Materials to Maintain Your ZHP IIIII Hand Protection IIIII Tools to Maintain Your ZHP
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
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    RLS (Rain Sensor/Auto Headlight) Retrofit DIY

    Special thanks to Overboost as he had a lot of great information from his thread as well.

    There are numerous resources around mainly over on E46 fanatics site. one link has great info but no pictures and honestly you really dont need pictures for this. not of the actual install, pictures of the parts needed sure. Overboost a member on here as well as e46 fanatics also had great info in his thread as well and i will be linking to that and importing some info and pictures into this one to.


    Cars you would perform this on??

    2003 ZHP vehicles that did NOT come with the premium package. in 2003, RLS system was only available with Premium package, in 2004, it became standard.


    IMG_20170211_155344 by Shawn Robertson, on Flickr


    Parts Needed:
    - RLS Sensor PN RLS 6 923 954 (make sure you dont get the older one from the 2001 M3 which was RLS 6 920 044.. i got this one first and it looks the same and plugs in the same but it does not talk to your K bus properly)
    - RLS Sensor Pigtail with a couple inches of wiring (go to junkyard, no one ever gets these and just cut the wiring out of the headliner)
    - Face Plate for the LCM that has the Auto setting (you do not need the entire LCM just the face plate - go to a junk yard they are like $5-10)
    - RLS Housing Cover
    - New wind shield from 2004 and above E46 Sedan with RLS sensor ($230 from my local auto glass company) (this is the only way to get the OEM look since the windshield has not only the optical sensor prism that the sensor snaps into but it also has the tinted dot matrix area around it as well you can find the optical sensor prism online separately if you want and just glue it to your windshield)
    - if you want to get just the sensor lens only then it can be found on ebay usually - http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-3-SERIES...4AAOSwUKxYke6k


    Software needed:
    - PA Soft to read and code the ZKE/GM5/Central body module (just one setting to ENABLE Rain sensor)
    OR
    - NCS Expert to read the ZKE/GM5


    I followed this article first that is very in depth:
    http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=493341

    Then Overboost also had good info here:
    http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=1120679

    You should go ahead and build your RLS 4 pin Pigtail harness. you will need about 6-7 feet of wiring to add on and once built should look like this:



    the wiring for the RLS harness goes like this:

    RLS pin 1 (KLR power)...to/from... Fuse 15 (mine was empty) (violet)
    RLS pin 2 (ground)...to/from... empty connection on ground strip module above fuse box (brown)
    RLS pin 3 (k-bus)...to/from... empty connection on K Bus strip module above fuse box (white/red/yellow)
    RLS pin 4 (wiper motor signal)...to/from... X253 GM5 pin 45 (brown/green)

    BMW connectors are labeled which PINS they are so just look at the plug connectors to see the number for each pin assignment

    for the K bus wire, any empty spot or existing wire is fine, the K bus is just one joining point for signal info so it doesnt matter on the K bus strip which one you tie into.

    Some people get fancy and order the exact parts needed for the connector ends.. for example when you want to run PIN 1 of the RLS harness to Fuse 15, on my car that fuse was not only empty but also missing the fuse leaf so even if i put a fuse in, it still had no power. I chose to to just run a wire instead to another fuse space that i was not using which was the homelink fuse spot.

    I used a wire T tap to run the wire from RLS harness PIN 4 and tapped into pin 45 on the x253 connector which is the wiper motor signal.

    note that you need to pull the glove box out so that the fusebox can drop all the way allowing you to access the ZKE module plugs behind it.


    pretty much you:
    - install Windshield with the prism or install your add on prism
    - Install your Auto face plate to the LCM
    - remove your sun visors and passenger side A pillar cover
    - pull down the front of your head liner and run/route your RLS plug harness through the headliner and down the A pillar
    - Wire your RLS 4 pin connection using the above pin assignments
    - fire up PASoft and enable Rain sensor or use NCS expert to modify the ZKE module for rain sensor
    - reboot the car turn key off and back on and test the sensor by covering it with a towel and having the face plate to Auto.. you can also spray the sensor with water from spray bottle.

    once you verified it works. then button everything back up.



    in some cases the RLS sensor MAY need to be re calibrated for the new wind shield.. mine did not and neither did overboosts BUT if you do need to do that then you will need INPA to talk to the RLS sensor directly and initialize the calibration process.


    Windshield with prism installed
    IMG_20161216_163359 by Shawn Robertson, on Flickr


    Sensor installed (its the incorrect sensor that I mentioned earlier. the proper one is exactly the same physically)
    IMG_20161217_105320 by Shawn Robertson, on Flickr

    Auto face plate installed
    IMG_20161216_163433 by Shawn Robertson, on Flickr

    Everything buttoned up with the cover piece and mirror
    IMG_20161222_150134 by Shawn Robertson, on Flickr


    if there are any questions just ask!
    2003 ZHP 332i | S54 6 speed
    2002 ZHP Touring | M54 6 Speed

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
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    Portland, OR
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    Nice write up!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Toronto, ON
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    Great write-up! Will definitely help those who are looking to retrofit the RLS sensor. Would you be able to add the coding info as well to enable the functionality?
    anandoc

    2004 330i auto | ZPP, ZCW | Schwarz 2 (668) | schwarz (N6SW)

    aFe Stage-1 Pro DRY S intake | Morimoto FX-R 3.0 retrofit | ///M3 Seats (power, heat, bolster adj.) | ///M3 Strut Brace | ///M3 SMG Steering Wheel retrofit | OEM Alarm retrofit | GROM USB | Khoalty angel eyes


  4. #4
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    The people here continue to amaze me.


