Auto gear linkage cable change

Zitat von ukzero;75390

How easy is this to remove?

Easy.
Apart from the two screws (normally hidden under a cap) you will find two more in front and behind the gear lever.

First of all you need to remove the radio. Depending on what type of head unit you have the approach may differ. The later ones (Business or Professional) have two little flaps left and right which hide a tiny hex screw - methinks it is 2.5 or 3mm. Once you pulled the head unit you need to disconnect the system plug, antenna and diversity. System plug has a lockbar which needs to be grabbed on both sides and pulled up, only then the plug can be pulled away from the back of the radio.

The MID comes next - it has a 10cm wide locking tab underneath which needs to be pressed upwards and at the same time the MID gently pushed forward. It has two little noses on top, so quite often it is easier to wiggle it out on the top first and then try to press the tab on the underside. There is one blue connector with a BMW typical 90° lock lever.

You can leave the HVAC unit in place.

Now gently pull the plastic assy on the top towards you, think of the lower bit next to the ashtray as a hinge (it is not).
Often it sticks to the dashboard. It is not glued to it though, this is just sticky grime of the previous owner. It does come off.

Having done that you can remove two cables from the HVAC unit. One is very tiny (flat 3 pin AUC connector, just needs a pull) the other one similar to the one on the MID but different colour, same locking mechanism.

The buttons are accessible now and can be pushed upwards quite easily and then the plugs removed (some with lock lever, some just pull). In case you cannot memorize such things take pictures

The console can be fiddled over the gaitor without having to remove the shift knob. If you feel that removing the shift knob makes things easier, just go ahead and pull on it. It needs quite a pull.
You will need new glasses, a new nose or a new windscreen if you look too closely at what you are pulling there

That´s the plastic bits...

Cheers
Reinhard

despite reading repeated warnings about that gear knob, I have still managed to punch myself in the face when first removing it

Good luck and don't say no one ever warned you

If you have a regular center console - thus without wood trim, you can remove it without taking out the radio and MID. Remove the two screws behind the blind caps. The remaining screws are underneath the shifter's leather boot. Grab the boot on both sides and pull up. It just clicks softly in the center console and should come off quite easily. Then grab the shift knob with both hands and pull hard and straight up. This will require some force! For an automatic transmission the shifter plate must be removed as well. Locate the pin through the shift lever. The pin is held in position by a clip on the driver's side. Press the clip upwards until the pin can move, then undo the two remaining screws holding the shifter plate and lift it. Unplug the connector attached to the transmission switch and remove the shifter plate from the center console. You should now be able to take out the console. Well, partially of course as the MID, radio, HVAC control unit and buttons around the shifter are still connected to the wiring harness. Pull the center console a bit towards yourself from the top then lift upwards. You should be able to get your fingers underneath it to push the buttons out and disconnect them. The plugs are color-coded - you can't mix 'em up, but it may be a good idea to make a picture of the center console so you can put the buttons in exactly the same locations afterwards. Once the buttons are removed you can pull the center console towards yourself, over the gear lever so you can reach behind it. Undo the plugs on the MID (1 plug) and HVAC control unit (2 plugs). Then pull further until you have good access to the back of the radio to remove its connectors.

Removing the radio and MID makes it of course easier to handle the center console upon removal and installation, but due to the stupid construction of the radio opening it's sometimes very frustrating to get the radio out. So if you are in that situation and you have a regular center console, know that it can be done without removing the radio and MID.

For a center console with wood trim this is not possible as the top screws are not accessible without removing the MID (which on its turn requires removal of the radio).

Zitat von revtor;75417

... without wood trim...

WE kept all the wood for OURSELVES

Joke aside - there never was wood trim ex factory for RHD cars.
Everything else of your description is (as usual) to the point. I was unaware of the fact that the center console could be removed/folded out without removing all the intestines

Cheers
Reinhard

Zitat von reinhard;75421

Joke aside - there never was wood trim ex factory for RHD cars.

Really? There wasn't? I was not aware of that. Thanks for the information! I don't want to hijack the thread, but are there other options that were unavailable on RHD cars?

Zitat von revtor;75423

Really? There wasn't? I was not aware of that. Thanks for the information! I don't want to hijack the thread, but are there other options that were unavailable on RHD cars?

Coin holder in the door? I think..... only LHD

I know it's sounds complicated to get the console out, and if I was to write it down I also would have written a small article on it, but fortunately Reinhard and Revtor have done that already. But it is easy.

I have taken out and replaced the console (probably) about 30 times in the last few years whilst fitting the Touchscreen, and more recently fitting the new paddleshift wheel where I needed to tap into the steptronic wiring.

Just aproach it methodically like you always do and you'll see what I mean. I find that it is easier if you have the gear knob in the D position when you lift the console out (by pulling away and up from the bottom / ashtray end).

Good luck.

Re-reading Revtor´s description I realized that he was targeting the removal of the shifter plate assuming a 4HP automatic gearbox which in turn reminded me that I forgot to add that in a car with steptronic gearbox (which I assumed) one also needs to remove the plug for the steptronic display - a lot easier than the procedure for the old 4HP gearboxes in 850s.
The mechanism for the 4HP gear indicator is easily broken, so for anyone else with an 850 working in that area: take extra care there!

Cheers
Reinhard