PROJEKT36 · WIRING

Instrument cluster

Every used pin on the three E36 cluster connectors, with its wire colour and where it goes. Hover or tap a row to see the full route.

Standard petrol E36, 316i–328i, from the 1998 BMW wiring manual. On a phone, scroll the diagram sideways.

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SW blackRT redGN greenBL blueGE yellowBR brownWS white GN/SW = green with black stripe supply / ground of a part shown elsewhere

Connector X16

0.35 WS headlight switching (6312.0) 0.5 GR/RT light switch dimmer (6300.0) 0.5 BL/BR hazard warning relay (6313.0) 0.5 BL/GN hazard warning relay (6313.0) 0.5 GR/BR EGS control unit pin 25 0.35 WS/GE diagnostic link (0670.5) 0.35 WS/VI diagnostic link (0670.5) 0.5 BL/SW airbag module A12 pin 7 0.5 BR/GN handbrake switch S31 0.35 BR/VI fluid level switch B18 0.5 GE pad sensors B16 → B17 0.5 SW DME TD output, splice X1047 0.5 WS/SW DME fuel signal (TI) fuse F31 5A fuse F27 5A ground X10010 X16 Cluster 26-pin, white 1 High beam indicator 2 Panel lights (58g) 3 Right turn indicator 4 Left turn indicator 5 EGS fault lamp 11 Diagnosis RxD 12 Diagnosis TxD 14 Airbag warning 17 Handbrake warning 18 Brake fluid warning 19 Brake pad wear 20 Engine speed (TD) in 21 Fuel consumption in 22 Terminal 30 23 Terminal 15, warning lamps 24 Ground, electronics

How it works

X16 is the white 26-pin connector. It carries the warning and indicator lamp inputs, the engine speed and fuel consumption signals from the DME, diagnosis, and the terminal 30 and 15 supplies.

Most warning lamps work by grounding: the switch or control unit at the far end pulls the cluster pin to ground and the lamp lights.

Redrawn from BMW ETM 6211.0 (05/99), standard petrol E36 (316i–328i); diesel and M3 parts are left out. Not covered: pins 8 and 9 (diesel); pin 10 (convertible rollover protection); pin 13 (oil temperature gauge, not drawn for these models); pin 26 (catalytic converter overtemperature, Japan); pins 6, 7, 15, 16 and 25 are not used.

Connector X17

0.5 WS/RT hazard warning relay (6313.0) 0.5 SW/WS splice X188 → many units ground X173 fuse F23 5A 0.5 GN ignition switch terminal 15 0.5 BL alternator D+ (1230.0) 0.75 GE/BR fog light relay (6312.0) 0.35 SW/RT gong H10 0.35 WS/GR on-board computer pin 9 0.5 GR/SW/GE ABS / ASC control unit 0.35 BL/BR ASC control unit A52 0.35 WS/GN diagnostic link (0670.5) fuse F46 15A 0.5 BR/GE temperature sensor 0.5 BR/VI temperature sensor 0.35 BR/GN oil pressure switch B6231 0.35 GR/SW/GE ABS control unit pin 16 0.35 BL/VI/WS OBC / clock, gear indicator 0.35 BL/BR/GE OBC / clock pin 6 X17 Cluster 26-pin, blue 1 Trailer turn indicator 2 Speed signal out 3 Ground, warning lamps 4 Terminal 15, electronics 5 Charge lamp feed (15) 6 Charge lamp (61) 8 Front fog indicator 9 Gong output 10 Fuel tank contents out 11 ABS warning 12 ASC warning 15 Service indicator reset 16 Terminal R 17 Coolant temperature 18 Coolant temperature 19 Oil pressure warning 21 ABS lamp output 24 Dimmer signal out 26 Check control lamp

How it works

X17 is the blue 26-pin connector: the supplies for the cluster electronics, the gauges (coolant temperature, oil pressure lamp, charge lamp), the speed signal it sends out, and the links to the on-board computer.

The cluster makes the road speed signal (pin 2) and shares it through splice X188 with the DME and the other units that need it.

Redrawn from BMW ETM 6211.0 (05/99), standard petrol E36 (316i–328i); diesel and M3 parts are left out. Not covered: pin 12 upshift signal and pin 20 SMG fault lamp (M3); pin 14 seat belt warning (USA, Canada and Gulf countries); pins 7, 13, 22, 23 and 25 are not used.

Connector X271

0.5 BR/GE tank sensors B25y → B6 0.5 BR/SW splice X805 0.5 BR/RT reed contact B10 0.5 GE/WS rear fog switch (6312.0) X271 Cluster 12-pin, black 1 Fuel level sensors 3 Fuel sensor ground (31b) 4 Speedometer reed contact 5 Rear fog indicator

How it works

X271 is the small black 12-pin connector for the fuel level sensors, the speedometer reed contact and the rear fog light indicator.

Redrawn from BMW ETM 6211.0 (05/99), standard petrol E36 (316i–328i); diesel and M3 parts are left out. Not covered: pins 2 and 6–12 are not used.

Reading the wire codes

BMW labels every wire with its size and colour, for example 2.5 SW/GE: 2.5 mm², black (schwarz) with a yellow (gelb) stripe. Connectors are numbered X…, followed by the pin. The wires in these diagrams are drawn at relative thickness, so the 25 mm² battery cable stands out from a 0.35 mm² signal wire.

Codes used here: SW = black, RT = red, GN = green, BL = blue, GE = yellow, BR = brown, WS = white.