Active steering - retrofit?
 

My wife drove my X5 for the first time the other day. She commented that if was more difficult to turn the wheel at low speeds than it was in my old 06 X5 4.8is. This got me wondering, exactly what components are installed that allows for the active steering to work?
Other than the computer being able to communicate with the steering system, is it an extra pully/motor?

I have no interest in trying to retrofit this but was simply curious. Does anyone know the exact answer? :dunno:

highly doubt it, in my previous e92 335i retrofitting bluetooth was a close to impossible and i can imagine swapping suspension parts and reconfiguring ecu

i would say not to do it, not worth the price

If you want active steering then you will have to buy a car with it. It would be sooooooo expensive that it would not be worth it.

Pretty much everything in the steering system is different and the extra computer to run it etc - basically the retrofit would cost more than buying another car with active steering!

here is all the parts to do it. hard to find X5's with it. Need different steering pump, harness, rack and pinion, CPU plus install. Prob a 6k ordeal unless you can find one with it in a yard.

32416796457
Power steering pump
Stock Code: 32416796457
$ 982.41

32436797591
Control unit, active steering
Stock Code: 32436797591
$ 847.55

61119190411
Wiring harness for module . ASF/ ASA
Stock Code: 61119190411
$ 106.58

32106799622
hydro steering gear,active steering, Remanufactured
Stock Code: 32106799622
$ 2738.42

Subtotal: $ 4674.96

Were you successful in doing this? or just a parts list?

How did you get the car coded?

I am asking a high level coder if it can be done. i have not done it, am looking into it and getting the used parts off a salvage unit.

I confirmed that Ok my coder, found the code to activate this and it wont be an issue. anyone whom wants to do it, it can be done and coded for cheap, the issue is finding all the parts, getting it installed.

Both my '04 E60 and my '08 E70 have active steering. I love the feature and miss it when I jump in my '98 E38.

To the OP, Active steering uses an electric motor and planetary gear set. I don't think the hydraulic pump is any different than that used on normal steering (not to be confused with active roll stabilization). Anyway the electric motor and planetary gear set are part of the rack and pinion steering gear and located at lower end of steering shaft. The electric motor acts on the planetary gear to change the steering ratio.

I see someone listed the pump as specific to active steering, but I don't see why it is needed unless one of the hose ports is in a different location for clearance/connection purposes. Or, because active steering comes packaged with roll stabilization and the roll stabilization would require a specific pump.

a different steering pump is required. The AS requires additional hydraulic lines that the pump runs, so that it can assist with steering. You can look and see all of these from the parts diagrams and why it states, vehicles with AS call for that specific pump.