M3 steering wheel on E70
 

Hello fellas!

Wanted to know if you could install an e90/e92 M3 steering wheel on an X5 e70. Is the wiring the same? Would it be PNP? I assume that the circumference would probably be smaller.

Any thoughts?

I have done some preliminary research and it seems like the actual steering wheel would be a PNP, I am just curious as too the circumference and the multifunction buttons.

Thanks,

I dont know about the e90-92 wheel being PNP. However people have tryed to make the wheel from a e70 M work.

If I can find the post I read about it, I will put them in. Otherwise google is your friend. :)

The E70 X5M wheel will definitely work on a non-M E70 - I swapped out my M Sport wheel (w/ no paddles) for an X5M steering wheel. 5 minute job, all buttons and paddles work.

With that said, from everything I've read the paddles will only work on LCI gas models with Sport or M Sport.

Do you have a heated steering wheel? E9x M3 steering wheels are not wired for heating.

Yes he m3 wheel would work but you would need a new airbag. For cheaper you can get the e70 performance wheel which is nicer IMO

You don't even know what airbag OP has…he might have the right airbag. And no, the E70 performance wheel is not cheaper :rofl:

Hi fellas,
I am actually pulling the trigger and I am going to venture into this mod. I just ordered the multifunction buttons and see if they work...

I am assuming if this is PNP then this mod is good to go, if not then I will have to find another route.

Good luck - let us know how it goes.

Does your X5 have the Sport Activity Package? If not, I don't know if those paddles will work. I read some threads where owners purchased the M Sport or X5M steering wheel and said the paddles didn't work - I seem to recall they had either the diesel and/or gas model w/o Sport/M Sport. Hopefully you have better success :thumbup:

Well I am going into this for the steering wheel its self, not the paddles. I do not have msport or diesel or 50i so I know its NOT going to work without a major wiring mod...

I just really can not stand the standard steering wheel...

Gotcha. Yes the steering wheel feel itself will be a nice upgrade.

So are you just purchasing a 6MT E9x M3 wheel then, since you don't care about the paddles?

The steering wheel I am looking at has the paddles, and its a STEAL of a DEAL... So cant pass it up even though it has paddles. My only concern is the multifunction buttons if its PNP, I need to get the write ones that have the correct diagram.

Volume, Voice, Phone, Rotate Disk, Air Circulation, Channel Scrolling

If it's true PNP with an M3 wheel into an X5, I would think all the buttons would work for you. The button's function just might not match the button logo (unless you try to swap plugs on the back of the upper trim piece).

For instance, I swapped out my M Sport wheel for an X5M wheel - 2 of the buttons were slightly different on the X5M wheel. So now when I hit the M button (M with a circle around it), it toggles between radio and Aux, and the music button is the re-circulating air button. But they all work.

With that said, I was just looking at E9x M wheels are there seems to be different versions of them in regards to these same 2 buttons on the right, closest to the airbag. Maybe this is what you were referring to above when mentioning you had to find one with the correct diagram?

Example 1 (this matched the X5 M Sport wheel I had - music top, air re-circ bottom)
http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...1&d=1340557894

Example 2 (this matches the X5M wheel - M button on top, music on the bottom)
http://i820.photobucket.com/albums/z...K/P8042174.jpg

You just clarified everything for me. See I was concerned with the diagrams being correct.

On ECS Tuning the same buttons have 4 wires into the plug, then on a e90/e92 multifunction buttons I saw 6 wires. So I was worried that perhaps I would have an issue.

But based on what you are saying it will be PNP...

Now final concern and perhaps you might know is the circumference on the different types of steering wheels.

Yah not sure about the plugs - I don't know anything about those but sounds like you've looked into it.

The X5 M Sport and X5M wheels were the same in circumference, but I couldn't say how they compare to the E9x M3 steering wheel. If you gutted each wheel (removed trim pieces, paddles, wiring, etc.) the 2 wheels look exactly the same to me, though the part #'s are different.

I find it strange X5 M Sport/X5M wheels are not readily available like the M3 steering wheels (both E46 and E9x)? I was very fortunate to find a X5M wheel for sale.

Let me know if you move forward with this.

I upgrade my steering wheel on my e92 M3, and was thinking about swapping the OEM one to my wife's car. I know I need a new airbag, but was wondering if its PNP.

It's BC lots of m3 owners get both the performance wheels, as well as the electronic performance wheel.

I do know that the e70 wheels are considerable larger in circumference.
I sat in an x3 which has the same e90 sport steering wheel, and it felt oddly small compared to e70.
I honestly think that's a good thing as sometimes I find it hard to get into the seat due to the steering wheel being in the way, as well as a smaller circumference will make for a more sportier feel with faster steering response

That made no sense whatsoever. For starters, there is no such thing as an electronic E46 M3 performance wheel (E9x yes…but what does that have to do w/ my comment?)…

My point was, you can buy an E46/E9x M3 steering wheel new or used w/o much effort at all. They're FS new on most sites (Tischer, TMS, etc.) as well as used on any E46/E9x related forum. Look around this or any other X5 forum - you rarely see X5M steering wheels for sale. And TMS doesn't sell them as a package deal. Neither does Tischer, BMWMercedesparts, or any other site where BMW enthusiasts would generally buy OEM part.

Supply and demand...

Looking at strictly numbers, there were less than 5000 e70 x5m's produced...whereas there were more than 65000 e9x M3's made. BMW wouldn't need to stock as many parts (or throw it on a website with a discount) for a vehicle that is over 13x as rare.

With that said, how many folks you think would change out the steering wheel on an e70 platform vs an e9x? As good as the x70 is, its not exactly the first choice for enthusiasts, or rather, the kind of owners that would look to change out their steering wheel.

I had just asked to swap out the steering wheel on my x70 because I have an extra one from my e92 from upgrading it to a performance steering wheel as others here have mentioned.

^ Yah I get all that but to not find them for sale anywhere is still surprising to me. Anything with an ///M logo sells, and while the E70 is by no means as enthusiast oriented as a 3 series, there are plenty of non-M owners who would buy them.

Evidence of this….the original seller of mine had 4 brand new X5M wheels and they all sold almost immediately on another X5 forum.

That was exactly my point. That many e9x m3 owners upgrade. So they sell their old wheels on forums etc.
not sure how you didn't understand what I was saying.