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BC hidden menus

Anonymous — Sat, 16 May 2009 09:14:37 CDT

All BMW 3series cars of the E90, E91, E92 (and probably E93) family have hidden/service menus in the Board Computer (BC)
Although on cars with iDrive, some of this information can be accessed in a more readable format through the hidden iDrive menus

Accessing the menus

To access these hidden menus (or service menus), you have 2 options..

Option 1

Turn ignition on, or start your car
Press and hold the button to reset the daytrip/odometer for 10 seconds

Option 2

Press and hold the button to reset the daytrip/odometer
While keeping this button pressed, insert the keyfob into its slot, and release the button

At this point the BC should display data in a "XX.YY" format. So if the BC displays "01.00", that means Main Menu 01, sub menu 00
To continue to navigate the menus, you need to use again the daytrip/odometer button (hereafter just called 'button')

While the display reads XX.__ press the button repeatedly to select the main menu option (XX)
when reaching the desired main menu option, wait for 2 second for the display to read XX.00, at this time pressing the button will select the sub menu (YY)
To go back to selection of a main menu (XX), press and hold the button for 2 seconds, until it shows XX.__ again.
To leave the hidden/service menus press and hold the button for 10 seconds, or remove the keyfob.

At this point, the available main menus are 01, 02 and 19. To access the remaining menus a code is required.
This code can be found under menu 01.00 and needs to be calculated as follows from the Chassis number
Say the number displayed is XX12345, you take the last 5 digits (12345 in this case), and add them all up, so 1+2+3+4+5=15. Meaning your unlock code is 15.

To enter the unlock code, go to main menu 19, and wait until it asks for the unlock code. Now press the button until it reads your unlock code (15 in our example), and the display will show 'lock: off'.
Now all menus are available

Menu list and description

Note: please make corrections/additions to this list if you have additional information!

Menu	German text	English Translation	Notes	Picture
01.00	FGSTNR (Fahrzeug ?? Nummer)	Vehicle ?? number
01.01	K-ZAHL W/T (Kilo-Zahl Wirklich/Tacho?)	Tacho in thousands True/Tacho?
01.02	BMWTNR (BMW Teilenummer)	BMW Part number of Instrument panel?
01.03	COD DIA	Diagnostic code?
01.04	KI HSTLDATUM (Kombi Instrument Herstellungs datum)	Instrument Panel Manufacturing date
01.05	HW AEI	Hardware revision ??	First part is probably the hardware revision of the instrument panel. Unclear what the second part (AEI is)
01.06	SW	Software version?
01.07	KODIERDATEN	Coding data
01.08	CAN	Can Bus version?	Should this not be Most-Bus instead? (but isn't there still a CAN bus even thought there's also a MOST bus?)
02.00	KI TEST (Kombi Instrument Test)	Instrument Panel Test	When the display shows 02.00, click the button one more time to start the test. Causes all indicator to light up, and gauges to go to max.
03.00	UNBELEGT	Unused	On some older cars (pre-E90), this menu contains service data, but not anymore.
04.00	VERB-MOM (Verbrauch im Moment)	Current fuel consumption in l/100km
04.01	VERB-MOM (Verbrauch im Moment)	Current fuel consumption in l/hour
04.02	D-VERB1 LIT (Durchschnitt Verbrauch im Liter?)	Averages - Consumed fuel
04.03	D-VERB1 WEG (Durchschnitt Verbrauch im Wegstrecke?)	Averages - Distance traveled
04.04	D-VERB2 LIT (Durchschnitt Verbrauch im Liter?)	Averages - Consumed fuel in Liters
04.05	D-VERB2 WEG (Durchschnitt Verbrauch im Wegstrecke?)	Averages - Distance traveled
05.00	RW-VERB (Reichweite Verbrauch)	Range Fuel usage	This is used to calculate how much further you can drive
05.01	RW-MOM (Reichweite im Moment)	Estimated range until tank is empty
06.00	TANK L R S (Tank Links Rechts Summe)	Remaining fuel in left and right fuel tank, and total (Left-Right-Sum)
06.01	TANK-ANZ PH	Total fuel tank content	why is this different from the 06.00 total value? and what is the trailing 'PH' value (1 in this case)?
06.02	TANK-OHM L R	prehaps the resistance values returned by the left and right fuel level sensors? that is, the 'raw' data from which the calculated values in litres are calculated
07.00	KTMP-MOM (Kühlmittel Temperatur im Moment)	Current Coolant temperature
07.01	ATMP-MOM (Außen Temperatur im Moment)	Current Outside temperature
07.02	ATMP ADC (Außentemperatur Analog Digital Converter)	Raw temperature value from analog digital converter
07.03	N-MOT-MOM	current engine revs per minute
07.04	N-VWF-MOM	revs per minute limit on M cars whilst engine warming up (increase in blocks of 50rpm as temp rises)
08.00	V-EFF	Current speed
08.01	V-ANZ	Speed shown on indicator
08.02	V-SZ	Cruise control speed on indicator
08.03	DGESCH1 WEG	?? - Distance traveled
08.04	DGESCH1 ZEIT	Total Time driven?
08.05	DGESCH2 WEG	?? - Distance traveled
08.06	DGESCH2 ZEIT	Total Time driven?
09.00	UB	Voltage
10.00	KM / WOCHE	KM/Week
10.01	GELB CBS H A	?
10.02	SC-STATUS	?
10.03	CBS-MODE	?
10.04	TAG-ZAEHLER (Tag Zähler)	Day Counter
11.00	ZEIT-EINH (Zeit Einheit)	Time format	12 or 24
11.01	WEG-EINH (Wegstrecke Einheit)	Distance format	KM or MLS
11.02	TEMP-EINH (Temperatur Einheit)	Temperature format	°C or °F
11.03	VERB-EINH (Verbrauch Einheit)	Fuel Usage format	l/100km, km/l or mpg
12.00	V-ANKUNFT (Veranschlagt Ankunft?)	Estimated ?? until arrival
12.01	ANK-ZEIT (Ankunft Zeit)	Estimated Arrival time
13.00	AUDIO	Sound test	Press button to play BLINKER, ACC Gong, CCG and DG sounds
14.00	FS-EINTRAEGE (Fehler Speicher Einträge)	Memory error entries
14.01	FSP01 (Fehler Speicher Position 01)	Memory Error Entry 01
14.02	FSP02 (Fehler Speicher Position 02)	Memory Error Entry 02
14.03	FSP03 (Fehler Speicher Position 03)	Memory Error Entry 03
14.04	FSP04 (Fehler Speicher Position 04)	Memory Error Entry 04
14.05	FSP05 (Fehler Speicher Position 05)	Memory Error Entry 05
14.06	FSP06 (Fehler Speicher Position 06)	Memory Error Entry 06
14.07	FSP07 (Fehler Speicher Position 07)	Memory Error Entry 07
14.08	FSP08 (Fehler Speicher Position 08)	Memory Error Entry 08
14.09	FSP09 (Fehler Speicher Position 09)	Memory Error Entry 09
14.10	FSP10 (Fehler Speicher Position 10)	Memory Error Entry 10
15.00	PORT 00h	?
15.01	PORT 01h	?
15.02	PORT 02h	?
15.03	PORT 03h	?
15.04	PORT 04h	?
15.05	PORT 05h	?
15.06	PORT 06h	?
15.07	PORT 07h	?
15.08	PORT 08h	?
15.09	PORT 09h	?
15.10	PORT 0Ah	?
15.11	PORT 0Bh	?
16.00	DIMMRAD CAN	Dashboard lighting?
16.01	PHOTO-ADC	Day light measurement
16.02	DIMM-PWM SZ	?
16.03	DIMM-PWM DK	?
17.00	DISP-HEIZ	Display heater on/off
17.01	NCT1 NCT2	?
17.02	KONTR-PWM	?
18.00	CC-TEST	Check Control Test
19.00	UNLOCK	Unlock menu
20.00	KORR-VERBR	Correction factor - Usage	Korrekturfaktor Verbrauchsanzeige Fuel consumption correction factor
20.01	1ER KORR	1st correction?	Change the 'ones' digit of the correction factor
20.02	10ER KORR	10th correction?	Change the 'tens' digit of the correction factor
20.03	100ER KORR	100th correction?	Change the 'hundreds' digit of the correction factor
21.00	RESET?	Software reset

Regional differences

Anonymous — Thu, 14 May 2009 18:50:08 CDT

The intend of this document is to describe the differences of the E90 range cars to different geographical areas.

