BMW E36 MFSW retrofit pictoral DIY

[MParallel]

I see. That’s the E46 MFL wheel that needs the later slipring or modification.

Your .498 module is the original E36 one. It probably has the white connector?

You need blue connector module with p/n version 8.375.497 or 8.369.775

And then HW08/SW.

[carlos1077]

yes i did modify the wheel and the e39 slip ring is on mounted already and the wheel is on the car. and yes the CC module has the white connector which i change to the one with the blue connector from E39. So do you think that this wheel never work? as you mentioned?

[MParallel]

This wheel should work as this wheel is used in combination with the blue connector CC module.

Make sure the module is coded for MFL otherwise it expects a different pin to be grounded to put it in standby mode.

[carlos1077]

hmmmm, how do you check that the module is coded?

[MParallel]

hmmmm, how do you check that the module is coded?

NCS Expert (or probably the later/currect Rheingold software). But I don't have all that new stuff as 99% of coding and stuff is on my E36 and per D-Can cars.

A few pages back you can see my INPA screenshots that shows how it's coded.

It needs to be codes for 3 things:

1. Cylinder count
2. MFL control (on/off via MFL or separate switch)
3. Engine model

Any second hand module can be from any car, so you need to either make sure it's identical to your own, or code it yourself.

[carlos1077]

my man, i did recheck my pins and there are only six pins to deal to with. removed 5 pins( pin 9,18, 20,21 and 24) and pin 15 need to be moved to pin 21. That what was say on page 2 on this thread. And my car has 6 cylinders, do you have any idea what could be?

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the pin 24 will get the signal from the wheel

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thats the E39 CC module that i used

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thats the e39 cc module that i used

[MParallel]

Just to be 100% sure, but did you add the wire from steering wheel to CC module?

[carlos1077]

yes i did, connected on pin 24

[MParallel]

yes i did, connected on pin 24

Ok good.

Have you already tried to diagnose it with INPA? With INPA you can see if the buttons are sending out signals to the CC module. Because if that checks out fine, it could be the actuator itself having a problem.

[carlos1077]

Mparallel, so sorry that i was quiet. i had some health problem but now i think i can go back to the project. how do you do the diagnostic? or what are you using to do the diagnostic? please some help, i will like to really know if the buttons are sending the signal but how do i check that?

[MParallel]

Mparallel, so sorry that i was quiet. i had some health problem but now i think i can go back to the project. how do you do the diagnostic? or what are you using to do the diagnostic? please some help, i will like to really know if the buttons are sending the signal but how do i check that?

DIS/INPA.

You can check without though. Hook up a led to the CC standby on/off pin on the module. When you press the I/O MFL button, the led should switch on/off.

But keep in mind, if the module came out of an older car, it could be coded to need the separate dash switch to turn it on.
So you may also want to check out grounding that pin to see if that turns on the led.

It could mean all is fine, but it just won’t go into standby mode using the MFL and then nothing else will work as the CC is still off.

Diagnostics is a whole different subject and has a dedicated section. But you can do most using a €40 cable/software kit from ebay.

[carlos1077]

ok thanks, just to make sure of one thing the standby on/off pin of the cc module is pin 24 right?

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and which one is the grounding pin? to turn the module on if its need a separate switch

[MParallel]

It’s posted on page 1 repin diagram.

24 is the MFL turn on/off pin
22 is the older on pin (ground to activate) and still pin 24 for MFL off.
25 is for the light (ground as well).

So first ground pin 22 and see if your cruise controle then operates.

[Surfin]

I have a question, are we able to buy an airbag with buttons from an E38/E39 and use it with our standard 4 spoke wheels?

"Taking a ride" on this question, is the airbag of 3 spoke M wheels from E36 and E39 compatible?

Also, what version of Inpa (or other software) do I need to code the module for my car?
The one I have display the IFH-0009 error, I have the Tiny-ADS cable, trying to connect to a 07/96 328i.

[nikinas]

"Taking a ride" on this question, is the airbag of 3 spoke M wheels from E36 and E39 compatible?

If they are both single stage, then yes

[MParallel]

I have a question, are we able to buy an airbag with buttons from an E38/E39 and use it with our standard 4 spoke wheels?

