[GearHead335i]

Hey guys, I’ve searched pretty extensively on the subject and although I believe I found my answer, I need further clarification. Any help would be appreciated.

Car is a 2009 335i xDrive non sport package but every other option. Didn’t come with paddles from the factory and I’m looking to put the wheel I just purchased on which is an M Sport wheel from an e90 LCI M Sport.

I believe the requirements to make this work are the BMS paddle shift harness and then to make the paddles work I’d need to unsolder and resolder certain resistors in the paddles themselves. Unfortunately the BMS adapter is out of stock and has been for the last several weeks so I was planning on following ska///235i DIY and run the wires myself.

After being on the hunt for a sport steering wheel with paddles I stumbled across this m sport lci wheel with the + - paddles on it with airbag for a great deal so I jumped on it. Later to find out that to making the paddles work with this wheel in my car requires more than just a harness or running the 2 extra wires yourself.

My question is;

1.) can I follow that diy to make my car “paddle compatible” and/or does anyone know somewhere else other than BMS I can find a harness?

2.) do I have to unsolder and resolder the resistors in the paddles to make them work even tho my car is an lci?

3.) my plan all along was to get different larger billet paddles and from this thread some other members found out that the newer generation f series paddles are plug and play for the push pull style paddles. So would it be possible for me to just buy a set of those instead of unsoldering and resoldering the resistors in the paddles? That would kill two birds with one stone S the lci paddles don’t have much capability to change the actual plastic paddles for larger ones like Popular options for the dct style from the m3.

Thanks in advance guys and here’s what wheel I just purchased for clarity. It’s an mSport wheel that half perforated leather.

[ppointer]

On #1, I don't know anyone that has done it themselves without the BMS harness. But someone had to figure it out before BMS made a market for their harnesses. So, I don't think it can be that hard if you can find the connectors. Also, I did see a used BMS harness on the board a couple of months back.

With #2, you are removing two resistors and soldering in one jumper on each of the boards. Instructions are here: https://www.n54tech.com/instructions...dification.pdf. I have done this mod to replace push/pull paddles on my sport-equipped e91.

#3? First I have heard that.

[GearHead335i]

Originally Posted by ppointer

On #1, I don't know anyone that has done it themselves without the BMS harness. But someone had to figure it out before BMS made a market for their harnesses. So, I don't think it can be that hard if you can find the connectors. Also, I did see a used BMS harness on the board a couple of months back.

With #2, you are removing two resistors and soldering in one jumper on each of the boards. Instructions are here: https://www.n54tech.com/instructions...dification.pdf. I have done this mod to replace push/pull paddles on my sport-equipped e91.

#3? First I have heard that.

Ok thanks man, I appreciate the response! Is the resistor mod difficult? I am an average solderer at best.

#3
https://www.1addicts.com/forums/show....php?t=1358509

[ppointer]

My soldering skills are awful. However, Super easy to get the resistors off.

The trick for me is soldering the jumper. I managed to get them right first try, but then the "-" paddle stopped working after a couple of months. I'm pretty certain I just did a poor job of that jumper. I found another one on eBay, but need to get someone with better soldering skills this time.

[GearHead335i]

Originally Posted by ppointer

My soldering skills are awful. However, Super easy to get the resistors off.

The trick for me is soldering the jumper. I managed to get them right first try, but then the "-" paddle stopped working after a couple of months. I'm pretty certain I just did a poor job of that jumper. I found another one on eBay, but need to get someone with better soldering skills this time.

Jumper? Is that the “wire” they are talking about that causes the short?

[GearHead335i]

What’s cool is that after looking at the diy and the pictures of the wheel that’s on its way to me is that it looks like the 6 wire paddle multifuntion button is included. So I should just have to run the wires from behind the steering column to the shifter.

[ppointer]

I believe you will still have to do the circuit board mods. At least you can hook up and give it a try first. True plug & play would be with the older push/pull paddles, and that is not what you have with that nice new (to u) wheel.

[GearHead335i]

Car-2009 335i xDrive-non sport package, premium package, cold weather package.

Wheel- M Sport perforated wheel from a 2011 335i M sport. Wheel came with multifunction buttons.

Since the wheel came with multifunction buttons it had the 6 pin connector that plugs into the ring behind the airbag so didn’t need to do anything to get the paddles to connect to the ring.

The paddles tho had to have the “resistor mod” done to them in order for them to act as right side + and left side -. Now I am not an experienced in soldering whatsoever and the directions from BMS say to use a small piece of wire to “short out” the two connectors on the paddles AFTER removing the 2 resistors on each paddle. I tried it this way at first with flux and it was incredibly difficult.

So, instead of using a small piece of wire, I just used a blob of solder to connect the two connections to create the short. This was much easier to do and it has the same effect of a small piece of wire.

Lastly, in terms of the rear connector behind the ring hidden by the bottom plastics is the connection you have to make from there to the shifter assembly at the center console. My car had the 2 yellow wires in pin slots 2 and 4 so I removed those, taped up each of them.

Next I took 2 pins from another spare plug I had laying around, soldered about a foot and a half of wiring to each one and spliced each of them into the two middle wires of the blue plug at the shifter.

Everything is working well, all multifunction buttons work, I can be in just D along with DS and still use the paddles and didn’t have to buy a $100+ plug and play harness.

I was planning all along to just buy the BMS paddle retrofit harness but with it being out of stock for some time now I went this route and I’m glad I did. Hope this helps people wondering the same questions about an e90 lci non paddle car that wants to use an lci m sport +/- wheel.