# No Coding Necessary - 4U1 Ceramic Controls Retrofit



## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

After finally obtaining all the pieces, I completed my 4U1 Ceramic Controls Retrofit. 

4U1 Ceramic Controls consists of the Radio Knob, Driver and Passenger A/C Knobs, iDrive Controller, and Gear Shift.

Unfortunately, BMW does not sell the Radio and A/C knobs by themselves, so you have to either buy both full control panels at a cost of $500, or wait until you find a wrecked car with the knobs in it.

While technically the ceramic iDrive Controller knob, and the ceramic ring at its base can be removed and made to work with an existing iDrive Controller, it is very difficult to do this, and the iDrive Controller is very fragile, so I recommend just buying the entire ceramic iDrive Controller for about $600.

Lastly, while you can buy an entire ceramic Gear Shift Module for about $850, and if you do not have a 2TB SAT Gear Shift I would go this route and buy a 2TB ceramic SAT Gear Shift, if you already have it, then you can buy the repair kit in Ceramic for about $350, and just replace the Gear Shift handle piece with the ceramic piece, or again get it from a wrecked car as I did.


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## Tuesday (May 10, 2012)

That's actually a dramatic improvement, looks great! Does the shifter trim just pull off? Always been curious about that.


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## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

itschase said:


> That's actually a dramatic improvement, looks great! Does the shifter trim just pull off? Always been curious about that.


Thanks!

You can pull off the face plate in the middle with the R-N-D and M/S on it, and then as you can see in the 2nd picture the singe screw at the base of the Gear Shift handle, you just unscrew it to take it off.


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## daders (Jul 28, 2011)

I was contemplating this for our F07, do you have to remove the trim piece to replace the iDrive unit? 

Also, with your need for symmetry I'm surprised you haven't replace the A/C control unit with one that has the ventilated seat controls! :angel:


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## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

daders said:


> I was contemplating this for our F07, do you have to remove the trim piece to replace the iDrive unit?
> 
> Also, with your need for symmetry I'm surprised you haven't replace the A/C control unit with one that has the ventilated seat controls! :angel:


Yes. The Console trim needs to be removed and the iDrive Controller replaced.

I think my A/C Control Unit is symmetrical now. 

The Ventilated Seat Controls just adds two more buttons I think, one on each side, next to the Heated Seat Buttons.


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## daders (Jul 28, 2011)

shawnsheridan said:


> Yes. The Console trim needs to be removed and the iDrive Controller replaced.
> 
> I think my A/C Control Unit is symmetrical now.
> 
> The Ventilated Seat Controls just adds two more buttons I think, one on each side, next to the Heated Seat Buttons.


Lol, I dislike seeing the word ALL on one side and a symbol on the other...besides not having a cool bum. But that's another point to itself. 4-zone was one of those "must have" options for us since the wife is always cold when I'm warm.


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## daders (Jul 28, 2011)

daders said:


> Lol, I dislike seeing the word ALL on one side and a symbol on the other...besides not having a cool bum. But that's another point to itself. 4-zone was one of those "must have" options for us since the wife is always cold when I'm warm.


The symmetry was a bonus


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## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

daders said:


> Lol, I dislike seeing the word ALL on one side and a symbol on the other...besides not having a cool bum. But that's another point to itself. 4-zone was one of those "must have" options for us since the wife is always cold when I'm warm.


Haha...your OCD may be worse then mine.


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## daders (Jul 28, 2011)

shawnsheridan said:


> Haha...your OCD may be worse then mine.


I try to control it...was at step 10 until I saw your fan setting buttons "delaminating" (for lack of a better word) just pushed me over the edge again (sigh, backslide to step 7) 

Which reminds me about the button that truly bothers me, the Start-Stop button. How can you make a button (that must be used everytime you use the car) so cheaply that the words start fading inside the warranty period and less than 20k miles?!


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## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

daders said:


> I try to control it...was at step 10 until I saw your fan setting buttons "delaminating" (for lack of a better word) just pushed me over the edge again (sigh, backslide to step 7)
> 
> Which reminds me about the button that truly bothers me, the Start-Stop button. How can you make a button (that must be used everytime you use the car) so cheaply that the words start fading inside the warranty period and less than 20k miles?!


I hear you. The Drivers side Fan Speed button in my car became a big white smear, and I made the dealer replace it. Now my inside trunk release button also became a big white smear, and I had the dealer order me a new button. Just waiting on it to come in now...


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## KARR (Jul 31, 2014)

where do you find wrecked cars to take parts off? Is it a website? Also how much did the ceramics cost you from the wrecked car?


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## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

Well, there are junkyards here in the states, and while I really don't know how many late model BMW's end up in them, I have to think it's not too many, and then one with Ceramic Controls too would be pretty difficult. I was lucky in that someone who frequents "breakers" or junkyards in Europe knew I was wanting them, and when he saw them. he grabbed them for me. I don't recall exactly what I paid for them. The knobs cost practically nothing, but the Controller and Gear Shift will be a few hundred each.


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## KARR (Jul 31, 2014)

If you go to Auto salvage's website***8230;they have tons of new BMW's for salvage sale and quite a few with the ceramic controls***8230;but they don't sell parts***8230;only the entire cars.


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## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

KARR said:


> If you go to Auto salvage's website&#8230;.they have tons of new BMW's for salvage sale and quite a few with the ceramic controls&#8230;.but they don't sell parts&#8230;.only the entire cars.


That would make for one prohibitively expensive retrofit then.


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## daders (Jul 28, 2011)

Just received the ceramic replacement for the shifter. We have the "skinny" shifter, the one you replaced and detailed in another thread. I'm not sure how the two relate in faceplate removal, but looking at the faceplate (received with the ceramic trim) has three tabs and a rubber edge. The ceramic piece has a trough to fit the faceplate firmly inside but no clear "trick" to inserting it without bending/forcing...any tips?


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## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

The piece with the Gear indication on it is just glued on, so you have to gently pry it off. The bigger handle piece has one screw holding it on that you will see after other piece is removed.


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## STRMTRPR550iGT (Oct 16, 2013)

What was the total cost of the retrofit? Looks great!


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## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

Thanks. I paid hardly anything as I was able to scrounge up the ceramic pieces from junked cars. 

If you had to buy everything new from dealership, it would cost more than it is worth:

Radio Panel = $150
AC Panel = $350
iDrive Controller = $600
Ceramic Gear Shift Repair Kit = $350


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## STRMTRPR550iGT (Oct 16, 2013)

Cool! How did you go about finding the used parts from junked cars? Ebay or do you have a hookup or work in that business?


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## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

I had some overseas help that found them for me at wreckers yard.


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