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      09-26-2014, 12:01 AM   #1
opasha
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Drives: 2014 BMW X5 50i
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F15 X6 6WB Digital Display Gauge Cluster Retrofit (Installation Guide and Pictures)

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As promised, this is a full write up with pictures and an installation guide for the 6WB Digital Display Cluster. I am very happy with it. It's really gorgeous. If you just came to see the pictures of how it looks completed, scroll to the very bottom of the OP . Also, please do not QUOTE my whole OP - that will be very tedious/annoying for everyone because it is VERY LONG. Thanks!

VIDEO (not the best quality due to holding camera with one hand and trying to keep it steady - the cluster is much clearer/crisper in person) of what my 6WB looks like in every mode including a navigation route entered in Day Time: https://www.dropbox.com/s/cqwmrubmod..._0518.MP4?dl=0

If you are not familiar with coding and do not have the coding software/hardware or do not have someone that can code for you, stop reading now, and begin here: http://f15.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho....php?t=1033991. Thank you to @shawnsheridan for the coding guidelines. This is his original thread for retrofitting the 6WB on his 5 series: http://f15.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...3#post16711943. Also, thank you @wdimagineer for answering my questions and your comments in the other 6WB thread.

Where to buy?: Part number is 62109363265

1) ScoreBMWParts (thank you Stano): Price: $1700 shipped. http://www.scorebmwparts.com or contact Chris Heck directly at cHeck@sterlingbmw.com. Takes about 1 week to deliver from California.

2) Bimmer-Tech: Price: $1993.67 + Credit Card/Paypal Fees (~$70-80) shipped. http://www.bimmer-tech.net/shop/bmw-...panel-retrofit. They ship it directly from Warsaw, Poland via DHL. Here's what comes in the box: 1) 6WB Cluster 2) OBD2 Cable (in case you don't have one already for your coding - totally useless for me because I have a better/longer one that I've linked and shown you all in my Coding Thread) 3) A piece of paper giving you instructions for coding help via skype from Bimmer-Tech. Bimmer-tech includes the coding for free with all purchases of their retrofits.

Pictures:


















Tools: You will need a PAIR of really skinny screwdrivers that are thin enough to get through the second to last notches and long enough to reach the gold spring latches of the cluster inside and be able to hook/pull them down really hard away from the interior of the vehicle housing. This can be quite difficult/annoying at first, but keep trying. You really have to pull hard and do this simultaneously - the gold latches actually have a slot that they are just slid/mounted into; so, if you pull hard enough and down, they will give way and just slide right out of this slot; only do this if the cluster isn't popping out easily. To avoid too much pulling/strength, I bought this Mercedes cluster kit because no tiny screwdriver that I had in my toolbox worked to pull the cluster apart from the cluster housing: http://www.amazon.com/OTC-6711-Dashb...r+removal+tool. The long THOR hammer style hook rods are what you need. I'm sure you can find something just as useable/easy on ebay for MUCH cheaper. I inserted them through the notches through the hole within the gold latches and made sure the hooks are facing up and I pulled towards the metal of the gold latch to get a secure hold and I pulled down and out. The cluster should pop out with a bit of strength.



STEP 1 (CODING): Add 6WB to FA through ESYS - Add 6WB to your FA in the SALAPA folder following the VO Coding Guide: http://www.4shared.com/office/pKbWJC..._MWPos__8.html. You can leave your car in AC POWER (hit start engine button once) while you do this. Turn off your car after you finish.

STEP 2: 6WB Cluster Installation - Turn AC POWER ON (one button push), put steering wheel all the way towards you and all the way down and turn AC POWER OFF. The steering wheel begins to move so quickly stop it and put it all the way down and all the way out - you usually have a 1 minute time period where you can quickly adjust your steering wheel to whatever setting before it shuts completely down. This is so you have space to remove the cluster properly because it is a tight space.

1) Remove plastic trim surrounding your current instrument cluster. It's pretty easy. Start at the left side and pull from the lower end if you can get your fingers in there. If you can't, you can just pull the bottom/base part and start working your way to one side and then go to the other side. Pull it out straight. Don't try funny angles because you don't want to bend/break the plastic piece that goes into the openings.



The cluster will look like this after the plastic cover removal.







2) As mentioned earlier in the Tools section, you must use two long rods or skinny screwdrivers at the same time to pull down the gold latches. Here's a youtube video to give you the basic idea:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...&v=bhzx6rlvfEI

You have to put the tools through the 2nd to last openings on each side (this is the location of the gold latches).





To pop out the cluster, I recommend driving a hook tool through the gold latch holes and pull them down all the way. The one I showed you above works the best in my opinion because it has a hook and hand grips. Do whatever method works for you the easiest. It's best to use both tools together to simultaneously allow the latches to pop out or else one side will remain stuck.











3) The best way to start removing the cluster properly after the top has popped out is to push the bottom piece in so those plastic clasps unhook out of their sockets and slowly wiggle it side to side or however best you think to remove it. Then, unplug the two wires (black/green and rainbow) by pressing their clasps outward and remove them from the original cluster. The black/green wire is connected into the cluster with an extra white plastic rivet that you just need to pull out with force and you can push it back into the new cluster when you install the wiring. You should then slide the original cluster to the left side because this has more space (I did this with my DOOR OPEN to make it easier).

4) Wiring: There are two wires attached to your cluster. One is a rainbow 12 pin tiny hole wire known as the M.O.S.T. wire (Shawn called it this) and the other is a black/green wire with two larger pin holes. They each have their own individual slot in the 6WA cluster (my original cluster). The 6WB cluster (new cluster) has one large single slot.







