BMW Fxx Series Seat Wiring Harness Diagram + Pin Layout

If you're swapping seats round or retrofitting, then you will want to keep electric movement functions and may even want to retain the heated-seat feature or even safety restraints. Here's a guide to wire colours and the pin-outs on the multi-block plug. 

Pin:

5+6 - CAN data wires to CAS [ Green + Orange/Green]

7 - 12v Power Wire [Red, Red/Blue or Red/Brown, 3mm thickness] 

8 - Main Ground Wire [Brown, 3mm thickness]

Seat Cushion Heating Power+ [Green/Violet or Blue/Violet]

Seat Cushion Heating Ground- [Brown or Brown/Orange, 1.5mm thickness]

Seat Cushion Temp. Sensor [Grey]

Seat Back Heating Power+ [Violet or Green/Violet]

Seat Back Heating Ground- [Brown, 1mm thickness]

F10 530d: New wiper-blades - Bosch Aerotwin

Replacement wiper blades for modern cars are not cheap. Euro Car Parts wanted £45 for a set and that was with a discount, other high-street stockists wanted over £60... for two wiper blades. Ah well, you can't fight progress I suppose, these new fangled blades wipe the screen so much better than the old ones did... don't they??

I found a super-cheap budget set for just £11 on eBay, but these turned out to be for a left-hand drive car and are the exact opposite profile of the ones I need here in UK so would not fit. They were from a UK stockist too, who didn't seem to know the blades were wrong, this was obviously the first set they sold for F10 or maybe mine were a fluke one off LHD pair... we will never know.

In the end I plumped for a set of Bosch Aerotwin from eBay, as they came in at £23, far off the 40+ from ECP so worth waiting for delivery. Have to say, you can see the quality of the Bosch is better than that of the budget blades, so you get what pay for, but I still think £23 is expensive for two wiper blades!

F10 530d: Water in Battery well / Bootwell / Trunkwell - where is it leaking?

I lifted the boot/trunk floor to jump-start a friends car and noticed that my battery well / spare-wheel well is full of dirty water.... oh dear. I’ve got a leak... but where? Boot seal? Bottom of the rear windscreen? There was a second aerial / antenna fitted in the roof that I removed, so figured it might be leaking through there and running down the C-pillar into the boot, but no water marks in the headlining or signs of ingress... Think I will have a proper look this weekend and try get to the bottom of it!

F10 530d: N57 EGR / Cooler related fault-code scan results

 Been getting the 'Drivetrain' malfunction message on my F10 530d iDrive and figured it likely to be EGR (exhaust-gas-recirculator) related, so plugged in a Snap-On Modis scanner and these are the codes I got, which are what I suspected to be honest. The EGR and EGR-cooler are known to pack in on the N57 series of engine, the latter of which can leak coolant into the inlet causing a bit of smoke on startup. 

28E200 - Exhaust Gas Temperature sensor before Cat, open circuit

255C00 - EGR Controller, Position Control, Valve open too far

190900 - EGR Mass Air Flow, measured plausibility calculated too high

240400 - EGR Control, control deviation air mass too low

272F09 - EGR, mechanically faulty close to open position

272E00 - EGR, mechanically faulty close to closed position

So, I have the classic two codes of the EGR failing close to open and closed position, which denotes a stuck EGR valve, which is quite common on all diesel engines, along with the EGR mass-air codes where values are higher and lower than they should be, which clearly ties in to the valve sticking in the open and closed position. Faults for the EGR control-module show that it is struggling to position the EGR correctly and this all points to one stuck EGR valve.

I also notice that I am getting a bit of smoke on startup sometimes which I have never noticed before. This also points to a faulty EGR-valve, or rather the cooler itself. The EGR-cooler is fed with coolant to reduce the operating temperature of the EGR-valve itself and these are known to have problems with leaking after time. They crack inside after prolonged use and start to leak coolant into the EGR and thereafter the air-intake, which causes a bit of white smoke on startup, which I have been experiencing the last few weeks and so it looks like this is the culprit and I will be replacing the EGR / cooler unit at some point I would imagine... watch this space.

