In lieu of readable gauges...

[workingonit]

Originally Posted by workingonit

...
I thought I had made enough progress to hold me over until I could get the Resler Ibus adapter & the Ibus app, tap into the Ibus wire under the console (at connector X4545),
Attachment 81753
and use my 8" tablet to display the data needed....

After wrecking my back fixing the passenger airbag light problem, which required me to wedge myself in the backseat, almost upside-down, I followed that with checking and topping up all the tires on our 5 vehicles and my 2 trailers (32 tires total...the HHR Panel has 2 spares); I figured I couldn't hurt much worse, so I decided to finally disassemble the center console, to get to the I-bus wire I've bee seeking.

The side-panel access to connector X4545 would've require that I remove the driver's seat, which I didn't want to do (possibly creating more problems). So I tried removing the center console storage box that sits just over the connector. After removing eight screws that had been cross-threaded and glued in place, I still couldn't budge the console box shell (the CD holder & storage cubby were already removed).

I had previously seen where the pre-wiring for the mobile phone comes into the top of the armrest, but once I pried out the (glued-in) phone cradle, I still couldn't get to the extension cable from X4545 (I had previously found the BMW P/N tag on it, but I can't find it now). So I took off the bottom plastic plate, under the top of the armrest, where I finally could touch the 18-pin phone cradle connector/extension? (from X4545), which was tie-wrapped to the antenna cable.


I found a pin-out for that connector on the E-46 website, but that one shows 17 wires in an 18-pin connector. I'm sure there are only 16 wires in mine, but I'll look again tomorrow, and recount. And, there might be a different number of wires considering the different models.

[workingonit]

I returned to my disassembled center console today, to put it back together, and to verify that the I-bus wire is indeed there.


I counted the sixteen wires three more times, so my X5 wiring is one wire short of the E-46 wiring diagram. I've traced the wire to pin 9, but upon very close inspection (as close as my vision allows), I can't see the grey stripe that the I-bus wire should always have. It is the only white wire that has the yellow rings on it (2 out of 3= a winner?).


So far, I've been unable to find a good wiring diagram on my free (downloaded from the web) X5 shop manual (it's certainly not a Bentley, and there's no indexing available to help me search), or on WDS, or on NewTis; I've no idea what the other wires are for.

Since I've got my spare cellphone finally configured to automatically pair with my Torque Pro app (using an app called Macroid), and it's giving me most of the info I need at all times, I'm in less of a hurry to get the "Resler interface/I-bus app/my 8" tablet" combo going immediately. I'll find the wiring diagram I need somewhere, I'm sure.

Another thing...my center console armrest lid had the top with a crumbling-rubber phonetray inside; it is always sticking shut, or causing a mess whenever I put something in it, so I removed it. I'm gonna modify it to hold loose items better, maybe with a velcro'd flap inside. Just a thought.

[PropellerHead]

Originally Posted by workingonit

So far, I've been unable to find a good wiring diagram on my free (downloaded from the web) X5 shop manual (it's certainly not a Bentley, and there's no indexing available to help me search), or on WDS, or on NewTis; I've no idea what the other wires are for.

Do you need a Bentley? Send PM with address. I'm away until like April, but I'll send you the beat up one I have. Owners like you oughta have one.