I don't like the buttons on the steering wheel so I opted to swap to the ZCP steering trim. I can deal with having to move my hand to adjust the volume or hitting a button on the navi screen to answer the phone. The one thing that is missing is the cruise control switches, and while I don't use cruise control much it's great for a longer trip. Thankfully you swap in a z4 cruise control stalk, which is really easy to do.
I'd imagine this would work with a true ZCP car, although I'm not sure if anything needs to be coded to enable cruise functionality and/or the wiring is there or not. Perhaps somebody else knows?
Parts list:
03-08 e85 Z4 cruise control stalk: 61316940989 $130
Adapter lead: 61116911072 $13
The adapter lead is actually for the clutch switch, but it has the correct color wires and the plug is the correct type. You might be able to make something work, but getting the adapter lead makes it easy. I ended up buying a whole z4 steering clock spring with all switches on eBay for $75.
Onward to the DIY...
Unplug the battery, just in case. You wouldn't want the airbag to go off while you're working. Pull off the bottom trim under the steering wheel, you just press in the locking pin on the two plastic holder plugs and then pull the trim down.
The Z4 steering wheel clock spring combo switches (the thing that spins and passes through all the wires and the turn signal & wipers attach) is the same between the e46 and e85. So this means that the z4 cruise switch just slides into place. You can see where the cruise stalk slides in on the bracket on the lower right of this picture.
Here is another picture of the cruise stalk on a spare clock spring I have
Now you have to clearance the lower steering trim so the cruise stalk fits. The Z4 trim is completely different and won't work in our cars so you need to modify the stock trim. I used a Dremel and a sharp hobby knife to cut the side and remove part of the metal base.
Left is my modified one, right is unmodified
Here is what it looks like with the modified lower trim and some broken top trim I had in a box. I used my spare steering clock spring to test fit. Must say it's a lot easier to clearance the lower trim having these pieces available off the car to test fit.
Once you have it fitting nice there is a bit of wiring to do. I moved the wires around in the adapter lead plug so the colors matched the wiring on the harness plug I was tapping into. Just made it easier to not make a mistake when doing the wiring. The cruise stalk only uses 3 of the 4 wires, so you can remove pin 3.
I ended up unpinning the blue/blk signal wire and moving the wire into the cruise stalk plug, but the other wires you'll have to tap into.
E46 clock spring harness side -> cruise stalk plug
pin 7 brn/blk. -> pin 1 ground (tap into)
pin 8 blu/blk -> pin 2 signal (unpin and move)
pin 10 violet/yel -> pin 4 +12v (tap into)
All Finished
Plug everything back in
Put on your lower trim
Plug back in your battery and turn your car on, test the switch. Just push up or down to enable cruise, you should see a light come on the dash
Enjoy the cruuiiiseeeee
I'd imagine this would work with a true ZCP car, although I'm not sure if anything needs to be coded to enable cruise functionality and/or the wiring is there or not. Perhaps somebody else knows?
Parts list:
03-08 e85 Z4 cruise control stalk: 61316940989 $130
Adapter lead: 61116911072 $13
The adapter lead is actually for the clutch switch, but it has the correct color wires and the plug is the correct type. You might be able to make something work, but getting the adapter lead makes it easy. I ended up buying a whole z4 steering clock spring with all switches on eBay for $75.
Onward to the DIY...
Unplug the battery, just in case. You wouldn't want the airbag to go off while you're working. Pull off the bottom trim under the steering wheel, you just press in the locking pin on the two plastic holder plugs and then pull the trim down.
The Z4 steering wheel clock spring combo switches (the thing that spins and passes through all the wires and the turn signal & wipers attach) is the same between the e46 and e85. So this means that the z4 cruise switch just slides into place. You can see where the cruise stalk slides in on the bracket on the lower right of this picture.
Here is another picture of the cruise stalk on a spare clock spring I have
Now you have to clearance the lower steering trim so the cruise stalk fits. The Z4 trim is completely different and won't work in our cars so you need to modify the stock trim. I used a Dremel and a sharp hobby knife to cut the side and remove part of the metal base.
Left is my modified one, right is unmodified
Here is what it looks like with the modified lower trim and some broken top trim I had in a box. I used my spare steering clock spring to test fit. Must say it's a lot easier to clearance the lower trim having these pieces available off the car to test fit.
Once you have it fitting nice there is a bit of wiring to do. I moved the wires around in the adapter lead plug so the colors matched the wiring on the harness plug I was tapping into. Just made it easier to not make a mistake when doing the wiring. The cruise stalk only uses 3 of the 4 wires, so you can remove pin 3.
I ended up unpinning the blue/blk signal wire and moving the wire into the cruise stalk plug, but the other wires you'll have to tap into.
E46 clock spring harness side -> cruise stalk plug
pin 7 brn/blk. -> pin 1 ground (tap into)
pin 8 blu/blk -> pin 2 signal (unpin and move)
pin 10 violet/yel -> pin 4 +12v (tap into)
All Finished
Plug everything back in
Put on your lower trim
Plug back in your battery and turn your car on, test the switch. Just push up or down to enable cruise, you should see a light come on the dash
Enjoy the cruuiiiseeeee
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