# No Coding Necessary - 4-Zone A/C Center Vent Retrofit



## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

This probably bothers no one on the planet except me, but if you do not have 4NB 4-Zone A/C, the A/C vents are different, and there is only one vertical dial for the fine temperature control instead of two, which besides leaving the passenger without control, the part design just lacks symmetry. The 4-Zone A/C vents also have silver accent pieces across the top and bottom that match well with the accents on the Radio and A/C panels.

So, I retrofitted mine with one from Chinese F18.


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## snj1013 (Jul 13, 2011)

Nice work.


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## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

snj1013 said:


> Nice work.


Thanks.


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## john mclane (Mar 13, 2011)

It didn't bother me until now. Good thing that I'm too lazy to suffer from OCD

Good job!


Sent from BimmerApp mobile app


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## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

john mclane said:


> It didn't bother me until now. Good thing that I'm too lazy to suffer from OCD
> 
> Good job!
> 
> Sent from BimmerApp mobile app


Haha...it is going to haunt you now..every time you drive your car...


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## miotoo (May 23, 2012)

I can be bothered 

Nice, well done.


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## andreo (May 1, 2013)

Nicely done! :thumbup:


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## mcrussell (Mar 14, 2005)

Do they function independantly for temperature without coding after retrofit or is there wiring required?


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## john mclane (Mar 13, 2011)

shawnsheridan said:


> Haha...it is going to haunt you now..every time you drive your car...


 No driving required, haunting started with your pics...
Additionally, the ceramic controls you added look awesome, I had a loaner with it , beyond the visual the tactile difference is huge... 
Ill have to find some airplane quotes to cope with the sadness...

Sent from BimmerApp mobile app


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## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

mcrussell said:


> Do they function independantly for temperature without coding after retrofit or is there wiring required?


I did not add any wiring, and all 4 thumb wheel dials light up, including all the markings on them, which I do not remember my old one doing. However, without any coding, it functions exactly like the old one, as in the additional right inside thumb wheel dial does not do anything.

I am fine with that, as I always keep the inside thumb wheel dial centered anyway, and this change was for cosmetic reasons.

Next time I connect to my car though, I will add 4NB to my VO and VO Code IHKA, and see if the additional right inside thumb wheel dial gains functionality.


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## rs84107 (Jan 20, 2013)

i have been considering this restrofit for a while. the function i am looking for is the indirect blowing of the 4 zone versus the 2 zone version. does that work without coding? it is the mode on the bottom richt picture (see dial):
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=379886&d=1370204337

thanks


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## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

rs84107 said:


> i have been considering this restrofit for a while. the function i am looking for is the indirect blowing of the 4 zone versus the 2 zone version. does that work without coding? it is the mode on the bottom richt picture (see dial):
> http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=379886&d=1370204337
> 
> thanks


What do you mean indirect blowing?


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## rs84107 (Jan 20, 2013)

the 4z system has two vents and a total of 4 dials. left dial that controls the mode of the vent, the middle left dial that controls the temperature of the left vent and of course, the same for the right side: right middle dial that controls the temp of teh right vent and the very right dial that controls the mode of the right vent.

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=379886&d=1370204337

on this picture, the bottom system is the 4z system. if you look at the very right dial of the 4 zone system, the mode that is set for the right vent is the so called "indirect" blowing, ie. it is being cooled but without actually air directly being blowed into your face. I am just wondering whether this mode actually works without any coding?


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## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

rs84107 said:


> the 4z system has two vents and a total of 4 dials. left dial that controls the mode of the vent, the middle left dial that controls the temperature of the left vent and of course, the same for the right side: right middle dial that controls the temp of teh right vent and the very right dial that controls the mode of the right vent.
> 
> http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=379886&d=1370204337
> 
> on this picture, the bottom system is the 4z system. if you look at the very right dial of the 4 zone system, the mode that is set for the right vent is the so called "indirect" blowing, ie. it is being cooled but without actually air directly being blowed into your face. I am just wondering whether this mode actually works without any coding?


Ok. I had to break out he manual to understand this:









Indirect is called Draft-Free Ventilation, which is a fanned out airflow. Yes, it works without coding as it is seemingly a mechanical control.

The 4-Zone A/C Vent, unlike the standard one, has 2 tubes inside both the left and right vents. It seems that in Draft-Free position that these tubes are cut off and the air flows around them, then in Direct Ventilation it is only the tubes blowing air, and in Maximum it is both from the tubes and around them.

You can see the inside tubes better in these close-up pictures:


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## rs84107 (Jan 20, 2013)

shawnsheridan said:


> Ok. I had to break out he manual to understand this:
> 
> View attachment 381165
> 
> ...


thank you for the information - exactly what i was looking for... i loved the draft free ventilation in my f10, miss it now in my f11.. but now, looking at investing teh 200 eur in retroffiting it. thanks a lot mate!


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## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

rs84107 said:


> thank you for the information - exactly what i was looking for... i loved the draft free ventilation in my f10, miss it now in my f11.. but now, looking at investing teh 200 eur in retroffiting it. thanks a lot mate!


200€ is too much I think:

http://a.m.taobao.com/i17430618206.htm?pds=fromauc#h#shop

¥880 (Chinese Yuan) = 108€


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## rs84107 (Jan 20, 2013)

shawnsheridan said:


> 200€ is too much I think:
> 
> http://a.m.taobao.com/i17430618206.htm?pds=fromauc#h#shop
> 
> ¥880 (Chinese Yuan) = 108€


love it... but literally can't read chinese..


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## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

rs84107 said:


> thank you for the information - exactly what i was looking for... i loved the draft free ventilation in my f10, miss it now in my f11.. but now, looking at investing teh 200 eur in retroffiting it. thanks a lot mate!





rs84107 said:


> love it... but literally can't read chinese..


...and neither does this damn yankee...

Thank God though for Google Website Translator: 

http://translate.google.com/transla...//a.m.taobao.com/i17430618206.htm?pds=fromauc


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## rs84107 (Jan 20, 2013)

haha - who needs to learn languages nowadays...


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## jakeculpin (Jan 25, 2013)

shawn, can you double check the part number for me? I've found 64229172344 - but unsure if that's the correct one! all in all I can get it for 147 euro from the dealer.


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