[M3prof]

There have been a number of threads about whether you can get the standard radio/telephone control steering wheel buttons to work on a ZCP (competition package) M3. As everyone knows, the standard M3 steering wheel has buttons for controlling the radio and telephone on the left side and buttons for controlling the cruise control on the right side. ZCP cars do not have any of these buttons as the button panel on the steering wheel only has the M-track mode DSC button. It is likely that ZCP cars do not even have the control electronics for cruise control, but the steering wheel buttons for the radio/telephone operate over the ibus and should in theory work.

One non-obvious consequence of the missing steering wheel radio/phone buttons for ZCP cars is that having bluetooth in these cars requires nav as the normal radio doesn't have a phone button but the nav head unit does (and the normal button for controlling the phone on the steering wheel is missing).

To test whether the steering wheel buttons could work on a ZCP car, I connected a computer to the ibus using an ibus interface (made by Resler) to the ibus connector for the CD changer in the trunk. I used ibus analyzer software to read the ibus traffic and to send the commands as if the buttons on the steering wheel were being pushed (for a list of commands see the "Hack the ibus" Yahoo group). The commands simulating pressing the radio and telephone steering wheel buttons worked just fine on my ZCP car, including activating voice control for the telephone which ZCP cars can't normally access as they don't have the "Talking Man" button anywhere.

Bottom line: There is no technical reason preventing the steering wheel radio/telephone buttons from working on a ZCP car.

There may be no ibus wire behind the airbag on ZCP cars, I have not yet tried to find this out. Also you would probably need 12V and ground to get a button panel from a normal car working. If there is no ibus wire behind the steering wheel, one would have to be routed.

There is no button panel cover that has both the radio/telephone telephone buttons on the left side and the M-track DSC button on the right side. I don’t know if the M-track mode DSC button would line up with any of the cruise control buttons on the right side of a normal button panel. I don’t know how you would mount the buttons for radio/phone control and retain access to M-track mode DSC.

Since ZCP cars do have a button for activating phone voice commands, if one could mount a “Talking Man” button somewhere else on the car and tie to the ibus, it should work to add voice commands to a ZCP M3. I also don’t know where to get such a button, but I think there are 5 series panels from the center console that have it, maybe one could be scavenged.

None of this relates to cruise control on a ZCP car. That undoubtedly does not operate on the ibus and the associated electronics may be completely missing from ZCP cars.

Here is a YouTube video showing computer activation of voice commands on a ZCP M3. This can’t normally be done as there is no button to do it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONCjjs13scQ

[SupaRice]

This is something I'm very interested in.... I have a ZCP car too, and when I bought it it came with a new non-Alcantara wheel but still had the button section with only the M mode button. The car also came with the Alcantara wheel, with a standard M3 non-ZCP center with all the standard buttons on it.

The story is the guy who had the car didn't like the Alcantara, so bought a standard M3 wheel and had them swap out the Alcantara part for leather.

So I wonder if I hook up the standard center section buttons, if I'd get cruise control? Would doing that possibly damage anything? If it works, I guess I could possibly get both cruise and M mode? All of that assuming that the ZCP car has the hardware to do cruise, does anyone know where to look for said hardware?

[M3prof]

Originally Posted by SupaRice

This is something I'm very interested in.... I have a ZCP car too, and when I bought it it came with a new non-Alcantara wheel but still had the button section with only the M mode button. The car also came with the Alcantara wheel, with a standard M3 non-ZCP center with all the standard buttons on it.

The story is the guy who had the car didn't like the Alcantara, so bought a standard M3 wheel and had them swap out the Alcantara part for leather.

So I wonder if I hook up the standard center section buttons, if I'd get cruise control? Would doing that possibly damage anything? If it works, I guess I could possibly get both cruise and M mode? All of that assuming that the ZCP car has the hardware to do cruise, does anyone know where to look for said hardware?

General consensus is the wiring for cruise control is not present behind the steering wheel panel in ZCP cars, so you won't be able to hook up the cruise control buttons. It is also possible that the actual cruise control software in the engine control computer (and any other hardware?) may not be present in ZCP cars as well.