Regional difference to the cars exist due to local marketing reasons. The local importer can pretty much have the base cars configured as they see fit, and can offer option packs to bundle certain options in a more price competitive way.

Pretty much everywhere options are available in à la carte menu, apart from North-America, where only a few engines are available, with a few option packs. The standard equipment levels for the North-America models are however very high, for a very low price due to the high volumes sold. But certain options are simply not available.

Also in Britain and Ireland, BMW offers so called 'ES' and 'SE' editions, which do not exist in other countries. This is again due to local marketing, as the other manufacturers have similar editions.

Base car
Editions

ES
- British/Irish designation for the entry-level equipment model
- Only available for 316i, 318i, 320i, 318d and 320d cars
SE
- British/Irish designation for a model with higher equipment levels
- Adds the following options in Britain above ES spec:
  - 249 - Multifunction steering wheel
  - 540 - Cruise Control
  - 507 - PDC Rear
  - 534 - Automatic AC
  - 563 - Interior lights package
  - 431 - Interior rear-view mirror with anti-dazzle function
M-Sport
- Adds the following features not otherwise available:
  - M-Sport Airo-dynamic kit
  - 704 - M-Sport Suspension
  - 710 - M-Sport Steering wheel
  - 2MF - 193M or 2ME - 194M type rims
  - 381 - Option for Le-Mans Blue paintwork
- The M-Sport option is not available in North-America
- British/Irish M-Sport models also have the SE equipment levels

Engines
Petrol/Gas

316i
- Only available in Norway and Malaysia due to extreme high taxes on engine capacities
- In Greece 316 and 318 are available as a lower-cost luxury car
- No longer available in Ireland after change to CO2 based car tax system in 2008
318i
- Not available in North-America
320i
- Not available in North-America
320si

Limited edition (2600 units) model with a modified engine to compete in the FIA WTCC
Not available in North-America

320 M Sport (Malaysia)

Valvetronic 4 cyl upgraded from 150hp to 156hp.

323i
- Only available in Canada
325i / 325xi
- No longer available in North-America as of MY07, still available in other parts of the world
- North-America model was a 3.0l de-tuned, where for the rest of the world it is a proper 2.5l
328i / 328xi
- Introduced with MY07. Only available in North-America (de-tuned 3.0l engine)
330i / 330xi
- No longer available in North-America as of MY07, still available in other parts of the world
335i
- Introduced with MY07.

Diesel
Diesel engines are not currently available in North-America, but this is set to change in the future.

318d
320d
325d / 325xd
330d / 330xd
335d
- Introduced with MY07.

Lights and Indicators
North-American cars have either orange reflectors in the headlights (E90 or E91), or orange reflectors on the front fenders (E92 or E93).
This is due to US Department of Transportation (DOT) requirements (and probably something similar in Canada?)

In addition North-America does not get the rear fog lights (actually the lights are present, but the switch is missing to turn them on).

Locks and Keys
There are three ways of opening or closing all the windows (and sun roof) in one go:

keep lock/unlock button on keyfob pressed for several seconds
- This does not work on North-American cars
Turn key in driver-side doorlock and keep it rotated for several seconds
with the Comfort Access (CA) option by keeping your finger on the driver side door handle sensor for several seconds
- This does not work anymore for MY07 cars?

Prior to MY07 a valet key was included, this has since been removed (is this correct for all countries, or did only the UK and NA get the valet key in the first place?)

Flashlight
North-American cars get a flashlight in the glovebox.
Any other countries that get it? Netherlands and Belgium do not.

Dashboard storage space
Euro-spec cars have a small closable storage space in the dashboard, on the lower-left-hand side of the steering wheel (right-hand side for those who drive on the left).
North-American cars instead have additional knee protection built into the dashboard.

Options
Air-conditioning
Two air-conditioning options are available:

Manual AC
- Default in most countries
534 - Automatic AC
- Default in the US
- Default on all but the 323i in Canada
- Default on 330i/330xi/330d/330xd/335i and 335d cars in Belgium

302 - Alarm
The alarm is standard equipment in a few countries (Belgium, UK, others?). In most other countries it is a separate option, and can be installed at the factory, except for North-America where it is a dealer-installed option.
Functional wise, Euro-spec cars give only a visible indicator when locking/unlocking the car, where North-American cars give both visible and audible indicators.

775 - Anthracite Headlining
Not available in North-America

Audio Speakers
Three audio speaker systems are available:

Basic (if someone has a better name...)
- 6 speaker system
- Default in most countries
676 - HiFi
- 10 speaker system (incl 2 subwoofers)
- Default in the US
- Default on all but the 323i in Canada
677 - HiFi Pro DSP/Logic 7

Audio System
Two different audio systems are available:

Radio Business Audio
- Default audio system in most countries
- Not capable of playing MP3 discs
- Not compatible with Bluetooth phone option
- Not compatible with the CD Changer unit
- Not compatible with HiFi Pro/Logic 7 speaker option
663 - Radio Professional Audio
- Default in North-America and the UK

612 - BMW Assist
Not yet available in all countries. Supported countries:

Canada
Germany
United Kingdom
United States
?

BMW Individual
Provides the following options:

490 - BMW Individual Paint Finish (Five colours)
1XX - BMW Individual Merino upholstery (Six colours)
BMW Individual Trim (Four colours)
BMW Individual Leather Steering Wheel with Wood Inserts
BMW Individual Entry Sills
BMW Individual Rims (type 152)
BMW Individual High Gloss Satin Chrome

BMW Individual is not currently available in North-America

Cruise Control
Four possibilities exist:

NO Cruise Control
- ES spec cars in Britain and Ireland
- 323i in Canada
Cruise Control
- Standard in most countries on 4-cylinder models
Cruise Control with brake function
- Standard on most 6-cylinder models
541 - Active Cruise Control
- Option only available on 6-cylinder models

200 - Diesel Particulate Filter
Standard on the 325d, 325xd, 330d, 330xd and 335d.
Also standard on the 318d and 320d in Germany, Netherlands and Switzerland

Lights Packages
four and six cylinder cars have different standard lights:

4 Cylinder
- Standard: Single Central light for front passengers
- Option 563 - Adds lights in door handles; exit lights underneath doors; lights in footholds for front passengers; reading lights for front and rear passengers; vanity mirror lights; central light for rear passengers
6 Cylinder
- Standard: Lights in footholds for front passengers; Central light for front passengers; Central light for rear passengers; reading lights for front and rear passengers; vanity mirror lights
- Option 563: - Adds lights in door handles; exit lights underneath doors

The additional lights option is standard equipment in the following cases:

North America
335i and 335d in Belgium
6-cylinder cars in the Netherlands

Navigation
Two different Navigation options exist:

606 - Business Navigation
- This gives arrows only on the display, with no option for displaying a map
- Not available in North-America
609 - Professional Navigation
- Includes 'voice control' option and 'Nav DVD' media in North-America

Navigation is not available in all countries (like Mexico), due to missing maps.

