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No more BMW turn signals
I did a thing today.
First post, not sure if embedding videos is possible here. https://youtu.be/OYt6Or1FyGo |
3 Attachment(s)
The only part that is needed for this is a gen1 light switch assembly. When I bought mine it was marked as 17-20, but it appears it’s the same from 13-20 regardless. Part # is 83115FJ060, this is about $150 from subaru but i got mine for $40 off ebay.
With the proper repin of the headlight harness, all functions work exactly as expected (including 3-blink lane change), with one minor caveat when it comes to the high beams. There are 2 differences: 1. The gen2 switch sends a momentary pulse when you push the high beams into the on (forward) position, while the gen1 sends a constant output in this position 2. The gen1 stalk also sends output to the wire for the high beams flash (pulling the stalk towards you) while the stalk is in the forward/on position. The gen2 stalk only sends output to one wire or the other, and if there is output on both wires it won’t turn the high beams on at all. We can solve this in 2 different ways, and i’ve made 2 different diagrams. The easy way simply hijacks the high beam flash wire and will have the high beams function exactly how you expect them to, but this will break auto high beams if you have an automatic. The less easy way requires the use of a relay to interrupt the high beams flash wire while the stalk is in the forward position. This should retain auto high beam functionality, but the downside is to use your high beams, you will have to push the stalk forward, and then pull it back to the center again (simulating the momentary pulse of the gen2 stalk). To turn them back off you would once again push them forward, then pull them back to center again. Repin info: Depin white pin 12, insulate. This wire will no longer be used. Move pink pin 16 to pin 11. Pin 11 will already be empty. Move pin 13 black to pin 12. Move pin 14 black to pin 13. Pin 14 and pin 16 will now be empty. *there are other wires pinned in this harness. i have not illustrated them because there is nothing that needs to be done with these wires. For 6MT, or 6AT if you don’t care about keeping automatic high beams: Cut the pink wire that is now in pin 11, making sure you leave at least an inch and a half on the connector side of the wire. Insulate the loose wire on the vehicle side of the cut. Connect the connector side of the wire to the red wire in pin 17 via military splice. For 6AT: Cut the red wire in pin 17. Connect one side of the cut wire to terminal 30 of your relay, and the other side to 87a. It does not matter which goes where. Terminal 87 will not be connected to anything. Military splice a wire into the pink wire in pin 11 and connect it to terminal 85 of your relay. Connect a fused constant 12 volt feed from somewhere in the vehicle to terminal 86 of your relay. We only need <150mA here, so any circuit is fine and you can use the smallest fuse available to you. Attachment 213679 Attachment 213680 Disassembly info: Driver airbag: Disconnect battery. Remove cover surrounding cruise control switch and identical cover on other side. Use flathead screwdriver or similar implement to release the 3 retainers. Attachment 213681 Use a pick tool to lift the retaining clips on the 2 airbag connectors and remove them. There is also a singular black wire attached with a spade connector, use your pick tool to depress the retainer and pull it off. Steering wheel: Disconnect white clock spring connector. Remove 19mm nut. Use a straightedge to mark centerline on both the steering column spline and the steering wheel. Use steering wheel puller or brute gorilla force to remove steering wheel. If you are not using a puller, make sure you do not damage the airbag connectors as you remove the steering wheel. It may help to push them through the opening before removing the wheel. For reassembly, the torque spec on this nut is 28 ft-lbs. Steering column cover: remove 2 philips screws. pull bottom section downwards. Flip top section out of the way. Clock spring: Release 3 clips, pull towards you. You can leave this plugged in and let it dangle. Make sure you don’t let this rotate, if you spin it 360 degrees by accident and reassemble it that way you will break it when you turn the wheel. Wiper stalk: Depress clip on the front of stalk, pull out. You can also leave this plugged in and dangling. Turn signal assembly: Open band clamp with pliers, use a pick tool to release the black clip on the backside. Pull towards you to remove. Look at your new assembly if you have trouble with this. |
That is a lot of effort, are the turn signals THAT bad?
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TLDW: Is this just removing the 3 blink lane change feature, namely the same feature that is easily disabled through the head unit in 10 seconds (which I did about a week in after I couldn't stand the 3 blink lane change feature)?
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This adds actual mechanical retention to the turn signals. When you activate the turn signal, it now physically clicks into place. In stock form, the stalk would instead return to center and you would have to push it in the other direction to cancel. This does not affect the 3 blink lane change at all, and you can still activate that feature by giving the stalk a shallow push, or disable it if desired. |
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This may seem like a lot of effort to solve such a minor problem, but a lot of people take issue with the way the turn signals work on this car. |
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However, once you turn off the 3 blink lane change functionality, they are functionally IDENTICAL for lane changes. Both operate exactly the same - you hold the stalk to a medium position for as long as you want the blinkers to operate and they stop operating when you let go. :iono: |
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Thanks for taking the time to document and post! |
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It's also pretty ironic given the people who were pissing all over a simple and free procedure documented to provide a hp increase. I guess I'm a pretty simple guy when it comes to mods - I consider all of them on a cost/benefit basis. Performing a 2 minute procedure to remove a charcoal filter to improve air flow - great cost/benefit. Buying a new turn signal assembly and taking apart your steering wheel so that when you make a turn your turn signal stalk goes back to center after you make a turn vs. before - bad cost/benefit. And to the OP - more power to you, seriously. I am all for people personalizing their cars and adding information like this. Who knows, someday somebody may have a broken turn signal and want/need to use a first Gen stalk/assembly. I was just trying to figure out the functionality change. And of course, if I am missing something, feel free to point out it out. I am sure Tcoat and Ultramaroon can't wait to rec that post. ;) |
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I have found that there are few Gen 2 owners that just can not possibly envision that anybody would not think everything is perfect or that people could actually like some features from the first gen. |
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BTW - if you want to find a possible other benefit to this, it may be a way to eliminate the "hyperblink" glitch that many have gotten and some have had difficulty getting rid of. Don't know enough about how the electronics work to opine intelligently on that, which I readily admit. |
Ok, I got to ask. What EXACTLY is the issue with the turn signals? What is BMW turn signals? I've seen other threads with people complaining about them.
