I want to disable Steering/Telescoping Wheel
 

I would like to know if anybody knows how to disable the telescoping steering wheel.
What I want to do is set it up first forward up and down to my liking and then disable it so it does not move any more when I turn the ignition on/off. I just want the steering wheel disabled not all the memory settings.
Please let me know how to do that. I hope it is just a fuse maybe that needs to be taken out but don't know which one. Or maybe it has to be done with DIS and dealer.
Any suggestion would be appreciated.
Thank you.

I have 2001 X5 3.0 sport

Hello rado. I would think it has to be done with DIS you know any coders. I tried doing it in PA Soft version 1.4.09 it didnt read the module. I attached a screen shot so someone with dis might be able to assist you. I clicked on module MFL andit said no data for me.
It says 1.4.05 but thats the demo.. I tried in the car on 1.4.09. i just used the demo version to open and take a screenshot for you. The full app wont open if its not connected to obd2.

Mine stays where it is set, all the time, every time I turn it on...
I did not fiddle with setting any 'memory preferences' on either keys, 10 years ago when we first got it.
Dunno if I can tell you what I did/didn't do, but we can move our wheel hitting the adjust buttons, but it stays at that position.
GL, mD

I wish I know what u did. Mine goes in and out every time I turn off and on the car. Sometimes it will do it sometimes not, sometimes half do it. The adjust buttons up/down in/out work fine but I'm getting frustrated every time. I just want to set it and forget it...

I went to play a little bit today with the steering wheel and here is what I found. There are two fuses, fuse#23 for steering column and fuse#26+#23 for driver power seat. I thought great - I will remove #23 and the wheel will not move, but I was wrong...even with a removed fuse, the wheel still goes the usual way - it is very strange.
If I remove #26 then wheel does not move anymore which is fine, but the driver seat does not have power either, so that would not work for me.
My question is when removing only the steering wheel fuse#23 WHY it does not stop the wheel from moving?
Does anyone have any idea how disable this thing? What if you open the bottom cover of the steering column - can you access the motors and just disconnect them from a plug????

Rado,
Sorry that my X isn't 'here', and handy...If I was where it 'is', I would go down in garage and fiddle to see what I 'did'. I do know the wheel is in the usual tilt and telescope position, all the time, unless my wife or I alter the position; then it stays in that altered position until we adjust it again.

We have two full std key fobs, and neither have any 'memory settings' set on those fobs in terms of seat adjustment, etc. I never set any settings, if that helps.
GL, mD

I re-read page 55 of the manual for our '01...not very helpful or clear, in terms of turning off the memory. There is the option of going to a dlr who may be able to 'reprogram' whatever seat/wheel memory you have, but it won't be free.
GL, mD

http://www.bmwmotorsports.org/pdf/e5...20-%202001.pdf

Wow, you have the perfect setting then. I'm sure other guys are also envy. I only use one key fob all the time but the wheel always goes its way every time I turn ignition on or off, which is the way it is supposed to be - just starting to get really annoying. :)
Anyway, if you find something, please share. I wish I have your set up...

Our wheel moved in and out when we got the vehicle but after the first visit to the $tealer that all stopped. BMW NA told $tealers to disable that function as they were getting too many warranty claims for the motors that moved the wheel. Now the wheel only moves to key memory and then only if it is in the mood. It also throws little tantrums about Auto Lock feature. Some days it will lock as we go up our driveway other days the X is "not talking to us" so will not lock the doors unless we do it manually. Then there is the dipping mirror that also has mood swings.
Reminds me of the dog: One word from me and he does as he likes!

Hey Rado,
Do you have a second key or the valet key?
If you do, try using the other keys to see if the wheel also moves with them.
(you mentioned that you always use same key)

My X behaves like MD's, but I thought that was normal.

Sounds annoying... hope you figure it out without spending money at stealer.

Rui

To disable this function, simply unplug the "small" cable behind the side seat panel with the memory seat settings and manual adjustments. I had to do this because mine was acting weird.

question rocky will that disable the seats adjustments and memory as well or only the steering wheel will be affected by that cable. Thast some good info though.

Nope, everything else works perfect.

