Ultimate DIY for 18 Button OBC Upgrade from 7 or 11 Button OBC Made Easy w/ Pictures!

[jbomz3]

Hello , i'm new on here and looking around my 323 convertible am finding a few odds and ends to tidy up . My obc check function just gives me a row of amber pixels i've pulled the unit out and on the left is a white connector (8 wire) and on the right a black connector (9 wire) , as the unit as 18 pins in both black and white connector is this why my check function does work as my car isn't wired for it ? Cheers JJ .

[doogee]

Great writeup!

Had no problem at all with the swap. But I highly recommend using some butt connectors and wire taps instead of the twisting wires with heat shrink.

I did it the heat shrink way and nothing was connected properly. So I had to redo it with butt connectors and now everything is fine and dandy.

Thanks again

[kurtf114]

What about going from the 7 button OBC to the 11?

[delmarco]

What about going from the 7 button OBC to the 11?

That is possible as well but pointless because the 7 and 11 button OBC are the same thing. Only the 11 has Check Control functions that involves alot more wiring work to get them to work on your car if your car did not come with the Check Control module.

You will have to by sensors for washerfluid, coolant, brakelights, headlights and wire them to a Check Control box that you will have to buy and hook up to your Glove Box Modules. Just to get the Check Control functions.

The 18 Button OBCs offers much more than both the 7 and 11. And your main reasons for upgrading from 7 to 18 is to get the Range, Consumption and Many other hidden functions only found on the 18. In this case, your main goal is not really Check Control features. However, 11 Button OBCs already have Check Control so your main goal for upgrading from 11 Button to 18 is to get the Range, Consumption, and many other hidden functions that the 18 only has.

That said, the upgrade from 11 to 18 will also give you Check Control features (or allow you to keep using the Check features that the 11 Button OBC had already) whiles the upgrade from 7 to 18 will not "give" you Check Control unless you buy the extra BMW sensor wires, and Check Control Modules, etc...

But either way with or without Check Control upgrading to the 18 is the only upgrade option that makes sense.

Upgrading from 7 to 11 is pointless.

[war085]

Delmarco, That's probably the best write up for the 18 buttons OBC upgrade on the web. Very neat and lots of new information after all those years !

I did this DIY and all goes well except the following:
-Consumption gives me --.-
-Speed button gives me --.-

Obviously it's not reading the speed signal, I double checked the wiring many times. My car is a Euro 97 M3, but I still think the wires are the same.. any clues ?

btw, I'm still waiting your Check Control Module write up

And how did it go with the folding mirrors ?!

Cheers

[dwarfy123]

Wow, great write up! I first looked at this a few months ago, and quickly skimmed through, thinking "Wow, this is way to hard, look at all those wires!!!". But today I just took the time to read this from start to finish, and it really doesnt look to difficult. My 11 button is burnt out, so may as well upgrade!

I do have a question for you though. I have literally 0 electrical experiance. (I have never spliced a wire in my life!) although I am mechanically inclined, and have done a number of repairs/DIYs on my previous vehicals. Will this DIY be so simple for someone who has no experiance in wiring and splicing? I don't want to rip my car apart, only to not be able to complete the install, or worse yet, not be able to use the 11 button if I can't get the 18 to work.

[doogee]

Very very easy. A 10 year old could splice wires

[dwarfy123]

Haha, nice, thats what I wanted to hear.
Did you install the BC stalk with urs, or just not bother?
And also, what exactly should I look for when buying the 18 button? Just that it has the black and white wiring harness thingys?

[doogee]

I couldn't get my hands on one, so I just left the wire hidden away until I find one.

[Tlow98]

Marco, extremely sorry to hear about your cars' untimely demise. That is a huge dissapointment.

I found this thread and will be doing it very soon...just waiting to aquire parts.

One question. Why don't you believe in soldering the connections then do the heat shrinking? As someone else mentioned won't it preserve those connections better against time/elements?

Much respect to your work here!

[fPortal]

I am wandering if anyone is getting rid of their 11 button OBC? Mine just has a garbled up display. I want to go to the 18, when I can, but as for now would like to have this one working.

Thank you

[brunp]

I will be venturing down this path. The current 11-button OBC is not healthy and got a handle on two OBC's. Apparently, both have conversion kits, but I still have to do some wire crimping, so I need to get the tools as this DIY suggests and some patience. :-)

Paul

[fPortal]

Love the writeup. I have completed all the conversion but have hit a snag. I have 3 extra wires on the White OBC connector that you did not mention. And the wire for the code, I do not have on the white OBC connector. If you could please respond to my message so I can complete the conversion and put everything back together.

Thank you

[delmarco]

Delmarco, That's probably the best write up for the 18 buttons OBC upgrade on the web. Very neat and lots of new information after all those years !

I did this DIY and all goes well except the following:
-Consumption gives me --.-
-Speed button gives me --.-

Obviously it's not reading the speed signal, I double checked the wiring many times. My car is a Euro 97 M3, but I still think the wires are the same.. any clues ?

btw, I'm still waiting your Check Control Module write up

And how did it go with the folding mirrors ?!

