nextelbuddy
04-06-2017, 12:19 PM
Special thanks to Overboost as he had a lot of great information from his thread as well.
There are numerous resources around mainly over on E46 fanatics site. one link has great info but no pictures and honestly you really dont need pictures for this. not of the actual install, pictures of the parts needed sure. Overboost a member on here as well as e46 fanatics also had great info in his thread as well and i will be linking to that and importing some info and pictures into this one to.
Cars you would perform this on??
2003 ZHP vehicles that did NOT come with the premium package. in 2003, RLS system was only available with Premium package, in 2004, it became standard.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3833/32823461396_4a8ec3e878_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/S1uPwd)IMG_20170211_155344 (https://flic.kr/p/S1uPwd) by Shawn Robertson (https://www.flickr.com/photos/nextelbuddy/), on Flickr
Parts Needed:
- RLS Sensor PN RLS 6 923 954 (make sure you dont get the older one from the 2001 M3 which was RLS 6 920 044.. i got this one first and it looks the same and plugs in the same but it does not talk to your K bus properly)
- RLS Sensor Pigtail with a couple inches of wiring (go to junkyard, no one ever gets these and just cut the wiring out of the headliner)
- Face Plate for the LCM that has the Auto setting (you do not need the entire LCM just the face plate - go to a junk yard they are like $5-10)
- RLS Housing Cover
- New wind shield from 2004 and above E46 Sedan with RLS sensor ($230 from my local auto glass company) (this is the only way to get the OEM look since the windshield has not only the optical sensor prism that the sensor snaps into but it also has the tinted dot matrix area around it as well you can find the optical sensor prism online separately if you want and just glue it to your windshield)
- if you want to get just the sensor lens only then it can be found on ebay usually - http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-3-SERIES-E46-09-01-05-WINDSCREEN-RAIN-LIGHT-SENSOR-LENS-/122337303221?hash=item1c7bdf1ab5:g:Ex4AAOSwUKxYke6 k
Software needed:
- PA Soft to read and code the ZKE/GM5/Central body module (just one setting to ENABLE Rain sensor)
OR
- NCS Expert to read the ZKE/GM5
I followed this article first that is very in depth:
http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=493341
Then Overboost also had good info here:
http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=1120679
You should go ahead and build your RLS 4 pin Pigtail harness. you will need about 6-7 feet of wiring to add on and once built should look like this:
http://forum.e46fanatics.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=649607&stc=1&d=1485994586
the wiring for the RLS harness goes like this:
RLS pin 1 (KLR power)...to/from... Fuse 15 (mine was empty) (violet)
RLS pin 2 (ground)...to/from... empty connection on ground strip module above fuse box (brown)
RLS pin 3 (k-bus)...to/from... empty connection on K Bus strip module above fuse box (white/red/yellow)
RLS pin 4 (wiper motor signal)...to/from... X253 GM5 pin 45 (brown/green)
BMW connectors are labeled which PINS they are so just look at the plug connectors to see the number for each pin assignment
for the K bus wire, any empty spot or existing wire is fine, the K bus is just one joining point for signal info so it doesnt matter on the K bus strip which one you tie into.
Some people get fancy and order the exact parts needed for the connector ends.. for example when you want to run PIN 1 of the RLS harness to Fuse 15, on my car that fuse was not only empty but also missing the fuse leaf so even if i put a fuse in, it still had no power. I chose to to just run a wire instead to another fuse space that i was not using which was the homelink fuse spot.
I used a wire T tap to run the wire from RLS harness PIN 4 and tapped into pin 45 on the x253 connector which is the wiper motor signal.
note that you need to pull the glove box out so that the fusebox can drop all the way allowing you to access the ZKE module plugs behind it.
pretty much you:
- install Windshield with the prism or install your add on prism
- Install your Auto face plate to the LCM
- remove your sun visors and passenger side A pillar cover
- pull down the front of your head liner and run/route your RLS plug harness through the headliner and down the A pillar
- Wire your RLS 4 pin connection using the above pin assignments
- fire up PASoft and enable Rain sensor or use NCS expert to modify the ZKE module for rain sensor
- reboot the car turn key off and back on and test the sensor by covering it with a towel and having the face plate to Auto.. you can also spray the sensor with water from spray bottle.
once you verified it works. then button everything back up.
in some cases the RLS sensor MAY need to be re calibrated for the new wind shield.. mine did not and neither did overboosts BUT if you do need to do that then you will need INPA to talk to the RLS sensor directly and initialize the calibration process.
Windshield with prism installed
https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2914/33723979922_dbce4f625a_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/To5diG)IMG_20161216_163359 (https://flic.kr/p/To5diG) by Shawn Robertson (https://www.flickr.com/photos/nextelbuddy/), on Flickr
Sensor installed (its the incorrect sensor that I mentioned earlier. the proper one is exactly the same physically)
https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3839/33839798616_38d6a56dea_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/TyiPaJ)IMG_20161217_105320 (https://flic.kr/p/TyiPaJ) by Shawn Robertson (https://www.flickr.com/photos/nextelbuddy/), on Flickr
Auto face plate installed
https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2879/33495980980_894c063df8_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/T2VEas)IMG_20161216_163433 (https://flic.kr/p/T2VEas) by Shawn Robertson (https://www.flickr.com/photos/nextelbuddy/), on Flickr
Everything buttoned up with the cover piece and mirror
https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2855/33723980422_f59c843239_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/To5dsj)IMG_20161222_150134 (https://flic.kr/p/To5dsj) by Shawn Robertson (https://www.flickr.com/photos/nextelbuddy/), on Flickr
if there are any questions just ask!