Yes. I've used this type of airbag in my 328i in combination with a heated wheel from an E38.

[ecooney]

Quick question on this. Can someone tell me how the blank plates are secured? Are they just push fit into place? I don't want to break any tabs removing them to put the buttons in. I have 2 steering wheels, one E39 with buttons and one E36 with blanks.

[clabs]

Ecooney

Yes - the blanking plates and switch packs are just a push fit with 4 locating "pegs" on each one and you need to gently pry them out. The pegs are pretty sturdy but can be in there pretty tight. I trickled a bit of lube in behind my blanks to help ease them out.

Cheers, Mark

[MParallel]

^^
Long time Clabs.

The plastic studs on these break off easily and it can be really hard to pop them out.

[clabs]

Nice one MP and indeed - long time no speak. I still have my lovely Evo but trying to keep the miles off it so my daily is a 5.0SC Range Rover - almost as quick as the Evo!

I never found those studs brittle on the 5 wheels I took apart - the only problem I had experienced was that the front of the switch pack pulled away from the backing on one wheel.

How is life and how is your vert??

[MParallel]

Nice one MP and indeed - long time no speak. I still have my lovely Evo but trying to keep the miles off it so my daily is a 5.0SC Range Rover - almost as quick as the Evo!

I never found those studs brittle on the 5 wheels I took apart - the only problem I had experienced was that the front of the switch pack pulled away from the backing on one wheel.

How is life and how is your vert??

Doing well thanks. You?

Mine’s a nice weather car only for same reason. It’s now at 52k miles/92k km. Gotta keep it under that 100k mark.

Looking for an X5 4.8 as a daily, but the running costs might be bit too much. Can also use that money to further restore the M3. I did a lot of stuff to it.
Might want to look at the last 2 pages of this ‘journal’ topic. It’s gotten out of hand big time and if you want to see the longest option listed E36, look no further:

https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...ye-to-the-328i

The MFL pods, I’ve had some studs broken, maybe because I couldn’t pop they out straight up, but at an angle. Yes the backings can pop off the way it’s constructed. You don’t want to pull on the outer housing, but you can’t do anything but.

But switching to the button pods, you have to switch the backplates, as there is a locating pin on it, that is different on E36 and E38/E39 wheels. Or dremel it off.

[ecooney]

Thanks to both of you. I managed to get them off but broke a couple of pins. IÂ’m not too worried as IÂ’ll be installing the MFSW buttons from an E39 wheel IÂ’m getting this week. Just need to make sure I get these off without damage.

[Klavz]

Hello, I`m waking up the dead..
I`m preparing to install Mtech3 steering wheel with buttons in my E36, I've got the 06/96 slip ring, it has 5 output wires, as stated in original tutorial, but the colors doesn't match up on connector
1. Blue
2. Yellow
3. Black
4. Grey
5. -
6. Brown
Its just the wire colors or I need to find a proper wire colored slip ring?

[ax77]

just an fyi for anyone doing this retrofit and using an aftermarket radio.

I couldn't figure out why my radio buttons weren't working. I thought my converter box (axxess aswc-1) was bad so I ordered a new one but still no buttons so I thought the buttons were bad. It turns out the ibus line needs +12v that the buttons don't supply to communicate. In a stock system with ibus the +12v is supplied by the radio or other source. I assume that pac converters supply the power since they require you to cut the ibus instead of tap into it in an oem setup. Feeding +12v to the ibus line through a 1k ohm pull up resistor got my radio buttons working.

[dopod595]

Thanks!!

just an fyi for anyone doing this retrofit and using an aftermarket radio.

I couldn't figure out why my radio buttons weren't working. I thought my converter box (axxess aswc-1) was bad so I ordered a new one but still no buttons so I thought the buttons were bad. It turns out the ibus line needs +12v that the buttons don't supply to communicate. In a stock system with ibus the +12v is supplied by the radio or other source. I assume that pac converters supply the power since they require you to cut the ibus instead of tap into it in an oem setup. Feeding +12v to the ibus line through a 1k ohm pull up resistor got my radio buttons working.