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Electrical Coding in the Sport Button, turning off CDN DRL and other NCS Expert stuff
ElectricalFor discussions regarding wiring up electrical modifications such as radar detectors, brake light mods, power sockets, and driving lights in Clubman (R55), Cooper and Cooper S (R56), and Cabrio (R57) MINIs.
Hi everyone, trying to "upgrade" my car to sports button as well. Is it possible to use the Start/Stop button instead of the DSC button? On the diagramm provided here
Are there any write ups on accessing the DSC button/removing trim panel?
You don't actually need to access the DSC button itself (unless you are changing out the switchblock to add the factory Sport pushbutton - aesthetically nicer, but a lot of work!).
All of the rewiring is done at the SPEG/JBE (fusebox) which is accessed after removing the trim panel that covers it (just give it a good tug straight out - it will come right off).
As for any write-ups, the closest I've ever seen is my original post #3 in this thread: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...071-post3.html. I figured that there wouldn't be a whole lot of people interested in this mod - most of the US folks get the button by default - and so I never put together anything more detailed.
Hello, i have bought Countryman r60 cooper S.
I don't have sport button.
I would like to know if somebody has found a solution for activate this in Countryman?
Thanks
Rather an old discussion but having just purchased one of the last Mini ClubVans in the UK (ordering ceased abruptly in April) I find myself wondering what options I can add to a vehicle that was ordered and specified by the dealer (met black, chilli and chrome line) as a demonstrator but bought by me before the dealer used it !
The car has a few options but does not have either the heated screen or the sport button. I am keen to add the sport button and have ordered the new switch unit which will give me the additional physical hardware.
The center console was easy enough to remove (taking great care not to damage anything of course) and in the process I have removed the switch block and the original two button unit. I assume that the new unit when it arrives will fit the switch block but will not function since there is at least one empty slot ! BMW of course cannot tell me the part of the loom that is different (nor supply it) and thus at the moment I am unable to order the wiring hardware. I guess if necessary I can add the physical wire(s) and rebind it or them in the bundle.
The coding part I am OK with but does anyone have details of the routing of the wire(s) that from factory would run to the switch block ? The colors of the wire(s) would also be useful if anyone knows ?
In the process of looking into the sport button retrofit and as it also didn't have the armrest I have purchased all of the parts (including new center console minus rear cup holder) and am in the process of installing that - at the same time adding the chrome line accents to the cupholders, gear gnob and handbrake.
Separately I have added the stock 17" wheels and tyres as well as the retrofit 25W Xenons.
Any help with the sport button factory look appreciated !
Originally Posted by Chernobyl
A number of people have asked about how to retrofit the Sport button, so I'll attempt to provide more details here. This isn't intended to be a detailed step-by-step - rather it is a high-level guide of the required procedure. If I wrote out each and every step it would take me hours and probably run into the hundreds of steps! So, if you dare, read on...
There's two aspects to this mod: (1) adding the Sport button hardware, and (2) coding your car's computers to recognize the new button.
Hardware (Sport button installation):
Here you have two choices: (1) you can replace the switch block in your centre console to add the Sport button, or (2) you can re-purpose your DSC button to become the Sport button.
Option 1: this is more expensive and much more work. You'll need to pull the centre console, remove the existing switch block and the replace it with the new module. You'll also need to run some extra wires from the switch module back to the JBE (fuse box - also known as the SPEG) since if you don't have the button your wiring harness probably doesn't have the wires either. As you can see, this option will give you the factory look, but at a lot of effort and expense.
Option 2: re-purpose your DSC Disable button to be the Sport button (I've never found the need to disable DSC). To do this, you have to move one wire in connector X14272 which is plugged into the bottom of the JBE. You'll need to remove the trim panel to get access to this connector. Info on the location and pin-out of the connector can be found in post #5 and #6 of this thread: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...utton-mod.html. Once you've unplugged the connector you need to move the yellow wire and pin from terminal 14 to terminal 19. It is finicky to do (you need a small screwdriver to release the pin), but it is possible. Once you've moved the wire, pushing the button should no longer disable DSC (but it also won't activate Sport mode until we've coded it).
