1992 E36 Coupe Electric Rear Vents -Retrofit

**DJ Genius** · 01-08-2016, 06:31 PM

Once you have the switches, you can actually feel if they are "tip switches" one touch. Gently press on UP or DOWN side, you will feel and hear a click. Then press a bit harder and you will hear a second click.
Yellow base large contact switches ARE NOT one touch as they are original rear vent switches. However, yellow base with small contacts that you have in your pictures, I believe these are one touch switches.

I am yet to find a cheap rear vent kit. It looked like they are cheaper from BMW dealer. Called them today and they told me this kit has been discontinued. Although, I could still find them in some US online shops. I don't really want to spend 450 USD on a used kit. They were going for 250 USD from a dealer.

**bmw4life92** · 01-08-2016, 06:46 PM

Originally Posted by DJ Genius

Once you have the switches, you can actually feel if they are "tip switches" one touch. Gently press on UP or DOWN side, you will feel and hear a click. Then press a bit harder and you will hear a second click.
Yellow base large contact switches ARE NOT one touch as they are original rear vent switches. However, yellow base with small contacts that you have in your pictures, I believe these are one touch switches.

I am yet to find a cheap rear vent kit. It looked like they are cheaper from BMW dealer. Called them today and they told me this kit has been discontinued. Although, I could still find them in some US online shops. I don't really want to spend 450 USD on a used kit. They were going for 250 USD from a dealer.

The white base switches I have here are only 2 steps each way.
Check out ebay.de man, its a couple kits on there now, I got mine from there a few months ago. Just cash the used kit, the motors are available new from BMW later, for about $100 a pop. I bet they wont stop making them until the car is 30 years old, the kits yes, they are no longer available, but the components that wear out can still be bought new.

**MParallel** · 01-08-2016, 07:31 PM

Well there's only one switch with both one-touch opening and closing, which is the yellow one.

On both my cabs, I took out the two white and single blue switch, and replaced them for yellow ones. Both my cars have the small pin switches.

- - - Updated - - -

Here's a small vid after I coded the module.

**bmw4life92** · 01-08-2016, 09:22 PM

I just wrote an e-mail to Pelican Parts asking if they could contact their people at BMW, about making more of these harnesses and other things that are no longer available for the BMW E36 enthusiasts. I will send e-mail within the next few days to ECS tuning, Turner Motorsport, Bavarian Auto and dealers I know about in Europe asking them to do the same
If no one demands more, there will be no more, so DJ G and anyone else that needs it, feel free to do the same, the more dealers that contact BMW about this the bigger are the chances that BMW will produce more retrofit harnesses, kits etc.
It wouldnt hurt.

I also ordered one of the harnesses (61129404367) last week from a european BMW dealer called Koed, cuz it didnt say it was not available. But I soon got my money back and an e-mail from them saying that it was "Back Ordered" and he did not know when or if BMW would make more. But I made an order for the harness, so now they know about yet another person that needs it. Demand just went up 1+

**johnf** · 01-09-2016, 02:27 AM

Originally Posted by DJ Genius

Okay, I kind of get the idea now. So you went with rear vent route, where instead of installing a rear vent relay, you got the WC1000 modules.... Your option sounds very similar to ours, except that you are using aftermarket module and we are thinking of using OEM relay module.
In your scenario you needed 2 of those WC1000 modules - 50 USD.
In our scenario we need only 1 RM IV module, you can get them used for as little as 10 USD.

Please don't get me wrong, I applaud you for being one of the first to retrofit the rear vent windows. But I think our options is a bit cheaper and a bit easier to follow....

Well, that answers my question!

My biggest concern is one-touch feature. It will definitely work, but I am concerned about calibrating the windows to their FULLY OPEN and FULLY CLOSED positions....
Do you remember how you trained your windows to those positions? How do your WC1000 modules know when windows are fully opened and fully closed?

They sense the motors stalling. As I wrote, I had to modify the modules to accommodate the windows: one of those mods got them to sense a motor stalling. But isn't that something you should be asking about BMW's rear window relay module: how it senses the end of travel? Now that I think about it, the vent window motors may be too different.

Would this WC1000 module work with one-touch sunroof feature?

I know a guy who used one on his sunroof, but his could not bite, like ours can, or come to think of it, kill.

**bmw4life92** · 01-11-2016, 07:07 AM

Here is my wiring harness, have a look, all bundled up and looks to be in good condition.
Notice only the big yellow rear vent switch connectors has the red wires, and they link up in that black connector and go on.
Are these red the wires for power to the rear vents? They go to K113 relay that supplies the power, And then I wire in WC1000 one-touch modules down stream between the motors and the switch?
Tell me what you think guys, am I on the right track?

