4.8is Heated Steering Wheel Retrofit, what fits?
 

Hi All, I searched and found retrofits for pre-face E53s, but nothing for 04 and up. My 05 does not have a heated steering wheel but has the connector it seems. So from what model would a heated steering wheel fit on my 05 4.8is? Thank you.
:thumbup:

Anybody can help please?

I'm guessing you'd need the 4.8is steering wheel with heated button, the wiring harness, the heating module and then code this into the car.

I looked into that for my 4.6is and cost is quite prohibitive. If its for 2 cold months, you might consider an aftermarket heated option from amazon or ebay. Not as pretty but just as effective.

Here is a shot of a 2005 with heated steering wheel. My guess it will be a wheel and airbag combination. I'm not sure exactly, living in the south, there just isn't the need for them.

2005 BMW X5 4.4i Heated Steering Wheel & Seats Pano Roof for sale in Milwaukie, OR | Stock #: L1413

http://media.automanager.com/wmphoto...d2c30_1024.jpg

This is not a pretty steering wheel...

:iagree:

This is the one ya want. And it's pricey. :thumbup:

Well worn for sure. PropellerHead's image is the sport wheel option? Much nicer. :thumbup:

It was purely from a style perspective... Yes PropellerHead's image is much nicer. Good luck finding a kit at a reasonable price... Have you considered nice gloves?

Is the OP looking for any heated steering wheel? Or are they specifically looking for the heated 3 spoke steering wheel? If it doesn't matter...then you can look for the 4 spoke or 3-spoke ($$$$) heated steering wheel.

My 06 has the 4-spoke heated steering wheel...and it may not be "purty"...but I do like what it gives off on cool mornings that are too warm for gloves...but the wheel is still "cool" to the touch. ;)

Have you used any of the part databases yet? They all have a part nbr search feature. For example, click the link below to go to the diagram...then click on the blue "i" that's to the left of the heated steering wheel's 11 digit part nbr...that will list all the other BMW models that use the same steering wheel (the e53 & e83)...and would be compatible. Also take note of the other supplemental info that is being given...like option code # and build date range:

I plan on doing this upgrade on mine and I have been battling with deciding on keeping the normal wheel or going to the sport wheel when I do the heated swap over.

I have paid close attention for the past week as to how I grip the wheel and at the moment the stock normal wheel is winning.

From a flat out looks department the sport wheel wins. No doubt.

But from a driving standpoint with where I rest my arm on the door and all the normal wheel is probably best for me.

You can bet though that before I fork out $400 for the heated wheel I will drive a sport equipped wheel something to do the final comparison with.

One thing about the normal wheel too for me is that all my other bmw's have the standard steering wheel. So when I go from one car to the next its familiar.

So, is this the one everyone wants? I see a heater button on the wheel? Less than $90 on fleaBay

https://www.ebay.com/itm/00-06-E53-B...5aKBN7&vxp=mtr

sold already

Yep that's the one.

Im buying new though. I have never owned a new factory steering wheel. So this time around I'm blowing the money on new :) But who knows I may buy used cheap one first to get it all working and to have a spare too. Im into this X5 for the long haul.

Yeah, curse my "buy it now" finger. I bought it. :nanana:

Needs some love but the new trim was $63 at ECS and my current wheel needs one anyway. I need to get it here and see how bad the leather is, it looks poor on the lower backside.

Here is a link to the retrofit if you don't already have it.

http://pdfstream.manualsonline.com/e...81fdea71dd.pdf

Yeah, that one was beat up a bit. :iagree:

If I read and understood the PDF correctly, the switch turns a relay on that powers the heat.

On my 3 spoke I have useless buttons... Maybe a rewire and upolster with the heating element inside (maybe even find a Range Rover wheel (vogue are all heated) and take his heating element) would be doable... I'll need to think about that.

Mine has a heating steering wheel in the standard trim. I love it specifically because it’s seemless between all 3 BMW’s.

I'm hoping mine is prewired for the heated steering wheel. I do have heated sport seats so I am optimistic it is prewired. A quick look at some reupholstery steering wheel companies give some nice options. I wonder if alcantara can be heated?

http://cobywheel.com/images/e90_imag...rt%20wheel.jpg

It can... But it will not stay pretty as long as leather... You'll still get at least 2 or 3 years easily.

