Fancy having a BMW with a MSport steering wheel with Cruise Control and Paddle Shifter?
Look no further!
What you need:
1) MSport steering wheel with air bag. Note that F45/F46 uses a typical F30 MSport steering wheel. F10 (5 series) MSport steering wheel is not suitable for F45/F46 use.
Note that it comes with different options like Cruise Control switch, paddle shifter or even Active Cruise Control and Traffic Jam Assistant buttons.
2) Socket wrench tool set - you will requires 16mm socket to unscrew the hexagon nut on the steering wheel
3) A screw driver or a metal rod to take out the air bag from the MSport steering wheel and your current existing stock wheel.
Here it goes!
Taking out the airbag from MSport steering wheel:
Step 1:
Note the hole behind the MSport steering wheel
Step 2:
Release the airbag from the MSport steering wheel by using the flat bed screw driver or metal rod to push the pin that holds the airbag.
Step 3:
Repeat step 2 on the other hole. The airbag will pop out and then be released from the MSport steering wheel. Take out the airbag and store it carefully.
Now your MSport steering wheel is ready for your install!
Taking out the airbag from stock steering wheel:
Step 1:
Turn off the engine entirely. Pull and lower your steering wheel until it fully extends out. Without using any tools but only your fingers, feels the steering column plastic cover and pulls it out. If it is difficult for you to do that, you can pull out the leather piece first but feeling its edges and pull it out gently. There are no screws attached to it
Step 2:
Lift out the cover slowly. You do not need to take out the cover.
Step 3:
Pull down the bottom cover as well and leave it dangling. You do not need to detach any connectors.
Step 4:
Now, you have full access to the 3 pins behind the steering wheel through the highlighted holes below which allows you to detach the stock BMW airbag.
Step 5:
Facing the steering wheel, start from the bottom hole,use your flat bed screw driver to push the pin to release the airbag pin first. Once the airbag pin has been released, switch on the engine, turn the steering wheel to anti-clockwise, switch off the engine and continue to perform the same procedure to release the airbag pin. Repeat step 5 to access the other pin.
Step 6:
Once all the pins have been released, the entire BMW airbag will popped out and thus can be safely removed. Unplug the three connectors and unscrew the earth wire connector as shown below. Use the socket wrench with 16mm diameter to socket to unscrew the nut and replace it with your MSport steering wheel and plugging in back the two connectors, screw back the nut and then followed by connecting back the air bag connector and snap the airbag back in place to the steering wheel.
Step 7: Done! Give yourself a pat on your back!
Check the horn and all buttons are working especially on the right hand side buttons. For the left hand side buttons and paddle shifter to work, it will need extra coding to be performed.
Time to code Dynamic Cruise Control and Paddle shifter for your car! Please refer to my other blogs which provides the details to code paddle shifter and cruise control for your F45/F46.
