[JDW]

Hello, I'm new to this forum. Not a MINI owner yet. Currently, just a reader of this forum who has a limited amount of electronics experience with the cars. In the past, I've connected a few aftermarket CAN-BUS car security products in R56 MINIs. But with the model change from "R" to "F", I'm now curious about F56 CAN wiring, hence my registration in this forum. Since I've mentioned that, I might as well get specific...

On the R56 (and variants), CAN-H & CAN-L (ORG/GRN & ORG) can be consistently found on the driver's side kick panel, beneath the fusebox (at least, on right side drive editions). I had the chance to touch a 2-door F56 recently and couldn't find any useable BODY CAN wires (for CAN-BUS car alarm use) on the driver's side at all; and although CAN wires are often behind the in-dash head unit, pulling out that thing is a horrid experience. After considerable searching I was able to find a 500kbps CAN twisted pair on the Passenger side (above kick panel) of a 2-door F56 (a vehicle where the steering wheel is on the right side), colored PUR (CAN-L) & WHT (CAN-H). But while reading through the various threads in the 2015+ F56 forum (electronics), it would appear that wiring harnesses in the new MINIs vary by the customer's order? In other words, would the CAN wires and color for 2015 MINIs (F-series) vary by what specs a buyer orders with the car? (In my experience, that wasn't so with the R-series MINIs.)

Another problem I came across is the lack of an Analog-control Horn wire on the F-series. On the R-series MINIs, the Horn wire is consistently found at the driver's side kick panel fusebox (BRN/YEL, Negative Control). But on the F56, I was unable to find a Horn wire at all, checking passenger and driver's sides. (I will admit though that I didn't test every wire with a Test Lamp for fear of tapping the wrong wire.) Surely there must be a wire inside the cabin that will honk the horn when either +12v or (-)GND is applied?

I'd love to hear from anyone among you with technical experience on F56 CAN and Horn connections.

Thanks and best wishes.

 

[jeremybingham]

All I know is that on the factory.tour they told us that each.loom is car specific and the wires are for that car and its options only hence no spare wires and no waste. The looms arrive in nice bags ,car specific! Seeing them come out and being put into the shell is amazing.

 

[JDW]

All I know is that on the factory.tour they told us that each.loom is car specific...

When was your factory tour?

Because like I said, the R-series (R56, R55, etc.), had a consistent wiring loom. The CAN-BUS wires are always found at the driver's kick panel fuse box (at least, it is on right side drive editions), and you can get the Horn connection there too.

But if your factory tour covered the F-series, then such would imply that things have changed with regard to the looms. And such would make the wiring of aftermarket electronic devices all the more difficult.

 

[uke]

When was your factory tour?

Because like I said, the R-series (R56, R55, etc.), had a consistent wiring loom. The CAN-BUS wires are always found at the driver's kick panel fuse box (at least, it is on right side drive editions), and you can get the Horn connection there too.

But if your factory tour covered the F-series, then such would imply that things have changed with regard to the looms. And such would make the wiring of aftermarket electronic devices all the more difficult.

I would not be surprised if the looms are entirely different, in layout, circuitry & function. This is, after all, a brand new model with nothing more than a superficial relationship to the R models. My advice is to start fresh and not try to match the R wiring with the F, except in the most general sense.

 

[jeremybingham]

Yes Aug 14 watched loads of vo f56 roll off the line and some 4 doors too. They were very proud of the fact the new car had a loom that was made for the car and its options so no waste.

 

[stevens]

AFAIK most modules on the BMW car have CAN-L/CAN-H e.g. CAS module, CBT etc and even direct to the ODB-II port (although this may be disabled when ign-off/car locked).

This doc mentions (albeit for F30 but same era) some points and pins you can connect too, not sure how helpful this is as I dont have my mini yet to confirm

http://www.mseurope.be/index.php?op...vehicules/bmw/bmw500knewcanbuspdf&Itemid=1021

Id be suprised if BMW were doing complete bespoke looms, as all base cars will have a lot of modules the same so some form a baseline must be present.

 

[jeremybingham]

Yes but they said that all the bespoke options meant a bespoke loom. Just what the factory guys who make em said.

 

[stevens]

I can understand that, if you dont buy folding mirrors for example you dont get the loom connection to linbus (this is on BMW e9x like I have atm) etc, but all cars have CAS, NFRM, ODB-II etc and those modules have CAN-H/CAN-L connections so there must be a base loom then an add on that is bespoke based on options. That would make more sense to me (not that im doubting what you were told/seen etc) as it would cost a fortune for complete individual looms for each car without a base loom.

 

[JDW]

No, OBD cannot be used with CAN-BUS car alarms, sadly. There are different CANs within the car. Car alarms use the BODY CAN. Toyotas, Nissans and other Japanese makes can use OBD for CAN-BUS car alarms because their OBD connectors offer BODY CAN access. But most other makes, including BMW, Mercedes, MINI, Alfa Romeo, Fiat (the list goes on and on) don't offer BODY CAN access via the OBD plug. So you must connect CAN-H and CAN-L to the twisted pair inside the cabin which accesses the body CAN.

It's still unthinkable to me that "every MINI's wiring is different" (at least, regarding the F-series). It would be a nightmare for dealers to diagnose. And surely, even if that is true, there must be a full schematic associated with each car build?

 

[stevens]

I cant see every car having bespoke wiring, there will be bespoke parts depending on options (like I mentioned about the folding mirrors) which I have had to add the extra wiring when I have retrofitted them on e9x cars, so id expect there to be a base loom (there has to be) due to cost if nothing else.

 

[jeremybingham]

I. Agree there must be a base loom all of which are the same then options on top but you Need a mini technician to confirm this surely?

 

[stevens]

Ill ask my dealer when I pick mine up and see what they say.

 

[JDW]

Ill ask my dealer when I pick mine up and see what they say.

Stevens, when you ask your dealer, it would be greatly appreciated you could please ask them the following specific questions:

1) Which specific wiring looms INSIDE the vehicle vary by build order? And do those "varying" looms include the CAN-BUS wiring for "BODY CAN" wires? (NOTE: BODY CAN is different from ENGINE CAN and other CANs. BODY CAN is used by aftermarket CAN-BUS Car Alarms. I checked a late 2014 F56, Right-Side Drive, DBA-XM15, and the only BODY CAN wires I could find were on the Passenger Side, high above the kick panel behind the glovebox, within a thick harness. Colors: CAN-H = WHT, CAN-L = PUR. But I have heard reports from others that testing those same wires results in no CAN signals found. And unlike the R-series, I could not find an Analog Horn wire at all.)

2) Do any vehicles the F-series have a single Analog HORN wire like the R-series, whereby one can apply a (-) Ground signal to Honk the Horn?

Many thanks for your kind help and support.

 

[JDW]

I posted two questions here today:

http://www.minif56.com/forum/289-mini-f56-general-discussion/28826-s4v9a-mini-excitement-paket.html

Should any of you know the answers, I would certainly be appreciative.

Thank you.