Reprogram Steering Wheel Buttons - Possible?

[benjamin84]

My car has the multi-function steering wheel. Which is ace, but I would prefer it to control other functions than it currently does. Anyone know if this is possible to re-program?

I would love to change the voice control button (which I never use) so that it controls the ESP system. Would be very handy to be able to change the level of ESP interaction without taking my hands off the wheel

[Itanius]

As far as I know, only the diamond and star buttons are "programmable". Personally, I'd like to disable the Phone and Voice buttons (or remap them to something else), as they're pretty useless and annoying if accidentally pressed.

[gnat]

Originally Posted by benjamin84

Anyone know if this is possible to re-program?

It should theoretically be possible, it just might not be easy.

Assuming there isn't something built into the system to allow you to reprogram the buttons (would indeed be nice), you really only have one feasible option (you could hack the ECU, but...).

Basically speaking you would insert a device (custom built) between the steering wheel and the ECU that would intercept the desired button presses and translate them into something else and either pass the new command on to the ECU or elsewhere as needed. The trick, however, is that you will need to study the communication (digital o-scope will probably be needed) and reverse engineer it. If it is part of the CAN network (actually a real possibility) then this task is much simpler as CAN is well documented and you can get pre-built units to help you monitor/interact with the network.

Sorry it's not a "do this simple thing" option, but I think it would be a relatively easy task (if it's CAN based) for someone familiar with micro controller programming. I'm actually intrigued by this idea now, but I have too many unfinished projects already, my wife would kill me if more electronics showed up at the house, and it would probably mean a divorce if she caught me playing around behind/under her dash...

[nordique14]

I do not have BT/Assist or iDrive so those 2 buttons on the left side of the steering wheel do nothing for me. i would love for them to do something such as scroll through my playlist or select the song. Both of which currently require me to use the right radio knob.

[benjamin84]

I was quietly hoping that this might be possible for the dealer to re-program, I believe similar feats of electronic wizardry are possible on Audi's via the VAG-COM system Seems I might just have to live with reaching half-way up the windscreen for the DTC button... why did BMW move this from it's old location 5 cm away from the gear-lever? Now the missus knows when I turn the traction control off and can serve up comments like "you really like this round-a-bout don't you?"

[SupremePower3335]

Although this answer doesnt help, you can do it in E90 so I was not pleasently surprised when I COULD NOT do it in the 1er

[gnat]

Originally Posted by SupremePower3335

Although this answer doesnt help, you can do it in E90 so I was not pleasently surprised when I COULD NOT do it in the 1er

Can you really? That's cool.

If you can do it on the 3, I would have to assume that on the one it is just a matter of a software setting (which you may or may not be able to change) preventing it since so much of that stuff is shared between the platforms.

[timhatimay]

I was researching this recently as I'm really interested in a similar idea. See this thread for a lot of the information I found:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=177272

At the end there is also a list of the commands that are sent by various equipment of the car (including the steering wheel buttons) in an excel file. I would like to get rid of the circulation and audio source buttons, as I've never used them. I love the others however. My thought was to buy the MF button parts from a 2008 Idrive vehicle that had the two shortcuts and use this instead.

I'm wondering if the signal sent from the buttons is the same and its function is determined by the programing? Or if the signal sent is different to determine what action is actually taken? I would guess the former, which doesn't really help me, but maybe a CAN expert would know. If it is the latter, then possibly a recode or reprogram of the specific model could re-assign the buttons to another function. I would guess it would need to be on the same network, or on another network that can be easily accessed so the action can be performed. I am in no way an expert on CAN but am just using an engineering mindset to try and determine how these could be changed. If you know the digital signal sent (from the excel file), it may also allow some sort of interception (or inception if you go very deeeep!) of the signal so you can make the button do whatever you please.

Most of that information is based on the 3er however, but I believed their architecture was very similar, so I'm surprised it would work on one but not the other.

Tim

[gnat]

Originally Posted by timhatimay

I was researching this recently as I'm really interested in a similar idea. See this thread for a lot of the information I found:

I know what I'm reading tonight

I'm wondering if the signal sent from the buttons is the same and its function is determined by the programing?

WARNING Wild Ass Guess Ahead WARNING
In all likely hood the buttons them selves are not sending a signal (at least not one that is relevant to this discussion). Instead they are mostly tripping bits on a micro-controller when then translates the input to the CAN code that is sent over the network.

So just swapping buttons around isn't likely to have any functional result (though if the micro-controller is in the button module rather than centrally located, then it could have the desired effect).

I would guess it would need to be on the same network, or on another network that can be easily accessed so the action can be performed. I am in no way an expert on CAN

Neither am I (I got really excited about it a few years ago when I ran a computer in my Escape, but then lost interest when I found out my model year was 2 years before Ford put CAN in the Escape ).

My understanding is that there is typically only one CAN network in a car. I don't recall that there is anything restriction that demands/prevents more than one network, just that it's not really needed (now once cars get Wifi I won't be buying a car that has it's critical functions on the same network...).

it may also allow some sort of interception (or inception if you go very deeeep!) of the signal so you can make the button do whatever you please.

My understanding is that there are already devices out there that you can plug into the network that monitor the network traffic (such a device was probably used to generate the information in the linked thread) and you can of course inject messages into the network as well. Without splicing into the network between the steering wheel and the rest of the system, I don't know if the protocol allows your device to claim the message and prevent it from going further (and then you send your custom code instead).

If you can just plug in and remap codes I could see a great practical joke in the offing (volume buttons that open/close the windows, window buttons that blow the horn, etc...)

Most of that information is based on the 3er however, but I believed their architecture was very similar, so I'm surprised it would work on one but not the other.

They might use different CAN messages, but I would be surprised.