Paintwork
The following paint colours are available:
Non-Metallic

300 - Alpine White
A61 - Crimson Red
- Introduced as of MY07
Electric Red
- Withdrawn as of MY07
668 - Jet Black

Metallic

A34 - Arctic
A41 - Barrique Red
475 - Black Sapphire
A43 - Deep Green
A35 - Monaco Blue
A51 - Montego Blue
- Introduced as of MY07
Mystic Blue
- Withdrawn as of MY07
381 - Le Mans Blue
- Only available as part of M-Sport package
A23 - Sonora
A22 - Sparkling Graphite
354 - Titanium Silver
A52 - Space Gray
- Only on E92

BMW Individual Metallic paint colours on E90/E91

S34 - Azurite Black
S23 - Ruby Black
S11 - Blue Onyx
S10 - Malachite Green
FQ95-4472 - Brass
S37 - Moonstone

PDC
Two different PDC options exist.

508 - Park Distance Control (front and rear)
- Not available in North America
507 - Park Distance Control - Rear

4AE - Sliding Front Armrest
Not available in North-America

493 - Storage Package (Interior)
Consists of the following:

Two front cupholders
- Standard in North-America and the UK
Two rear power sockets (in the back of the centre console/armrest)
- Not available in North-America
Front Seatback storage nets
- Standard in North-America

402 - Sun Roof
US gets the sun roof as standard equipment

3AC - Towbar (Concealed)
Not available in North-America

Trims
The following trims are available:

4AD - Brushed Aluminium
- Only available as part of M-Sport package
4AB - Burr Walnut Wood
4AC - Poplar Wood
4AG - Titan Matt
- Standard trim

In addition the following trims are available with BMW Individual for E90/E91:

7961670 - Aluminium Barite Silver
0690 - Birch Anthracite
1092 - Piano Finish Black
0431 - Walnut Amarone

601 - TV Function (for Navigation screen)
supports the following standards:

Analog (PAL, Secam?, ?)
DVB-T

Not available in North-America

Upholstery
The following upholsteries are available
Cloth
Not available in North-America

ANAT - Blue Shadow with Anthracite Alcantara
- Only available as part of M-Sport package on E90/E91
ALAT - Anthracite Fluid
ALB4 - Beige Fluid
- Only on E90/E91
ALAD - Gray Fluid

Cloth/Leather
Not available in North-America

FFAT - Anthracite
FFB5 - Blue
FFB6 - Quartz Gray
FHAT - Pearlpoint Anthracite/Black
- Only on E92

Leatherete/Sensatec
This is the default upholstery in North-America

KASW - Black
KAB4 - Beige

Leather
This is the default upholstery on 335i/335d cars sold in Belgium

LCB4 - Dakota Beige
- Only on E90/E91
LCAD - Dakota Gray
LCB7 - Dakota Lemon
- Not available in the USA
- Only on E90/E91
LCSW - Dakota Black
LCB8 - Dakota Terra
- Only on E90/E91
LCD1 - Dakota Coral Red
- Only on E92
LCD2 - Dakota Jade Gray
- Only on E92
LCD3 - Dakota Sadel Brown
- Only on E92
LCGE - Dakota Cream Beige
- Only on E92

BMW Individual Leather on E90/E91

8029969 - Merino Syrah Blue
8025170 - Merino Polar Gray
8025169 - Merino Champagne
8025167 - Merino Albedo Yellow
8029970 - Merino Rusty Brown
8025168 - Merino Amarone

Nav perspective view

Anonymous — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 06:38:04 CST

I have a '54 120d with Professional Nav (iDrive) - I have updated the Map Software to the 2008-1 version but Istill don't get the "Perspective" view option. Does anybody know how to enable this?

TIA

iDrive hidden menus

Anonymous — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 09:07:19 CST

For cars with the iDrive (satelite navigation) option, two hidden menus exist.

Note: these hidden menus are not available anymore in newer (starting with September 2008 manufacturing) cars as they have a completely new iDrive system.

Hidden debug menu

The first one contains data mainly meant for debugging purposes, and is not of interest to most people.
To access this menu, follow these steps

Make sure your in the main menu (the one with the 'i' in the centre and the 4 quadrants)

Press the iDrive controller down, and keep it pressed for 8 to 10 seconds and release.
Rotate the iDrive controller 3 ticks clockwise (right)
Rotate the iDrive controller 3 ticks counter-clockwise (left)
Rotate the iDrive controller 1 tick clockwise (right)
Rotate the iDrive controller 1 tick counter-clockwise (left)
Rotate the iDrive controller 1 tick clockwise (right)
Press the iDrive controller down, and release

This screen will be shown, press the iDrive controller again to get to the next one.

You can scroll through the ECU list and press the iDrive controller to view data.
Note: It seems impossible to get to the 'Exit', 'Prev' and 'Next' buttons on these screens, and the same applies for scroll-bars.

To exit the diagnostics menu, simply hit the menu button below the iDrive controller.

Hidden navigation menu

The second one is a hidden menu for the navigation system, and is more interesting.
For instance here you can see your true speed as measured by the GPS (km/h only!)

Note: the iDrive controller on post March 2007 manufactured cars is no longer able to move diagonal, as such it is not possible to enter this hidden menu anymore (at least until someone finds/leaks an alternative way).

To enter this menu follow these steps:

From the main menu, select the 'Navigation' option (move controller to the right)

In the navigation menu, press the controller down three times, until your at the bottom 'row'
now highlight (but do not press!) the "Map, indicating dir. of travel" option, and follow the following steps..

Move the iDrive controller to the top-right corner (diagonal), and keep it there for 8 to 10 seconds and release.
Rotate the iDrive controller 3 ticks clockwise (right)
Rotate the iDrive controller 3 ticks counter-clockwise (left)
Rotate the iDrive controller 1 tick clockwise (right)
Rotate the iDrive controller 1 tick counter-clockwise (left)
Rotate the iDrive controller 1 tick clockwise (right)
Press the iDrive controller down, and release

Now move the controller right once, so you can scroll through the different options

Note: The above information is based on the 'Professional' version (the only version available in the US), the 'Business' version might be different.

Zaino your car

Anonymous — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 21:15:48 CST

So far we all know the basics (see the FAQ above if you don't).

Steps
1. Wash
2. Clay
3. Remove swirls with a medium Polish like Menzerna IP (only if necessary)
4. Mild polish with Zaino ZPC Fusion to clean the paint and bring out the gloss
5. Protect the rejuvenated finish with a quality synthetic sealant and/or natural carnuba wax.

For Zaino, steps 1 to 4 will not change. Step 5 will change, and new steps (6, 7, and 8) will need to be added.

If you did not use Zaino ZPC in step 4 then you will need to perform step 5. If you did use ZPC, then you can skip step 5.

Step 5 - Wash with any quality car wash soap to remove the leftover oil/filler/protection from the mild polish used in step 4. You may be wondering why this is necessary if any polish other ZPC is being used prior to Zaino. The reason for this is that most other polishes leave some oil and filler behind on the paint that will shorten the durability of the Z2 or Z5. Last winter I applied Z1 and Z5 directly over top of Klasse AIO. When I finally got around to washing the car in April, my Z5 protection was splotchy. Some areas were repelling water very well, while others were pooling. I attribute this to the AIO. I may have applied it a bit thicker in some areas than others (can never get it perfect). Those thicker areas were likely the pooling areas I witnessed when washing. You may also be wondering why/how Klasse SG can work so well over AIO without a car wash in between. This is because they are both made from the same acrylic and work together. AIO will not inhibit SG’s bonding.