AutoLoc WC1000 Features :
One Direction Operation (Up AND Down)
Compatible With Any Window System
Works Off Factory Window Switches
Load Sensor
Auto Stop
May Be Used With Any Remote
Works With Alarms!
Microprocessor Controlled
Detailed Instructions
Limited Lifetime Warranty

Johnf, do your modules have the same features as those sold today, microprocessor, load sensor etc , Or do they most likely still need modification?

Peace

**johnf** · 01-11-2016, 12:25 PM

Originally Posted by bmw4life92

Here is my wiring harness, have a look, all bundled up and looks to be in good condition....

Those look not quite finished to me. The harnesses BMW sold with the electric vent window retrofitting kit were wrapped with black tape and bundled just like the existing harnesses you see in the car. I would say you have a little craft project before you.

AutoLoc WC1000 Features
.
.
.

Johnf, do your modules have the same features as those sold today, microprocessor, load sensor etc...?

Are you serious? Of course not – that is just advertising!

That is pretty much the same advertising I remember from when I bought my modules, so it will not surprise me if the modules have also stayed the same. The pictures of the units for sale look unchanged.

**DJ Genius** · 01-11-2016, 12:33 PM

Alright. So here it goes. Here is my wiring pinouts:

Code:

K114 Comfort Relay
Pin2 RED/BROWN		-> Pin28 (X13-BLACK)
Pin4 BLACK/GREEN	-> Pin23 (X14-NATURAL)
Pin6 RED		-> Pin6 (X10016) F13			POWER
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
K113 Hinged Window Relay
Pin2 VIOLET/BROWN	-> Pin4 (X9317) S182			LEFT VENT SWITCH
Pin4 VIOLET/BLUE	-> Pin1 (X13126) M104			RIGHT VENT MOTOR
Pin5 VIOLET/GREEN	-> Pin2 (X13126) M103			LEFT VENT MOTOR
Pin7 BLACK/RED		-> X1894 (FRONT CENTER)			ZKE CONTROL UNIT
Pin8 RED/BROWN		-> X1167 (UNDER ST.)			K114 COMFORT RELAY
Pin9 VIOLET/YELLOW	-> Pin4 (X9320) S183			RIGHT VENT SWITCH
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
S182 Left Vent Switch
Pin1 BROWN		-> X498	(UNDER DR. SEAT)		GROUND
Pin3 WHITE		-> Pin1 (X13125) M103			LEFT VENT MOTOR
Pin4 VIOLET/BROWN	-> Pin2 (X13283)			K113 HINGED WINDOW RELAY
Pin5 RED/BROWN		-> X1167 (UNDER ST.)			K114 COMFORT RELAY
Pin6 GREY/RED		-> X13129 (FRONT CENTER)		ILLUMINATION
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
S183 Right Vent Switch
Pin1 BROWN		-> X498	(UNDER DR. SEAT)		GROUND
Pin3 BLACK/BLUE		-> Pin2 (X13126) M104			RIGHT VENT MOTOR
Pin4 VIOLET/YELLOW	-> Pin9 (X13283)			K113 HINGED WINDOW RELAY
Pin5 RED/BROWN		-> X1167 (UNDER ST.)			K114 COMFORT RELAY
Pin6 GREY/RED		-> X13129 (FRONT CENTER)		ILLUMINATION
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
M103 LEFT VENT MOTOR
Pin1 WHITE		-> Pin3 (X9317) S182			LEFT WINDOW SWITCH
Pin2 VIOLET/GREEN	-> Pin5 (X13283) K113			HINGED WINDOW RELAY
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
M104 RIGHT VENT MOTOR
Pin1 VIOLET/BLUE	-> Pin4 (X13283) K113			HINGED WINDOW RELAY
Pin2 BLACK/BLUE		-> Pin3 (X9320) S183			RIGHT WINDOW SWITCH

Where you see X with a number and not in the bracket "()" it means it's a "splitter", the location of this "splitter" is in the brackets. For example:

Code:

S182 Left Vent Switch
Pin1 BROWN        -> X498    (UNDER DR. SEAT)        GROUND

It means Pin1 of Left Vent Switch (that has it's own code S182) is connected by BROWN wire into X498 "splitter" that is located under the driver's seat for GROUND.

