Illuminated shift knob

[TheArctic]

Hello, I’m pretty new to the F platform as I just recently purchased an F32 (manual) after having to unfortunately get rid of my E38. One of the things I loved about the older cars were their illuminated manual shift knobs. I’d love to retrofit an illuminated shift knob on my car but it seems that in these newer cars, they only make them for the M models. My car is a sport but not an M sport. I tried to look around previous forum threads for good quality after market products but came up empty handed. Could you guys recommend me some good quality illuminated shift knobs? (Can be M version or non M version if one exists). Thanks!

[RBNetEngr]

Physically, an M knob will fit. Now, whether you can hook up the illumination is another issue.

I put a lighted M knob in my E36 M3. I believe the knob was actually for a Z3 M. In any case, the wiring it came with had a connector on it that basically attached to an existing wire in the console; pretty much I pulled the two connectors apart, and inserted the shift wire connector between them and plugged them into it. It not only tapped power for the illumination, but the power was tied to the instrument panel illumination, so the shift knob lighting brightens and dims with the instrument panel.

Not sure if something like this would be possible for today’s era of car, with CAN communications and other stuff, but you may want to check that option first. BMW probably still makes that console wiring in such a way to allow mods like this on the assembly line.

I think I paid $130 for that knob in 2000-2001, so it was a pricey mod that only I really appreciate.

Realoem shows this:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210710/6689e5381865cfb3af7444c6b186e346.jpg


https://www.eeuroparts.com/Parts/466519/Manual-Transmission-Shift-Knob-25112284705/

Now, will it easily wire in? I don’t know that.

-rb

[328 Power 04]

A manual awd 435xi coupe! That is very cool.

I bet the lighted shifter retrofit is possible.

Come to think of it, I don't think my M2C has it either :shifty

[TheArctic]

Physically, an M knob will fit. Now, whether you can hook up the illumination is another issue.

I put a lighted M knob in my E36 M3. I believe the knob was actually for a Z3 M. In any case, the wiring it came with had a connector on it that basically attached to an existing wire in the console; pretty much I pulled the two connectors apart, and inserted the shift wire connector between them and plugged them into it. It not only tapped power for the illumination, but the power was tied to the instrument panel illumination, so the shift knob lighting brightens and dims with the instrument panel.

Not sure if something like this would be possible for today’s era of car, with CAN communications and other stuff, but you may want to check that option first. BMW probably still makes that console wiring in such a way to allow mods like this on the assembly line.

I think I paid $130 for that knob in 2000-2001, so it was a pricey mod that only I really appreciate.

Realoem shows this:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210710/6689e5381865cfb3af7444c6b186e346.jpg


https://www.eeuroparts.com/Parts/466519/Manual-Transmission-Shift-Knob-25112284705/ (https://www.eeuroparts.com/Parts/466519/Manual-Transmission-Shift-Knob-25112284705/)

Now, will it easily wire in? I don’t know that.

-rb

Yeah I was planning to do a method similar to yours shown in this youtube video: https://youtu.be/BO8QWBtB1kc

I appreciate the part number. If I end up doing the mod, I’m definitely going to go OEM

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A manual awd 435xi coupe! That is very cool.

I bet the lighted shifter retrofit is possible.

Come to think of it, I don't think my M2C has it either :shifty

Thanks! And I’m pretty sure it is, the hard part is just going to be hooking it up without creating a power draw or an issue like that.

[328 Power 04]

I think you can use the LED that illuminates the cup holders as a power source.

I plan to use that as a light source for the facelift radio/hvac surround, which lights up around the edges behind the bezel.

[Onizukachan]

That would not be a good idea as it would only illuminate during one color, not both. The cupholder LED is actually two, white and Orange, with a Shared negative iirc.