V1 Hardwire--need instructions!

[BimmerZealot]

If the purple/white was mentioned to work with non-premium package then go for it. I think the ones that were mentioned were for auto-dimming mirrors? But usually all BMWs are pre-wired for all the goodies so I'm not sure why a car without auto-dimming mirrors would be missing the wire. You can definitely give it a shot, worst that can happen is it doesn't work you pull the tap and put electrical tape over the small incision made by the tap. Checked mine, green/yellow is what I tapped.

[ChiefRes]

Thanks for the advice. I'll dig harder, but the picture I posted is pretty indicative of what I'm seeing. It seems that there are two green/white wires. Maybe one is supposed to be green/yellow?

Anyway, I'll try the purple/white tomorrow and see what happens. Thanks again.

[BimmerZealot]

No I see the two green/white ones diff gauge def both green/white though.

[ChiefRes]

Just wanted to say that I got it done. Literally took about 10 minutes. Tapped the purple/white, ran the phone line through the headliner, stuffed everything back in and snapped the light back in. Piece of cake! It looks so much cleaner without that coiled cord running to the lighter.

Couldn't have done it without the Z4 community!

[BimmerZealot]

Woo! Congrats, glad to see it worked. Ya often times one car will be different from another car so you gotta gather all the info you can and just go for it. It's definitely way cleaner to just have the sneaky black power wire coming out from the trim then the ugly cigarette power line running up to the mirror. This thread will definitely be helpful to future people looking to hardwire their V1s cause it has virtually every power wire combination imaginable and a very good picture =]

[ChiefRes]

Yeah, hopefully someone else will be able to use this thread for their car. I honestly think the green/white wire would have worked as well. Some of the E9x boys mentioned using green/white. But now any 2007 M Coupe owners can be assured that purple/white will work just fine.

[The HACK]

Here's a tidbit of advice: Get a volt meter. It goes a long way. You can measure the volt and amperage drawn from the wire with it too. That's how I found the purple wire to tap into since my M Z4 coupe does not have premium therefore no auto-dimming mirror. I just tapped the negative terminal to a ground, and tested each lead in the wiring harness to see which one supplied me 12V power at what key position.

When I had my Z4 3.0 it was a green wire with yellow stripes through it, same as my E46 323Ci for the 5mA switched 12V power at position 2. The Z4 3.0 has premium so all the auto-dimming function was built in.

[Justincase]

did we ever figure out what wire it is for the premium package Z4M ?

[BimmerZealot]

I have a premium package Z4 3.0Si should be the same. The wire is green with a yellow stripe. There are many other possible wires for tapping as well.

[ChiefRes]

I have premium, and I tapped purple/white. Works great.

[Flycaster]

By the way, are colors of the key1 and key2 wires (green/blue and lavander/white) good for a 2005 Z4 (no premium)? Right now I'm tapped into a wire (forgot the color) that turns the V1 on when the doors open and turns the V1 off about 10-15 minutes after the door is closed. Would much rather have the V1 on/off with the turn of the ignition key.

[ChiefRes]

Originally Posted by 964junkie

Hi all, I just got a z4 m coupe and I'm looking to hard wire my V1. I previously had an e46 330i which had the V1 hard wired to a green/blue wire near the rear view mirror, which allowed the V1 to turn on when the key was in position 2. Does your V1 turn on when the key is in position 2 with the V1 hard wired to the white/purple wire?? The ground wire in my 330i went to the sunroof screw, and the m coupe does not have a sunroof. Where did you attach the ground wire? Thanks!

There is a screw perfect for the job up in there. Just pull down the map light assembly and it is right in front of you.

[sales@ESSTuning]

Thanks for doing the homework on this Chief I have a 07 with prem and I was scratching my head on which wire to tap =)

Works great !

[Black///Mamba]

hey guys, i was hoping to do this to my M roadster. anyone hardwire the V1 in a roadster? just want to see how the wires are ran, etc. pictures would be greatly appreciated,.

[BimmerZealot]

You really dont need pictures its very straightforward. Remove the Dome light assembly with a flathead / similar tool. Remove the one screw in there and place the fork ground wire from the V1 power adapter under it and tighten down. Splice the red power wire into one of the aforementioned switch wires in the mirror wiring assembly. Plug in the V1 power wire and snake it through the back of the housing where the wiring harness is and it will come out between the roof and the windshield. Mount your V1, plug in the power, tuck the power adapter and wires and replace the dome assembly. Done

[Black///Mamba]

i don't know how to splice wires? does that make me retarded?

[BimmerZealot]

Not at all, included with your V1 should be a hardwiring kit. Inside will be a blue clamp like piece (only blue piece in the kit) Clamp/close the rounded, fatter end of the blue tap onto the power wire of choice (splicing) then insert the flat metal spade (looks like a square) end of the red power wire into the blue tap (opposite side of the rounded, fatter end) and you should have power. That is after you find a ground and wire everything together of course.

[Black///Mamba]

i am so confused by everything you have written. you didn't by any chance take pictures when you were doing the process did you?

btw, i didn't order the V1 yet. was planning on buying it once i knew i could hardwire it to the car

[BimmerZealot]

It's terribly hard to explain unless you have the components in front of you, just order it, it's definitely worth every penny.

[MMMazing07]

my V1 is on the way. Basically what i am going to try:

-Pull down the map light assembly
-Put the fork piece from the V1 in between a screw that is loosened up there (where the power comes from?)
-Find the wire harness and open it
-find the purple wire with white stripes and tap it with the blue tap from the V1
-Feed the wire to through the headliner
-put everything back im done

please correct anything. I have a Z4M roadster so i hope the purple with white stripes works. wish me luck

[MMMazing07]

so i went ahead and checked up in the map assembly. There are 2 wire harnessess, one for the map light connection and one going to the rearview mirror. Which one do i use? and there isnt enough slack for me to pull it down. should i just use a flashlight and some small hands? Any ideas?

*chime in bimmerzealot

[Hawkeye]

Soo.. I have never had a radar detector and they are illegal here in IA... Where do you guys keep the actual detector since it is hardwired? Is it still easy to detatch and take down if you do happen to get pulled over? Also, how noticable is it? I have a black coupe so I am thinking up by the rear view mirror shouldn't be too noticable.

I am pretty sure this is the way I am going to go if the answers are right.