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

[brunp]

Hey Paul,
I am close to completing the swap, but I have encountered a problem...

My check-control wont work!. If I press CHECK on the 18 button, the screen just goes black. My pin slots 1,2,3,4,5 on Black OBC connector are all just spliced into thier matching colors at the OBC. Is this correct?

Also, My temp was initially working, but after re-wiring a few wires to try and get the check control to work, and plugging OBC back in, now the temp doesnt work either!!! (just flashes -35 f....)

I read somewhere that it may take the temp a while to recalibrate after uplugging the OBC. Do you think that this is the case with mine? I donno, because the F begins to flash, as though its not working at all....


Ugh, im frustrated...so close to being done...
Any ideas?

Sorry for the late reply, I was busy with lots of other stuff, so didn't get a chance to see this post for a day or so. I wish you were in Ottawa, I would come and help you out in an evening without a problem. :-)

Anyways...lets start from the beginning.....the OBC....did the seller guarantee that it works 100%?

Moving on from there....

1) Which OBC did you move from (7 or 11 buttons)?
2) This the Check control on the previous OBC work correctly?
3) Take a step back and re-trace your steps and use the first post that describes the pin-out locations and re-trace your steps.....this usually helps and then just tick off the pin-outs that you are 100% sure are spliced or tapped correctly.

On a side note, I am hoping you worked with one wire at a time with rewiring/splicing the wires. Or labeling the pin-outs before cutting them? Because I remember there is are a couple wires that are very similar in color (i.e., Brown/Grey1) which would be Pin Slot 1 and then Brown/Grey2 which is the external temp control (Pin slot 12). The grey strip on the one wire is just ever so slightly thinner than the other. I would take a really close look to make sure you didn't mix-up between these wires.

I also didn't have an issue with any temp calibration....it sort of worked from the get-go.....

Remember, you can take a really small flat-head screw-driver and remove the pin-heads carefully instead of having to re-wire/re-solder anything.

Are you in a position to take some good close-up pictures of what you did and send them to me in an email?

Paul

[dwarfy123]

Hi paul,
To answer your questions,
a) Yes, I did come from an 11 button obc
b)Yes, check control worked previously.
c) The guy I bought it from told me it worked 100%, but I cant be sure. I would assume it works though, since everything else on the obc works perfectly.

I made the same mistake as you, and didnt label the colors when I cut them, so I thought I may have mis-wired the same colored ones, but when I switched them around, it didnt do anything.

Thanks for the pin advice, it makes alot more sense to swap pins, then to cut/rewire. Im gonna go out and work on it for anouther hour or so, and if I cant get it I will snap some pics and see if you can see anything wrong.

Thanks.

Ok, so I tried switching the pins for the brown/grey wire, but still nothing but flashing -35 for temp.

I snapped some pictures, but I doubt you will really be able to tell much from them (crappy camera)

Pic 1 just shows the 2 18 gauge wires (red and black) ran into the glove box, I presume these are for the CODE function?
Pic 2 shows 3 unused wires coming from the car (black/green, blue/green and blue/yellow/brown) I think this is correct to have the 3 unused wires.
pic 3 is a shot of the black connectors splicing.













Thanks

[brunp]

Silly question, but are the connections soldered???

And two going to glove box....I remember pulling through one and yes, there were are few wires left over from the white connector....I simply remove them from the connector to keep them out of the way.

Paul

[dwarfy123]

No, I didnt solder them, OP said he just used heat shrink and it was fine.
Do you think the problem is a loose connection from lack of soldering?
Maybe I should go back and solder everything..

Or is it possible there is a fuse for the temp sensor that might have blown?

[brunp]

No, I didnt solder them, OP said he just used heat shrink and it was fine.
Do you think the problem is a loose connection from lack of soldering?
Maybe I should go back and solder everything..

Or is it possible there is a fuse for the temp sensor that might have blown?

I would solder them....this will guarantee a proper connection and because as you put everything back, something can become loose.....so, I would go back in there and solder them. That was also my mistake along with being stupid in using solid vs. stranded wires.....you learn as you go I guess. :-)

I have done 3 OBC replacements and so far, soldering guarantee's results.