Step 6 – Once the wash and dry is complete, you can proceed to begin the Zaino process. This process should go as follows:

1. Mix 1 ounce of Z2 pro or Z5 (your choice) with 4 to 5 drops of ZFX. ZFX will allow you to apply a maximum of 3 coats of Z2 pro or Z5 all in the same day. Shake very well for 90 seconds. Let the Z2/Z5 and ZFX mixture sit for 5 minutes. Once the 5 minutes has elapsed, shake the bottle again for another 10 seconds. Now you’re ready to apply Z2/Z5. Side note: Do not use more than two ounces of Z2/Z5 and 10 drops of ZFX. Meaning, 3 ounces of Z2/Z5 and 15 drops of ZFX will not work.

2. Place a dime-sized amount of Z2/Z5 on your applicator (I prefer foam applicators covered with short terry strands). Apply the polish in front to back motions on all horizontal panels and top to bottom motions on all vertical panels. If you have trouble spreading the Z2/Z5 evenly, then give your applicator a shot of Z6 QD. Also use the dime sized drop for as many sections as possible before adding another drop of polish. That one-ounce of Z2/Z5 should be enough to do 3 coats on your car. You will end up applying it so thin that you’ll barely see it. Don’t worry; this is how it is supposed to be. A little goes a long way. Let the polish haze for 20 minutes.

3. Once it has hazed, buff it off with any quality MF or cotton towel.

4. QD the car with Z6. This will help remove any Z2/Z5 residue you may have missed. It will also help the next coat of Z2/Z5 to apply easier as well as increase gloss.

Step 7 – Repeat Step 6 two more times.

Step 8 – Finish off by applying 1 coat of Z8 Grand Finale Spray Seal.

Adding POI to iDrive Navi

Anonymous — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 14:45:23 CST

It is possible to add your own Points of Interest (POI) to the iDrive navigation system. The steps required are documented here:

http://www.bmwnavaddpoi.co.uk/

This is mainly of interesting to add speed and/or redlight cameras to the map, but you can use it to add any entries you want. You can even add your own groups with categories in it.

Restrictions of using POI on the iDrive Navi compared to aftermarket GPS systems:

Only 1 POI category can be displayed at any one time (the last category you looked at, or searched in)
No warnings of POI that are on your route (e.g. approaching a speedcamera) other then a little icon on the map
Since you can only have one POI category displayed on the map at any one time, all POI of interest need to be in the same category, and a category can only have one icon. So for speed/redlight cameras you cannot have different icons for different types/speeds of cameras

Home

xeta — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 11:48:25 CDT

This is the home of the E90 wiki. Feel free to post new DIY's, FAQ's and other helpful walkthroughs.

Big thanks to all E90post.com members for their great DIY's.

All images are the property of their owners. When possible, please make sure to give credit to the orginating author.

The authors of this site and the respective content authors accept no responsibility or imply no warranty for any of the items listed here. Use these items at your own risk and own responsibility. If you have any doubt that you are not able to perform any of these installs, please do not try to perform them. You assume all responsibility for any actions that occur in the use of this wiki.

Replace foglight bulbs

xeta — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 11:43:39 CDT

Originating Author: lux.sh

Before you do this:

1. Do it at your OWN risk.
2. MAKE SURE TO USE JACK-STANDS when you lift up your car.
I didn't use it this time because I already did this before and
it took me few minutes to complete. I did use extra support jacks
when I did it the first time.
3. DO NOT touch the bulb with your barehand. Hold the base, never the bulb itself.
4. You might need to do extra work if you have big hands.

Instruction:

1. Tools I used. 8mm socket, wrench, 2-ton jack, extra light support, aftermarket yellow foglight bulbs.

Oh yeah, and small hands required.

2. Lift your car. You don't have to lift it alot if you don't have big head.

3. Get under the car, Take off all the bolts that the red arrows are indicating.

Close-up pic of the 3 bolts you can't see.

One of the "bolt" in the middle is actually a clip. Pull out the middle piece with minus screw driver. real easy.

Close-up pic of the bolt you have to take off by the fender area.

4. Pull the air-splitter thingy off.

5. Pull the whole plastic panel off.

6. Now you'll see the foglight bulb in place.

7. Reach for it, and twist the bulb socket off the foglight housing.

8. Take the socket out, take the bulb out, replace it with new ones.

9. Place the bulbs you've taken out in a safe place if you plan on using them in the future.

10. Put the new bulb in. Put the bulb socket back in, the exact same way you took it out but reverse twist.

11. Reverse process, put everything back in, screw the bolts/clips back in. Enjoy the new bulbs.

For comparison between the Luminics JDM Yellow bulbs vs OEM bulbs,
please refer to this thread.

Oil Change

xeta — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 11:43:01 CDT

Original author: e90wraith

I would like to share my experience of changing the oil in my 2006 BMW 325i (e90) with sport package. My car has only 2300 miles on it, but I thought I should do a post break-in period oil change. (More on this later.) It took a bit longer than expected (~1 hr) because I didn’t know where everything was, especially the drain bolt. The job itself was simple - something I would do in about 15 minutes next time.

Equipment and Tools:
Rhino Ramp
17mm Socket Wrench
Strap Wrench

Supplies:
BMW Oil Filter ~$15
BMW Synthetic 5W30 Oil, 7 Quarts (6.5 L), ~$5/Quart

Lifting the car:
One of the most difficult parts of my oil change was raising the car. I have a hydraulic jack, but I had two problems. 1) The jack couldn’t slide underneath the lift point, even though I would hardly classify my jack as being high. The clearance under the front of the car was minimal with the sport package. I could slip the jack underneath the rear of the car, but I needed to raise the front. 2) Even if I were to raise the front of the car with my hydraulic jack, there weren’t any lift points where I could place my jack stands.

Frustrated, I went to buy some Rhino ramps. Unfortunately, the Rhino ramps had their own problems. While fellow forum member HRC didn’t have a problem (HRC, do you have a non-sport package e90?), I had a problem with the ramps slipping on my concrete garage floor. The culprit turned out to be the low hanging rubber flaps just ahead of the front wheels as shown below:

While the flaps are flexible, they scrape the ramps enough to push them forward. This was quite frustrating. I finally solved the problem by putting the ramps on top of rubber floor mats I had lying around. They provided enough friction to prevent the ramps from slipping.

Removing the oil cap and filter:
Removing the oil cap was simple. Just turn the square cap clockwise and you’re done.

Removing the oil filter was simple, too. I couldn’t turn the oil filter cap by hand, so I used a strap wrench. The exposed filter element is shown below:

Removing the drain bolt:
This took much longer than anticipated, simply because I didn’t know where it was located. The first thing you notice looking underneath the car is that plastic shields cover nearly the entire underside. Conspicuously, there is a large exposed bolt right where you think the middle of the engine is.

I don’t know what this bolt is for, but IT IS NOT THE DRAIN BOLT. Fortunately, I didn’t loosen it because of heads up by fellow forum member HRC. BMW, in its infinite wisdom, made this bolt 17mm in size, same as the drain bolt. So if you’re looking for something that fits a 17mm socket in search of a drain bolt, this is it. However, don’t remove it.

Even after some search, I still couldn’t locate the drain plug. I was in the process of removing the bolts securing the plastic shield underneath the engine (while cursing BMW and their poor design), when I came across this trap door just behind the bolt.

When I opened it - Eureka! - I found the drain bolt!

From here on, it was easy. Loosen the bolt and drain the oil into a pan. About 7 quarts (6.5 L) will drain out.

Replacing the Filter:
Let the oil drain for a few minutes. Meanwhile, you can replace the oil filter. The old oil filter next to the new filter is shown below.

Inside the filter box, there should be two rubber O-rings (small and large) and one copper crush washer.

