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Warning for early production (pre-09/96) owners!!!
The steering wheel-mounted buttons on your car transmit analog signals to an intermediate communications processor that then hooks into the I-Bus. 09/96+ cars have button pods that speak I-Bus natively, so the intermediate processor isn't necessary. Theoretically, you could buy the appropriate newer wheel (just not dual-stage airbag) and assuming the wiring is available and you can figure out how to bypass the communications module and go directly to I-Bus, it might work. Unfortunately, that's an $850+ gamble that nobody I've heard from has successfully taken yet. Your best option would probably be to invest less money and get the Victor wheel.
[pre-09/96]
* Please read the warning above as there are no BMW part numbers for your model year.
[09/96-09/97]
* P/N 32 34 2 228 232 M-Sport wheel w/o phone buttons [09/96-09/97] (~$345)
* P/N 32 34 2 228 234 M-Sport wheel w/ phone buttons [09/96-09/97]
* P/N 32 34 2 229 130 M-Sport airbag single-stage [09/96-03/99] (~$475)
Notes:
o Installed this on my 11/96 (prod date) E39. One dealer told me it wasn't a US-spec or stocked item and must come from Germany, so the order took an extra couple of weeks.
o M-Sport Tri-color stitching.
o 385mm diameter versus the 395mm MF wheel.
o ~92mm circumference grip versus ~90mm MF wheel .
o The 09/97-03/99 steering wheel P/N was stamped into the hub, so I have no clue what the difference really is.
[09/97-03/99]
* P/N 32 34 2 228 670 M-Sport wheel w/o phone buttons [09/97-03/99] (~$345)
* P/N 32 34 2 228 671 M-Sport wheel w/ phone buttons [09/97-03/99]
* P/N 32 34 2 229 130 M-Sport airbag single-stage [09/96-03/99] (~$475)
Notes:
o Appears exactly the same as the earlier wheel specs, so I'm unsure if there are any differences.
[03/99-09/99]
* P/N 32 34 2 228 890 M-Sport wheel w/o phone buttons [03/99-09/99]
* P/N 32 34 2 228 891 M-Sport wheel w/ phone buttons [03/99-09/99]
* P/N 32 34 2 228 970 M-Sport airbag dual-stage [03/99+]
Notes:
o BMW went to a dual-stage deployment airbag which is incompatible with pre-3/99 cars. There is a corresponding steering wheel change with a different hub, slip-ring design, and wiring (read more below). Otherwise, same general specs as the previous wheels. This steering wheel and the ones listed below will not fit on pre-03/99 E39s because of these design changes.
[09/99-09/01]
* P/N 32 34 2 229 102 M-Sport wheel w/o phone buttons [09/99+]
* P/N 32 34 2 229 103 M-Sport wheel w/ phone buttons [09/99+]
* P/N 32 34 2 228 970 M-Sport airbag dual-stage [03/99+]
Notes:
o I believe this is when BMW switched to an even smaller 379mm wheel with improved padding. Very nice IMHO. I informally measured it to be about 12mm smaller than the previous M-Sport wheel.
o The all-black stitching appears to have started around this model.
o Since it uses the same airbag as the wheel above, it might be a good upgrade for folks with the 385mm 03/99-09/99 M-Sport wheel.
[09/01+]
* 2001+ M5 Wheel and Airbag
Notes:
o I believe this combo also works on 09/00+ E39s (unverified).
o KrispyCreme installed the round-airbag 2001 M5 wheel on his ??/01 E39 and noted the dealer told him pre-2001 E39's cannot be fitted with this setup due to differences in the SRS control unit (see original post). FWIW, the 2001 M5 wheel and airbag show a fitment date of 09/00+, so these owners might have an option of upgrading to the very nice wheel shown on KrispyCreme's photo link. Possibly the earlier dual-stage SRS controller was programmed for the MF and M-Sport airbags, but not the M5 version? Anyone interested in this should contact a dealer for detailed information.