F10: Rear Shock Absorber / Strut / Spring Replacement [GUIDE]

*Front strut-assembly replacement guide here - https://www.beemerlab.org/2017/09/f10-530d-front-shock-strut-spring-top.html*

Time to do the rear struts and springs on the 530d F10 this week as one damper has been leaking and while doing my tyres last week I noticed the spring has now broken at the bottom so this is now an urgent job. I picked up a pair of used complete struts (spring, damper and top-mount) from eBay for just £100. They are from another 530d and claim to be from a low mileage car. Well, they look a lot lower mileage than the ones I'm taking off lets put it that way and appear to be in pretty good condition. I get a lot of stick for constantly using second-hand genuine parts, but I still prefer this to buying new spurious parts where I can and have never had an issue!

GUIDE:

* This is not a difficult or time-consuming job, but will require a bit of brute force. *

1. First the rear seats need to come out. Lift the seat squab up at the front and detach it from the push-studs, press the seat-belt receivers through the recesses and lift the squab out. Next lift the seat-back upwards until it is free of the hooks at the top and lift that out, being careful of the door-sill paintwork and sliding it through the seat-belts. [You could always unbolt the seat-belts at the base using a T45-Torx socket to make this easier, but it's not essential].

2. The parcel-shelf now needs to come down in order to access the strut-top mount bolts in the shock-turrets. Remove the C-pillar trims by prizing out the plastic caps labelled 'Airbag' from the trim and removing the screw using a T25-Torx socket. Now carefully pull away the C-pillar trims and put to one side. Remove the five push-pin clips from the front edge of the parcel-shelf by levering the button in the centre upwards and pulling the plastic pin out. The studs can now be levered out. The parcel-shelf is now free to pull forwards and can be rested where the seat-back would be. [Remove the wiring-connectors to the speakers, but these should pop out by themselves anyway].

3. Lift the car and remove the corresponding wheel. [There is no need to be getting under the car for this job, so a jack and axle-stand is fine].

4a. The track-strut (pictured) needs to be moved out of the way to access the bottom strut bolt so first remove the plastic clips holding the E-brake wire-harness to the track-strut by levering them open at the bottom with a flathead-screwdriver and separating them from the strut. The wire-harness can be moved out of the way.

4b. Remove the bolt holding the inner end of the track-strut using an 18mm wrench. Pull the track-strut down and rotate it so it is pointing out of the wheel-arch. You now have plenty of room to get at the bottom strut bolt and lift the shock out.

5. Remove the bolt holding the bottom of the strut to the hub using a 21mm wrench.

6. Lift the triangle flap in the foam underneath where the parcel-shelf was to expose the studs to the strut-top mount and remove the three nuts using a 13mm wrench.

7. Wiggle the bottom of the strut free from the hub and the entire strut assembly is now free to be removed. It should be able to be lowered through the remaining suspension parts and to the rear of the car until it is free to be removed.

** IF YOU ARE CHANGING THE SPRING / TOP-MOUNT OR SWAPPING THESE ONTO A NEW STRUT THEN DO THIS NOW** [See this post for guide].

8. Make sure the new strut has the top-mount in line with the old one you removed by lying them next to each other and checking the bottom bolt-eyelet and triangle marking on the top-mount match up. [The triangle marking on the top-mount should face towards the back of the car with the bolt-eyelet facing the centre, or with the triangle marking facing you the bolt-eyelet should be pointing to the right for O/S (right-side) and left for N/S (left-side)].

9. Lift the new strut back up through the suspension and line it up into the strut-turret. [Triangle marking on top-mount facing rear of car] and screw the three 13mm nuts back on a few threads.

10. Lever the hub downwards until it meets the bolt-eyelet at the bottom of the strut meets its recess on the hub and screw the 21mm bolt back in about half-way.

11. Fully tighten the three 13mm nuts on the strut-top mount.

12. Fully tighten the 21mm bolt through the bottom of the strut.

13. Replace the track-strut / wheel as a reversal of steps 3 and 4.

14. If you are doing both sides then repeat steps 3 - 13 for the opposite side.

15. Replace the parcel-shelf, trim and rear seat as a reversal of steps 1 and 2.

F10 530d: 4 new Run Flat tyres (Goodyear Excellence 255/55/17)

 My run-flats that came with the F10 have been run practically, well, flat. They were an advisory on my previous MOT and the last 12 months have not been kind to them with the F seeing a fair bit of use and the two rears are about 1mm from the wear bar, so with the next test looming its time to throw some fresh rubber on.

I went for the same, like-for-like Goodyear Excellence that were fitted when I picked the car up, in 255 / 55 / 17 size. I'm not sure if these are standard fit from BMW, but it's what the police were running on it for high-speed pursuit, so they will do for me and my mainly sedate driving style...