Remove the two O-rings and the filter from the filter housing, and insert the new ones. It’s a little tricky removing the O-rings, but don’t use a screwdriver since it can damage the housing. The new assembled filter housing should look like this:

Putting it back together:
Screw the oil filter cap back on. Be sure the rubber O-rings, especially the large one, are in their correct grooves. I accidentally placed the large one inside a wrong groove once, and oil started gushing out of the housing.

Go underneath the car again, and screw the drain bolt back in. Make sure you pry off the old crush washer, and use the new copper crush washer. Secure the trap door.

Finally, put ~6.9 quarts of BMW Synthetic 5W30 oil in.

Once finished, secure the oil cap.

Start the engine and check for any leaks. Drive off the ramp and drive for a few miles because the on-board computer needs a few minutes to get an accurate reading of the oil level. Check the oil level through the on-board computer, and top off as needed.

You’re done! Simple!

Mudflap Installation

xeta — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 11:42:34 CDT

Originating author: nexus66

Let's start with the front ones since these are the easiest!

I'm afraid that this is pretty much a wheel off job, although it might be possible to do it with the wheel on, you'll find it a lot easier with the wheel removed. I started doing it with the wheel on, but ended up taking the wheels off part way through!

Once you've jacked the car up and removed the wheel, make sure that the area that the mud flap goes onto is nice and clean and dry. The mudflap has a section of double sided sticky tape which needs to bond onto the wing to make a good fit.

You'll see 3 little plugs on the plastic insert (circled below ), you need to remove the bottom 2. To do this push something small into the centre to push through the small pin (don't worry about where it goes - you wont need them and they'll end up falling out themselves), and then lever out the plug itself.

Now under the sideskirt there is also a plastic screw thing with a torx head, this also needs to be removed. It unscrews, so unscrew it!

Now you can test fit the mudflap (don't remove the backing tape yet!), and you'll see that the two upper holes on the mudflap can line up with the two plugs you've removed. And the little notch on the other side will fit in the gap between the wind and the side skirt.

Have 2 of the replacement plug/pin things ready and remove the backing tape from the inside of the mudflap. Now slide the mudflap into place and use the 2 plugs to hold it in the correct position. You can press where the tape is to make sure it sticks to the bodywork. Now push the pins until the end is flush with the head of the plug. And then screw in the large plastic screw underneath - don't overtighten, it's only plastic!!. (The mudflaps come with a large push in plug which I think you could also use underneath, but I decided to use the screw in one instead!)

Now the final hole on the inner wing needs a screw into the plastic. Take one of the black screws that came with the mudflaps, and screw it through the remaining hole! You don't need to pre-drill it as the end of the screw has a drill type end to allow it to cut through the plastic.

If you've taken the wheel off, now go and give the inside rim of the alloy a good clean!

Put the wheel back on, lower the car and admire your handiwork!

Do the other side in exactly the same way!

Attached Images

Now for the slightly more tricky back mudflaps...

(The pictures seem to be out of order, but you should get the idea!)

I'd recommend starting with the side opposite the exhaust - this is beacuse the exhaust side has a tricky little bracket which provides additional support. If you get the non-exhaust side done first it'll put you in a better position to understand the other side!

Again, I'd say remove the wheel to make life a little easier!!

Right - the rear mudflaps are two piece, so split them (mine arrived already joined! ) by pushing the pins through the plugs, only this time make sure and find and keep all the pins!!

First we need to mount the inner part. Remove the two 8mm bolts on the fuzzy inner liner, and put the inner part in place, securing it with the bolt you removed! This was a complete pain to do and requires you to really push the whole thing back to get the thread to catch!

Once this is in place, test fit the outer part. I found it easier to start with the bottom inside part and slide it up and round into place!

Remove the backing tape, and fit the outer part, using the plugs to hold it in the right place. Insert the pins and push them home.

Use the other bolt you removed to secure the top part of the mudflap to the inner lining. This is also a pain to get in place but persevere and you'll get there!!

Now finally use one of the supplied self tapping screws to secure the mudflap underneath.

Again clean the inner rim of your alloys, and put it all back together!

For the other side, the process is exacly the same, but instead of putting a self tapping screw in the bottom, you need to use the support bracket supplied. This bracket bolts on from the bottom and through the fuzzy lining with 2 bolts, and seems to press up on a mounting screw for the exhaust heat shield. This is a little hard to explain, but from the picture below, I hope you'll be able to figure out how it fits!

And you're done!

Attached Images

M shifter and M brake handle

xeta — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 11:42:05 CDT

Originator: FrankoQ

I found information about this here and there but not all together.
A very easy mod but here are some pics of the process.

The M-shifter comes with the boot.
The factory shifter can be removed by itself and the boot has
4 snap points that attach the boot to the center console.

Part numbers and price I got from Tischer BMW in MD
(with BMW CCA discount)
M-Shifter 25-11-8-036-628 $100.00
M-brake handle 34 40 8 036 495 $24.00

Here is the M-shifter.

This is the Brake handle. No screws. It just snaps on.

This is the before pic.

First, pull the boot on each corner to remove it from the center console.
Then, just pull the shifter.

The brake handle boot is hold to the brake handle by a cable tie.
lift the brake handle boot from both ends and it will come off easily.
Next, cut the original cable tie.

Next, with the parking brake on, pull the handle.

You end up with this...

To install the shifter, just push it into place.
To install the boot for the shifter, just push down on each corner and it snaps into place.

Next, insert the brake handle and push it in. it kind of snaps into place.
Pull the brake handle boot inside out and install a new cable tie.

You are done.
the after pictures...

H&R Spring install

xeta — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 11:41:06 CDT

Original Poster: lni

E90 H&R Sport Spring DIY Install

You'll need the following tools:
2 Jackstands
1 Floor Jack (I used 2)
1 Pair Strut Type Coil Spring Compressor (Autozone loaned me for free)
13mm-21mm sockets (deep if you have them, but regular will work)
Various extensions for the rachet socket wrench
13mm-21mm open end wrenches
Channel Lock Pliers
Hammer
Flat screw driver
Sharpie
Block of wood
A couple (7 or 8) of your favorite beers, and some patience

I suppose it might be easier with another person, but I did this by myself.

This is challenging, but not that bad that I think people couldn't do this, with a decent DIY. Plan on taking 3-5 hours to do this. I did it in 3.5 hrs, but I was also taking pics and figuring out what to do, since no DIY exists for this yet (that I was ever able to find).

Disclaimer: You will be handling large compressed springs that could cause damage to you, your car, or something near you. Be careful and don't do anything stupid. If you are careful, you should have no problems at all. If you do get hurt, I am in no way responsible.

Step 1:

I did the rears first, thinking they would be a piece of cake. I believe they took about the same amount of time as the fronts. They were not a piece of cake.

Loosen the lugbolts on all 4 wheels with a 17mm socket, then place a jack on the back mounting point and jack all the way up.

Step 2:

Once the back is up, place a jack stand under the rear subframe mounting point, and lower the jack onto the stand. Repeat on the other side. In my pics, you may noticean additional jack being used. It is not neccessary, but certainly adds safety.

Attached Images

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Posted: 03-18-2006, 05:36 PM ( #2 )

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Step 3:

Using a 17mm socket and a pair of channel locks, remove the upper end link bolt. You'll need to hold the bolt with the channel locks on the other side of the swaybar, or else it will turn forever.

Attached Images

Step 4:

Using a 19mm socket (deep, if possible), remove the nut that holds the shock to the lower control arm strut. You can step on the brake brake rotor and push down with your foot, which will free the shock. The assembly cannot fall to the ground, but keep an eye on the brake sensor and the brake lines.