What I don't know is whether there is an iBus wire behind the steering wheel panel in ZCP cars. There may not be (as why put it there if you are not going to use it), but the iBus is relatively simple (a single wire) so it might be there. If it is, then the radio control buttons (all the ones on the left side of the panel) could be made to work, though some soldering might have to be done to put in a connector.

[SupaRice]

Yeah, I'm sure there would have to be some hardware / software that would otherwise not be needed for the cruise. I would think that the wiring would all be the same though. It typically would make more sense to just make the wiring all the same from the factory's standpoint. Probably would cost less to have 1 type of wiring harness per model. For instance my car doesn't have the home link or anything, but there still seems to be wiring for it in there.

Cruise is the only thing I'm really interested in.... which means it prolly won't work :\

[Cazz]

6/28/2011 Edit: Here is a full DIY It uses the E39 wiper stalk that has an extra button to use. This will produce a cleaner look, but cost a little more in parts.

I just finished this mod and it works. I now have multi-function controls (radio/phone on left and cruise on the right) plus track mode on a new button I installed. The car is a 2005 ZCP.

It does require a some new wiring. You need the upper cover with the multifunction buttons and either the retrofit wiring harness, or you can build one yourself with 4 wires with blade connectors.


To find the basic information on how to do this mod, search on "multifunction retrofit". The best links I have are

This is the PDF file describing it (also can be found other places):
http://www.box.net/shared/0sb5rm740s?sid=GAN_476520590

Here is an excellent DIY showing how to do the basic retrofit (w/ pics)
http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=544160

This post explains how to make your own wires.
http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthr...ghlight=x10170


Here is what is different for the ZCP:
On a standard M3 pins 8,9 and 10 of connector X10170 (green connector found inside the cover below the steering wheel) are used for the multi-function panel. On the ZCP pin 8 is connected to a wire that enables/disables the M-track mode and 9 and 10 are not used. For this mod, remove the wire on pin 8 so you can connect pin 8 to the DME/DDE to enable the cruise (per the standard retrofit). To use the track mode, I added a momentary push button switch ($2.75 at radio shack) that connects the wire formerly connected to pin 8 to ground. The ground used is from pin 7. I mounted the button by drilling a hole in the left side of the cover below the steering wheel. The button is just below the turn signal stalk.

There is nothing special about this location except it is close to where the wire terminates. You can run the wires to mount the button in the dash, the ash tray, etc. I was thinking about getting one of those old floor mounted dimmer switches and put it on the left side. After all I have an SMG and my left foot needs something to do. Also, an
illuminated button might be nice. Pin 10 has power.


Well, I'm off. I going to cruise around town with track mode enabled as I change radio stations with abandon.


7/10/10 Edit: Instead of making your own wires, part #61120016012 can be bought for about $25.

[nowclickthis]

Originally Posted by Cazz

Here is what is different for the ZCP:
Normally pins 8,9 and 10 of connector X10170 (green connector
found inside the cover below the steering wheel) are unused.
On the ZCP pin 8 is connected to a wire that enables/disables
the M-track mode. For this mod, cut that wire so you can connect pin 8
to the DME/DDE to enable the cruise (per the standard retrofit).

Slightly off topic but how about the reverse question: does pin 8 do anything on non-ZCP cars? Is M-track mode baked into every car? Maybe m3prof can confirm this on a non-ZCP.

[Cazz]

On non-ZCP with multifunction, Pin 8 is wired to activate the cruise control. The wiring connects pin 8 to pin 27 on the DME.

Another post here says that on the ZCP the wiring connects pin 8 to pin 28 on the DSC and on non-ZCP cars DSC pin 28 is empty. (This wire is the one I clipped to run to a new switch.) I don't know if anyone has tried to run a wire to this DSC pin on non-ZCP cars. If track mode was installed in every DSC then that is all it should take to enable it. If anyone is brave enough to try this, the first test would be to see if the track mode icon illuminates.

[Cazz]

Here is the post a mentioned:
http://m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=116004

There is a picture showing a brown/silver wire on the ZCP DSC. (Its in the middle of the left row just above 3 blueish wires.)

[K2154]

Great information thank you!

[daytonaviolet]

great work guys