When you unplug them, you must take off their little plastic adapter covers (pictured above with covers on):





1) Rainbow plug: to remove this plastic cover, simple pull the little tab/clasp and slide it out.

2) Black/Green plug: to remove this plastic cover, simply pull the little tab on the top outward and pull it right out.

Plastic cover that was slid off from the Rainbow plug:



Both plastic covers removed:



The 6WB cluster has ONE SINGLE LARGE slot that requires an adapter to fit both wires in it together. Bimmer-Tech is supposed to provide this for your for free. Make sure they include when you purchase from them - call them or note it down in your order comments - use my pictures if you need to. They forgot mine so I had to wait a few days until they did 2 day shipping from Poland to Maryland.



6WB Adapter: the two wires must first connect into this adapter (the black/green wire goes straight in, but the rainbow wire has to slide in the same way it was removed before - you will hear both of them snap into place). Then, you plug the large adapter plug straight into the 6WB cluster slot. As I mentioned earlier above, the black/green wire has a white plastic rivet attachment that snaps into a hole in the current cluster. Remove it by pulling. It should come out without breaking because it's pretty tough. This is just to keep this wire secure. Plug it back into the same hole in the 6WB cluster. You can see this plastic attachment in the third picture below. It is in the top middle area of the picture with an arrow/screw like appearance.







5) After you've connected the wires into the 6WB cluster, pop it right in by pushing in the bottom first. Do this at a 45 degree angle so that you can push the cluster in deep enough so that the bottom 4 hooks of the cluster can slide into the sockets that they clip into. Once those bottom hooks/flaps are in, the 6WB will be easy to push in. Slowly, push in the top so that the gold latches go in and the whole cluster snaps into place.







6) Put the plastic cover that you removed at the beginning back on. It may seem a little difficult but just line it up with the bottom first and push in from the left side first and work your way around and push the top skinny pieces in last. Everything should "snap" into place.

STEP 3 (CODING): Now that we have successfully installed the 6WB cluster, we must do the final coding for the CAFD to be recognized since it does not exist yet. Turn your car AC POWER on. Do not be alarmed, you will see some error regarding your Cluster in the Idrive saying you need to take it to the dealer to update. This is normal because the CAFD does not exist yet for the 6WB to be recognized by your vehicle. To fix this, we must now inject our new CAFD via these steps and VO Code DKOMBI within ESYS:

Connect => Read FA (VO) => Activate FA (VO) => Read ECU (VCM) => Left-Click on DKombi => Click on "Detect CAF for SWE" (on the right side menu buttons) => Select the CAFD from latest I-Level (for me this was F025-14-07-502 because I had PSDZData files 53.0. I was then given a list of about 7-10 CAFDs that were all similar in number. You must choose the one that is the latest and has to match your I-Level located on the lower right box in ESYS). For me, I chose the latest version of the folder, and then chose the one that was similar to my I-Level) => Select OK => Right-Click on DKombi (the Dkombi folder itself not the underlying CAFD) => Select CODE.

Also, VO Code HU_NBT so that the navigation syncs correctly with your 6WB. I noted this below with one of the issues I faced. So to be clear for everyone, you must "CODE" DKOMBI and HU_NBT.

That's it. Just to be safe, you should use External Applications > External Application > Transmitter > Clear All DTCs (last line in this list) to clear whatever random little codes that pop up. For me, I had chasis malfunction and the classic time and date error. Chasis malfunction goes away after you clear the codes and turn off your car and start the engine. Date and Time obviously is fixed within the iDrive in Settings by unchecking and rechecking Automatic Time.

SOLUTIONS TO TWO ISSUES I FACED AFTERWARD:

Navigation on Instrument Panel: If for some reason your navigation directions do not pop up, VO Code HU_NBT folder. It should pop up with this, but if it still does not, then fdl code KOMBI_CIC: change from kombi_mid to kombi_high. This is located in HU_NBT.

If you get Brake Fluid Since 12/2001 or some similar service error: I got this annoying 12/2001 date issue for the brakes. TO FIX: You leave your door open, hit AC POWER on (hit start once), and then hold the Kombi button (little button on the instrument left corner). It will take you straight to the CBS menu and display out of the services, whichever needs to be reset. I reset it by holding the option and then was able to keep tapping to view the other services and when they will be needed as shown also in the iDrive > Vehicle Info > Service. Now, all are green OKs .
If any of this coding above confuses you, PM me and I can help you code it via Team Viewer . Mine turned out perfect. (see post #14 below for pictures of what the error looks like)

Both Kombis/Clusters side by side:



Here the final pictures of the 6WB installed :

When vehicle is off and car door is opened, you will see this light up:



Comfort Mode in Night Mode (I had Auto for the headlight knob on):



Comfort Mode in Day Mode (I had Auto for the headlight knob off):





Eco-Pro Mode:









Sport Mode:



The brightness of the panel can also be control with your Odometer brightness wheel to the left of the steering wheel. I have it set to Max in my pics, but I might adjust it later.

Also, the MPH that we code in the BC side button is now stock in the 6WB so you can view your MPH as you flip through it. You can also code this straight into the Digital cluster circle by doing this coding in DKombi: (thanks to @shawnsheridan)

DIGITAL_TACHO_ENABLE = change to mph_mph. This will make the MPH appear in all three modes within the circle at the 12 o'clock position:



As always, if you have any questions or get confused anywhere, I'm here to help! Happy modding everyone!!
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2014 X5 50i X-Line // Mineral White

Last edited by opasha; 02-09-2015 at 09:42 PM..
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