I was have this issue that apparently wasn't that uncommon, where the steerting wheel would come back to my memory setting without hitting the "3" button multple times, as the steering wheel would move just a tiny bit each time.

My bandaid was to set each memory setting with the steering wheel in a different position, and then unplug the steering wheel manual control that I mentioned. The steering wheel hasn't had a single jitter and goes to the correct position of the memory setting every time for the last 2 years.

The only thing that won't work is the little wand on the steering wheel.

By the way, I even tried replacing the unit on the seat and it didn't help my initial issue at all. The actual switch at the want must be the problem, but I don't adjust the steering wheel enough to fix it.

Rocky, I don't quite understand what you did. Are you talking about removing the drivers side seat side panel where the memory buttons are? How do u do that? and then unplug a small cable?? do you have a picture of what to unplug? so, when you unplug this cable, the wheel still moves up down, in and out? but the wand will not work anymore right?
What I wanted to accomplish is to set the wheel the way I wanted and then somehow disconnect it so it does not move at all when you turn ignition on and off, but the seat should remain functional. I'm still trying to figure this out. Maybe a dealership can disable it - i don't know.

I emailed my dealership regarding steering wheel and will see what they have to say. Meanwhile, I will keep trying different ways to disable it - idk what yet.

Still waiting for reply from dealership.
Does anyone have gt1 or some sort of software on hands that can at least check to see if there is such option to disable the steering from going in out when you start stop the car.

well here is an update - dealership told me that they cannot disable that feature, which i think is bs, since a lot of others have done it.
So, as of now I just have to live with it or try to spend more time to figure out how to disable.

I was told the same thing by my dealer since I took the delivery of my car that it can't be done. They told me that if they disable the "convenience" steering wheel movement, the entire wheel would be disable and no further adjustments can be made, which also sounded like BS to me since Zulu was able to have that done.

Still don't 'get it', but low tech here...
my SW moves up & down/in & out when I toggle the adjust stem, but when I turn it off, it stays there, and stays put/where it was, when I turn it back on.
Maybe it's a function of never setting any 'memory' with either smart key fobs, way back in 9-'01 when we got it...
Dunno.

I also run the HVAC on manual, eg I set what the fook I want and have never used 'automatic', though I doubt they, the HVAC and wheel, and/or seat position,
(all adjusted via the power seat buttons, 'unmemorized'), are connected.

NEway, I like my setup, and wish I could offer a tip.
BR, mD

MD, I wanted my SW to work exactly like yours...just stay put after setting it. However, it appeared that BMW implemented what they thought would be a convenient thing for us to get in/out of the vehicle. Essentially, whenever you turn off the vehicle, the SW will move all the way to the top and telescope back into the column as far as it will go for easy exit. When you hop back into the car to start it up, the SW will move back to your preset position. It does this every single time, which as you can predict will cause the SW motor to eventually go kaput.

dkl, mine never moves, unless I move/adjust it. Dunno why/how, but I like it like it is.

Hasn't croaked on me yet, and I only have a slight noise in the hard lock to lock I have to do coming out of our Mtn house drive and down our little 'street' to the regular mtn road, and only when it is cold.

I have no freakin clue why my SW does it that way, but I like it. And, I recall the umptyseven threads, back in the early 2000s, when steering wheel noises and lack of adjustment(s) were common. I ain't beefing; I like what my SW does, ;>)
GL, mD

PS: good to see you around here again, lately!

I agree with dkl... the dealers are giving us the BS.
I wish my SW is like MD...I have to play a little more to see what i can unplug or disable to make it the way I want it. Maybe i will reprogram the key. I don't know how to clear the seat memory - does anyone know. I think like MD if I don't set any memory it will stop do it maybe. I will also have to check with a DIS or SSS software.

MD, Thanks for the warm welcome...this is one of the best forum with members like yourself :thumbup:

The X has been neglected lately since I've picked up the M coupe last years. As much fun as the X is, I couldn't stop driving and messing with the coupe.

Well...I got a scanner/reprogrammer and spent about an hour playing with it and I couldn't find a way to disable the "convenient" SW feature. I thought that disabling the "Steering column memory" would do it, but it didn't. Oh well :dunno:

There are only two plugs? It's the smaller of the two. Two screens in the back if the plastic "shroud" hold the unit to the side of the seat.

