[jj33low]

Greetings! I just installed a new (2018+) BMW oem M Sport steering wheel in my wife's 2015 M Sport X3. After not finding any great info or videos, I decided to make a video on my Car Savant YouTube channel. I discuss the install on the video. Overall it is a great upgrade and really improves the interior! Please let me know if you have any comments or questions.

Here are a few notes:

-For US Vehicles, you need a dual stage airbag wheel

-Fully plug and play, no wiring, no lights

[najnad]

I put the same wheel on my '11 X3 35i M-sport https://x3.xbimmers.com/forums/showt...7#post24993487

Surprised you didnt get one with paddle shifters since your original wheel had them. What other upgrades have you done besides the steering wheel and euro light switch?

[pdubq]

Great video jj33low! Really well done, subscribed
I guess you or the missus don’t like having the paddles there?
It’s awesome to know, now, how straight forward it is to swap steering wheels! My wife’s ‘09 X5, shortly after getting it in ‘11, had a lot of the black plastic peeling away. So her “repair” was to peel all of the outer black plastic off so it looked uniform (and actually better because the inner plastic layer was a more glossy/vivid black.)

Good to know when that happens next, I can just swap on the steering wheel of choice! Thanks much!

[shoman24v]

Looks good. My 2017 has that wheel and I love it. But, you lost your shift paddles?

Also, curious about your Euro fog light switch. In my experience, US cars (albeit I've only had E36, E46, E39) are missing wiring and sometimes parts in the rear tail lights (US/Other market tail lights) to make that work. What did you do to make yours work?

[evilchargerfan]

that simple? no need to code anything afterwards?

[najnad]

I have done the wheel swap, no coding required assuming the new wheel does not have additional features your old wheel did not. But even then, the coding is only needed to make those new features work...life if you never had paddle shifters before, you will need some wiring and do some coding to make them work.

The euro light switch is 100% plug-n-play. No extra wiring needed. Just make sure you get the correct part, halogen or xenon.

[Bowtiefanatc]

Great video! I have that one in my 2017, my wife's 2016 X3 M Sport has the wheel you had. I've wondered how tough it would be to swap, doesn't seem too bad.

[jj33low]

Originally Posted by najnad

I put the same wheel on my '11 X3 35i M-sport https://x3.xbimmers.com/forums/showt...7#post24993487

Surprised you didnt get one with paddle shifters since your original wheel had them. What other upgrades have you done besides the steering wheel and euro light switch?

Nice! My wife drives it most of the time and she drives like a granny. Engine wise, just a DINAN ECU. She never used the paddles anyways and they are not that great in my opinion.

Originally Posted by pdubq

Great video jj33low! Really well done, subscribed
I guess you or the missus don’t like having the paddles there?
It’s awesome to know, now, how straight forward it is to swap steering wheels! My wife’s ‘09 X5, shortly after getting it in ‘11, had a lot of the black plastic peeling away. So her “repair” was to peel all of the outer black plastic off so it looked uniform (and actually better because the inner plastic layer was a more glossy/vivid black.)

Good to know when that happens next, I can just swap on the steering wheel of choice! Thanks much!

You are welcome! Yea, never used the paddles anyways.

Originally Posted by shoman24v

Looks good. My 2017 has that wheel and I love it. But, you lost your shift paddles?

Also, curious about your Euro fog light switch. In my experience, US cars (albeit I've only had E36, E46, E39) are missing wiring and sometimes parts in the rear tail lights (US/Other market tail lights) to make that work. What did you do to make yours work?

Thanks! The euro fog switch is simple plug and play, no wiring needed.

Originally Posted by evilchargerfan

that simple? no need to code anything afterwards?

No coding necessary!

Originally Posted by najnad

I have done the wheel swap, no coding required assuming the new wheel does not have additional features your old wheel did not. But even then, the coding is only needed to make those new features work...life if you never had paddle shifters before, you will need some wiring and do some coding to make them work.

The euro light switch is 100% plug-n-play. No extra wiring needed. Just make sure you get the correct part, halogen or xenon.

Yep, no coding required. Simple plug and play.

Originally Posted by Bowtiefanatc

Great video! I have that one in my 2017, my wife's 2016 X3 M Sport has the wheel you had. I've wondered how tough it would be to swap, doesn't seem too bad.

Thanks! Its very easy overall!

[shoman24v]

I think I'm going to do the Euro fog light switch on our X3 since it doesn't need wiring or anything special.

Does it work with the LED tail lights? Not trying to hijack

[jj33low]

Originally Posted by shoman24v

I think I'm going to do the Euro fog light switch on our X3 since it doesn't need wiring or anything special.

Does it work with the LED tail lights? Not trying to hijack

Yes it does, we have LED headlights/tails and it works great. The US Spec x3 should have come with it!

[najnad]

One more tip for anyone changing their steering wheel: when taking off the bolt that holds the steering wheel on, dont remove it, leave it barely screwed in. Then pull on the steering wheel to free it. The bolt will keep the steering wheel from flying off the column and smacking you in the face if its stuck and then suddenly breaks free. Then you can remove the bolt and the steering wheel.

[jj33low]

Originally Posted by najnad

One more tip for anyone changing their steering wheel: when taking off the bolt that holds the steering wheel on, dont remove it, leave it barely screwed in. Then pull on the steering wheel to free it. The bolt will keep the steering wheel from flying off the column and smacking you in the face if its stuck and then suddenly breaks free. Then you can remove the bolt and the steering wheel.

Good tip, but on the x3 I have found that it is not on there very tight and comes off easily without much force. Better to be safe than sorry!

[jj33low]

The wheel has held up very well, will probably be adding the paddles on to it soon. Just purchased the oem carbon fiber interior trim so that will be the next project and it will be documented.

[383vett]

Nice write up!

[ivanb]

Could you have used the paddles from your old steering wheel?

[mike_MAN]

Where did you get that steering wheel?

[najnad]

Originally Posted by mike_MAN

Where did you get that steering wheel?

I have one for sale in MD, no air bag.