They aren't cheap kit. Even with a discount through work I was quoted £233 for two new tyres and I needed four. This price I would consider prohibitive just for new rubber when I can get four new regular tyres for as little as £100 the lot, but the Goodyear is what I wanted so I went for used tyres. Well, they are hardly used, with the set I bought having 7mm+ of tread left and a 2019 DOT code. Three of them have a puncture repair in the tread, but even so the deal I got was too good to turn down... £250 for all four!

Run Flats or normal tyres??

I've grown used to these Goodyear tyres over the last five years, though they would not be my first choice in normal circumstances. The grip, noise and ride are all pretty good and I've had a decent run out of them given the amount of tread left when I bought the car. They have suffered two punctures during that time and this is where the Run Flats show their worth. The first I repaired straight away, but on the other occasion I ended up driving for four days and covered 75 miles on a tyre with zero PSI, yes that's ZERO air in it and to be honest the tyre still performed perfectly and there car drove as normal. OK I would NEVER recommend anyone doing this, but yes they work and are worth the extra money they cost! The downside of this convenience is the harsh, bumpy ride due to the reinforced side-walls. This may be a big factor on low-profile tyres, for instance I had 18" alloys on my E60 with Run Flats and the ride was pretty harsh, and I would imagine it gets even worse for 19" and 20" with tiny side-walls, but with my current 17 inch rims with a 55 profile side-wall the ride is actually very good, so this argument becomes negligible! 

F10 530d: Cleaning up the 17” Cromodora alloys...

Thought I would give the 17 inch Cromodora alloys a quick clean while the tyres were off for replacement. I can't imagine they have been cleaned inside the rim in the car's entire 170,000 miles. I jet-washed them, gave them a liberal coating of Autosmart Ali-Shine (it's basically 'wheel acid') and jet-washed them again, thats it. You can see they have had a bit of a hard life, but I have to say for that mileage they haven't come up half bad!

 

F10/F11/G07: Front Fog-Lamp / Spot-Lamp Fault fix... the bulb or not the bulb?

 If you get 'Front Foglight Failure' coming up then it's likely a bulb has blown, but I believe it is a common problem on the F10 showing this error but both front fog lamps are still working, or a light not working but the bulb is not blown. It should be an easy fix.

REPLACING THE BULB / CHECKING FAULT:

1. Using an 8mm hex-socket remove four of the screws holding the front side of the corresponding wheel-arch liner - two from the bottom edge and the other two that run up the outer edge of the wheel-arch. This should be enough to peel the arch-liner back and see the back of the fog-light.

2. Remove the wiring-connector by pressing the clip and sliding it upwards.

3. Remove the bulb-holder in the back of the fog-lamp by giving it a quarter-turn anti-clockwise and it should pull out easily.

If the bulb is blown then it can be removed from the plastic holder and replaced.

IF IT'S NOT THE BULB:

The worst case scenario is a fault with the lighting module or wiring to it, see this post - https://www.beemerlab.org/2019/04/f10-halogen-headlight-module-issues.html, but it is far more likely to just be a loose wiring-connector behind the bumper.

Firstly, the wiring-connector to the fog-lamp itself connects from above, so it is possible moisture can fid its way in and corrode the terminals, which can be easily cleaned up with some emery-cloth and a small screwdriver/awl. It is also feasible that road dirt / debris can drop into the plug as it is removed, making it not seat correctly when it is replaced, so rule these out first.

Secondly, there is another wiring connector higher up in the front bumper behind the bottom of the headlight unit. It is hard to spot, as wires seem to run to the fog-lamps from both sides of the car and also link to the headlights, so it will appear as if the wiring to the fogs are intact, when this plug becoming loose or not properly connected will stop the fog-lamp working and throw the error, but not affect the headlights. This can be caused when a headlight has been removed for bulb-replacement or work on the front of the car, so if this work has been done to the car recently then be sure to check this plug. 

BMW F10 / F11 / F07: FUSE BOX DIAGRAM - Detailed with all Definitions

Here is a detailed fuse box guide for BMW F10 etc. as none seem readily available. I will update as I go...