Paul

[johnf]

I would solder them....
I have done 3 OBC replacements and so far, soldering guarantee's results.

I soldered my OBC retrofit 13 years ago and despite all the other work I have since done around the OBC, everything is still fine. It's hard to beat soldering, reliability wise, if you know how to solder. Just wrapping wires together and insulating with heat shrink is inviting trouble. Over time, the copper corrodes and you end up with a bunch of metal diodes -- copper oxide being a venerable and stable semiconductor (metal rectifier).

[dwarfy123]

Well guys, I have an update, and it has some good news and bad news..

Bad news: I drove my bimmer for the first in a while at night, and realized the left half of my odometer lights are all really dim!!! Maybe I didnt plug something in the back all the way? Or maybe I hit odometer on something and damaged it? Any ideas?

Good news: Temp works now, just needed time to calibrate. My check control, which didnt work at all (screen stays black when you press button), flashed low washer fluid for like 3 seconds, and now it doesnt work again! WTF... maybe a loose connection? I think im gonna go back and sodder everything.

Anyways, any ideas about the odometer? should I just pull it out, and plug it in again, or do you think its damaged?

[brunp]

Well guys, I have an update, and it has some good news and bad news..

Bad news: I drove my bimmer for the first in a while at night, and realized the left half of my odometer lights are all really dim!!! Maybe I didnt plug something in the back all the way? Or maybe I hit odometer on something and damaged it? Any ideas?

Good news: Temp works now, just needed time to calibrate. My check control, which didnt work at all (screen stays black when you press button), flashed low washer fluid for like 3 seconds, and now it doesnt work again! WTF... maybe a loose connection? I think im gonna go back and sodder everything.

Anyways, any ideas about the odometer? should I just pull it out, and plug it in again, or do you think its damaged?

could be miniature lights in the back may be at fault. There is also a dimmer for the odometer lights, but not sure....

I would definitely solder if it showed up and then didn't show again.....

paul

[calevra18]

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:

OK first off great write up.
Second I have a problem I make it fine untill here. I have the same three wires on my white connector as above but I connected pin one Purple/black where you said green/black pin one should go. (I know that my wires came from an M3 which mine is not.) So its ok to not have the two extra wires connected to anything?

My second problem is that all of these

Part 4 Continued...

II. For the Black OBC Connector these are;

a. Black OBC Connector Pin Slot 6 (Blue/Brown/Yellow); Splice with 3 feet of 20 gauge wire, run to the Odometer and tap into the Blue/Brown/Yellow wire going into Pin Slot 26 on the Blue Odometer (X17) Connector .

b. Black OBC Connector Pin Slot 8 (Black/Green); Splice with 4 feet of 18 gauge wire, run to the Glove Box area or set aside. This wire goes to Pin 12 of the ZKE Module or Pin 12 the CBE Module X10182. This has to do with the CODE feature.

c. Black OBC Connector Pin Slot 9 (Green/Blue); Splice with 3 feet of 20 gauge wire, run to the Odometer and tap into the Green/Blue wire going into Pin Slot 4 on the Blue Odometer (X17) Connector or the Green/Blue wire going to Pin Slot 13 of the White Odometer (X16) Connector. I think this has to do with powering the OBC so either Pin Slot on the odometer connectors is okay. I choose Pin Slot 4 on X16.


wires had cooresponding wires on my old black connector should I connect them there or do as you say above? ( I am unsure because I dont know if they go to the same places as described above.)

[brunp]

OK first off great write up.
Second I have a problem I make it fine untill here. I have the same three wires on my white connector as above but I connected pin one Purple/black where you said green/black pin one should go. (I know that my wires came from an M3 which mine is not.) So its ok to not have the two extra wires connected to anything?

My second problem is that all of these

Part 4 Continued...

