[alextremo]

Thanks Sparky66 and Kentgbr! I went with mod 3 as well. Great mod - this should be on the sticky in the DIY section!!!

[vic18t]

Uhg I'm having trouble getting the airbag off. I can't feel for the levers/buttons that keep the airbag in place. How hard do i have to push? In which direction? Sparky66 are you saying there's a way to do this without removing the airbag? How did you do it?

[Belarus]

Originally Posted by vic18t

Uhg I'm having trouble getting the airbag off. I can't feel for the levers/buttons that keep the airbag in place. How hard do i have to push? In which direction? Sparky66 are you saying there's a way to do this without removing the airbag? How did you do it?

Hopefully this helps you:
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showpo...47&postcount=1
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11825
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showpo...6&postcount=36

Make sure to DISCONNECT a battery if you're planning to remove the airbag.

[vic18t]

Thanks! I did some searches and came across other threads with help on this matter, but none as detailed as the ones you linked (screw driver orientation and position is what I was looking for). I'll give these a try next week and see how it goes. Thanks!

[Belarus]

Originally Posted by vic18t

Thanks! I did some searches and came across other threads with help on this matter, but none as detailed as the ones you linked (screw driver orientation and position is what I was looking for). I'll give these a try next week and see how it goes. Thanks!

[Noxious_]

EAS has a paddle kit dont they?

[Magic Man]

Originally Posted by Dr Dave

Are these the wires that you flip to reverse the +/- on the paddles??? Do we know which is the ground?

[zamba0321]

ground is the middle wire per the schematic, so some people swap the outer wires

[Magic Man]

I did this mod and love it. Super easy once you get the airbag off. Checkout the DIY for the MSport steering wheel change.

[netzer0]

Just completed this mod tonight, very easy. I did it by removing the trim piece around the airbag rather than removing the airbag itself. You can also swap the wires around by removing the plastic connector from the steering wheel button module and inserting a precision screwdriver into the connector and pulling out the wires. I just pulled out the wires and swapped the outer ones on the left side (option #3). This took in total about 10 minutes and works like a charm. Much better!

[tofu-]

any way to physically prevent the thumb function of the paddles?

so that you can only pull them, and they will be "jammed" from being thumb pushed?

[Magic Man]

Originally Posted by tofu-

any way to physically prevent the thumb function of the paddles?

so that you can only pull them, and they will be "jammed" from being thumb pushed?

Absolutely. You just need to unplug one of the wires (not sure if its the top or the bottom, however). Once you know you've disconnected the correct wire, you will probably also want to remove the connection and cover so you dont get any shorts.

[vase330]

Oh man, they gave me a 2011 loaner with the right+ left- and I am in love!!! So natural! My car has the retarded German logic paddles. I hate them and regreted paying $500 to have them because I used them a few times and in the 3yrs I have had the car could never get used to them, and gave up. I also don't like the shifter push pull, its also confusing. I even had the +\- sports shift going back to 2001 and never liked it. Now the M3 and this 2011....hmmmm sweeeeet!! Paddles for humans finally.

[loetek]

Originally Posted by netzer0

Just completed this mod tonight, very easy. I did it by removing the trim piece around the airbag rather than removing the airbag itself. You can also swap the wires around by removing the plastic connector from the steering wheel button module and inserting a precision screwdriver into the connector and pulling out the wires. I just pulled out the wires and swapped the outer ones on the left side (option #3). This took in total about 10 minutes and works like a charm. Much better!

I am planning to do this mod to my 2007 335Ci after reading this post. I like the idea that you found an easier way to get to the wires, but I wish you had taken some pictures. So are you saying you didn't have to pop the airbag unit off the steering wheel? What plastic connector are you referring to when you said remove it from the steering wheel module? I already bought a 9-volt memory saver because I thought you had to disconnect the battery. Did you have to disconnect the battery with your procedure? Thanks for any additional info and pictures you can provide. I am just a simple 60 year old retired computer programmer trying to improve my ride.

[loetek]

Originally Posted by Sparky66

Glad people are seeing how easy it is to convert the paddles for downshifting with the left paddle and upshifting with the right.............the way it should have been done by BMW.

What I don't understand is..... why are people going to the trouble of popping out the airbag and then for the sake of undoing 3 screws using a torx screw bit , they are not removing the steering wheel cover to get proper access to the paddle shift connectors.

