagrams, Component Locations & Connector Views gives you
everything you need to test lighting / other electrical components (EXCEPT a Multimeter ;-)
As example, if you click on ‘REP Replacing light bulbs(s) for left or right rear light’ (last entry, hi-lighted
above) you will get the following screen; NOTE: the ‘Necessary preliminary tasks’: Remove socket housing…

Note ‘bulb type’: link (NOT shown) for bulb chart so you know what Type & Wattage bulb is required

Screens shown are for my 3/2007 build E91 Wagon; Your screens may vary
VI. Conventions & Symbols Used in ISTA SSP Wiring Diagrams:
Bentley Manual: pages ELE-2 & ELE-3, provide following Conventions & Symbols, ISTA SSP Documents:

NOTE: wire size appears in mm-squared cross-section area, just above Abbreviation for wire color. Small
number above fuse symbol (15 above F24 symbol in Conventions example) is KL15 or ignition-switched power
supply. KL87 is DME Main Relay; KL30G is Accessory Relay; KL30 is UN-switched Battery power.

Wire Size Links, American Wire Gauge (AWG) to mm-squared cross-section area:
https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/awg-wire-gauge-d_731.html
https://www.wirebarn.com/Wire-Calculator-_ep_41.html
VII. How Systems Work: Functional Descriptions (FUB) & FTD: Vehicle Tech Diagnosis:
Filter: If you ONLY want to see FUB Functional Descriptions of how a system works, and/or FTD (Vehicle
Technical Diagnosis),, select those two types in Filter and “Search in Document Title” ONLY.
Modules: ASK, CAS, DSC, FRM, FZD, JBE, KOMBI, MOST, MRS, RDC SHD, ULF, VTG: simply enter
the Module Abbreviation as listed here, and you will get Functional Description
Systems: Battery, Brake, Cool, Fuel, Heat, etc.
Components: Some components, such as Fan, IBS, EKP; you can even use a general term like “sensor” and get
47 hits, or “pump”, 12 hits.
Conditions: some conditions, such as Overvoltage, or tank leak.

Example of FUB: Overvoltage, or Voltage > 16V with Engine Running/ Alternator charging:

A. Check Control: CC-ID Codes & Procedure:

Filter: Select FTD or FUB ONLY; check ‘Search in document title’ ONLY
Search FTD: “Diagnosis on instrument cluster”; See Check Control Procedure & first 450 CC-ID Definitions.
Search FUB: “Check Control message”; See ALL CC-ID Definitions through CC-ID #965

Sharing Information:
Forum Members are encouraged to share their “Discoveries” of helpful ways to Find or Use ISTA Documents
of all types. Any suggestions or questions should be posted to the Thread where this pdf is linked. George