* PDF download here. *

ENGINE BAY:

No.	Application
1	Engine control (EC) relay
F01	30A Engine management
F02	10A Nitrogen oxide (NOx) sensors
F05	7.5A Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler pump

PASSENGER COMPARTMENT [GLOVE BOX]:

Fuse No.	Rating	Application
1		Ignition main circuits relay
2		Rear screen wiper relay
F1	10A	Multifunction control module
F2	5A	ABS/ESP system, door function control modules, tailgate automatic opening/closure
F3	5A	CAN data bus gateway control module, data link connector (DLC)
F4	5A	Multimedia control module
F5	-
F6		Shunt
F7	30A	Multifunction control module 1
F8	30A	Multifunction control module 1
F9	30A	Multifunction control module 1
F10	10A	Instrument panel, multifunction control module 1
F11	7.5A	AC/heater system
F12	5A	Glove box lamp, multifunction control module
F13	5A	Exterior lamps, multifunction switch (steering column), multi switch assembly
F14	15A	Multifunction control module 1, central locking
F15	20A	Multifunction control module 1, central locking
F16	40A	Multifunction control module 3, exterior lamps
F17	30A	Multifunction control module 3, electric windows
F18	30A	Multifunction control module 3, electric windows
F19	20A	Trailer socket
F20	-
F21	30A	Diesel: Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) additive system control module
		Petrol: Not used
F22	30A	Diesel: Engine management
		Petrol: Not used
F23	5A	Telematics, telephone system
F24	10A	Multifunction switch (steering column)
F25	5A	Head up display
F26	5A	Instrumentation control module
F27	5A	Telephone system
F28	5A	>08/10: Entertainment system
		09/10> Not used
F29	7.5A	>08/10: DVD changer
		09/10-06/12: Not used
	5A	07/12> Entertainment system, multimedia control module
F30		Shunt
F31	5A	AC/heater system (rear), heated rear seats
F32	7.5A	>12/10: Multifunction switch (driver's door), multifunction switch (passenger door), RH door mirror. 01/11> Multifunction control module 7, vanity mirror lamps (rear)
F33	5A	Seat belt tension motor, driver seat belt tension motor, passenger, glow plugs, engine management, starter motor
F34	5A	Multifunction control module 5
F35	10A/15A	Diesel: Engine management
	10A	Petrol: Engine management
	10A	Hybrid models: AC refrigerant control valve, hybrid drive system
F36	30A	Headlamp washers
F37	30A	Suspension control system
F38	40A	Multifunction control module 4, central locking
F39	40A	Active steering
F40	30A	ABS/ESP system
F41	-
F42	30A	Diesel: Engine management
		Petrol: Not used
F43	5A	All models: power steering
	5A	N57 engine: Engine management
	5A	N53/N54 engines: Module cooling fan
F44	5A	AC system, high beam assistant, lane change assist, lane departure warning system, multifunction control module 6
F45	5A	Active steering, suspension control system
F46	5A	Cruise control distance range sensor, engine coolant radiator shutter actuator
F47	20A	Diesel: Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler bypass valve, exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler pump
		Petrol: Not used
F48	5A	All models: Auto-dimming rear view mirror
	5A	Diesel: Engine breather heater
	5A	Hybrid models: Engine mounting control system
	5A	N52 engine: Secondary air injection (AIR) pump
F49		Shunt
F50	40A	Hybrid models: Hybrid drive system
		Other models: Not used
F51	30A	Windscreen wipers
F52	30A	Electric seat, driver
F53	30A	Electric seat, passenger
F54	20A	Auxiliary power sockets
F55	20A	Rear screen wiper
F56	5A	Multifunction control module 4, central locking
F57	15A	LH Headlamp
F58	5A	Audio unit suppressor, multifunction control module 7
F59	10A	Turbocharger (TC) intercooler coolant pump
F60	5A	Parking brake
F61	20A	Multifunction control module 7
F62	15A	Horns
F63	10A	Transmission control
F64	7.5A	Transmission gear selection switch
F65	15A	>08/11: Auxiliary power sockets
	20A	09/11>: Auxiliary heater, auxiliary power sockets
F66	7.5A	>12/10: Multifunction control module 7
	7.5A	01/11>: Multifunction switch (driver door), multifunction switch (passenger door), RH door mirror
F67	10A	Electric front seats
F71	40A	AC/heater blower motor (front)
F72	50A	ABS/ESP system
F73	60A	Engine coolant blower motor
F74		-
F75	50A	Fuel filter heater

REAR LOAD COMPARTMENT [TRUNK/BOOT]:

No.	Rating	Application
F100	20A	Trailer socket
F101	40A	Multifunction control module 3
F102		Shunt
F103		-
F104		Shunt
F105	30A	>08/10: Audio unit amplifier
		09/10-07/12: Not used
	20A	08/12>: Audio system
F106		Shunt
F107	5A	Hybrid models: ABS/ESP system hybrid drive
	5A	Other models: Charging system (auxiliary battery)
F108	5A	>06/12: Engine management
		07/12-06/12: Not used
		07/13>: RH headlamp
F109		-
F110	10A	Door function control module, driver
F111	15A	Diesel: Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) additive system control module
		Petrol: Not used
F112		-
F113		-
F114		-
F115		-
F116	7.5A	Entertainment system
F117	5A	Telematics, telephone system
F118	10A	Entertainment system, multifunction display
F119	15A	Audio system
F120	5A	Audio unit output amplifier, DVD changer
F121	5A	Audio unit cooling fan, entertainment system
F122		-
F123	5A	Parking aid camera control module
F124	5A	Night vision system
F125	5A	Entertainment system
F126		-
F127	10A	LH headlamp
F128		-
F129		-
F130		-
F131	5A	Lane change assist control module, right
F132	5A	>08/10: Electric auxiliary heaters (rear)
		09/10-06/12: Not used
		07/12>: Cornering lamps
F133		-
F134	5A	Four wheel steering, parking aid
F135	5A	Exhaust gas control solenoid
F136	5A	DC/DC converter
F137	5A	Engine coolant blower motor
F138	5A	Differential lock control module (S63 engine), four wheel drive system
F139	5A	Tyre pressure monitoring system, fuel tank leakage diagnostic module
F140		-
F141		-
F142	20A	>06/12: Auxiliary heater
		07/12>: Not used
F143	10A	Door function control module, driver's side rear
F144	10A	Door function control module, passenger
F145	20A	Trailer socket
F146		-
F147	15A	Auxiliary power sockets
F148	20A	Tow bar retract control module, trailer socket
F149	10A	Door function control module, passenger side rear
F150		-
F151		-
F152	5A	Ride height control system - estate
F153	5A	Boot lid/tailgate opening-closing motor
F154	5A	Luggage compartment lamp
F155	15A	Boot lid/tailgate lock
F156		-
F157	5A	Parking brake
F158		-
F159	5A	>06/12: Alarm system horn
	5A	07/12>: Alarm system horn, engine
F160		-
F161		-
F162		-
F163		-
F164		-
F165		-
F166		-
F167		-
F168		-
F169		-
F170		-
F171		-
F172	15A	RH headlamp
F173		-
F174		-
F175		-
F176		-
F177	20A	AC/heater blower motor (rear)
F178	30A	Differential lock control module (S63 engine), four wheel drive system
F179	30A	Parking brake
F180	30A	Parking brake
F181		-
F182	40A	Suspension compressor pump (estate)
F183	40A	Boot lid/tailgate opening-closing motor
F184	20A	Fuel pump (FP)
F185		-
F186	30A	DC/DC converter, transmission fluid pump (hybrid models)
F187	30A	Seat heater control module, rear
F188	30A	Seat heater control module, rear
F189		-
F190	30A	Seat heater control module 1
F191	30A	Seat heater control module 2
F192		-
F193		-
F194		-
F195	30A	Auxiliary heater (LH rear)
F196		-
F197		-
F198		>08/11: Not used
	30A	09/11>: Seat belt tension motor driver, seat belt tension motor passenger
F199		>08/11: Not used
	30A	09/11>: Seat belt tension motor driver, seat belt tension motor passenger
F200	40A	Audio unit amplifier
F201		-
F202	30A	Auxiliary heater (RH rear)
F203	30A	Heated rear window
F204	30A	Heated rear window

SECOND REAR LOAD COMPARTMENT:

No.	Application
F500		Battery condition sensor
F501	60A	Four wheel steering control module
F502	100A	Engine management
F503	100A	>08/10: Load area fuse box/relay plate 1
		09/10>: Not used
F504	250A	Fascia fuse box/relay plate
F505	100A	Engine coolant blower motor
F506		>08/11: Not used
	150A	09/10>: Load area fuse box/relay plate 1
F507	125A	Battery control module (auxiliary battery)
F508		-
F509	50A	Audio unit amplifier