Agreed. My main concern would be heat and stretching. No doubt the alcantara has a better feel but as you point out, they wear quickly. I'm thinking leather with tri color stitching. :thumbup:

Well the fleaBay wheel showed up today and to my surprise, the leather is as nice or nicer than the one currently on my X5. So a new switch cover and the wheel is in perfect shape. I took some time for a pre-install and removed the airbag and looked at the steering column switch to see if I would get lucky but it didn't have the pins for the heated element so I will have to replace the steering column switch. It does look like it is prewired as there is already a 10A fuse in fuse #29. Once I get the new column switch I will do a final install and take some pictures.

how are you going to cover over all of scratches on plastic? wrap kit?

I just replaced the steering wheel switch cover. $63.51 delivered. It got here today as well and already on the new wheel. :thumbup:

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-...k/32306778412/

https://c1552172.ssl.cf0.rackcdn.com/231201_x600.jpg

I want to get one of these as well.

Yeah I always thought of it as a northern option but as Crowz can agree, it has been frigid here in the south lately. Looks like it will be under $300 all in. :thumbup:

fleaBay E53 heated sport wheel $88
Plastic switch cover $63
slip ring $120
relay $17

Yeah its mega cold in the south now :)

Painfully so.

The 4 spoke wheel is cheap and plentiful, but I'm not going to give up my thick sport wheel. Guess it's driving gloves for me. :rofl:

:iagree: Yeah, it had to be a sport wheel. I guess I was lucky finding this one...

you were, you bastard. :stickpoke:rofl:

And done! A shout out to Arvi Singh for his retrofit instructions, made this mod for my heated sport wheel straight forward.

I installed the slip ring and wheel in the driveway at a brisk 36 degrees F so when I buttoned everything back together and turned it on, it felt so good on my hands I didn't want to turn it off. Nice mod for just at $300.00 and a couple hours of research and work. :thumbup:

Thankfully, my E53 came with a heated steering wheel. It was one of the things I wanted when I was searching for my E53 at the tail end of 2013.

After having retrofitted my E46 with a heated steering wheel in the frozen Wisconsin tundra, I knew that had to be a high priority to have on any E53 I was going to buy.

Love the sport wheel though!

Mike

Looks goooood.

My E46 got the M3 SMG paddle shift wheel and I used the exact same slip ring. The 2 additional receptacle/pins that the heater element used for the heated wheel were used for the up/down paddle signals. I wired them directly to the sport mode up/down signal wiring on the gear lever. It's still a slushbox steptronic but at least it is a paddle shifted slushbox... :thumbup:

Does anyone know if the Sport Steering wheel from the E70 fits?

I have a spare one from another project car and was wondering.

Even if it did fit on the column...you'd also need the know-how to get the MFL buttons to communicate over a completely different bus set-up.



The e53 uses the old generation BMW communication buses (I/K/M/P/Can/Diagnostic or KOMBI)...and the e70 uses the new generation BMW communication bus that is set-up for newer technology:

Hello, can someone tell me what I need to install a heated steering wheel? Should I just buy a heated steering wheel or should I bring an installation as well. The vehicle was built in 2004 and I currently have a 3-spoke M steering wheel

Slip ring, relay and steering wheel should be all you need. If you already have a sport wheel and you are retrofitting a heated sport wheel, the airbag is the same.
The wiring will already be there on a 2004. :thumbup:

Here is the retrofit document. http://pdfstream.manualsonline.com/e...81fdea71dd.pdf

Is it possible that my current slip ring has room for a heated steering wheel? And has anyone disassembled that steering wheel, I wonder if the old goat can be removed from the steering wheel to make a new one without damaging the heater


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Your current slip ring has the same dimensions and even has the connector for the heated wheel but will not have the pins inside that connector. You can pull it apart and check but my guess it will be like my 2004 and missing the 2 pins in the slip ring connector.

Is the heater in the steering wheel itself or can it be changed with new leather without damaging the heater


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Best to check with a steering wheel refurbishing company on that question. I would guess you could have a heated steering wheel recovered no problem.

My E53 was already configured with a heated steering wheel. However, I fitted my E46 with one using an E53 heated steering wheel using this guidance

Pictorial DIY: BMW Heated Steering Wheel Retrofitted onto an E46

And one in my E90 using this guide:

http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...ml#post1020960

The hardest part was finding a donor wheel that met my cosmetic standards.

Mike

I found this steering wheel for 120 $ , is that the steering wheel I need?
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...0716bb301f.jpg


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That looks like it. Do you have a sport wheel currently or you will need the airbag to go with it.

I bought e83 LCI normal 3spoke heated for my e53, could not find sport version as heated.

Yes I have Sport wheel now


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That looks like the sport wheel. It should look identical to the one you are taking out other than the heater button on the right side trim.

yes you're right, only the heater button is missing


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