Cannot locate the FSU/resistor
 

Hi all,
I have March 2003 3.0i X3 European model E53 (petrol/gas) i have taken the glovebox off to replace the final stage resistor but i cannot seem to locate the fcuker, is the fsu hidden behind any of the 3 pics (see attachments)?
Thanks everyone

I believe, the FSR is on the right side of the car regardless of which side you drive on. If you're looking on the right side, it's easiest to find by following a large bundle of wires up to it. Kind of what you see in your first pick.

Thanks for the reply Reckless, I will have another look and follow the large bundles of wires!

Question:
All UK cars are "right hand drive" which means the glovebox is on the left-hand side,
As the USA cars are "left-hand drive" glovebox on the right hand side, Am i looking at the wrong side of the car (UK left side glovebox) Should I be looking on the (UK) right-hand side below the steering wheel ? and I did not need to dismantle the glovebox etc

that's what I'm saying....pretty sure I saw in the instructions that the FSR is on the right side, no matter what side your steering wheel is on.

From the instructions on the how-to

(note: For owners of Right Hand Drive vehicles, the FSR is still located in the same place, so you do not remove the glove box. Rather you have to access the FSR around where the brake and accelerator pedals are located.

In addition to removing the trim on the gearbox tunnel, the footwell light and the lower trim on the stearing wheel has to be carefully dismantelled. The diagnostic plug on the strearing wheel trim needs to be removed by slipping the blue retaining clip on the back.

The footwell light needs to be removed by unclipping the transparent retaining clips; that are part of the lens, on the inside, and is accessed by opening the black protective cover. Both these pieces of trim give the required access to the FSR.

Please also note that when removing the self tapping screw near the bonnet release leaver is particularly dangerous as you can loose the screw into the internals of the plastic trim.

The strearing wheel column clamshell is attached to the steering whell trim by a flexible plastic gaitor and some clips.

Removing the gaitor is easy putting it back means the steering wheel column clamshell needs to be split open. The easiest way of doing this is to use an old credit card and slip it through the crack pulling it back towards the steering wheel. This enables the clips to be released easily and reducing the chance of breaking the clips.

Thanks Reckless, I didn`t see that part for the right-hand drive vehicles, thanks very much for clarifying that for me! back to the grinding wheel lol
Regards
Jaima

Managed to get it done, on the European vehicles (right-hand drive) the fsu is located on drivers side above and left of the foot rest (just above center console at firewall)
on automatic models (left of the clutch pedal on manual vehicles)
The fsu can be got at by taking only the plastic cover off from above the foot pedals, without taking the large cover off from under the steering wheel, it will be a bit of a pain
(body positioning wise) but can be done!

For the European/right-hand drive location of the fsu see the pics below.

thanks guys , managed to replace my fsu on uk model it was the steering wheel side , and only removed 1 trim.... was a pain in the nuts to get at but 30 mins it was up and running again

Done that one myself also and it took about 20 minutes.

I have done this before in my '00 e46 323i and in my Landrover Freelander V6 so i had some practice.

I did it in 19 :stickpoke