2011 M3 I-drive Retrofit Installation and Review

[mdrobc13]

2010-2011 Idrive CIC retrofit 1-7-2011Vehicle: 2008 M3 coupe (production date May 2008)
Installation time: 2-3 hrs.
Tech Support: Patryk Matysiak (Skype id: patryk.matysiak1)
Note: remember working hours 7.5 advance from CST in Warsaw Poland)

Parts included in shipment/needed for install
HD Screen - one CIC main unit - one
HD power connector (green) - one
HD video connector cable (red) - one
USB connector piece/hub - one (optional if desired)
USB cable (white) - one (optional if desired)
Faceplate CIC trim piece - one (optional)

Addtional note: My car already had the new 2009+ I drive controller installed. This was done in early 2009 prior to this install and has worked wonderfully up to this point albeit without the better CIC/Idrive installed. It can be added to your retrofit; just contact Patryk for inclusion of the needed parts and instructions.

Additional tools I found usefull: Set of torx bits & regular screw bits for ratchet/screwdriver ($9.99 on sale at Home Depot/Lowes) -Automotive trim removal set ($12 online at Amazon.com or crutchfield.com) -Xenon Mini flashlight (Already had mine but cost can vary $9 and up depending on your choice/desires) -Campers headlight ($29 Outdoor supply store) -Heavy Duty auto battery charger ($99.99 Sears)

NOTE: I already had many of these items and only had to purchase the trim removal tools and torx bits.

Installation (the fun begins) [Pics follow order of install below]
1. Remove dash trim across passanger's side of dash using trim removal tool. Smaller thin tool worked best for me, Start on right edge of dash and use pull and push method.

NOTE: If you completely remove this piece it will give you more space to work with)

2. Disconnect hazard light, A/C vents, & ignition start switch (plug & play).

3. Next remove Climate control trim face plate using removal tools. Use steady/even pressure. It should also pop out easily.

4. Unscrew climate control piece. There are 2 screws that hold it in place. Unplug the control cable (gray ribbon cable) and then pull out the unit.

5. Then remove the CCC/DVD trim piece (This is the 2nd piece for 2008 and earlier models).

NOTE: Although the retrofit included a new CIC trim piece it was not needed as my old one was exactly the same and had the A/C gray control wire already in place thus I reused it.

6. CIC unit is now seen and is held in place by 4 screws (regular). Remove them and the CCC unit should just slide out with sight pressure.

7. At the rear of the CCC unit you will see connectors. Remove large black BMW lever connector. You will see the old video connector, blue GPS connector, black radio Antenna, and Power connector. Unplug all of these and leave all in place. Do not remove.

NOTE: You will replace the old CCC video connector with the new HD video connector (Red) in its place.

8. Now remove your video screen. It also is held in place by 2 screws. Once removed you will see the old video connector and power connector. You will replace the old video connector (silver) with the new red one that goes to your CIC and then the old power connector with new (green) one that powers the HD Video display next.

9. You should now have two large openings in your dash where your display was and your CCC were. Now run/route cable down from where your video display was to the new CIC opening.

NOTE: you should try to route old way that cables were placed originally as this is the easiest route. However cars may differ slightly based on your option set. My car has the upgraded audio package and I found there was no space to route any cables where the original HD/Power CCC cables ran and therefore had to use some re-routing as I could find space which for me was on the right side of the A/C and CiC mounting trim. for ease of function.

10. Open the glove box and see if there is a USB plug installed. Most cars have this space and covering plug. Remove it. There is space behind there to run your USB cable and mount the included HUB.

11. Next route the USB cable from CIC area to your glove box or wherever you decide to place your USB hub. This will be a little more challenging as you will likely need to remove a number of your panels in the glove compartment or below the dash to gain access to the USB port area. Check your connections 1st before routing your cable so that you don't reverse your connections.

NOTE: There is a panel at the back of your glove compartment (inside) which allows access to a secondary fuse panel set. Remove this and you may also gain some access to behind your glove and dash to install the USB hub.

