DIY: Front PDC RetroFit

Update: 9/1/2010

Project is done including coding. Works Great.

I will update this thread as I embark on the this project. I have accumulated all of the necessary parts. It's just a matter of execution. I will be be taking the poor man's approach by drilling my existing bumper cover.

My list of parts required. (This is for my 3/2011 Production) Other years may require a different PDC ECU.

Description / Part Number [QTY]

1. PDC - Sensors Space Gray / 66 21 6 988 965 [4]
2. PDC - ECU for Front & Rear / 66 20 9 252 638 [1]
3. PDC - Front Retrofit Kit / 66 20 0 418 637 [1]
4. Front Panel Switch Kit / 61 31 9 120 026 [1]
5. Optional - 18mm step drill bit (If drilling your existing bumper)

After the install the system will need to be coded

Functional Summary

Automatic Activation
The park distance control is activated automatically by engaging reverse gear. Activation
takes place with a delay of about 1 second. This delay prevents unintentional activation of
the park distance control when passing through the R-position when changing the drive
range.
On vehicles equipped with a central information display, it is possible to select whether
the distance to the obstacle is to be indicated visually.

Automatic Deactivation
The front and rear park distance control remains active after disengaging reverse gear.
Automatic deactivation of the park distance control is initiated under following conditions:
• Vehicle speed greater than 12 mph/20 kmh
• Distance greater than 50 m

Manual Activation
The park distance control can be switched on
or off by pressing the PDC button (2).
Illumination of the function indicator (1) in the
PDC button indicates that the park distance
control and therefore the distance recognition
function is active.
Manual activation of the function is possible
only up to a road speed of about
12 mph / 20 kmh.





The Stage is set

Finished the 1st phase. (Bumper Installation)

1. Remove Bumper
2. Mark holes, drill a pilot hole.
3. Use a step drill bit for a 18mm hole
4. Fasten the wiring harness
5. Fasten the sensor mounts
6. Install bumper

Finished the 2nd Phase (Wiring & Coding) ......

1. Disconnect the battery
2. Route the wire harness through the firewall and ran it down the passenger side foot well and door sill all of to the rear of the car.
3. Replace the center console button cluster
4. Installed the new PDC Module (Use the pin mapping from the Schematic and not the instructions as two of the pins are labeled wrong)
5. Retrofit Coding of the car for option $508 (PDC Full)

Thanks to Tom @ EAS for providing some wire routing tips through the firewall.

It should noted that the wiring pin mapping in the attached instructions on page 27 is wrong.

• PIN 3 should map to the Brown\Black wire
• PIN 2 should map to the Brown\White wire

Random Photos taken during the install.

I tried looking up the part numbers on Tischer and realoem and am getting invalid part number returns...

stuka wrote

I tried looking up the part numbers on Tischer and realoem and am getting invalid part number returns...

All of the part numbers display on Realoem.

I had to purchase the PDC module and the Front Retrofit kit from a Euro supplier. You will only be able to get sensors and the front panel switch from the normal US channels.

good luck Terry...

chris s wrote

good luck Terry...

Thanks Chris!!! It's getting there

This is a great thread, keep the pics and DIY coming!

If you order a Euro bumper, can't you get one with the holes pre-cut for the sensors? Since you have to pull the car apart anyways, I'd be tempted to go ahead and upgrade to Euro bumper at the same time.

Very interested how this turns out. While doing my ED was asked if I wanted to do a front PDC retrofit, for a few thousand euros mind you. Then was backed into in Austria, only cosmetic damage mind you, and am seriously considering this now. Here's a link for euro style bumpers with or without holes, hopefully EAS still stocks them....

http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=362002

Interesting. Looks like EAS can sell a fairly complete set up.

Any idea of a ballpark price for painted bumper & hardware required? I don't mind turned a few wrenches, even if it it looks like a full day job.

Nice job though!

Whoa, look very symmetrical. Did you do a lot of measuring or was it easy to plot the hole and drill it?

Keep up the good work!!

ducman wrote

Whoa, look very symmetrical. Did you do a lot of measuring or was it easy to plot the hole and drill it?

Keep up the good work!!

Hard to see but there are targets embossed on the in inside of the bumper which made it very easy to drill.

The project is done for now. I will clean up my the first couple of threads when I get a chance.

Everything works!!! No drama!!!

Update: 2011-10-02

The sensors did not sit flush enough to my liking. I ended up removing the sensor brackets and the double sided adhesive layer which is about 1mm thick. I reapplied the brackets with a thin coating of beta link underneath and a thick coat on the top outer edges. Now they sit hella flush and are practically invisible from an angle.

I'm doing the rear PDC retrofit. I've done everything from installing the sensors to routing the harness from the back to the front, and i'm stock at connecting the wires to the fuse holder and that area.

This is a great thread! I just took delivery of my M3 on Saturday and will be doing the retrofit. I'm debating Euro bumper or filling the reflector holes on my current bumper and drilling the necessary pilot holes.

Silly question, though... our cars look like they are optioned similarly. I have the rear sunshade, start/stop button, etc. I noticed that the front panel switch kit has several blanks with LED lights above the buttons. The left and right buttons are for seat heating. If you turn on the seat heaters using the climate controls, do the lower LEDs also light up?

I'm thinking about replacing my climate control panel with one without the seat heating buttons if they do light up.

wdimagineer wrote

Silly question, though... our cars look like they are optioned similarly. I have the rear sunshade, start/stop button, etc. I noticed that the front panel switch kit has several blanks with LED lights above the buttons. The left and right buttons are for seat heating. If you turn on the seat heaters using the climate controls, do the lower LEDs also light up?

I'm thinking about replacing my climate control panel with one without the seat heating buttons if they do light up.

Good question. I don't recall if the center heated seat led's lit up in stereo with HVAC lights but they do now. The center console button is universal. You snap in stops & blanks for unused features like I did. I'm going fix the issue but I haven't decided how I want to address it yet. I'm more inclined to try to disable the led's on the bar vs. getting the hvac control without heater switches. I think it's more logical to have all of heat controls around the hvac. This is the universal button bar that I preconfigured for my options.

tlp wrote

Good question. I don't recall if the center heated seat led's lit up in stereo with HVAC lights but they do now. The center console button is universal. You snap in stops & blanks for unused features like I did. I'm going fix the issue but I haven't decided how I want to address it yet. I'm more inclined to try to disable the led's on the bar vs. getting the hvac control without heater switches. I think it's more logical to have all of heat controls around the hvac. This is the universal button bar that I preconfigured for my options.

I'm sure there is a way by physically modifying the bar. Once I get my kit in I will take a look.

I'm happy though that this retrofit exists. I've had it in my previous vehicles and have grown accustomed to parking with it.

wdimagineer wrote

I'm sure there is a way by physically modifying the bar. Once I get my kit in I will take a look.

The bar can easily be taken apart from the back (t-8 screws), I just haven got around to it yet.

This looks like a pain in all the wrong places

My parts should be here in the next few days. I'm going to retrofit the ejectbox for my iPhone at the same time.