II. For the Black OBC Connector these are;

a. Black OBC Connector Pin Slot 6 (Blue/Brown/Yellow); Splice with 3 feet of 20 gauge wire, run to the Odometer and tap into the Blue/Brown/Yellow wire going into Pin Slot 26 on the Blue Odometer (X17) Connector .

b. Black OBC Connector Pin Slot 8 (Black/Green); Splice with 4 feet of 18 gauge wire, run to the Glove Box area or set aside. This wire goes to Pin 12 of the ZKE Module or Pin 12 the CBE Module X10182. This has to do with the CODE feature.

c. Black OBC Connector Pin Slot 9 (Green/Blue); Splice with 3 feet of 20 gauge wire, run to the Odometer and tap into the Green/Blue wire going into Pin Slot 4 on the Blue Odometer (X17) Connector or the Green/Blue wire going to Pin Slot 13 of the White Odometer (X16) Connector. I think this has to do with powering the OBC so either Pin Slot on the odometer connectors is okay. I choose Pin Slot 4 on X16.


wires had cooresponding wires on my old black connector should I connect them there or do as you say above? ( I am unsure because I dont know if they go to the same places as described above.)

I believe I had three left over wires from the white connector....not sure of their function, but they were not integral to my upgrade. I just removed them from the pin-outs..

I had a total of one new wire going to my glove box area and three new wires going to odometer. Instructions did say to have more, but my old connector had a representative wire to serve that function, don't recall off hand as I did the upgrade last year, but all i did was mate up the colors/pinouts of the existing wires from the old connector to the new connector and dealt with what was left over by going over the schematic.

If I recall, I had to tap into one wire on the blue connector, one wire on the white(???) connector in the dash and then push a new pin into another location on the that same connector.

Two wires that were used on the black connector of your 11-button OBC go to the white connector (power/ground) as the instructions indicate so the module can be power up. If anything, the most of the new wiring going to the various locations in the car come from the white connector as most of the wires from the black connector had representative wiring in the car already.

Hope this helps!!!

Paul

[Henryville]

I'm still trying to resurrect my "Check" function, which was working on my 11 but is not active on the 18 (screen is just black when I push or hold the check button.)

I'm unclear on whether the two wires added to pins 8 and 13 on the white (X1071) connector replace the connections on pins 18 and 17 of the black (X1070) connector, or tap into the same original wires? In other words, do you need that power and ground to both sides of the OBC? Some instructions say move, but some diagrams, like this one:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/tech...BD_Convert.htm

are ambiguous and could be suggesting a tap.

Also, considering again that I had check functionality, does that imply that the existing wire on pin 8 of the X1070 already goes to the proper place on the ZKE IV, or do I have to fabricate a connection to pin 12 on the ZKE IV to replace whatever was originally going to pin 8?

The one thing I have not done, yet, is make the connection from X1071 pin 1 to ZKE IV pin 15.

At this point, clock/calendar works, temperature works, the turn stalk scrolls through consumption, range, etc. If I push "Code," I get a display "Code ----" but I haven't tried to do any more with it than that.

Any OBC gurus out there? I'd greatly appreciate your advice!

[brunp]

I'm still trying to resurrect my "Check" function, which was working on my 11 but is not active on the 18 (screen is just black when I push or hold the check button.)

I'm unclear on whether the two wires added to pins 8 and 13 on the white (X1071) connector replace the connections on pins 18 and 17 of the black (X1070) connector, or tap into the same original wires? In other words, do you need that power and ground to both sides of the OBC? Some instructions say move, but some diagrams, like this one:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/tech...BD_Convert.htm

are ambiguous and could be suggesting a tap.

Also, considering again that I had check functionality, does that imply that the existing wire on pin 8 of the X1070 already goes to the proper place on the ZKE IV, or do I have to fabricate a connection to pin 12 on the ZKE IV to replace whatever was originally going to pin 8?

The one thing I have not done, yet, is make the connection from X1071 pin 1 to ZKE IV pin 15.

At this point, clock/calendar works, temperature works, the turn stalk scrolls through consumption, range, etc. If I push "Code," I get a display "Code ----" but I haven't tried to do any more with it than that.

Any OBC gurus out there? I'd greatly appreciate your advice!

What used to be power/ground on the previous black connector is no more. No tapping required, you can just move them....

I really don't know what to say about the check control....as mentioned in a previous most, all previous black connection points have a place in the new black connector for aside from power/ground. Specifically, pins 3,4,5 as indicated on the schematic on the PelicanParts link. However, I suspect if you tap them, there is nothing on the black connector would would really use those signals.