With that said, this will only eliminate any pulsing or weird settings, it still will have the wheel move up a as you turn off the ignition...

Well, today after gym I decided to play with the SW and seat. Here is what I did to solve all my problems and maybe all of yours out there that want to disable that feature.
First, I removed the seat side cover where the memory buttons are and from there you can see one black plug which controls the memory buttons and one small white plug which controls the steering wheel memory. From Rocky1536 recommendation I removed the small white plug and see what will happen. It disables the actual SW adjuster on the SW itself, so if you unplug it, it will still move to the pre memorized position when you lock/unlock car and turn ignition on/off. Well, I wanted to avoid this all together, so I decided to disconnect the bigger black plug for the memory buttons and YES - exactly what I wanted to accomplish. I set the SW the way I wanted before I unplug the black and white cable, so after all is unplugged the SW does not move anymore and stays the way I always want it. The good news is that the seat still moves with the adjusting knobs, which is great for when my wife sits, she can manually adjust instead of hitting the memory button now, which is fine. The steering wheel adjuster does not work either, so if this needs to be readjusted I just need to plug the cable again and readjust. I wish there is a button to disable this black cable and everything will be soo cool.
Anyway that is my post and I'm happy now.
Let me know what you guys think.

The dealer can disable this feature with the GT-1 tool.

Would you happen to know any more details like what screen/option/module needs to be looked at to turn it off?

No details, I spoke with the BMW service advisor during a wheel balance dealer visit and was told it can be disabled by the service dept.

Here is an older series of posts on the subject:

http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...ing-wheel.html

Hmm ... so coding/programming automatically DISABLES the auto-tilt/telescope? I have to double-check how our X behaves now.

I assume its under Car Memory, option 3.

http://thumbnails9.imagebam.com/2950/fd6e2229495157.gif

I can't double-check this right now as I don't have my GT1. When I have a chance I'll investigate further.

When I complained loudly about this to the $tealership they informed me it was a BMW NA edict at that time. I remember reading other posts from board members from other parts of the country who also had had the tilt/telescope when switching off feature "removed" during a service visit.
So this is something that has a software switch somewhere in the program.
I'm still ticked off as I liked the feature.

Kind of funny that the some (OP and me) want to disable it and some (like you) want to re-enable it. :D

I still dont' know for a fact whether ours is disabled or enabled but I would like to disable it if so.

However, SWMBO and driving it daily may have something to say about it. :rofl:

Interesting...so I guess I have the rare ol' 2001 X5 that allows for tele/tilt but it stays where I 'left it', upon next start; and that is with my key or the CEO's key.

Maybe that can be a FAB if/when I ever sell it. :rofl:

Ok... a little update on my experiment. I posted new thread trying to find out the wiring diagram of the black harness that connects to the back of the memory module, but no luck. So, I decided to go and figure out as much as I can.
The problem I had is that I was tired of the steering wheel to retract every time I enter/exit or turn on/off iginition of the car. Initially I set the wheel the way I wanted and disconnected the black plug from the picture below. And I was happy, I could still move the seat all around but no memory function and SW does not move anymore even with the adjuster. But my wife was not happy, since she had her own setting and it was not working for her.
So, I decided to plug back the black harness and find a wire that I can manually disconnect with a two prong switch whenever I wanted and desired. I installed the switch on the black/white wire and when the switch is on - all is working just normal as it should be like factory. When i turn the switch off - all memory is still working but the wheel does not retract any more and you can manually move it if you want with the adjuster up or down, exactly what my wife wanted. So, now I'm happy and wife is happy and all is still working. I left the switch at the off position, so SW does not auto retract any more.
I hope you find this article useful. If I had more time, or if some of you have time and wanted to experiment more, I'm sure there is a wire in there that you can connect the same switch and turn on/off the whole thing, but I did not have time to go that far and not sure if I want to, since all is good now.
Here is the plug circled in red:
http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...ess-wires.html

And I fought hard, to no avail, to have the feature restored after BMW NA "stole" it from me!