Electric Steering Column Retrofit

[andyhud007]

So its been a while since I've posted any new retro's to my car as I'm doing most now on other cars but finally got round to doing my electric steering column retrofit

My car came with the manual "lever" version of the column and when I got hold of a second hand electric column I had to get it.

Overall the retrofit took just over 3.5 hours, that included running the additional wires, removing steering wheel, old column, fitting new column, calibrating steering and putting everything back and coding etc.

It looks very scary, but it isn't that bad. However, now I have nice working Easy Entry so the driver seat moves out the way and the column moves out the way when the driver door opens, and when you start the engine the seat and column moves back into place where you "stored" it with the seat memory buttons on the driver door. It also keeps separate column positions for both keys (mine and the wife's).

Original Column Proof!

original column.jpg

Steering Wheel Off and Trim Removal

wheel off and trim off.jpg

Old Column out (bottom) and new column (top)

old and new columns.jpg

New Electric Steering Column Fitted

new column in.jpg

New Trim with button in and steering controls back

new column and trim in.jpg

Oddly I dont have a pic of it all finished and back to normal but trust me it is. I'll take pics if people want but its just back to normal.

Its a rare option and was/is only standard on the Vorsprung spec of Q7 4M so I'm chuffed with this new addition.

Hope its of interest

Cheers

Andy

[muumipeikko]

Andy, A quick question as you seem to have managed to do something in a Retrofit I can't do despite the fact mine was factory fitted!
How do you get the Steering wheel to move out of the way and the seat to move back when you open the driver door? My old Lexus use to do this and when I opted for the electric steering column on the Q7 I expected it to do is but it never did.
Is their a setting in the MMI or it is it a hidden coding thing?

[andyhud007]

Andy, A quick question as you seem to have managed to do something in a Retrofit I can't do despite the fact mine was factory fitted!
How do you get the Steering wheel to move out of the way and the seat to move back when you open the driver door? My old Lexus use to do this and when I opted for the electric steering column on the Q7 I expected it to do is but it never did.
Is their a setting in the MMI or it is it a hidden coding thing?

Sure, it will only work if you have Elec Steering Column AND Driver Memory Seat buttons. Do you have Driver memory seat buttons?

If you dont, it can still be enabled by the coding on my Coding thread on this forum under "easy entry"

Do you have Easy Entry option under "Car / Vehicle Settings / Seats / Driver Seat" - Check there too

Thanks

Andy

[muumipeikko]

Yes I have both, I'll give it a go tonight thanks!

[jldiablo]

ha been waiting for this, finally you got it done! congrats on another successful retrofit!

[Nemo78]

So its been a while since I've posted any new retro's to my car as I'm doing most now on other cars but finally got round to doing my electric steering column retrofit

My car came with the manual "lever" version of the column and when I got hold of a second hand electric column I had to get it.

Overall the retrofit took just over 3.5 hours, that included running the additional wires, removing steering wheel, old column, fitting new column, calibrating steering and putting everything back and coding etc.

It looks very scary, but it isn't that bad. However, now I have nice working Easy Entry so the driver seat moves out the way and the column moves out the way when the driver door opens, and when you start the engine the seat and column moves back into place where you "stored" it with the seat memory buttons on the driver door. It also keeps separate column positions for both keys (mine and the wife's).

Original Column Proof!

original column.jpg

Steering Wheel Off and Trim Removal

wheel off and trim off.jpg

Old Column out (bottom) and new column (top)

old and new columns.jpg

New Electric Steering Column Fitted

new column in.jpg

New Trim with button in and steering controls back

new column and trim in.jpg

Oddly I dont have a pic of it all finished and back to normal but trust me it is. I'll take pics if people want but its just back to normal.

Its a rare option and was/is only standard on the Vorsprung spec of Q7 4M so I'm chuffed with this new addition.

Hope its of interest

Cheers

Andy

Great work as always - any chance of a quick video clip of seats and wheel moving?

[JohnEx]

I have the same confusion with mine. Factory fitted electric steering column and electric memory seats. I have the option to select "Easy Entry" in the MMI from the seats menu and have this ticked. When you open the door the steering wheel does move upwards and the seat side bolsters deflate but the seat itself doesn't move. What seats do you have Andy? Maybe the Sports Seats plus don't move with this feature?

[inchshort]

Great work Andy, nice retrofit,,brilliant write up, a real asset to this community, keep up the good work mate.

[andyhud007]

I have the same confusion with mine. Factory fitted electric steering column and electric memory seats. I have the option to select "Easy Entry" in the MMI from the seats menu and have this ticked. When you open the door the steering wheel does move upwards and the seat side bolsters deflate but the seat itself doesn't move. What seats do you have Andy? Maybe the Sports Seats plus don't move with this feature?

Sorry John. Missed this.

That's odd, they should move with easy entry ticked. What year is your car? I'm wondering if the earlier variants of the 4M didn't have it enabled in coding. It's just a coding change to ensure it's on.

Do you have odbeleven or similar to check?

[Retom]

Sorry John. Missed this.

That's odd, they should move with easy entry ticked. What year is your car? I'm wondering if the earlier variants of the 4M didn't have it enabled in coding. It's just a coding change to ensure it's on.

Do you have odbeleven or similar to check?

This is exactly what I had in my car. Earlier models didn't have Easy Entry for the seats (only steering wheel). I have enabled this function in coding for both seats thanks to your instructions Andy.