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      03-02-2014, 09:42 PM   #1
msh441
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Z4M heated seat retrofit

Greetings. I'm moving ahead with an attempt at an OEM heated seat retrofit in my Z4MC and I'm getting conflicting info right now on the projected levels of success. Curious if anyone has been down this road (using OEM parts).

RealOEM shows the exact same wiring harness to the seats on all M models (suggesting the wiring is there)... and the only part numbers that differ are the seat s with heating elements and the right switch panel (coupe v. roadster and heated or not). I've got a set of heated seats that'll be here soon enough. I also found the OEM switch setup for the dash from a wrecker for $30.

I briefly spoke with a 'BMW Master Tech' at one of the local dealerships who's Responce was: "It probably won't work. Some coding stuff would probably be needed and would be way too complicated". Despite being a Master Tech, the responce wasn't convincing enough to stop me from pressing on.

I was also bolstered a bit by my dad (electrical engineer) who, after looking at the wiring diagram, suggested that we could make it work one way or another. His impression was that it appeared to be a simple circuit with fused power, passing through the switch for voltage (heating level) control. This is my way-over-simplified layman explanation, so I'm sure someone can fill on some technical details.

Hoping it ends up being straightforward. We shall see, though.
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      03-02-2014, 10:12 PM   #2
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this may help you:

http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24819

good luck!
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      03-03-2014, 06:24 AM   #3
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That's AWSOME!!! Thank you!

Looking at this one inI detail, too:

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=341242

Suggested in jj either thread, but wanted to re-post it here to consolidate info and not derail the other topic more than I already did (sorry Vanne).
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      03-09-2014, 09:45 PM   #4
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$39 seemed like a good deal at the wrecking yard, so moving ahead as planned...

Anyone aware of any instructions with pics of center console removal?
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      03-10-2014, 12:04 AM   #5
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This might help.
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Warning: May contain traces of nuts.
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      03-10-2014, 07:04 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by StickMon
This might help.
So no need to pull the whole console!?! YES!!!

Thanks!

Update: That was seriously a piece of cake! When I got the original panel out, I noticed it was a matte black, versus the grey color of the replacement panel. No biggie, just disassembled the unit and sprayed the new one with some trim black and put it back together.
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      03-10-2014, 10:23 PM   #7
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All wires that unplugged from the original panel went right into the new one. All same pins/sockets present. TPMS Reset and DSC Off buttons work fine. Seat heat buttons have power, but I suspect they 'know' no seats plugged in, as the 3 LEDs come on, but immediately all turn off.

Trim black looks OK. A little glossy in one spot, but I think it'll go away once completely dried/cured. Worst case, I yank it out, hit it with a little thinner and re-do it someday. It's tucked under there far enough though, probably won't be an issue.
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      03-13-2014, 04:14 AM   #8
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update on the retrofit
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      03-26-2014, 10:21 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by e90sexion
update on the retrofit
Switch panel in place.

Power to the panel/heater switches (fuses and all wiring confirmed already in place). ***This turned out to be incorrect-See below***

New seats getting picked up tomorrow an should arrive by Sunday.

Should have more info by the following week... but I have a feeling it's going to drop right into place and work just fine. Some of the info I've read suggests the circuit, when powered, is solely controlled by the board in the 4-position switch.... so.... looking promicing!

Last edited by msh441; 04-17-2014 at 01:28 PM..
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      03-29-2014, 04:29 PM   #10
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What about the wiring from the console switch to the seats? AFAIK the post facelift cars did not have this wiring as a stock item if the car was not originally fitted with heated seats. You will need special connector ends that fit into the car side connector plug if you want to integrate your wiring like OEM.

BTW, as far as coding you will not need it. I have done this on my 06 3.0 and although I added the coding later, the seats worked fine without it.
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      03-29-2014, 09:00 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jstic
What about the wiring from the console switch to the seats? AFAIK the post facelift cars did not have this wiring as a stock item if the car was not originally fitted with heated seats. You will need special connector ends that fit into the car side connector plug if you want to integrate your wiring like OEM.

BTW, as far as coding you will not need it. I have done this on my 06 3.0 and although I added the coding later, the seats worked fine without it.
Well, if what I'm looking at is correct (wiring diagram showing the harness and looking at the harness leading to the seats), I believe the wiring is there. I can see wires leading to the seats (wich I'm assuming is for heaters) that don't coincide w/a plug on the bottom of the seat, so...

Maybe a difference with the M cars vs. non-M? We shall see. Seats arrived tonight!!!
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      03-30-2014, 09:20 AM   #12
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On the car side of the connector under the seat, if positions 23, 24 and 25 have a wire in the socket, then you have the wiring already. Most M's had heated seats so it probably does have the wiring even if the seats aren't heated. Not sure but I don't think the M cars were made in S. Carolina where the rest of the Z4s were made?
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      03-30-2014, 10:13 AM   #13
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They were assembled in SC...

... but except for the body/frame/interior panels, just about EVERYTHING else was made in Germany, shipped in, not the same as the non-M. *A slight generalization*.

I have to double-check my door sticker, but something in my memory says it might say Germany? Maybe not. Just a trivia question, really. I'll check once I'm up/about.
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      04-08-2014, 12:59 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jstic
On the car side of the connector under the seat, if positions 23, 24 and 25 have a wire in the socket, then you have the wiring already. Most M's had heated seats so it probably does have the wiring even if the seats aren't heated. Not sure but I don't think the M cars were made in S. Carolina where the rest of the Z4s were made?
Ugggghhhhh...