12. Now swap old power cable (black double row) for new HD one (green single row). Remove the sub-connector and then the old black pin connector should slide out (you may have to work to figure this out but it is pretty easy). Most importantly remove the pins one by one.

NOTE: Use the following method and carefully remove ONE pin out from the old/new connector and plug into the new connector at the same point (i.e. pin 1 goes to new pin 1, 3 goes to 3, etc). PIN connectors are numbered 1,3,5,6. Caution DO NOT let these pins touch each other to avoid a short or blown fuse! Also be careful as the pins are fragile and can break easily (see broken PIN 1 pic below.....luckily enough remained to make an adequate connection in the new connector).

13. Now connect green power connector to your new HD screen and new red HD video connectors. Put the HD video display back in place and secure with 2 original screws.

14. Now reconnect your CIC cables to the new unit. Start by re-attaching small connectors 1st and remember that they are color coded and will back only in the correct place/orientation. (i.e. Red=video, Black=radio antenna, Green/Blue=GPS, Beige/white=USB port, Large BMW BLACK sub-connector=BMW OEM plug unit. Also you may want to use electrical tape to tape up and secure your old connectors in place. I advise not removing them and leaving the originals in place as you may need to replace your CCC in the future to have the units recoded or upgrades.

NOTE: You must reverse the orientation of the Black BMW connector by turning it upside down to make the new connection to the CiC unit.

15. Now your are good to go and almost done. Slide the CiC back into the car and re-secure with the original 4 screws.

16. Before replacing all the remaining trim units. Do an initial test and power up the car. Put your key in the dash and the CIC should begin its Power up sequence (yes this is without the start/ignition button reattached but you can reconnect that plug if needed for this step). You should see the CIC power up and the BMW screen/logo should appear and the CIC boot up and the CIC main menu appear.

NOTE: Some functions may remain grayed out depending on your coding and options but no worries. Those will be resolved during your coding session. IF no screen or power appears then recheck your HD screen power connectors and pin placement as the screen may not be receiving power. Also check to see that you have connected the correct HD screen connectors to the CIC and vice versa. Next check the CiC to see if it is receiving power. You should hear the HD access the disk and/or hum. These are the most likely issues you may see/encounter.

17. If all works well and powers up (and you have functionality) then you may begin to replace your A/C controls and connectors and trim. Remember they all will go back in place in the same orientation as before. Your DVD faceplate should also snap into place.

18. Replace your remaining trim pieces in the reverse order as your above removal and secure everything.

19. Next step is coding w/Patryk. Remember you wiill need a computer with Win Vista/Windows 7 with 32bit and the USB coding cable which will be shipped separately to you.

20. Coding may take up to 1 hr depending on your car's configuration. You will need to set up computer and install the files (which you will be sent). Also a Skype account and connection will be needed. Establish a session with Patryk and get your specifics settled and begin your coding.

NOTE: After connecting the USB coding cable to your car and computer; a secure and stable Internet access will be needed. This was a problem for me initially as I had others in the family online (son on Xbox, wife on Netflix) and needed to kick everyone off to increase bandwith speed. During this step and with your Nav install you may need a battery charger to ensure you don't drain your battery. This is not critical but helpful especially if you are updating/installing navigation into the car as it is a 2.5-3 hr process during which the car needs ignition power the whole time. Thus I used a charger/started connected to my car with my Nav update and it worked fine and started immediately after it was finished without problem.

21. NAVIGATION update (Optional): Just insert the first DVD and select CD and play and follow the onscreen instructions. You will be asked to enter your FSC code and confirm it and then it will walk you thru the install and 3 DVD's that the North American maps are found on. These can be purchased from multiple sources and the DVDs themselves are pretty cheap; its the BMW FSC codes to activate the HD based NAV which will cost you ($199-300 on average depending on your source). The process is a long one so I hope you have a good book and a battery tender. Car and CiC will update themselves afterwards and relocate you based on your GPS signal. Originally after install of the CIC my car had me out in the middle of the ocean off of Portugal I think (since it didn't have the correct maps) but after install I am properly located in the SW USA.

