New iDrive controller retrofit ... almost complete

[King]

I was not going to post on this retrofit until I had all the bugs worked out but there is a lot of speculation on this so I will attempt to answer some questions to save you guys the time, effort and money...before you go running to your dealer to order parts. While most dealers do not even have the part numbers on the 2010 models, I already have all the required parts. There are two trim pieces for the center console and the new controller. Please do not ask me for part numbers as I do not have them!

The new CIC iDrive controller is plug & play in the older M3 and some E90 models. It is NOT plug & play in the X5 and it is NOT the same part number as the E90. While the connectors are the same, it does not work on pre 2010 models without programming. Most dealers will not even attempt to program the controller since it does not belong in your car. My dealer simply said they would not do it.

I tried installing it in a 2008 X5 4.8i with every factory option. You have to update ALL software in your vehicle to the latest versions before the controller can be programed otherwise it will not even show-up on the computer. It will simply say 'Controller input error' on the GT1 software. This has to be done at the dealer and can be 2-4 hrs labor. Then you have to take it to an Indy shop with BMW software to program the new controller.

I had almost everything programmed & coded to work with the new controller. The only thing it would NOT control was the heads up display and rear view camera. This does not mean that it will work for those of you without the HUD or camera! It depends on the different options, modules and software levels in your particular vehicle which all work together.

I am working on a couple of other projects on my other cars (including a full nav retrofit) so this is low priority right now. I still have to work out the bugs. The parts have been sitting in my garage for almost a month now. If anyone has access to re-coding software (not GT1 and other dealer level software) they may have a better shot at this. It may require changing the VO (Vehicle order) to reflect the the new option codes for the CIC for full integration.

For those of you that are new to this and are not familiar with CCC, CIC, etc PLEASE do a search first before asking redundant questions. There are a lot of threads on this topic...