Where you see X with a number and in the bracket's "()" it means it is a code name for that particular connector, for example:

Code:

S182 Left Vent Switch
Pin3 WHITE        -> Pin1 (X13125) M103            LEFT VENT MOTOR

Pin3 of Left Vent Switch (that has it's own code S182) is connected by WHITE wire into Pin1 of X13125 connector that plugs into M103 Left Vent Motor.

I hope these are easy to follow.
I want to remind you, this pinout is an OEM way to wire in the coupe rear vents. So far we have 3 ways of wiring rear vents:
1. OEM as coupe rear vents (no one-touch feature) - works, has been wired by many people,
2. OEM as sedan/cabrio rear windows (with one touch feature) - still needs to be fully explored and tested,
3. aftermarker using WC1000 (with one touch feature) - has been wired by some people with some modifications to WC1000.

There is so much information here, I think I shall do a DIY, since I haven't done any in awhile

I shall see if I succeed wiring them as per option 2 - as a sedan/cabrio rear windows. If I succeed, than I shall have something to share with the BMW community.

**bmw4life92** · 01-12-2016, 01:49 PM

Originally Posted by johnf

Those look not quite finished to me. The harnesses BMW sold with the electric vent window retrofitting kit were wrapped with black tape and bundled just like the existing harnesses you see in the car. I would say you have a little craft project before you.

It was so badley mixed and tangled up so I couldnt see what went where, So i removed what was left of this black cloth like tape, and seperated the wires.

I will get you some pictures of the insides of the modules when I get them

**johnf** · 01-12-2016, 02:19 PM

Originally Posted by bmw4life92

It was so badly mixed and tangled up so I couldn't see what went where, So i removed what was left of this black cloth like tape, and separated the wires....

Very good. I find the old tape leaves behind a bit of a mess. I use Stoddard solvent (white spirits / mineral spirits) to remove the sticky residue.

**bmw4life92** · 01-20-2016, 09:01 AM

Hey guys,
I got a hold of a 1995 M3 body wiring harness, who had rear vents to, I have now gotten the vent wiring out of the main harness, to try and understand how it works, and see if I can make some more basic harnesses for rear vents.

I've marked them as best I could with what I had atm, I'm abit unsure about a few of the wires going to which or what fuse etc, It was a pain in the ass to get the pins out of the fusebox so I lost track of that . damn

What was the big difference in the retrofit wiring harnesses for ZVM models and ZKE4 models? If I could craft some new ones for each, that be awesome.
Check out the pics, Is this harness with mint green relay the "Supplementary Wiring Harness"?

I'm gonna get the wires sorted and tape it back in bundle when I know it better.

Peace,

**DJ Genius** · 01-20-2016, 09:31 AM

The green relay is K114 COMFORT RELAY.
The blue relay is K113 HINGED WINDOW RELAY.
Now you can look at the diagram and follow colour coded wires to their locations. You can also look at my pinout sheet and see where they are supposed to connect to.

**bmw4life92** · 01-20-2016, 10:35 AM

Btw, will a body wiring harness from a 94+ car with ZKE 4 fit into my 325i M50? As long as its coupe, it will fit?
Thinkin about upgrading from old harness with ZVM to newer wiring harness with ZKE 4 etc,. Is this possible?

**DJ Genius** · 01-20-2016, 12:21 PM

Originally Posted by bmw4life92

Btw, will a body wiring harness from a 94+ car with ZKE 4 fit into my 325i M50? As long as its coupe, it will fit?
Thinkin about upgrading from old harness with ZVM to newer wiring harness with ZKE 4 etc,. Is this possible?

I would avoid that. ZVM module has only 2 harness plugs, ZKE IV has 4-5 of them. You would need to rewire every single wire into new ZKE IV module as some of them are in different plug and different pinout location.
If I were you, I would simply add ZKE IV module on top of what you have. Supply power to ZKE module and wire in the electric vents harness. So you ZVM would work as before and an added ZKE IV would control only the vents.

**bmw4life92** · 01-20-2016, 12:32 PM

Originally Posted by DJ Genius

I would avoid that. ZVM module has only 2 harness plugs, ZKE IV has 4-5 of them. You would need to rewire every single wire into new ZKE IV module as some of them are in different plug and different pinout location.
If I were you, I would simply add ZKE IV module on top of what you have. Supply power to ZKE module and wire in the electric vents harness. So you ZVM would work as before and an added ZKE IV would control only the vents.

This wil work? All other wires to the ZKE 4 I dont need to wire in? only the power and ground wires at the big black connector and pin 18 and 19 at the green one? Every thing else can be cut?