FINAL NOTESThat's about it. Patryk has been really awesome and his retrofit great. Other than time zone adjustments (remember he is about 7-10 hrs ahead of you in the US depending on where you live), shipping time which couldn't be helped (winter weather across Europe and US), and one broken PIN connector (my fault) to work around: I've found the whole process to be top notch and his support excellent and definitely worth while. Really the best mod/upgrade I've done to my car and it definitely beats spending thousands of $$ and losing equity just to trade my car in for a 2009+ model to get these features as some have done (Ase2dais..yeah you! LOL). Nothing wrong with that but I'd rather save $$ on other things such as mods. Also the fact that they are all BMW parts should give you some comfort as well rather than using aftermarket solutions out there that involve cutting and adding additions to your BMW as this way you don't lose any functionality with the car/upgrade (note: EAS is supposedly working on a PnP retrofit also but so far haven't seen any updates or products of their work yet but they do produce good mods too for our cars. Also I did lose the ability to program my mute button on my steering wheel but that's it so far and a known issue according to Patryk). So if you have a 2008+ BMW then check it out especially if you plan on keeping your car for awhile. Good luck on your install/retrofit and I hope that this helps. mdrobc13

Also special thanks to technic's retrofit upgrade post which I used for visual references and pointers while doing my install as well. Definitely helped alot. Thanks bro! 1/15/2011

Install reference pics order (set 1)
Car pre retrofit
CCC main unit 2008 I drive
2009 I-drive controller retrofit (NOTE this was done previously in early 2009 to my car and thus was not a part of this update)
Shipment and unpacking - Preinstall Steps 1

[mkPOTO]

in for more picstures

[mdrobc13]

Install reference pics order (set 2)
Trim removal - Steps 1 thru 2
A/C removal -Steps 3 thru 4
DVD CCC faceplate removal - Steps 4 thru 5
CCC removal - Steps 6 thru 7
Screen removal and cable routing- Steps 8 thru 9
USB Install - Steps 10 thru 11
HD Screen replacement and power swap outs - Steps 12 thru 13
CIC reconnect and reinstallation - Steps 14 thru 18
Pre-coding checkout-Step 19
Post Coding screens - Step 20

Next post...NAV coding for those with that option.

[mdrobc13]

NAV installation (Step 3)
This is the last step for your vehicle. Note as mentioned above that this will take some time IF you have NAV (approximately 2-3 hrs) but it pretty easy. Just follow the instructions on the DVD NAV discs and enter the FSC code given you (either with the purchased NAV update discs OR the ones included with your retrofit) and follow the instructions. Due to the length of the install I would recommend a battery charger/started (what I used) or doing it overnight with a trickle charger. Otherwise the CIC will reboot itself after your maps install and GPS will relocate the car accodingly. Initially I was located off the coast of Spain someplace in Europe but it snapped itself to the USA one the car realigned itself with the SAT GPS signals.

Good luck...and PM if you have questions!

Install reference pics order (set 2)
NAV install initial screens - Steps 21
NAV instal screen disc 1-3 - Steps 21
NAV screens US North American MAPs - Steps 21

[GOLFFRR]

wow very impressive, you should sell your services to the forum im sure there is some guys on here that would take you up on this.

[Technic]

Excellent!

Can you see the Satellite View?

[jonasaurus]

Hardcore doing an idrive install! Nice work!

[Patrys@BimmerTech]

Great write-up

[Patrys@BimmerTech]

Originally Posted by Technic

Excellent!

Can you see the Satellite View?

I guess he can't cause it's not the 2010 CIC software as far as I remember.
From now on all CIC kits will come with the 2011 software.


Edit:
Technic, your question made me think about it and I need to check it with Rob

[Maseroche]

Very impressive install!