Software (ECU coding):
Now that you've physically added the button using one of the two options above, it is necessary to reprogram the various ECU (electronic control units) in the car to recognize it. This sounds scary, but it is actually fairly safe if you take care and follow the required steps exactly. For this part you'll need the correct OBD-II/D-CAN cable and a software package from BMW called NCS Expert. Installing the software is an involved process in itself, so please follow the detailed instructions in the "NCS Expert for beginners" thread: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...beginners.html. I purchased the exact same cable listed in that thread. Follow GTECKO's How-To in the RAR file to get the software installed and communicating with your car.
Once you've got communications working, you need to modify the VO/FA (vehicle order) string for your car. The VO/FA text string defines each of the options that your vehicle is equipped with. The detailed steps for how to change it using NCS Expert can be found in this PDF file: http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...hmentid=580934. The option that you want to add is $4UF (Sport button). You'll need to modify and write the correct VO/FA string to the CAS and FRM modules.
Now we're getting close. With the correct VO/FA string written, you just need to recode each ECU in the car to recognize it. This is done by creating an empty (0 bytes) file called FSW_PSW.MAN file in your NCS Expert WORK directory. This will tell NCS Expert to code each module back to the factory default settings (which in this case now includes the Sport button option). So, once you've created your empty FSW_PSW.MAN file, fire up NCS Expert and perform the following steps:
Open and choose Revtors profile
hit F1
hit F3
select R56
select CAS
hit F6
hit F3 (Process Car)
After a minute or so, NCS Expert should be done. If the "Process Car" option is too scary for you (it was for me the first time!), you can process each module separately.
Once you're done, turn the ignition off, then back on. If you press your Sport button you should see "Sport" light up in the tach display for a few seconds. If it does, that's it - your done!
As, I said - this is a just a high-level guide. If you try this out and need clarification on any step feel free to contact me. Good luck!
DISCLAIMER: Clearly the above is not for the faint-hearted and took me many, many hours to piece together. If you mess up anywhere along the way and brick your car you have no one to blame but yourself!
I am in the process of retro-fitting several parts (Xenons, Wheels, seats etc) to my new black ClubVan (UK dealer specified but bought by me as new and unused on the basis that a demo wasn't much good to anyone given that the van could no longer be ordered) adding an OEM armrest, JCW gear stick and handbrake cover I thought that it would be an opportune moment to add the sport button inc. the hardware.
It seems that the wiring is missing as expected (the button lights up so looks the part but at this early stage does nothing more - but no coding as yet).
Does anyone happen to know the routing of the wire(s) to the fuse box or perhaps have a picture of the switch where the sport button is installed as factory ?
Keen to get the factory look and feel and to do things as they would have been if from factory - not really in favour of short cuts !
Thank you - the information there is very useful indeed and I had used that in my investigation so thank you. What I was after was the original colouring and route of the wires used from factory connected to the sport button - perhaps someone knows that ?
On my 2014 Mini Cooper D ClubVan I extended the wiring loom by adding the two wires to the new 'Sport Button included' button cluster. The installation is pretty straightforward and I am happy if anyone needs help doing this.
I was able to add the required option and now see the illuminated button (when pressed) and the SPORT word in the display (shown for a few seconds as expected).
What doesn't happen is that the car (van) continues to behave as before with no change in either 'performance' or suspension etc. In other words the button looks as though it is working but actually does nothing.
In defaulting the car I seem to have an error in writing back to RAD2 and it seems that this is at the route of the issue. Nothing else seems amiss.
In defaulting the car I seem to have an error in writing back to RAD2 and it seems that this is at the route of the issue. Nothing else seems amiss.
Steven
Rather than defaulting the car (which often does get stuck on one module or another), I would code each module individually. It's fairly quick - since you are just defaulting modules the fsw_psw.man file should be empty in all cases and there is nothing else to change (other than selecting each module in turn).
Really the only modules that matter are the SPEG/JBE, EPS (for the steering feel change), the EGS (for the auto transmission shift points) and KOMBI (for the "SPORT" display).
Rather than defaulting the car (which often does get stuck on one module or another), I would code each module individually. It's fairly quick - since you are just defaulting modules the fsw_psw.man file should be empty in all cases and there is nothing else to change (other than selecting each module in turn).
Really the only modules that matter are the SPEG/JBE, EPS (for the steering feel change), the EGS (for the auto transmission shift points) and KOMBI (for the "SPORT" display).
Thank you for the reply.
The odd thing is that I am able to individually and successfully code the SPEG (assume JBE is another name for it as there is nothing called JBE), EPS, EGS is not present - is this because it is manual - stick shift - and not auto ?) and KOMBI modules without any issue.