    ---
    "ZHP is a garbage option anyway- just some cosmetic upgrades with a different cam and diff to claw back some of the performance lost fitting those hideous and heavy wheels. Any 330 with a 3.46 diff will smoke a ZHP every time. The whole Mafia thing reeks of childish behavior." - anonymous E46 fanatic

  5. #5
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    Verrrrrry nicely done.

    Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S8+
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  6. #6

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
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    Quote Originally Posted by nextelbuddy View Post
    in some cases the RLS sensor MAY need to be re calibrated for the new wind shield.. mine did not and neither did overboosts BUT if you do need to do that then you will need INPA to talk to the RLS sensor directly and initialize the calibration process.
    A great writeup for sure. I do have a question about this part, because my wipers have been acting oddly ever since my windshield was replaced. Basically: what is INPA? I hope I'm not hijacking here...
    2006 6MT Coupe, Alpine White • Premium, Cold Weather and Xenon packages
    MFactory 3.38 LSD • 27mm M3 bar • ECS strut brace • Koni FSD's


    Other tweaks: see my profile




  8. #8
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    Nov 2016
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    Atlanta GA
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    Quote Originally Posted by anandoc View Post
    Great write-up! Will definitely help those who are looking to retrofit the RLS sensor. Would you be able to add the coding info as well to enable the functionality?
    I'm sure i can do that, ill have to look on my laptop at my saved *trc files and look for the specific lines related to rain sensor. maybe tonight or tomorrow i can do that.

    Quote Originally Posted by Dual View Post
    A great writeup for sure. I do have a question about this part, because my wipers have been acting oddly ever since my windshield was replaced. Basically: what is INPA? I hope I'm not hijacking here...
    INPA is another BMW diagnostic program around the web, this program is more for communicating with specific modules for diagnostic purposes. for example You can use INPA to reset the Steering Angle sensor which is needed when you swap in an M3 cluster to clear the DSC light triggered.

    with the RLS you talk to it and when it loads the module, there is an option for initialize calibration, and also live read outs so you can see what its doing. when i installed the wrong sensor, i had to use INPA to load that module and thats when i saw that INPA could not talk to it completely. it could SEE it but when it tried to load Live data, it would load some but not all.. I would shine a light into the sensor and it worked but then the very next time I restarted the ignition, the sensor stopped working and wouldn't load live data. when i put the newer sensor in, then it could see live data all the time and allow me to initialize the calibration on it.


    most people that have programs loaded like NCS Expert also have INPA since they are usually bundled in what ever download they found and used.
    2003 ZHP 332i | S54 6 speed
    2002 ZHP Touring | M54 6 Speed

  9. #9
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    Charlotte, NC
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dual View Post
    A great writeup for sure. I do have a question about this part, because my wipers have been acting oddly ever since my windshield was replaced. Basically: what is INPA? I hope I'm not hijacking here...
    I've been looking at the same thing. Here's a good thread on it. Looks like we need some special INPA cables to connect to the car.

    https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...ng-Rain-Sensor

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
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    Portland, Maine, USA area
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    Quote Originally Posted by nextelbuddy View Post
    INPA is another BMW diagnostic program around the web, this program is more for communicating with specific modules for diagnostic purposes. for example You can use INPA to reset the Steering Angle sensor which is needed when you swap in an M3 cluster to clear the DSC light triggered.

    with the RLS you talk to it and when it loads the module, there is an option for initialize calibration, and also live read outs so you can see what its doing. when i installed the wrong sensor, i had to use INPA to load that module and thats when i saw that INPA could not talk to it completely. it could SEE it but when it tried to load Live data, it would load some but not all.. I would shine a light into the sensor and it worked but then the very next time I restarted the ignition, the sensor stopped working and wouldn't load live data. when i put the newer sensor in, then it could see live data all the time and allow me to initialize the calibration on it.


    most people that have programs loaded like NCS Expert also have INPA since they are usually bundled in what ever download they found and used.
    Many thanks for this! I guess I have to find the right person around here (Maine if anyone's reading).
    Quote Originally Posted by ZHPizza View Post
    I've been looking at the same thing. Here's a good thread on it. Looks like we need some special INPA cables to connect to the car.

    https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...ng-Rain-Sensor
    And thanks to you as well!
    2006 6MT Coupe, Alpine White • Premium, Cold Weather and Xenon packages
    MFactory 3.38 LSD • 27mm M3 bar • ECS strut brace • Koni FSD's


    Other tweaks: see my profile




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