[Technic]

Originally Posted by Patrys

I guess he can't cause it's not the 2010 CIC software as far as I remember.
From now on all CIC kits will come with the 2011 software.

At least the "i" and the check mark in the iDrive controller icon in the map view photo above is a much newer firmware version than the one that I have in my 2009 CIC.

This is your Satellite photo with the same new icon:

[Patrys@BimmerTech]

Originally Posted by Technic

At least the "i" and the check mark in the iDrive controller icon in the map view photo above is a much newer firmware version than the one that I have in my 2009 CIC.

This is your Satellite photo with the same new icon:

Right, so it looks that I updated Rob's CIC to the latest version
Let's see what Rob says. If the SAT view is not there I will have to activate it.

[mdrobc13]

Originally Posted by Patrys

Right, so it looks that I updated Rob's CIC to the latest version
Let's see what Rob says. If the SAT view is not there I will have to activate it.

Patryk
No...no SAT view from what I can see. Looked today. But everything else is great! Sticker from my CIC drive is on pic #2 in the 1st set of my post. (didn't write it down or take any other pics of it).

[Technic]

Originally Posted by mdrobc13

Patryk
No...no SAT view from what I can see. Looked today. But everything else is great! Sticker from my CIC drive is on pic #2 in the 1st set of my post. (didn't write it down or take any other pics of it).

Try zooming out over 1 mile -if you have not done so. Sat view does not work below the 1 mile scale AFAIK.

[novablackm3]

damn, i give you props !

i went the easy way and sold the 08 for a 2010 but if i had seen a sucessful retro would of deffinetly went this route as well.

What was the final damage in $$ ?

[STALKER]

I am so tempted to do this.

[mdrobc13]

Originally Posted by novablackm3

damn, i give you props !

i went the easy way and sold the 08 for a 2010 but if i had seen a sucessful retro would of deffinetly went this route as well.

What was the final damage in $$ ?

PM sent. Thought of that but really didn't make sense as much as I'd put into my car in mods and in the current economic environment I'd have gotten raped and lost at least double what it cost me to do $$ wise for a gain that couldn't justify with the outlay $$ and lost equity in the car and value on a trade vs finding the right buyer for a more reasonable price. So I waited, I watched and I modded!

Originally Posted by STALKER

I am so tempted to do this.

It is easy. Read my post and Technic's (I used his pics and instructions) and Patryk's Skype sessions and verbal instructions and it was easy. If you're ok with screws and a trim tool...its really not that difficult. Just a matter of studying what you're doing, what others have done, being prepared tool wise and taking your time so you don't make mistakes or mess up anything that you'll have to have a dealer fix. Otherwise I could do it in under an hour now that I know how things fit/connect but you can get that from my pics and Technics too as well as Patryk's post of others who've done it too! Good luck.

[M3M3CAR]

Can you PM me total cost also in $$ ? Thanks

[Patrys@BimmerTech]

Originally Posted by mdrobc13

Patryk
No...no SAT view from what I can see. Looked today. But everything else is great! Sticker from my CIC drive is on pic #2 in the 1st set of my post. (didn't write it down or take any other pics of it).

Your CIC seems to be updated to the latest software (all orders since mid December come with the latest software), so if there is no SAT view currently enabled I will activate it for you

Just please go to Navigation Options and check if you have the SAT view check box there. If it's there you have to go to the map and zoom it out to see the SAT view.

Let's discuss it over emails.

Patryk

[mdrobc13]

Originally Posted by M3M3CAR

Can you PM me total cost also in $$ ? Thanks

Check Patryk's site. PM sent.

[ForumUser3]

Thanks for all the gory details. I have an 08 E90 M3 and I'm thinking about doing this.

[lugnut]

Color me impressed. I have an 08 E92 that I swapped the controller out about a year ago, and have been waiting to see a really great write up like this before I even dreamt of doing this on my own.

Can you PM me the cost if you don't mind?

If only I had a standing slow-clap smiley face....