All I have done is add what I believe to be the correct VO entry ($4UF) - I have not attempted to set anything activ(e) etc as I believed this not to be necessary.
Did I forget or misunderstand something - perhaps $4UF can be added to the order but be set to not activ(e) for example or perhaps, as seems to have been suggested elsewhere (Excel file called Mini_R56_Code.xlsx suggests that it is needed), RAD2 is also required to be defaulted ?
Many thanks again for the reply - again any help appreciated.
Steven
Last edited by vuv716g; 12-13-2014 at 02:46 PM.
Reason: small punctuation correction
Hardware (Sport button installation):
Here you have two choices: (1) you can replace the switch block in your centre console to add the Sport button, or (2) you can re-purpose your DSC button to become the Sport button.
Option 2: re-purpose your DSC Disable button to be the Sport button (I've never found the need to disable DSC). To do this, you have to move one wire in connector X14272 which is plugged into the bottom of the JBE. You'll need to remove the trim panel to get access to this connector. Info on the location and pin-out of the connector can be found in post #5 and #6 of this thread: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...utton-mod.html. Once you've unplugged the connector you need to move the yellow wire and pin from terminal 14 to terminal 19. It is finicky to do (you need a small screwdriver to release the pin), but it is possible. Once you've moved the wire, pushing the button should no longer disable DSC (but it also won't activate Sport mode until we've coded it).
Software (ECU coding):
Now that you've physically added the button using one of the two options above, it is necessary to reprogram the various ECU (electronic control units) in the car to recognize it. This sounds scary, but it is actually fairly safe if you take care and follow the required steps exactly. For this part you'll need the correct OBD-II/D-CAN cable and a software package from BMW called NCS Expert. Installing the software is an involved process in itself, so please follow the detailed instructions in the "NCS Expert for beginners" thread: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...beginners.html. I purchased the exact same cable listed in that thread. Follow GTECKO's How-To in the RAR file to get the software installed and communicating with your car.
Once you've got communications working, you need to modify the VO/FA (vehicle order) string for your car. The VO/FA text string defines each of the options that your vehicle is equipped with. The detailed steps for how to change it using NCS Expert can be found in this PDF file: http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...hmentid=580934. The option that you want to add is $4UF (Sport button). You'll need to modify and write the correct VO/FA string to the CAS and FRM modules.
Now we're getting close. With the correct VO/FA string written, you just need to recode each ECU in the car to recognize it. This is done by creating an empty (0 bytes) file called FSW_PSW.MAN file in your NCS Expert WORK directory. This will tell NCS Expert to code each module back to the factory default settings (which in this case now includes the Sport button option). So, once you've created your empty FSW_PSW.MAN file, fire up NCS Expert and perform the following steps:
Open and choose Revtors profile
hit F1
hit F3
select R56
select CAS
hit F6
hit F3 (Process Car)
After a minute or so, NCS Expert should be done. If the "Process Car" option is too scary for you (it was for me the first time!), you can process each module separately.
Once you're done, turn the ignition off, then back on. If you press your Sport button you should see "Sport" light up in the tach display for a few seconds. If it does, that's it - your done!
As, I said - this is a just a high-level guide. If you try this out and need clarification on any step feel free to contact me. Good luck!
Hello,
For a Mini Roadster Cooper S (R59) 2013, should achieve exactly the same procedure to install / activate the mode button sport?
Thank you in advance for your help!
Chernobyl, did you ever figure out how to have the tighter steering response alway active, not only when in sport mode. Also do you know I could make it even tighter?
Has anyone tried to change the button, cover or cap on the switch?
I have the sport button retrofit running on my DSC button and I want to replace the "DSC OFF" button on the switch with the "SPORT" button.
I know that replacing the switch involves wiring and that is not the idea since it is working like a charm.
I'm just looking for a button/cover/cap change.
I know this is an old thread, BUT, I'm trying to code the sport button into my Canadian Spec 2013 R60.
I purchased the button bank off ebay, but there is only 4 pins on the back - and none seem to switch with the press of the sport button, so going to go the DSC button routee.
Wondering if anybody has figured out the DSC wire pin location and/or Sport button pin location.
Heres a couple of photos of my connector...
Happy holidays, appreciate your help.
Just the one Blue/brown wire in PIN 13
Last edited by to_aussie; 12-22-2021 at 02:43 PM.
Reason: Adding photos
04-10-2012, 04:54 AM