Cuz this I can do.

**MParallel** · 01-20-2016, 02:41 PM

Originally Posted by bmw4life92

What was the big difference in the retrofit wiring harnesses for ZVM models and ZKE4 models? If I could craft some new ones for each, that be awesome.

Non. As I stated before, the retrofit kit was only available from 94 for zke equiped cars.

**DJ Genius** · 01-20-2016, 06:57 PM

Here is what you need to connect to ZKE IV module if you are planning just and ADD-ON feature to pre-existing ZVM module:

Code:

X13252 BLACK 15 Pins
Pin10 RED/GREEN/YELLOW	-> Pin10 (X10018) F35		POWER (RED/BLUE/YELLOW for ZVM models)
Pin15 BROWN		-> X495 (BELOW THE MODULE)	GROUND


X13254 GREEN 26 Pins
Pin18 BLACK/RED		-> X1894 (FRONT CENTER)		K113 HINGED WINDOW RELAY (Pin7)
Pin19 BLACK/GREEN	-> X1895 (FRONT CENTER)		K114 COMFORT RELAY (Pin4)

"Splitters/Junctions" X1894 and X1895 most likely will not exist on our cars, so you can either create your own splitter (as per diagrams it shares it with sunroof) or if you have no sunroof then you can simply wire them straight into the relays:

As for power and ground of the module, I am not 100% sure it will work, so please test it first. Module has over 7 power wires coming in from the fuse box for different types of circuit. And it also have multiple grounds for extra security, so circuits are isolated from each other. Easiest way to get power is tapping into Pin2 of X13013 connector of Central Locking Module on ZVM models.

**bmw4life92** · 01-21-2016, 09:36 PM

Thank you DJ Genius for the Pin-out information

All i need to do is wire power to ZKE4 from my ZVM and ground it. Then connect the GREEN/BLACK wire (from green ZKE4 connector) to my existing comfort relay Pin4 and the RED/BLUE wire from the "splitter" to Pin 2? Unless my 92' Coupe "has a spare, wired circuit from the comfort relay with a 5A fuse and an assigned connector pin" -Like Johnf put it at the start of the thread, like seen in the diagram earlier in the thread "X13 Pin 28 NOT USED"
We will see if mine is like this or not. If I have the open Pin 28 in my X13, then I just put the RED/BLACK wire from the vent harness splitter into the open Pin 28?(if it is connected to the comfort relay ofc)

It is like -15 to -20 celsius outside these days, Have not bothered to go outside and check my Comfort Relay or X13 yet x) Will do it soon.

Getting the WC1000 one-touch modules and modding them! Hopefully before the install of the vents, so I can have stall detection cut-off and one-touch from day 1.

Many many thanks guys!

Peace!
-Håkon

**bmw4life92** · 01-24-2016, 08:24 PM

Here is a picture of the comfort relay in my 92', it has 4 wires connected, then there is one pin left un-used?

The mint green relay is a 4 pin multi-purpose relay, like the orange bosch relay that came in this wiring harness originally.

So the small harness I got is the power supply wiring harness: 61129404366
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-bmw-parts/wiring-set-no-longer-available/61129404366/

**DJ Genius** · 01-25-2016, 06:59 AM

Yes, it is a power supply and comfort wiring. It supplies the power to your vent window switches and Hinged Window Relay. And it is turned on by your ZVM/ZKE module or sunroof control unit.
Since you have your own Comfort Relay I would use the existing one for vent windows. Try finding the splitter/junction coming from that relay, that's where you can tap your switches and Hinged Window Relay.
I was a bit surprised to see the GREEN relay in the wiring you got from M3. The Comfort Relay in your car, the BLUE one, that is the Comfort Relay I am familiar with. As far as I am aware there were 2 types of Comfort Relays:
93-95 older 61358364690:

And 96-99 newer 61358366387:

Somebody must have replaced the relay in your wiring that you got from M3. You should have that smaller older style relay in there. But it looks like you have a proper original relay in your car, which is good. So use that instead.
Pin2 and Pin5 are the output pins from the Comfort Relay.
Pin5 should go to Sunroof.
Pin2 should go to Power Windows.

The only wire in your relay I can see as the OUTPUT is huge RED wire (according to diagrams it should be RED/VIOLET). I guess that wire will got back to fuse box or is fused somewhere along the way, so you can use that wire (after it's been fused) for the power or you can tap into Pin5 of Comfort Relay for Sunroof (if it's not used) and get the power from there, but I would recommend using a 5A fuse, that you already have from your M3 wiring, so it works as a separate fuse just for rear vents.