Good luck. If you have a friend that has a functional check control on a 18-button OBC, either borrow his, or use yours with his to eliminate the OBC as a factor.

paul

[calevra18]

Hey Paul thank you very much I have done the same thing that you did and it works perfectly so far....Except for one thing my speed is off... When I do the test that gives me my current speed the test is right but when I just click the speed button its off. For example I am parked in my driveway right now but it is telling me that I am going 3.2 miles per hour...but when I do the test 8 it says 0.0...does anyone know how to fix this?

[smashdoc]

Hi all,
just finished the OBC conversion and all is good except 2 things:
1) the clock stays on even if the engine is off and the key is removed.
2) the obc display doesn't light up unless my headlights are on.

any help would be most appreciated.

[brunp]

Hi all,
just finished the OBC conversion and all is good except 2 things:
1) the clock stays on even if the engine is off and the key is removed.
2) the obc display doesn't light up unless my headlights are on.

any help would be most appreciated.

wow.....that is unique.

If you moved the power and ground accordingly from the prior location on the new pig-tails, you shouldn't have the clock showing when the engine off/key removed. Likely, there is something in the wiring that is providing a constant power which shouldn't be there. Obviously, the battery provides some signals to maintain engine state and clock, but display should not show.

In general, go over your wire splicing, etc and make sure all signals line up.....that is my only recommendation I can provide.

Paul

[yakketyyak]

cant find any info anywhere

[cobra342]

any body know where to find the turn signal stocks?

[Andryuha]

Working on this right now. The problem I ran into was that I was following the instructions and cut off the connector without really looking at it. Pin 10 and Pin 3 wires on the black connector have an identical color scheme. Same goes for Pin 1 and Pin 12. If you are doing this conversion MAKE SURE that you label these wires with the corresponding pin number. Not sure what I could do at this point. I guess it's going be a trial and error.

[brunp]

I remember doing this myself. Labeling is the preferred approach, or simply moving the pinouts, but if you look at at the wires closely, there are subtle differences between wires, but the functions they perform are not critical, so trial and error.

[johnf]

Working on this right now. The problem I ran into was that I was following the instructions and cut off the connector without really looking at it....

Why cut off the existing, black X1070 connector? It's a lot easier, faster and safer to simply add the one(?) missing pin to X1070, and move its two power pins to the new, white X1071 connector.

[brunp]

Why cut off the existing, black X1070 connector? It's a lot easier, faster and safer to simply add the one(?) missing pin to X1070, and move its two power pins to the new, white X1071 connector.

exactly......that is pretty much what I did on my other two OBC swaps for friends. :-)

[Andryuha]

Yeah, I was an idiot and blindly followed the DIY.

[johnf]

As Oscar Wilde wrote in "Lady Windemere's Fan", experience is the name someone gives to his mistakes.

The subtle difference between the two same-colored wires, is their size: one is 0.35 mm^2 and the other is 0.50 mm^2. It's hard to miss if you've crimped a lot of wires, but I had to learn that through "experience".

[Andryuha]

Well, I finally finished the conversion. Overall it's pretty simple and straightforward. I also have to say that this is the best DIY that I was able to find. I haven't driven the car yet, so it's not giving me the fuel consumption figures. Oddly enough though, it's showing me the range of 244, which is about right for less than 3/4 of a tank. The only thing that I couldn't get to work is the 'code' function. I easily found the green/black wire going into the alarm module and connected a wire from pin 1 of the X1071 connector, but it's not working. The wire coming out of the pin is black/purple, not black/green as it is described in this DIY.

[3MPowered]

I just did this conversion today I've got 2 questions:

1. My consumption and speed buttons only reveal ---- when pressed. Now, I didn't drive the car after I pugged everything back in and reconnected the battery, so I'm wondering if these features need while to be bedded in? The range feature works fine and seems accurate so I know I did something right

2. I went from an 11 button to 18 OBC and I my Check function used to work (although the LCD screen was messed). Now I get a "Check Control Innactive" readout at startup and whenever the Check button is pressed. I never connected the black/green wire of X1071 to anything, is this what's causing it?

It's an OBDI Euro M3 and my OBC is from an OBCII US M3, is there anything that should be calibrated on my OBC for my specific car?

I'd appreciate any help...