I did this mod because I never use the thumb press to change gear, as it doesn't feel natural to me but I didn't want to lose it's factory functionality. Hence why the thumb presses are still available.
I used Mod 3 because of it's simplicity and modification is kept to a minimum.

Sparky, I am planning to do this mod to my 2007 335Ci after reading this post. I like the idea that you found an easier way to get to the wires, but I wish you had taken some pictures. I already bought a 9-volt memory saver because I thought you had to disconnect the battery. Did you have to disconnect the battery with your procedure? Thanks for any additional info and pictures you can provide. I am just a simple 60 year old retired computer programmer trying to improve my ride.

[Snow King]

Originally Posted by loetek

I am planning to do this mod to my 2007 335Ci after reading this post. I like the idea that you found an easier way to get to the wires, but I wish you had taken some pictures. So are you saying you didn't have to pop the airbag unit off the steering wheel? What plastic connector are you referring to when you said remove it from the steering wheel module? I already bought a 9-volt memory saver because I thought you had to disconnect the battery. Did you have to disconnect the battery with your procedure? Thanks for any additional info and pictures you can provide. I am just a simple 60 year old retired computer programmer trying to improve my ride.

Originally Posted by loetek

Sparky, I am planning to do this mod to my 2007 335Ci after reading this post. I like the idea that you found an easier way to get to the wires, but I wish you had taken some pictures. I already bought a 9-volt memory saver because I thought you had to disconnect the battery. Did you have to disconnect the battery with your procedure? Thanks for any additional info and pictures you can provide. I am just a simple 60 year old retired computer programmer trying to improve my ride.

If you end up using this method, please take some pictures an post here with your step by step directions! I'm usually pretty handy, but could not for the life of me figure out how to pop out that airbag. Spent about an hour disconnecting the battery (which is a pain on the vert) and trying to pop out the airbag. Gave up after an hour and went back inside with my tail between my legs...

If anyone in socal wants to help me out I'm taking offers!

[Belarus]

Originally Posted by hchaniar

If you end up using this method, please take some pictures an post here with your step by step directions! I'm usually pretty handy, but could not for the life of me figure out how to pop out that airbag. Spent about an hour disconnecting the battery (which is a pain on the vert) and trying to pop out the airbag. Gave up after an hour and went back inside with my tail between my legs...

If anyone in socal wants to help me out I'm taking offers!

See Post #25. If you do end up going back the route of removing air-bag.

+1 about PITA to disconnect battery on a Vert.... not sure what German Engineers were thinking about when they designed it....

[dbrustad]

Hi guys,

I have an e90 2011 335D M-sport that did not come with paddles, and I am interested in adding them if the re-wire will still work. Can someone just clarify if this how-to is still valid with the 2011?

I am thinking of ordering the harness from Burger and grabbing the paddles and wheel from getbmwparts.com

Thanks for any info.

Cheers

[zivyn]

search for paddle shift retrofit, that should give you all the info you need

any of the available harnesses should work with your 2011 AFAIK because you tap into the center stick and run the wires yourself. Just need the right hardware.

[B-737]

I wrote several posts on two different harnesses for my 2011 E92, search.

[gerritg]

I have bought the M3 steering wheel with paddle shifter. Can I install this without any problems into my 2008 335i M-Steering wheel with paddle shifter? Do I need to rewire the M3 steering wheenl paddle shifter? Thanks for the help

[Bimmernoobie]

Thanks for the help guys, this forum is AWESOME.

Just did MOD 3 couple days ago. It was the easiest like everyone says. I added a touch of German Potato (my term for rice) since I have a vinyl sticker cutter. I added a + and - symbol on my paddle shifters. LOL. I think its a nice touch and is completely removable. I tried to make it look like the same + and - symbol as the M3 shifters and just made the sticker in white, like every other font/text found in the car.



Thought I would add a couple notes.

-When pulling the paddle shift connector out, yank by the wires and yank and wiggle slightly in the forward direction. (towards the dash) It will unclip easier.

-There is a hinge on the connector that holds the pins securely, (wiggled open with a flat head on each side) do not open it all the way up...Its so fragile I snapped it off. Anyway, it can be snapped back on and the connector goes back in fine.

- People already mentioned this, but look at the end of the pin, there is an angled tab at the very end. (the angle tab is silver and is part of the pin) Use a tiny screwdriver to push it down while yanking the pin wire out at the same time.

Car shifts and downshifts like it should now and just waiting to do the Alpina flash in the next week!