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https://www.autotrader.com/car-news/...t%20originally. No doubt you would get used to it in time but then every time you jump into another car... |
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"But here’s my question: Turn signals have worked the same way for decades, and they’ve been totally fine. Why fix something that absolutely, certainly, unquestionably isn’t broken? And maybe more importantly, why fix it with something that’s counterintuitive?" |
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I have been doing auto electrical work for most of my adult life and spending a few minutes repinning a connector doesn’t really constitute a massive expenditure of time or effort on my part. 40 dollars is also less money than I made in the time it took to do this retrofit. That cost/benefit analysis may be different for you, but I mainly did this because I like doing things that haven’t been done before. |
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As I said, you may have also solved the hyperblink problem (or not) - I honestly don't know. In fact, I am 100% sure you would be in a better position to answer that question than I would. |
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10/10, sir! |
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All that is needed is the Headlight switch itself from a 17-20. But your saying no other parts are needed ; that the physical contact to trip the switch back off (neutral) still exists on the current 2022 roll connector/steering shaft? |
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@removedonut
Thanks for this post! If someday I've own a 2nd gen 86, this would be the first mod on the list. I've tried the 2nd gen and this BMW stalk was driving me nuts. |
I really like this idea.
I want to put the steering collar extension in my car, but it wasn't enough of an excuse to bother with pulling the whole steering wheel apart. This is a significant bump toward the "worth it" column if I'm doing both at the same time. I'm not familiar with the specific parts so I'm not completely clear on what would be involved but this seems like it could be the sort of thing where a kit could be built for complete "plug and play" compatibility. That seems like the sort of thing that would sell pretty well (I'd be a buyer). I don't hate the way the GR86 turn signal works. It's absolutely fine the way it is. What I hate is that it's different than every other car I've ever owned or driven. "Hate" is probably a strong word, but... |
I have updated the post with some crude MS paint diagrams and some semi-vague disassembly info.
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In our 86 mist/single wipe is up, slow/intermittent/fast is down. In our BMW X1 mist/single wipe is down, slow/fast is up (we have auto rain sensing in the place of intermittent...and it doesnt work properly half the time...the detection sometimes doesnt wipe my windshield until it is completely full of droplets and i cant see anything) |
Thanks for finding and documenting a way to install the gen1 turn signal stalk with mechanical retention! Some will definitely appreciate it, and I'm sure you had fun figuring this out.
Personally I've been satisfied with the gen2 stalk in my GR86, especially after I turned off the 3-blink shortcut. If anything, now I want my daily (2016 Mazda 6) to have a "joystick" stalk, without mechanical retention. Interestingly, in my Mazda I actually like the 3-blink shortcut, but find it less useful in the GR86. |
So initially before I got my BRZ, I was reading people's thoughts about it and figured it was no big deal. I had a Mini Cooper S with the same style turn signal which I actually liked a lot.
Fast forward to finally owning my twin and I'm very annoyed with this turn signal. With my MCS, if I fully engage the turn signal but want to cancel it, I just move the stalk half way in any direction and it's instantly canceled. I liked it because it was easy and there was a subtle but noticeable detent before fully engaging. With my BRZ, I've begun to hate how it only cancels if I engage the stalk halfway in the opposite direction and it feels like the half way point is so light that at times I've accidentally signaled the other way instead. So yeah, I'd be more than happy to try this. Hope I'm able to find a cheap one on ebay as well, would be even better. Thanks for sharing!! |
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Slight touch, 3 blinks for lane change. Push it past the detent, stays on until the wheel is turned or you push it back past the detent to cancel it. The same as our '18 Mazda 3. |
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Don't waste time in our forums like this. People are here to learn, all you're doing is adding zero value by not watching and sending the OP's thread down a rabbit hole for no reason. |
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Kind of like the shifter buttons or electronic shifter replacing a manual shift lever....with the purpose of "opening up" some space in the center console.....(which it usually doesn't actually do because the buttons are laid out in such a weird way they take up all the shifter space anyways....) |
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Did you need to quote the whole thing just to reply 2.5 lines? :bonk:
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They can reply to the email about how they replied to the post that sent the email that caused them to reply to the post, or they can choose not to reply to the email about how they replied to the post that sent the email that caused them to reply to the post. But if we can always go deeper....... |
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