[dylim]

Guys, I have not started working on this yet. But when I did the idrive retrofit, instead of removing the fusebox, I opted to use fusetaps (add-a-fuse). It's much easier than removing the fusebox

[ramez75]

Originally Posted by DavidZ

Remove the entire glove box: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...99#post1604999.
I'll take a picture of the tools I used tonight.

I removed the entire glove box much better access definitely. I must have missed the link you sent me. The right screws top and bottom was easily removed, I was able to squeeze my short torx screw driver and unscrew them.
Next is to remove the the torx screws on the left side, I was able to remove the bottom one and you are right the top one is a PITA. So close

[ramez75]

Originally Posted by dylim

Guys, I have not started working on this yet. But when I did the idrive retrofit, instead of removing the fusebox, I opted to use fusetaps (add-a-fuse). It's much easier than removing the fusebox

I am not familiar with that. I was following the PDC instructions

[dylim]

It's just an extended fuse. So one fuse becomes two fuses, with a wire to connect your new component - check here (add-a-circuit):

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...ource=googleps

You pull out the old fuse, put the fuse in the add-a-circuit, put one more fuse for the new component, and connect the wire from add-a-circuit to your new component.

[ramez75]

DavidZ,

I am still struggling to get the top left screw. I will definitely go check Homedepot/Lowes and see what tool I can get that will help me get the screw out. In the mean time I was wondering where did you connect the Orange/Green and green cables too. I read the instructions and could identify the like wires coming out from the power harness in the passenger side. Is it because the fuse box is concealing those cables. Also I already have a fuse in slot F28 according to the instructions but the Rear PDC kit came with a 5amp fuse too, I guess I dont need to use it right. Its just a spare?

Also can you share a pic of the tool u used if it is not to much of a hassle.

The black connectors that came with the rear PDC kit I guess each wire goes into one channel right and then I snap close it

Thanks for all the help you provided so far

[DavidZ]

For the hard to get screw, you need a screwdriver you can change bits on, and you need to be able to put a "wobble" (maybe also called a universal joint or elbow - they're usually used with ratchets) on it as well. I have a Tamper-Proof Bit Set from Griots Garage which had the screwdriver handle and bits I needed and I just used a 1/4" wobble from my ratchet set.

Here's the Tamper-Proof Bit Set:


Here are the parts I used, the bendy part is the wobble:


Everything connected:


Obviously I put the short end with the Torx bit on the fuse box screw while I twisted the long end. It was still really hard - you basically have to get the bit into the fuse box screw by feel and luck and still hold it in while you turn.

As for the orange and green wires, from one of my posts in this thread:

Originally Posted by DavidZ

Yeah, it's strait forward. I was going to make a DIY but I didn't take any pictures and it's strait forward enough that I'd imagine anyone attempting it should be technical enough to get it done. The only part that had me scratching my head when I was reading the instructions in advance was this step:



Seemed to me they want you to locate the OR/GR and GN wires in the wiring harness and splice into them (if that's the case I would think the picture should show a 3rd wire coming out of each "miniature connector)... but, yep, that's exactly what you need to do. I thought it would be next to impossible to find those wires on the harness, but it didn't take me too long to locate them. I undid the harness at the red part I circled, found the wires and used the "miniature connectors" to splice into them. I didn't even have to code my car - I don't have iDrive and my rear speakers do the beeping.

[ramez75]

Originally Posted by DavidZ

For the hard to get screw, you need a screwdriver you can change bits on, and you need to be able to put a "wobble" (maybe also called a universal joint or elbow - they're usually used with ratchets) on it as well. I have a Tamper-Proof Bit Set from Griots Garage which had the screwdriver handle and bits I needed and I just used a 1/4" wobble from my ratchet set.

Here's the Tamper-Proof Bit Set:


Here are the parts I used, the bendy part is the wobble:


Everything connected:


Obviously I put the short end with the Torx bit on the fuse box screw while I twisted the long end. It was still really hard - you basically have to get the bit into the fuse box screw by feel and luck and still hold it in while you turn.

As for the orange and green wires, from one of my posts in this thread:

Thanks for the pics, i have a similar set

[DavidZ]

Someone's probably going to come along and say that metal bracket blocking the upper left hand screw can be removed, but I looked it over a bit and couldn't find a way to take it off. I've done a good bit of searching and can't find any easier way of removing the fuse box.

Originally Posted by dylim

It's just an extended fuse. So one fuse becomes two fuses, with a wire to connect your new component - check here (add-a-circuit):

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...ource=googleps

You pull out the old fuse, put the fuse in the add-a-circuit, put one more fuse for the new component, and connect the wire from add-a-circuit to your new component.