Cheers

Hey buddy,
Uhm...Check the splicing on your white connector going to the Odometer unit. Somtimes the pins on the X16 and X17 don't go all the way in to connect.
Sadly my 1995 318i was totalled a few weeks after I did this DIY. So I never got a chance to go after the Check Control Module and ZKE Modules. Nor did I do the power folding mirrors.

I may still try to do the folding mirrors on my new 2001 330i.

Haha, nice, thats what I wanted to hear.
Did you install the BC stalk with urs, or just not bother?
And also, what exactly should I look for when buying the 18 button? Just that it has the black and white wiring harness thingys?

I totally recommend upgrading to the BC stalk as well. Its pretty easy compared to rest of the DIY and will probably add and extra 20 to 30 minutes to the entire project.

Definately make sure the new 18 Button comes with both white and black connectors with pig tails since the dealership don't sell them and you will need the extra pig tails w/ pins for the project.

Marco, extremely sorry to hear about your cars' untimely demise. That is a huge dissapointment.

I found this thread and will be doing it very soon...just waiting to aquire parts.

One question. Why don't you believe in soldering the connections then do the heat shrinking? As someone else mentioned won't it preserve those connections better against time/elements?

Much respect to your work here!

Most of the splicing was done inside the car and because it is a car with a lifespan of probably 10 more years I figured that simple crimp splice and heat shrink would work and be much safer that soldering in the car around the dash. Crimp splice and heat shrink may look alittle ghetto, but it is safe is you heat shrink over the exposed wiring correctly. Also these wires do not carry large amounts of voltage thru them so worst case scenario there is minimal risk of any fires. Compared to the huge - and + cables going to battery terminals these minor wires are okay to just crimp and heat shrink.

I had my car for about 2 weeks after heat shrinking and crimping before it was totalled and that pretty much shows that over thinking DIYs too much in regards to longevity and time don't necesarily predict that some drunk idiot will total your car a week after your DIY is completed.

I am wandering if anyone is getting rid of their 11 button OBC? Mine just has a garbled up display. I want to go to the 18, when I can, but as for now would like to have this one working.

Thank you

Change the bulbs first. If it is still garbled after you change the bulbs then you need a new OBC.

Love the writeup. I have completed all the conversion but have hit a snag. I have 3 extra wires on the White OBC connector that you did not mention. And the wire for the code, I do not have on the white OBC connector. If you could please respond to my message so I can complete the conversion and put everything back together.

Thank you

So in slot 1 on the white connector X1071 you have no wire? What slots do you have extra wires in?

On the black connector x1070 you will find that are extra wires that are pre wired in the car already, but the wires on the White Connector should be foriegn to the cars that came with 7 or 11 button OBCs with the exception of the wires in slot 13 for the Ground and slot 8 for the F31 that you will find on the wires from your old black connector.

That said, the ONLY new wires coming from the 18 Button OBC's Black and White connectors that may not have anywhere to go in your car are as follows;

Black Connector X1070;
pin slot 3, pin slot 4 and pin slot 5 wires that go to the Check Control Module located behind the glove box if you have it in your car. Some 11 Button OBCs and ALL 7 Button OBCs do NOT HAVE Check Control. If your car don't have this then these wires will go no where so just tie them off and tuck them away.
pin slot 8 goes to module X10182 or Pin 12 on the ZKE Module also located behind the glove box which your car may not have if your car does not have a BMW Factory Alarm installed. This controls the CODE and works with the BMW Factory Alarm feature so that it locks the ignition of the car until a code is entered onto the OBC to turn off the lock. Again if your car do not have a Factory Alarm installed then this wire will have nowhere to go and you can tie it off and tuck it away.

White Connector X1071;
All the wires on this connector should be new to your car on this connector and they all go to the X17 and X16 Odometer connectors except these 4 wires;

Pin slot 13 and 8 wires get spliced to the black connector wires at pin slots 17and 18 on that black connector. These wires provide power and a ground to the OBC.
Pin slot 4 wire should go to the 18 Button OBC Controler BC Turn Signal Stalk. If you do not plan to upgrade to the OBC Controller BC Turn Signal stalk then this wire will have nowhere to go and you can tuck it away.
Pin slot 1 wire goes off to the ZKE Module's Pin slot 15 located behind the glove box. This wire has to do with CODE and Check Control for security and alarm function. If your car was made before 1994/1995 then it may not have this module installed. If you have a european model E36 BMW then your car may not have this module. So this wire will have no place to go and you can tuck it away.

At the end of the DIY you will have at most 6 wires (5 wires going to the glove box modules{3 for Check Control, 1 for CODE and 1 for the ZKE} and the 1 wire going to the Controller BC Turn Signal Stalk) that may not have any place to go. These wires are not crucial and the 18 Button OBC will work fine without them being connected.

Remember Check Control, CODE and ZKE features do not come with the 18 button OBC if your car did not have them before.

Only with further modifications and another entirely new DIY can you have those features if you want them.

[cconover]

Did the conversion today. Works perfectly! Awesome write-up, thanks!