**bmw4life92** · 01-25-2016, 03:34 PM

I thought the ZKE4 was the comfort relay after 95?
The 96+ relay you posted picture of, is the K113 Hinged Window Relay I have here. Its the same part number, some places the result of the part number is K78 comfort relay, and other places as the K113 Hinged window relay.

I have power sunroof, So I should tap into either the thick RED/YELLOW wire or the VIOLET/YELLOW from my comfort relay?(The one that powers the sunroof)

Will it be possible to splice the BLACK/RED wire comming from K113 to my ZVM or something? So I wont have to retrofit the ZKE4? Getting K113 signal power from somewhere else than ZKE4?
Or should I just go ahead and wire in the ZKE4 for the vents?

I saw the electric rear vents retrofit thread of zed///M, he did wire it up to a 1992 coupe 10 years ago, (without ZKE4?) But explained nothing on how to do it,, I wrote to him, but he has not been online for a month now.

It's not so cold out here now, so I will take of the footrest and check my X13 PIN 28 within the next few days.

**DJ Genius** · 01-25-2016, 04:11 PM

Yes, it is the same part number for Comfort Relay and Hinged Window Relay after +96.

No, you cannot use VIOLET/YELLOW wire for POWER, that is only a signal coming from ZVM module.
You need to use the thicker RED/YELLOW wire. But you need to do this safely, so fuse is necessary. What is the pin number of the relay, that you said was unused? Can you pull out the Comfort Relay and check which pin is not used?
ZKE IV will supply "Convenience Locking" through it's X13254 Pin18. By looking at the Hinged Window Relay diagram I can see this little wire will ACTIVATE the Hinged Window Relay and "unlock" both vent window motors. I believe it works very similar to your front door windows. Once you have ignition on, you can lower and raise the front windows. 5min. after the ignition is switched off you may no longer do this, but once you open the door you can again lower and raise the window. This feature is supplied by ZKE IV module. So if you do not connect that little wire, your Hinged Window Relay will always be "locked" and your vent window motors won't work.

I believe you may right by skipping the ZKE IV module and getting that "unlock" signal from the same wire as Comfort Relay does from your ZVM module.
All you need is to "activate" the Hinged Window Relay, so you should be able to do this without ZKE IV module since you already have and older style ZVM module. I think if you connect that wire to the same pin as your front windows, you should be alright. You rear vents would be "unlocked" at the same time as your front windows.
Front windows are "unlocked" by ZVM module X13012 Pin9 VIOLET/YELLOW. This is exactly the same wire that unlocks the Comfort Relay. On older +96 cars Comfort Relay is "unlocked" by Pin19 and Hinged Window Relay is "unlocked" by Pin18 of X13254 connector. Why two separate pins are used I don't know.

Try connecting to that VIOLET/YELLOW wire and see if the Hinged Window Relay clicks ("activates").

Oh yeah, and I believe ZVM/ZKE does not SEND/PUSH the signal to relays, it rather PULLS down the current and allows electricity to go through relay's coil hence closing the relay latch and allowing the high power electricity to go the connected components (switches in our case). Just to be very exact

**bmw4life92** · 01-25-2016, 05:23 PM

I'll get in there tomorrow, checking the relay and see if I can get the footrest off, to see if there is a fused power source in my X13

Thanks for the detailed description. Its the "activate" part I didnt understand before, the power to vent motors,K113 and switches I just gotta hook up to a power source with a fuse between.

Is this 5A fuse correct or do I have to use a bigger fuse for the vent system?

**DJ Genius** · 01-25-2016, 06:26 PM

5A fuse is originally used in rear vent system. There is only 2 small motors and they are not drawing a lot of current, hence the fuse has to be small.
It won't be easy to get to X13, you may need to remove the floor carpet.

**bmw4life92** · 01-25-2016, 08:49 PM

Originally Posted by DJ Genius

5A fuse is originally used in rear vent system. There is only 2 small motors and they are not drawing a lot of current, hence the fuse has to be small.
It won't be easy to get to X13, you may need to remove the floor carpet.

Nice, I wont rly need to wire into X13, only for a OEM like install, if the open pin from 5A fuse is there already, hmm mby I'll do it like that. I'll get a fuse holder tomorrow, insert my 5A fuse, and connect it to the splitter, ready to tap into sunroof power wire from comfort relay. So I can test it one of these days.

Does it matter where I ground the vent switches? Can they just be spliced into the (-)ground for cigarette lighter, or the front window switches or something?