Introduction and Sport Button Not Working

[rbaisa]

Hello everyone, my name is Rick and this will be my first post on the forum. I live in North West Indiana and I flew to Minneapolis, yes Minneapolis, last week to pick up a low mileage 2003 Z4 3.0i with a manual transmission. The Guy I bought it from put 3000 miles on it in 3 years and it's a Georgia car. He wanted 8k for it which was in my price range so now it is mine. I owned a 330i ZHP and got rid of it 4 or 5 years ago because the automatic trans was acting goofy and it was starting to rust in the usual places.

It has/had a few issues some of which I have spent the last week sorting. All the usual broken plastic bits, alternator bearings were shot, top doesn't go up or down on its own, suspension is shot, sport button does not work, Seats have some fading and I didn't have any way to play music music except CD's, tragic I know.

So far I have changed the alternator, fixed all of the plastic pieces, added bluetooth and ordered some Bilsteins all around that should be here this weekend. The top is going to be a project for later because I can hear the motor running and when I pulled it out through the boot it was covered in hydraulic fluid. So I assume there is a leak somewhere and the top probably needs to come off to fix it, but maybe not. I can take it up and down by hand so i'm not too worried about that right now.

So I am on to this sport button now. When the car starts the button lights orange and then goes off. When I press the button I get nothing. No light, no change in performance that I notice, nothing. I pulled the switch out and checked for voltage from the 4 to 1 pin and I get 12 volts in the harness. I am assuming it is just a bad switch, but I am not sure. The previous owner said he never had it successfully work before. It is a pretty funky switch and I am not sure I am testing it correctly. When I test for continuity on pins 4 to 1 on the switch and press the button I get nothing. I have spent enough money so far and don't really want to spend $55 on a new switch until I verify the current one is for sure broken. Am I testing this correctly? Thanks, Rick.

Pin 1 is BR/SW Brown/Black = Ground
Pin 2 is GR/RT Gray/Red = Dimmed lighting
Pin 3 is SW/GR/GE Black/Gray/Yellow = Power steering
Pin 4 is GN/BL/GE Green//Blue/Yellow = Power, fuse 7
Pin 5 is SW/RT/GE Black/Red/Yellow = To DME via module (VM)

[Molez93]

Sorry I can't offer technical assistance. I can, however, say welcome and congrats on the new ride. Looking good!

[rbaisa]

Originally Posted by Molez93

Sorry I can't offer technical assistance. I can, however, say welcome and congrats on the new ride. Looking good!

Thanks i'm happy to be here.

[Terraphantm]

Did the previous owner retrofit it or was the button there from the factory? If a retrofit, he probably never coded the EPS module.

[rbaisa]

Originally Posted by Terraphantm

Did the previous owner retrofit it or was the button there from the factory? If a retrofit, he probably never coded the EPS module.

I am 99% sure it came with it. Can the EPS module be coded at home? I currently don't have any sodtware, but would be willing to buy some. The previous owner had no mechanical abilities what so ever and I remember reading that the car had a sport package of some sort. I actually found a used button on fleabay for $20 so I figured it was worth a try. I spent the day installing some bilstein b6 struts and new swaybar links. Amazing how much better a car handles when the strut is actually attached to swaybar and the struts actually work lol.

[Terraphantm]

Yeah it can be coded from home

[rbaisa]

Originally Posted by Terraphantm

Yeah it can be coded from home

What software or device do I for that? I see several.

[wdb]

It sounds as though you have the wiring figured out. I can only offer generic advice however. Pushing the button should connect one of the pins 3 or 5 to power or ground, that would be my guess. That would then cause the computer to do its little tricks and engage 'sport mode', such as it is.

The 'sport' button is mostly a gimmick in these cars. It makes the driver-by-wire throttle touchier and adds a little more effort to the electric steering. I liked the steering feel but not the throttle response so I never used the button. If you're going to all this effort to get it working, I suggest that you also look into getting it to only affect the steering and not the throttle.

[Terraphantm]

Originally Posted by rbaisa

What software or device do I for that? I see several.

You'll be looking for NCS Expert. There's a few guides on general operation of the program out there.

Originally Posted by wdb

Pushing the button should connect one of the pins 3 or 5 to power or ground, that would be my guess.

The factory button is actually a membrane switch and ends up with some resistance between the DME and ground. Experimentally I found anything between 3.5 kΩ and 18 kΩ works. Anything outside of that range will not register as a button press.

[rbaisa]

Originally Posted by Terraphantm

You'll be looking for NCS Expert. There's a few guides on general operation of the program out there.



The factory button is actually a membrane switch and ends up with some resistance between the DME and ground. Experimentally I found anything between 3.5 kΩ and 18 kΩ works. Anything outside of that range will not register as a button press.

Thank you very much. This is exactly the info I was looking for

[rbaisa]

Originally Posted by wdb

It sounds as though you have the wiring figured out. I can only offer generic advice however. Pushing the button should connect one of the pins 3 or 5 to power or ground, that would be my guess. That would then cause the computer to do its little tricks and engage 'sport mode', such as it is.

The 'sport' button is mostly a gimmick in these cars. It makes the driver-by-wire throttle touchier and adds a little more effort to the electric steering. I liked the steering feel but not the throttle response so I never used the button. If you're going to all this effort to get it working, I suggest that you also look into getting it to only affect the steering and not the throttle.

To be honest I just want it to work. My OCD goes insane when there is something that does not work

[rbaisa]

I have tried every combination of pins possible and I cant get anything. Sooooo I am assuming this switch is toast.

[garz747]

Dont waste your time or money - sport button is useless. When I bought my M 4 years ago I tried it and it made the throttle like an on/off switch. No other effects. That was the last time I used it.

[Terraphantm]

Originally Posted by rbaisa

I have tried every combination of pins possible and I cant get anything. Sooooo I am assuming this switch is toast.

It should be pin 5 and pin 1 that have some resistance (probably around 10kΩ) to ground when the button is pressed.

[rbaisa]

Originally Posted by Terraphantm

It should be pin 5 and pin 1 that have some resistance (probably around 10kΩ) to ground when the button is pressed.

I got a new button in the mail and it still doesn't change anything. Im assuming it is a programing morning thing. I ordered a usb obd reader soooooo we will see. Thank you and i'll report back when I have more info.

[Vanne]

Hi Rick, welcome to the forums mate and love your Roady. Very nice. No doubt you'll enjoy that puppy for all it's worth.. safe drives mate.

[rooslawn]

Hello Rick, I know I'm reviving an old thread. I was wondering if you ever solved this issue on your z4 and whether you still have your vehicle. Thanks in advance! Cheers, Russ.