[fPortal]

On the black connector x1070 you will find that are extra wires that are pre wired in the car already, but the wires on the White Connector should be foriegn to the cars that came with 7 or 11 button OBCs with the exception of the wires in slot 13 for the Ground and slot 8 for the F31 that you will find on the wires from your old black connector.

That said, the ONLY new wires coming from the 18 Button OBC's Black and White connectors that may not have anywhere to go in your car are as follows;

Black Connector X1070;
pin slot 3, pin slot 4 and pin slot 5 wires that go to the Check Control Module located behind the glove box if you have it in your car. Some 11 Button OBCs and ALL 7 Button OBCs do NOT HAVE Check Control. If your car don't have this then these wires will go no where so just tie them off and tuck them away.
pin slot 8 goes to module X10182 or Pin 12 on the ZKE Module also located behind the glove box which your car may not have if your car does not have a BMW Factory Alarm installed. This controls the CODE and works with the BMW Factory Alarm feature so that it locks the ignition of the car until a code is entered onto the OBC to turn off the lock. Again if your car do not have a Factory Alarm installed then this wire will have nowhere to go and you can tie it off and tuck it away.

White Connector X1071;
All the wires on this connector should be new to your car on this connector and they all go to the X17 and X16 Odometer connectors except these 4 wires;

Pin slot 13 and 8 wires get spliced to the black connector wires at pin slots 17and 18 on that black connector. These wires provide power and a ground to the OBC.
Pin slot 4 wire should go to the 18 Button OBC Controler BC Turn Signal Stalk. If you do not plan to upgrade to the OBC Controller BC Turn Signal stalk then this wire will have nowhere to go and you can tuck it away.
Pin slot 1 wire goes off to the ZKE Module's Pin slot 15 located behind the glove box. This wire has to do with CODE and Check Control for security and alarm function. If your car was made before 1994/1995 then it may not have this module installed. If you have a european model E36 BMW then your car may not have this module. So this wire will have no place to go and you can tuck it away.

At the end of the DIY you will have at most 6 wires (5 wires going to the glove box modules{3 for Check Control, 1 for CODE and 1 for the ZKE} and the 1 wire going to the Controller BC Turn Signal Stalk) that may not have any place to go. These wires are not crucial and the 18 Button OBC will work fine without them being connected.

Remember Check Control, CODE and ZKE features do not come with the 18 button OBC if your car did not have them before.

Only with further modifications and another entirely new DIY can you have those features if you want them.

Ok, on my black OBC connector, all the wires were there. On the white connector, the 3 wires that were left are : Black/Purple (Pin 1), Purple/Green/Yellow (Pin 2), and Black/Blue (Pin 3). And I did install the BC stalk (Type 1) as well.

Here is a pic:

[delmarco]

Ok, on my black OBC connector, all the wires were there. On the white connector, the 3 wires that were left are : Black/Purple (Pin 1), Purple/Green/Yellow (Pin 2), and Black/Blue (Pin 3). And I did install the BC stalk (Type 1) as well.

Here is a pic:

Okay Pin 1 wire should be okay to not have anywhere to go if you don't think you have the ZKE Module or don't care for it. So tie that off. The OBC will work fine without it.

The other 2 wires in pin 2 and 3 should not even be there, and probably has to do some intricate thing that has nothing to do with anything.
The main idea of the White Connector on the OBC is to add the Speed/Range/Odometer functions, to provide power and ground to the OBC unit and to connect the Control BC Stalk to the OBC. These functions and the the ZKE's CODE Security feature are the ONLY things the White Connector should be doing.

Congrads. I wish I still had my '95 318i since the "unlocked" 18 Button OBC
on the E36 is far more fun than the ones on the E46 BMWs.

Now go and unlock that baby and have fun!

[fPortal]

Unlocked and nice options. I still can't find the correct Einheit (Unit) hex codes to get the Check control to work, but still working on it.
Again, thank you for the excellent writeup. Was a breeze to do.

[brunp]

The other 2 wires in pin 2 and 3 should not even be there, and probably has to do some intricate thing that has nothing to do with anything.

Following through the DIY, I also have pins 2 and 3 as extra.......I have sent an email to the person that sold them to me to find out what they were used for and will update you all.....otherwise, the DIY seems very straight forward.....

should be a straight-forward install. I will be doing this on my car first and then my friends car afterwards...... :-)

Paul

[brunp]

So, what size heat shrink tubing do you need? Any specific size, or anything smaller than 2mm would do?

Paul

[JoshBMX]

Wow, that is way cool. I have the 11 button with broken pixels. If I can get over my fear of messing with the electrical system and wires I might give this a shot. Your center console looks great!

[war085]

all ok now.. thanks and sorry about your car!

[megalosnikos]

i have 7 buttons obc i splice 18 buttons obc work all fine code all ok but no have check control how to spice check controll ? pls help me thanks

[fPortal]

I believe that is the same problem most of us are having doing this conversion. If anyone does find out how to do this without having BMW's computer, please let us know.

[brunp]

What would the color difference between Brown/Grey1 and Brown/Grey2, Pin 1 and 12. I cut the wires without even thinking that there could be some that are the same....doh, my bad. Any suggestions on ways to figure out which goes where? Or how to figure it out?