So if the instructions say to connect a wire to PIN 8, I guess you need to figure out which fuse PIN 8 connects to and add the tap there?

[ramez75]

Originally Posted by ramez75

Thanks for the pics, i have a similar set

Worked like a charm.

[ramez75]

My car is built Jan 2009 but I have the same fuse box as the one you have in the picture. You said you used PIN 8 of the plug, do I do the same thing you did or do I follow the instruction and connect to the Blue Plug PIN7 (mine is occupied) so I use the miniature connector. How do you tell the difference between the before and after 03/07

Originally Posted by DavidZ

That's the fuse box. It's behind the glove box. You need to remove the entire glove box. Removing the glove box isn't hard, but removing the fuse box was hard for me. It has 4 screws. If your car is like mine, the screw in the upper left-hand corner is blocked. I needed to put a torx bit on a "wobble" with an extension to remove it.

[ramez75]

I found the twisted green/orange wires in the harness underneath the carpeting. They are twisted so good that i cant get the miniature connector between them. Did you cut the orange/green and green wires in the harness then splice them into the orange/green and green wires of the rear PDC wiring kit using the miniature connectors

[DavidZ]

Originally Posted by ramez75

My car is built Jan 2009 but I have the same fuse box as the one you have in the picture. You said you used PIN 8 of the plug, do I do the same thing you did or do I follow the instruction and connect to the Blue Plug PIN7 (mine is occupied) so I use the miniature connector.

See this post.

Originally Posted by ramez75

How do you tell the difference between the before and after 03/07

Compare the fuse box to the pictures in the instructions. They're physically different. One has 15-pin connectors and the other 10-pin.

Originally Posted by ramez75

I found the twisted green/orange wires in the harness underneath the carpeting. They are twisted so good that i cant get the miniature connector between them. Did you cut the orange/green and green wires in the harness then splice them into the orange/green and green wires of the rear PDC wiring kit using the miniature connectors

I cut about 3 or 4 strands of the black fabric/tape/wrap around the thickest part of the wiring harness that I circled in red - basically where the harness is still on the floor before it goes up along the firewall. This freed up several inches of the wires which was enough for me to untwist them enough to fit a miniature connector in there without having to cut any wires.

[ramez75]

I have 10-pin connectors. It is just like yours (in the pics you have posted). What is confusing me is the front of my fuse box looks like the after 03/07 but the back of it looks like the before 03/07.

So I m debating do I use the Blue plug (left side-PIN7 - X11001) or the Black plug (right side-PIN8 - X11003). According to the instructions the Blue Plug is for after 03/07 and the Black Plug is for before 03/07 keep in mind both of them are 10-Pin connectors.

I can follow what you did and connect to PIN8 of the Black Plug (left one, before 03/07)

Originally Posted by DavidZ

See this post.


Compare the fuse box to the pictures in the instructions. They're physically different. One has 15-pin connectors and the other 10-pin.


I ended up doing what you described below......

I cut about 3 or 4 strands of the black fabric/tape/wrap around the thickest part of the wiring harness that I circled in red - basically where the harness is still on the floor before it goes up along the firewall. This freed up several inches of the wires which was enough for me to untwist them enough to fit a miniature connector in there without having to cut any wires.

[DavidZ]

I have 15 PIN connectors so used the before 03/07 step. On the post when I said "(that's 1-5 on the bottom, 6-10 in the middle)" I just left out "11-15 on the top" for brevity but if you look at the picture they're there. If you have 10 PIN connectors you should surely use the after 03/07 step - PIN 7. From what I remember, the front of your fuse box did look quite different from mine.

[ramez75]

Originally Posted by DavidZ

I have 15 PIN connectors so used the before 03/07 step. On the post when I said "(that's 1-5 on the bottom, 6-10 in the middle)" I just left out "11-15 on the top" for brevity but if you look at the picture they're there. If you have 10 PIN connectors you should surely use the after 03/07 step - PIN 7. From what I remember, the front of your fuse box did look quite different from mine.

I actually have 15pin too. I ended up using Pin8 just like you did. I still have to do the front bumper tomorrow, I m going to a machinist to modify the front bumper support to make clearance to the 2 center sensors. If you plan to do the front PDC and you have a 335ix like mine then the bumper will not go back in place without modifying the front bumper support.
Then I will program my car and c what happens. If it didnt work then will use the after 03/07 connection