Attached Images

Step 5:

You should have your jack free to use, since you have the car on jackstands. Place the jack under where the spring seats into the lower control arm, and snug it up, but do not jack so it raises the wheel assembly.

Step 6:

On the Driver's side, you'll have to loosen a couple of exhaust mounts, to get the bolt out. Also, there is a tip sensor there, that you'll also need to remove (13mm) prior to removing the control arm mounting bolt. These are obvious as to how to remove them.

You can now remove the inboard bolt that holds the lower swingarm on, with a 21mm socket wrench. Mark both washers and the bolt head with a sharpie so they can be aligned again when placing it back in (the bolt has an offset flange/washer on it). Once the bolt is loose, tap it out. I used a 1/4" drive socket extension. Once the bolt is removed, you can lower the jack slowly and remove the jack. You can now remove the spring. Take note of how the lower rubber spring seat sits in the control arm.

Attached Images

Step 7:

Take the rubber spring seats off of the old spring, and place them on the new rear H&R spring. The rear ones are marked with an (R). Make sure you put them on correctly.

You'll notice the springs are similar to the stock sport springs, but about and inch shorter. The H&R springs are rightside up, if the writing is also rightside up. Then slide the spring back into place, making sure the rubber seats remain in place, and you put the lower spring seat correctly in the control arm, as I mentioned in Step 6.

Step 8:

Place the jack back under the control arm and jack it up enough to get the bolt (that you removed in step 6) started back in the control arm mount. You'll notice that the control arm is twisted, adn you can't get it to come out the other side. Thanks ok. Lower the jack, and place the block of wood on the jack so you can align the other side of the control arm mount. Tap the bolt in the rest of the way, and tighten. You'll need to use the guide marks that you made with the sharpie to get the bolt/washer aligned.

If you are working on the driver's side remount the tip sensor, and replace the exhaust nuts you removed a the beginning of step 6.

Step 9:

You can now replace the nut on the bottom of the shock absorber, and the end link nut back onto the swaybar. You'll need to hold the bolt with channel locks again.

Do the other side repeating all of these steps. Then mount your tires, jack up the back, remove the jack stands, and lower the car on each side. You'll notice the car is pretty high. It settles once the car is moved, and you will notice the height difference.

I mounted my track wheels, because that's the reason I'm installing the springs to begin with.

Attached Images

OK, lets start the front ones now! You're halfway home. Very important! Open your favorite beer now, and admire the rear of the car.

Most cars allow for the brake rotor to swing free when you loosen the upper shock mounts. The E90 does not. You'll have to compress the spring while it's still on the car. Don't worry though. If you do it right, it's pretty easy.

Step 10

Open your hood.

Jack up the car, using the BACK jacking point! Once you've raised the car all the way, you can put the jack stand under the front jacking point and remove the jack. On the other side, you'll need to jack the car from the control arm in front, so that you can place the jack stand under the front jacking point.

Remember, you loosened the lugbolts in step 1, so now remove the lugbolts and both front wheels.

Attached Images

Step 11

Using a 17mm socket and a 17mm wrench, you can remove the front sway bar mounting point to the front shock.

Attached Images

Step 12

Using a 19mm socket and 19mm wrench, remove the compression bolt on the back of the shock that hold the brake line bracket. It does not loosen the shock (surprisingly), but it gives you play on the brake lines for future steps.

Attached Images

Step 13

On the front passenger side, you'll also need to unclip the xenon self leveling switch with a flat bladed screw driver. It's pretty simple.

Attached Images

Step 14

Remove the three nuts (13mm) that hold the top of the strut held to teh strut tower. Take note of the metal nipple that sticks up next to one of the nuts. It's the alignment nipple, adn you'll use it when re-assembling for alignment. You'll also notice that one of the nuts you have to use an open end wrench on, since it is partially obstructed by the strut tower brace.

Attached Images

Step 15

You can push the assembly down with your foot, like you did on the rear, but it will not drop to the ground, making it more difficult. Normally, once those 3 nuts are removed, the whole shebang falls to the floor. Not so on the e90.

So, grab those spring compressors (mine had 19mm bolts on them), and put them on opposite sides of the strut spring, with the bolt head on top. I could grab 3 coils on each side. Make sure when tightening, you tighten no more than 5 turns before doing the same to the other spring compressor. Eventually, you will have them as compressed as they will get.

Attached Images

Step 16

You may need to unclip some of the wires for extra room for the brake rotor to swing down. Do this now.

OK. Remember stepping on the brake rotor to make it swing down a little bit? Do the same now, but keep your hands on the strut/shock, and swing it out from under the fender. Make sure you don't scratch the fender, which would be easy to do.

Keep an eye on the hoses/wires, and prop the jack under the brake rotor to keep it from putting too much strain on things.

Step 17

Remove the plastic hat on top of the strut, that you can now get access to. Then, using a 19mm socket, loosen the nut that is underneath the plastic cap. Even though you compressed the spring all the way in step 15, you may get a tiny bit of pressure on the strut hat that gets released when teh nut comes loose. Take note of this! Mine just slightly jumped, only on one side, an nothing went flying, but if you did not completely tighten the 3 coils on each side in step 15, you could have more pressure being released.

Remove the hat, swivel, and washer. You can now also remove the front spring! Make sure you don't rip the boot on the shock doing this though. Just ease the spring by the boot and you'll be ok.

Attached Images

Step 18

Loosen the spring compressors on the old spring, using the same method as when tightening them.. no more than 5 turns on each side, and keep the pressure even.
If you've looked at H&R front springs, you'll see they are pretty short. The stock ones are not short at all. They are about double the length, so it will take a while to take the pressure off of the old spring. However, once you've done that, grab a new front spring, make sure the writing is facing up, and start to compress that one. The front springs are marked with a (F).

Do the same as on the factory spring. Grab 3 coils, opposite each other for each compressor, and have the bolt head facing up. Begin compressing that spring, using the 5 turns each side method, until you've tightened it as far as you can.

Step 19

Place the new spring on the strut sticking out from underneath your front fender. Make sure you ease it over the shock boot, and if you pull the boot down, make sure you slide it back up onto the boot mount after getting the spring seated on the rubber mount.

Now you can replace the top strut hat, washer, and swivel. If you've compressed the spring enough, you should have plenty of room to grab that nut and a 19mm socket and tighten it back down. Make sure you have the spring rightside up and seated properly. Once tight, replace the plastic cap.

Attached Images

Step 20

Now you need to get that strut back under the fender, which is fairly easy, once you take out the jack you had under the brake rotor, and use you foot for downward pressure again.

Once you have it under there, start unloosening the spring compressors (5 turns on each again). Since these springs are a lot shorter, it doesn't take too long to do. Take off the compressors,and slide that jack under the brake rotor again, applying upward pressure so that you are raising the strut up ito the strut tower. Don't jack it up too much, just enough to get close to the holes while still being able to swivel the hat. You'll see the nippple here and where it needs to align to. Raise the jack another pump or two until the strut hat bolts poke thru the 3 holes in the strut tower, as well as the alignment nipple is beginning to come through it's alignment hole.

Tighten the 3 nuts up with a 13mm socket, and a wrench for teh one that's under the strut brace.

Attached Images

Step 21

We are almost there! I had another beer at this point. I suggest you do the same.

You now need to put that 19mm bolt back in place that has the brake line bracket on it. Also, put the 17mm nut back on the upper end link mount, and tighten both of those.

Reclip any wires you unclipped during the install, and replace the headlight auto level sensor that you removed in step 13

Mount you wheel again and snug the lugbolts.

Do the other side in the same manner, including the beer. Then put that wheel back on too.

Step 22

Jack the car again to remove the jack stands and then lower it.

