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MPH --> KPH Gauge Cluster Swap

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Old Apr 24, 2013 | 01:36 AM
  #1  
Gatriel's Avatar
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Default MPH --> KPH Gauge Cluster Swap

Hey All;

So I might be moving to Germany, permanently in about a year. I've got my 545i which I love, and have spent oodles of money on, so I will not be letting it go, thus if I do get a job in Germany I'll be taking it with me.

The shipping/customs, etc., etc., is quite easy to work with -- and that isn't my question. My question is swapping out the gauge cluster from MPH to KPH, and then the coding that goes along with it.

I can get gauge clusters pretty inexpensively in Germany, but I don't want to find myself in a situation where I plug in a KPH gauge cluster, and the LCD still reports milage (kilometerstand) in miles (as this constitutes fraud in Germany) as opposed to kilometers.

Has anyone ever done this, or is familiar enough with the coding process to make this happen?

-
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Old Apr 24, 2013 | 04:00 AM
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Originally Posted by Gatriel
Hey All;

So I might be moving to Germany, permanently in about a year. I've got my 545i which I love, and have spent oodles of money on, so I will not be letting it go, thus if I do get a job in Germany I'll be taking it with me.

The shipping/customs, etc., etc., is quite easy to work with -- and that isn't my question. My question is swapping out the gauge cluster from MPH to KPH, and then the coding that goes along with it.

I can get gauge clusters pretty inexpensively in Germany, but I don't want to find myself in a situation where I plug in a KPH gauge cluster, and the LCD still reports milage (kilometerstand) in miles (as this constitutes fraud in Germany) as opposed to kilometers.

Has anyone ever done this, or is familiar enough with the coding process to make this happen?

-

you might be able to just get a kilometer overlay. when I brought a motorcycle from japan to the US all I had to do was open the speedometer and lay a MPH face over the existing face. the coding can probably be done by a service provider that works on BMW's for a major part of their business. something tells me its just a matter of selecting MPH or KPH in their magic box, just like F to C for temp.
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Old Apr 24, 2013 | 05:10 AM
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The problem is the fuel economy would still be in MPG as opposed to L/100 km.

The car would not be seeing the United States again, so I'm wanting to do the permanent conversion. Gotta do that rear fog lamp as well. That is just done with a new switch and coding.
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Old Apr 24, 2013 | 08:05 AM
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Ah, I was gonna say just use the KPH that is currently in the cluster, would be a little annoying but would work provided there were no other issues. I am not sure if a direct swap out would work. I'm too thinking coding like you, but if you already had the cluster it would be worth checking. And of course you could always ask Auchtunge60, I am sure he would know the answer.

Last edited by tonyb635; Apr 24, 2013 at 12:28 PM.
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Old Apr 26, 2013 | 03:49 AM
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Originally Posted by tonyb635
Ah, I was gonna say just use the KPH that is currently in the cluster, would be a little annoying but would work provided there were no other issues. I am not sure if a direct swap out would work. I'm too thinking coding like you, but if you already had the cluster it would be worth checking. And of course you could always ask Auchtunge60, I am sure he would know the answer.
.... I'd rather get a root canal
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Old Apr 26, 2013 | 04:37 AM
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I was kinda hoping for one of our coding experts could chime in on this -- and if they've ever seen options to change from MPH to KPH
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Old Apr 26, 2013 | 04:43 AM
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Rear fog just need new light switch + few wires ... no coding needed.

GL!

Originally Posted by Gatriel
[...]
Gotta do that rear fog lamp as well. That is just done with a new switch and coding.
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Old Apr 26, 2013 | 04:45 AM
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Originally Posted by BlaSTiWi
Rear fog just need new light switch + few wires ... no coding needed.

GL!
Thanks for the info.
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