Seats are in... No power wires to heat terminals. DAMMIT! There in the fuse block and to/from switch panel. Will try and suck up my setback over the next couple days, pull my wiring schematic and work backwards to see if there in the harness without terminals/in the block... Or if it's just the section of harness to the seats, or what.

A bit of wind out of my sails, but haven't completely given up, yet.
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      04-09-2014, 03:02 PM   #15
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Looking at this thread reference the retrofit in an E46 M3.

Switch block looks the same, as do the connector and power terminal off the battery.

Trying to decide now if I'm going to look for the necessary M3 wiring loom at $100+/-(***turned out to be $50 shipped from the UK***)... or put something together myself. Benefits to OEM M3 loom is it comes with ALL the necessary OEM connectors/plugs.

http://www.m3torque.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1111

Last edited by msh441; 04-17-2014 at 01:30 PM..
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      04-16-2014, 01:12 PM   #16
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Don't be confused by the fact that the center console switch has power already. It may not be power for seat heating. You can check by removing connector from back of center console switch(it's brown if I remember) and checking at pin position 7. There should be a very thick red wire(with stripe on side) in that position. If it is there, you have the power for your seats at the console switch. If not,you will need power from the fuse block/terminal to the center console switch. You will then need to run four wires from the console switch to the underseat connector(car side). One is a larger wire for power, the other is a smaller wire for temperature signal(one of each for each seat). You will need to pick up a ground connection, easily done under the dash on either side of car behind plastic panel where speaker is. I had to install my own wiring to retrofit my 2006 Z4 3.0 with heated seats.
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File Type: pdf Seat power diagram.pdf (66.8 KB, 433 views)
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      04-16-2014, 04:05 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jstic View Post
Don't be confused by the fact that the center console switch has power already.

I was thrown by this at first, for sure. When I put the panel in with the seat heat switches, they would light briefly... And the fact that fuses were in place at the box.

I've got the OEM wiring diagram now, though. Will put it into a .pdf for others. Hopefully an OEM harness section on the way (fingers crossed). The harness and instructions suggest I will be running wire for power from the switch block to the fuse box. So I expect I'll likely be going down that road.

Last edited by msh441; 04-17-2014 at 01:32 PM..
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      04-16-2014, 04:55 PM   #18
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If you look at the diagram attached to my previous post, you will see that you need to run a wire from the console switch connector(position 7) to connector 1104(position 1), which is a pink/purple connector down by the fusebox(under glove box). Be sure to use the proper size wire(4 metric) as the two seat heaters can pull close to 25 amps when both on. If you have the full diagram, you should have no trouble doing the rest. The tricky part for me was finding the connectors so I could keep it like an OEM install. I went to the local junkyard and chopped off some connectors on a 325i and soldered them to my wiring.

Some instructions tell the installer to run all the wires through the center console. I found this totally unnecessary and ran them along the outside of the car along the floor. Much easier than taking apart the console. Good luck.
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      04-17-2014, 12:11 PM   #19
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Found this photo of the connector at fuse panel. I circled the wire in green that goes to the console switch. It is the red one with a purple stripe. Not absolutely necessary to follow this method, but this is the OEM setup.
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      04-17-2014, 01:25 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jstic View Post
Found this photo of the connector at fuse panel. I circled the wire in green that goes to the console switch. It is the red one with a purple stripe. Not absolutely necessary to follow this method, but this is the OEM setup.
Which is exactly what I want! Thanks.

I've now got the wiring diagram and information specific to the '07 E86 M Coupe. I've put it together with all voltage and fault testing info into this .pdf:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...ing%20Info.pdf

Shows exactly which color wire goes to to which specific pin on the seat, switch block, and fuse panel (in case its helpful for anyone else).

Combined with the BMW OEM E46 M3 retrofit harness (confirmed arrived at the dealer and forwarded on to me this AM!), with all OEM wire colors, plug ends, and pins...



...I should be in pretty good shape. I'm hoping all the wires are there. I may have to figure something out for wires running from the switch to the fuse panel, as the red/violet power wire is not present in the car, as I'd hoped. I THINK it'll be in the harness section I ordered, though (as all the seat-to-switch wiring is white/green/violet combos, and some brown/ground... and I think I can SEE red power wires in the bag with the others above-but they may actually be brown/ground) I'm in the ballpark at least, at this point, with the main issue being coupe interior disassembly! Worst case, I need to figure out 3 wires from the switch center to the fuse panel... but here's hoping they are there.

Last edited by msh441; 04-17-2014 at 02:18 PM..
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      04-17-2014, 05:45 PM   #21
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I'm not 100% sure, but when I researched the parts for this there was one wiring set for the connections from console switch to seats, and another for console switch to fuse box. In the case of Z4, there is only one wire needed from console switch to fuse box IIRC(position 7 in brown connector on back of switch center). The other two wires that occupy positions 22 & 23 were already be there on my car.

One thing that might help, when you go to put the red/purple stripe wire in that pink/purplish connector in the photo above, you have to remove the connector and there is a small tab on it that must be pressed in to release the connector. The tab is hard to see, I almost missed it and nearly tried to pull it out with force. Small needlenose plyers might come in handy there. Good luck, it's pretty straightforward from here.
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      08-03-2017, 04:19 PM   #22
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Resurrecting from the dead. I have a unique opportunity to 'swap seats' from one car to another in order to get heated seats in the car I want them in. How did this work out? What other parts do I need besides seats and switches?
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