[GatorVert]

Originally Posted by gnat

If you can just plug in and remap codes I could see a great practical joke in the offing (volume buttons that open/close the windows, window buttons that blow the horn, etc...)

There's a Lucas Electric joke in there somewhere, I just don't have it yet.

[timhatimay]

Originally Posted by gnat

WARNING Wild Ass Guess Ahead WARNING
In all likely hood the buttons them selves are not sending a signal (at least not one that is relevant to this discussion). Instead they are mostly tripping bits on a micro-controller when then translates the input to the CAN code that is sent over the network.

So just swapping buttons around isn't likely to have any functional result (though if the micro-controller is in the button module rather than centrally located, then it could have the desired effect).

When I say signal I was meaning a several bit digital signal, meaning a digital signature unique for the desired action. This would be analogous to an information packet sent via any network, and I believe many of the CAN functions even have a handshaking protocol. I suspect there might be a small micro-controller with the buttons that sends and receives these signals and communicates with the other modules. ALthough maybe they are just an input to the SLZ (steering module) which converts it to the CAN signal which is sent to its destination.

Originally Posted by gnat

My understanding is that there is typically only one CAN network in a car. I don't recall that there is anything restriction that demands/prevents more than one network, just that it's not really needed (now once cars get Wifi I won't be buying a car that has it's critical functions on the same network...).


My understanding is that there are already devices out there that you can plug into the network that monitor the network traffic (such a device was probably used to generate the information in the linked thread) and you can of course inject messages into the network as well. Without splicing into the network between the steering wheel and the rest of the system, I don't know if the protocol allows your device to claim the message and prevent it from going further (and then you send your custom code instead).

If you can just plug in and remap codes I could see a great practical joke in the offing (volume buttons that open/close the windows, window buttons that blow the horn, etc...)


They might use different CAN messages, but I would be surprised.

There may only be one CAN network overall, but from the other thread there is a KCAN, FCAN, PTCAN, etc. networks, and many modules that interface onto or into different networks. Some functions such as pressing a button may interface via different modules between several of the networks before reaching its destination. The block diagram shows this very well.

There are devices that can do the intercepting as well, but I'm under the impression they are more for testing rather than a full time "piggyback." I could be wrong on this. I also think it would be strange to use a different setup and use different messages between the 1er and 3er being they are very similar (except for possibly some unique processes for each car).

I'm very interested in the possibilities with reprogramming and coding these aspects, and wonder how much could be modified by a knowledgeable tuner!

Tim

[gnat]

Originally Posted by timhatimay

but I'm under the impression they are more for testing rather than a full time "piggyback." I could be wrong on this.

Yeah they are usually large things that plug into your access port and sometimes connect to a computer. Basically you'd use one of those to figure out/test what you want to do, then you build a custom micro-controller to do it on a regular basis that will fit somewhere out of the way and run independently.

I'm very interested in the possibilities with reprogramming and coding these aspects, and wonder how much could be modified by a knowledgeable tuner!

It's more of a hacker/MC programmer you'd want and that's one of the things I really like about CAN is that it gives you access to almost everything that isn't directly linked. That means you should be able to do some really cool and really scary things with it.

Hmmm, maybe I should get the iDrive after all so when I can't resist the urge to put another computer in a car I have a place to put the screen and can play with CAN

My wife will hate you for putting this idea in my head when she finds this thread

[MSport_Jon]

Originally Posted by gnat

I know what I'm reading tonight


WARNING Wild Ass Guess Ahead WARNING
In all likely hood the buttons them selves are not sending a signal (at least not one that is relevant to this discussion). Instead they are mostly tripping bits on a micro-controller when then translates the input to the CAN code that is sent over the network.

So just swapping buttons around isn't likely to have any functional result (though if the micro-controller is in the button module rather than centrally located, then it could have the desired effect).


Neither am I (I got really excited about it a few years ago when I ran a computer in my Escape, but then lost interest when I found out my model year was 2 years before Ford put CAN in the Escape ).

My understanding is that there is typically only one CAN network in a car. I don't recall that there is anything restriction that demands/prevents more than one network, just that it's not really needed (now once cars get Wifi I won't be buying a car that has it's critical functions on the same network...).


My understanding is that there are already devices out there that you can plug into the network that monitor the network traffic (such a device was probably used to generate the information in the linked thread) and you can of course inject messages into the network as well. Without splicing into the network between the steering wheel and the rest of the system, I don't know if the protocol allows your device to claim the message and prevent it from going further (and then you send your custom code instead).

If you can just plug in and remap codes I could see a great practical joke in the offing (volume buttons that open/close the windows, window buttons that blow the horn, etc...)


They might use different CAN messages, but I would be surprised.

Ok... so here is the scoop of something that happened to me... So i have this coder in Germany that just recoded my car and gave me an option for the star button on the steering wheel to skip AM from FM and jump to the next multimedia selection which in my case is Sirius Sat Radio... when now the phone button does not behave anymore like it used to, now what it did before was to go to my contacts in communications and now it calls the last caller if pressed for 3 seconds... wierd huh!

[BatteryPowered]

Had the car for little more than 2 months and was thinking of controlling "SPORT" button and traction control button from wheel, since I tend to turn them on and off all the time in this car.

I know in 2007 CTS you could re-program few of the steering wheel buttons yourself, which was very useful.

Too bad there's no easy way to do it in BMW.

[stefanv03]

Originally Posted by SupremePower3335

Although this answer doesnt help, you can do it in E90 so I was not pleasently surprised when I COULD NOT do it in the 1er

I am very interested to find out how those buttons can be reporgrammed. in particular i'm looking to assign a shortcut button to the aux command... if you could share the steps would be really great thx.

[Lamar Vannoy]

I'd love to wire my voice button to a hardwired garage door opener.