There are numerous resources around mainly over on E46 fanatics site. one link has great info but no pictures and honestly you really dont need pictures for this. not of the actual install, pictures of the parts needed sure. Overboost a member on here as well as e46 fanatics also had great info in his thread as well and i will be linking to that and importing some info and pictures into this one to.
Cars you would perform this on??
2003 ZHP vehicles that did NOT come with the premium package. in 2003, RLS system was only available with Premium package, in 2004, it became standard.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3833/32823461396_4a8ec3e878_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/S1uPwd)IMG_20170211_155344 (https://flic.kr/p/S1uPwd) by Shawn Robertson (https://www.flickr.com/photos/nextelbuddy/), on Flickr
Parts Needed:
- RLS Sensor PN RLS 6 923 954 (make sure you dont get the older one from the 2001 M3 which was RLS 6 920 044.. i got this one first and it looks the same and plugs in the same but it does not talk to your K bus properly)
- RLS Sensor Pigtail with a couple inches of wiring (go to junkyard, no one ever gets these and just cut the wiring out of the headliner)
- Face Plate for the LCM that has the Auto setting (you do not need the entire LCM just the face plate - go to a junk yard they are like $5-10)
- RLS Housing Cover
- New wind shield from 2004 and above E46 Sedan with RLS sensor ($230 from my local auto glass company) (this is the only way to get the OEM look since the windshield has not only the optical sensor prism that the sensor snaps into but it also has the tinted dot matrix area around it as well you can find the optical sensor prism online separately if you want and just glue it to your windshield)
- if you want to get just the sensor lens only then it can be found on ebay usually - http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-3-SERIES-E46-09-01-05-WINDSCREEN-RAIN-LIGHT-SENSOR-LENS-/122337303221?hash=item1c7bdf1ab5:g:Ex4AAOSwUKxYke6 k
Software needed:
- PA Soft to read and code the ZKE/GM5/Central body module (just one setting to ENABLE Rain sensor)
OR
- NCS Expert to read the ZKE/GM5
I followed this article first that is very in depth:
http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=493341
Then Overboost also had good info here:
http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=1120679
You should go ahead and build your RLS 4 pin Pigtail harness. you will need about 6-7 feet of wiring to add on and once built should look like this:
http://forum.e46fanatics.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=649607&stc=1&d=1485994586
the wiring for the RLS harness goes like this:
RLS pin 1 (KLR power)...to/from... Fuse 15 (mine was empty) (violet)
RLS pin 2 (ground)...to/from... empty connection on ground strip module above fuse box (brown)
RLS pin 3 (k-bus)...to/from... empty connection on K Bus strip module above fuse box (white/red/yellow)
RLS pin 4 (wiper motor signal)...to/from... X253 GM5 pin 45 (brown/green)
BMW connectors are labeled which PINS they are so just look at the plug connectors to see the number for each pin assignment
for the K bus wire, any empty spot or existing wire is fine, the K bus is just one joining point for signal info so it doesnt matter on the K bus strip which one you tie into.
Some people get fancy and order the exact parts needed for the connector ends.. for example when you want to run PIN 1 of the RLS harness to Fuse 15, on my car that fuse was not only empty but also missing the fuse leaf so even if i put a fuse in, it still had no power. I chose to to just run a wire instead to another fuse space that i was not using which was the homelink fuse spot.
I used a wire T tap to run the wire from RLS harness PIN 4 and tapped into pin 45 on the x253 connector which is the wiper motor signal.
note that you need to pull the glove box out so that the fusebox can drop all the way allowing you to access the ZKE module plugs behind it.
pretty much you:
- install Windshield with the prism or install your add on prism
- Install your Auto face plate to the LCM
- remove your sun visors and passenger side A pillar cover
- pull down the front of your head liner and run/route your RLS plug harness through the headliner and down the A pillar
- Wire your RLS 4 pin connection using the above pin assignments
- fire up PASoft and enable Rain sensor or use NCS expert to modify the ZKE module for rain sensor
- reboot the car turn key off and back on and test the sensor by covering it with a towel and having the face plate to Auto.. you can also spray the sensor with water from spray bottle.
once you verified it works. then button everything back up.
in some cases the RLS sensor MAY need to be re calibrated for the new wind shield.. mine did not and neither did overboosts BUT if you do need to do that then you will need INPA to talk to the RLS sensor directly and initialize the calibration process.
Windshield with prism installed
https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2914/33723979922_dbce4f625a_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/To5diG)IMG_20161216_163359 (https://flic.kr/p/To5diG) by Shawn Robertson (https://www.flickr.com/photos/nextelbuddy/), on Flickr
Sensor installed (its the incorrect sensor that I mentioned earlier. the proper one is exactly the same physically)
https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3839/33839798616_38d6a56dea_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/TyiPaJ)IMG_20161217_105320 (https://flic.kr/p/TyiPaJ) by Shawn Robertson (https://www.flickr.com/photos/nextelbuddy/), on Flickr
Auto face plate installed
https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2879/33495980980_894c063df8_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/T2VEas)IMG_20161216_163433 (https://flic.kr/p/T2VEas) by Shawn Robertson (https://www.flickr.com/photos/nextelbuddy/), on Flickr
Everything buttoned up with the cover piece and mirror
https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2855/33723980422_f59c843239_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/To5dsj)IMG_20161222_150134 (https://flic.kr/p/To5dsj) by Shawn Robertson (https://www.flickr.com/photos/nextelbuddy/), on Flickr
if there are any questions just ask!