TORQUE ALL LUGNUTS. While we are speaking of torquing bolts. Make sure you retighten all bolts with the smae amount of pressure as they fealt like when they ewre reomved. I did not have torque specs, but as they become available, I'll edit this DIY to incude them (and go back and torque the bolts).

Check to make sure you removed all tools from the engine compartment before shutting the hood.

Step 23

Take a quick jaunt down the driveway and back to settle the car. Then with great antcipation, put in park, or out of gear, parking brake.. LEAP from your car and behold it's lowered beauty. Wipe those tears from your eye that well up from the sheer joy you are encountering. Then grab a beer.

Attached Images

Factory Alarm install

xeta — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 11:40:26 CDT

Original author: CC 330i

I went forward with my E90 alarm install, and took some pics along the way. I would say that it is an easy install, as long as you have some mechanical confidence and experience. The "hardest" part is removing the left rear wheel to install the siren. Since our cars do not come with a jack, you have to use your own (or buy the BMW jack), and there are special lift points that require a special fitting so as not to damage the lift point (nice work BMW). If you have any doubts about your ability to safely lift your car with a jack, do not attempt this install.

The E90 Factory Alarm kit from BMW (pn 66 12 0 403 658) lists for $300 but I got mine for about $229 from Circle BMW. They supplied the kit and printed out the offical BMW PDF instructions, which dealers have access to. Typically the kit does not include printed instructions since they obviously prefer the dealer to do the installation. The kit is pretty minimal, and kind of a crime that it costs so much and it not included with every car. It consists of an ultrasonic module for inside the vehicle, a hood switch, and a siren that goes up under the left rear wheel well. See picture below:

1. Remove Negative Battery Terminal.

To get started, first disconnect the negative battery terminal. As you know, the battery is in the trunk (or "boot" for you English-English speakers). The nut on top of the negative (black) terminal is 10mm. I put the removed negative terminal on a rag so that it would not drop back on to the battery or touch the positive terminal.

2. Install Ultrasonic Module into interior of car.

To install the Ultrasonic Module, you must pop open the rear dome light fixture inside the cabin. Make sure you do the REAR one (aft of the sunroof). This was not specified in the instructions, and I spent about 1 hour figuring out that the front light fixture was not correct! To remove the rear dome light fixture, I used a plastic spatula as a pry tool so as not to damage the headliner or plastic. When you do this MAKE SURE your hands are very clean, as you will stain your headliner if they are not. (really, I am serious about this) The spot to pry is immediately behind each reading light, at the back edge of the fixture. There is a release tab immediately behind each circular light, and you have to get the pry tool in just the right place. I did one side, and then held it with my hand and did the other side. You should not have to use tremendous force if you get the pry tool in the right place. Don't worry if the frosted clear light surround pops off when you do this, it easily snaps back in place later:

Once the tabs are released, I found it easiest to unplug the wiring harnesses to completely free the dome light fixture from the car. (This is not necessary, but it makes the next step easier). Then you simply put the ultrasonic module in place (it snaps in) and reinstall the dome light fixture into the car, taking care to connect the original wiring harness for the lights, and the previously unused one that snaps in to the awaiting ultrasonic module you just installed:

3. Installation of the Hood Switch

For the next step, open the hood (or "bonnet" for you English-English speakers) and locate the hood switch wiring along the drivers side edge of the engine compartment. It is taped to another batch of wires neatly. You will see a cap with 3 blue dots on the end, which is a termination for the harness that will eventually plug into the alarm hood switch.

CAREFULLY cut or unwrap the felt tape that holds the hood switch wires to the larger wiring bundle, and pull them up toward the windshield. You will need to remove the cover for the brake resevoir, and it is also easier if you remove the short weatherstripping piece and plastic braket that are shown in the pictures below:

These pieces pop right off easily, but use care when doing the brake resevoir cover. It has a clip at the front and back that you should release when removing.

Once these pieces are removed, straighten out the hood switch wiring, and you will notice 2 plastic clips that are used to mount the wiring to 2 plastic tabs in a channel near the hood switch mounting location. Simply push them down onto the tabs to mount them.

Next, mount the hood switch bracket. There is only one correct orientation of this bracket. The notch in the bracket goes toward the middle of the car and aft. Secure this with the provided screw:

Now, mount the hood switch into the bracket (it basically drops in) and connect the wiring harness to the switch. You must remove the "plug" that is in the connector first. In the pic, the plug is not yet removed.

3. Installation of the Siren in the wheel well

For the next step, you must jack up the vehicle and remove the left rear wheel. This is the "scariest" part of the install. If you have any doubts about doing this safely, do not perform this install. Apparently there is a special tool that fits into the plastic jacking points under the vehicle. They look like upside-down boxes. I just used a block of wood that I cut for this purpose that fit inside each "box" and protruded down below the lift point just far enough to prevent damage from my flat floor jack platform. I suggest buying the fitting or tool from BMW, though.

Before jacking I loosened the lugs slightly (17mm socket) to make it less scary when removing the wheel when lifted. Immediately after jacking the car up, I put 2 jackstands under 2 different parts of the rear suspension that appeared strong enough to support the weight of the car if the jack failed. Always assume your jack will fail! Since I had the lugs loosened slightly, I was able to easily able to remove the wheel once lifted.

Next you must remove the wheel arch cover, which is the felt lining inside the wheel well. This is pretty easy. There are about 10 nuts that must be removed, 10mm and 8 mm. Make sure you get them all. Then simply pull the felt liner out and set it aside.

Look up to the top of the wheel well. There is a cavity up there with some unused wiring, which is neatly tied up with felt tape, and 3 threaded studs. Undo the felt tape to release the connector. Place the supplied bracket over the exposed studs and secure it with the hex nuts. (10mm I think).

Next, connect the siren to the siren mount with the supplied nut.

Remove the "plug" from the connector in the wheel well, and plug the connector into the siren. There is a plastic grommet that pushes into the bracket to support the weight of the siren when it is not mounted. Make sure you push this into the bracket before letting the siren "hang".

Then install the siren mount to the bracket with the supplied screws. Make sure that the wires are not pinched between the wheel well and the siren mount. Securely fasten these screws but do not overtighten. (Sorry, no picture here).

Finally, replace the felt wheel arch cover and the rear wheel. Make sure you get the cover tucked in to all the right places and make sure to replace ALL mounting screws. Torque specs for the rear wheel are between 120 and 140 Nm, which translates to about 90 lb/ft. Make sure to use a torque wrench and check the torque again after a short drive. Do not over or under torque!

If your car has had the proper software updates and programming, the alarm may function immediately after installation. Mine didn't, and I have to go to my dealer and have the software updated to activate the alarm. If you have Nav, you can configure several parameters of the alarm. If you don't have Nav, you may have to live with all features active. Consult your dealer for different configurations.

Enjoy!

Debadge

xeta — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 11:39:54 CDT

Originating Author: Jason

For removing, use tough dental floss to slide behind the lettering and it should come off pretty easily (especially if you heat the area up first with a blowdryer). It may leave some residue, which you can further remove with goop remover you can find in auto stores.

Some debadged E90's

Clearing Headlights

xeta — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 11:39:20 CDT

Originating Author: Longtran

so as you guys know it is possible to remove the amber lens. this was my experience of removing the lens. if any you guys try to do this, please do it at your own risk. i am not responsible for any damages you cause to your own headlight while trying to remove the amber lens. i am posting this to show how i remove the amber lens. another thing, if you succeed on this project and got a ticket for it, do not blame it on me...so basically what i am saying is please do this at your own risk!!!

it is pretty hard to explain this, but i will try my best to do so. if you guys have had experience taking apart headlights before, then you shouldnt have a problem doing this.

here is what i used:

flat screw driver
heat gun
needle nose pliers (need this later to move the plastic back to its place)

begin by heating each clip and pry it back with the screw driver. (there is a total of 6 clips, do not worry about bending them back too much. you can bend them back later.)

now using the heat gun, start heating up the section you want to begin. i started on top and move to the right. everytime you heat up a section, pry apart the cover from the housing. then move on. continue doing it until you get to about the halfway point. some section are harder than others. like this.

it takes alot of time to get it open halfway. just be patient and do not break anything.

now you should be able to get a little opening, like this.

now heat the unpry area really good. this is where you need to put some muscle into it. like this.

if it is not coming apart, do not force it. just do some more prying.

now that you got it apart just use the screw driver to unclip the amber lens. at this point you should be sweating like a pig, tired, wanna go sleep and at the same time feel proud you are saving yourself a bunch of money to make your e90 look good.

i have not attempt to put the headlights back together yet. but here is some process i did. now that all the surrounding look like this

get the heat gun and heat that section up, like this

and use the needle nose pliers to put it back to its place.

what i recommend is to remove all the old glue. make sure everything lines up. put the cover back on housing to see if it clicks in. go to the dealer and buy the german glue or ask them what can you use to seal headights together. german makes the strongest glue, i think. when you add in the sealer, use masking tape to tape the cover to the housing to keep it in place. leave it for how long the directions recommend you to. this will keep it seal real good.

well, thats all for now. i just did this to give you guys hope about removing your lens if you want.

Chrome Tailpipe Installation

xeta — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 11:38:46 CDT

Original content by: nexus66

These instructions are for a 6 cylinder exhaust, but the other exhaust types probably fit in exactly the same way!

This is a really easy DIY, the only tool you need is a flat head screwdriver, a clean cloth and about 5 minutes!!

The important thing to notice here is that the tailpipes have a slash cut to match the slash cut on the tailpipes of the exhaust. This can be seen on one of the photos below.

Push the first tailpipe onto one of the exhaust tailpipes until it won't go any further. Then rotate the tailpipe until the inside lip matches all the way round. On mine, this resulted in the small grub screw sitting at about the 5 o'clock position. You'll know it's in the correct position if you look inside the inner lip - your actual exhaust tailpipe will sit tightly against the lip.

Repeat for the other tailpipe.

Now tighten both grub screws all the way in.

Give the tailpipes a rub with the cloth to remove all your grubby fingerprints and stand back and admire the view!!

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Carbon Fiber Front lip install

xeta — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 11:38:05 CDT

Originating Author: Evo_S4

Very easy to install, all you need is a 8mm socket.
1st = Use the 3m tape that is provided to mount on the Carbon fiber
2nd = remove 2bolts under the front bumper
3rd - lined it up to the bumper and install and follow by installing the 2 bolts back on.
Here is some pics of the install, CF lips felt cheap(lips itself is so thin) but the weave on the lips is flawless.
PS sorry for the not so good write-up

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Blackout front grills

xeta — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 11:36:58 CDT

Originating Author: Jason

Tools/Parts/Supplies:

- Torx-20 screwdriver
- 220 grit sandpaper
- 230 grit sandpaper
- 400 grit sandpaper
- Black paint (any black paint suitable for exterior use - get flat or gloss depending on desired finish)
- Clearcoat (not pictured here, but you should probably clearcoat the paint with a few layers as it will leave the paint less prone to chipping)

Removing Grills:

1) pop open hood
2) to remove top two grill pieces (the two pieces that are attached to the hood), remove all 6 torx screws using a Torx-20 screwdriver (as diagramed below)

3) to remove the two main grill pieces, grab a hold of 2-3 slats with each hand and pull out straight towards you (as diagramed below). The attachment points for the grill is shown below.

Sanding and Painting:

4) separate the chrome trim from the slats by lifting the tabs that connect the pieces and pulling the parts apart (see picture). This eliminates the hassle of having to tape up the slats (note: If you have a 325, using the bumper trim paint I used will result in a finish that is very close to the plastic finish of the slats, so no real need to also paint the slats; therefore it's easier just to remove and paint the chrome trim pieces. However, if you have a 330, you may consider keeping the entire grill (slats and chrome trim) together since you will be sanding and painting both the slats and the chrome trim.)

5) using the coarsest grit sandpaper (220), sand the surfaces you will be painting. The chrome should begin to turn into a coarse and scratched aluminum piece. Continue sanding with the next coarsest sandpaper (320) and finish with the (400) grit sandpaper. The final piece should resemble the brushed aluminum trim you can order with the E90 (see picture).

6) paint each piece using a total of 2-4 light layers so as to prevent dripping and uneven coverage. Wait a few minutes between layers to allow some drying between layers.

7) finish with a coat of clearcoat spray (I personally didn't clear coat because I liked the flat/matte look), but a coat of clearcoat shouldn't add too much shine and will add an extra layer of protection.

8) reinstall parts the same way they were removed.

VOILA!

Before:

After:

Blackout grills on richp's black e90

Blackline taillight installation

xeta — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 11:36:06 CDT

Originating Author: longtran

here is what is needed to do the installation.

30-45 minutes time
5/16 socket??? (it fit pretty good didnt have the metric size)
1/4 socket wrench
1/4 extension
screw driver (flat)
plug remover (no neccesary, but good to have)
1 can of squirt

you can start with what ever, trunk or sides. i started with trunk.

unplug all the plug with the flat screw driver.

use your hand or the plug remover to remove the plugs.

now you have access to the back of the taillight.

unscrew the nut seen. theres only 1.

remove taillight carefully. do not force, it should come out easy.

now, replace it with the blackline taillight, make sure the side piece is hook around the side of the trunk, see picture

the inside part hooks onto the panel inside, see in picture (poor shot)

now tighten the nut. it should pull the taillight down. make sure you hand tight this piece. do not over tight, you might break something.

for putting back the carpet piece. just reverse the previous steps.

here is a picture of the black line taillight with the stock side.

not bad!!!

now for the side, remove the carpet cover.

pull from the upper corner downwards, (this is for the driver side.)

now the back of the side taillight is expose

unscrew the 3 nuts.

remove taillight.

and replace with blackline taillight

sorry no pictures, camera ran out of battery.

for the passenger side, turn the black knob like, it should expose the battery of the car. this side is much easier. before putting things back, check all the bulbs to see if it works, so you have to take the panels out again

***you have to align the taillight center yourself. hand tighten the side and adjust to the way you like. then tighten with the socket.. hope this help someone. here is more of the finish job...

Angel Eyes for Fog lamps

xeta — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 11:35:07 CDT

Originating Thread

DIY:

Basically it's a very simple procedure. Just open the fog lamp clear lens using same technique as opening the head lamp assembly (I think this has been discussed many times in the forum). Heating, Prying, and a little bit of muscle exercise then you'll be able finally open it.

As for the angel eye ring, I'm not sure where to get it outside Indonesia. In here, they sell it in the auto accesories shop. I use the angel eyes conversion kit for the old E39 which not come with angel eyes (5 series prior to 2001??). It's an aftermarket products (not OEM BMW parts). So it's kinda difficult to visualize here. I guess I'll try to find the box and post it here so that you guys can search for this kit.

There is also a conversion kit for the old 3 series. But I'm not sure if the size for 3 series will fit. The one I use fit just perfect in the inner housing of the fog lamp. No rattle. So the ring just snugly pop right in.

1 thing you need to do is to drill a hole for the ring battery cable to go out from the housing. In my case, I drill it at the top of the housing since it is the covered part so it won't be seen when it's installed in the car.

That's it. Just put everything back as before. Seal them with silicon glue. Wait until it's dry, then install them back in the car, paralleled the cable with the parking light/angel eyes on the headlamp. There you have it.

I hope this DIY helps.

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