Retrofit Soft Close Doors?

[xpl0sive]

Originally Posted by iDido

@ xpl0sive

Can you please check at "http://www.realoem.com/bmw/select.do" what is part number for your wire harness or the 2 pin plug. Front door only is OK. Thank you.
My 2012 X5 it's not prewired for soft door closing and I'm interested doing this retrofit.

Last 7 of my VIN are L163024 you can check the part numbers that it gives you for my car...

[JupiterBMW]

Originally Posted by jiggz

Jon, it seems U.S. and Canadian vehicles are different. We've got Canadian members saying their 2008 has it, and I've read in other threads/other forums the same thing from European owners. However, I have yet to read/see/hear from an owner in the U.S. that says they have this option unless they have a 2013 non M, or 2010 X5M (and again, optional equipment in both cases).

If someone can prove me wrong I'm totally cool with it - just haven't seen, read, or heard anything in that regard. I just ran a 2010 X5M VIN the other day and saw it had soft close doors, so I know it was available in 2010 on the X5M in the U.S. And it's was actually a pretty common option on the 2013 50i VINs I was running a few months back before I bought my current X5.

Good to know... As soon as I'm home, I'll be tearing into my doors to find out if I'm prewired or not... Thanks for looking Jeff. I suppose I can just find and decode a bunch of 2010 X5M VINs to see what percentage of options had the soft close...

[tlovidiu]

Guys, I've found some universal softclose doors: http://slamstop.net/en/
Anyone tried them? Looks interesting

[Gatoferoz25]

How can I find out if my 2012 x5 Msport has this option ?

[CFoote]

These days wiring harnesses are specific to the options ordered at the time of production - you will need to create your own wiring harness for each of the mechanisms on each door. It's pretty simple, just 12V and Ground.

No vehicle will be pre-wired for soft close doors unless it was ordered as such. BMW used to use a universal wiring loom but stopped doing that to save $$$.

Chris

[jiggz]

Originally Posted by Gatoferoz25

How can I find out if my 2012 x5 Msport has this option ?

Couple of ways...

1 - close your door but not all the way - leave it ajar. If you have soft close doors, they'll suck the door shut all the way

2 - use a VIN decoder to determine your vehicle's options

[Gatoferoz25]

Thanks Brother

[Gatoferoz25]

Originally Posted by JupiterBMW

Good to know... As soon as I'm home, I'll be tearing into my doors to find out if I'm prewired or not... Thanks for looking Jeff. I suppose I can just find and decode a bunch of 2010 X5M VINs to see what percentage of options had the soft close...

U guys have any new info regarding this post. ?
Thx

[heatmizr]

Ok I'll chime in....
I have Soft Close on my 2012 M Sport with a build date of Feb 2012. I have every package(!) so not sure which one they are a part of, if any.
1. Yes, they are sorta cool, I do use them as designed.
2. My wife still closes her door normally, as does anyone who ever rides with me, unless I point out the feature and ask them to close it softly, so no benefit there.
3. It takes a few weeks to train yourself to not shut the door so hard, and now I constantly try to "soft close" my door on the other car without that option, which is annoying.
4. I do like them, and though I use the feature I don't think I would say they are worth retro-fitting. Having them creates as many issues as not having them and having to shut your door again occasionally to fully close it. And BTW my interior is still starting to creak if that tells you anything. I think you are going the long way around to "fix" a potential problem - it's easier to replace a trim piece than do this retro fit. So let's be honest, you want them because they are cool
It just seems like a lot of work for an "mehhh" option to me...


Additional notes on kids:
My kids are 3 & 5. The 3 year old can't reach the door handle on the outside to open it, and can't close the door once in his car seat anyway so it's still all me there. I don't really let him close the door for safety reasons, and I prefer to close it myself to avoid hand prints on the bottom of the door On our sedan he closes his own door but I have taught him to do so using TWO hands on the door handle, and push it shut. That way there is no stray hand that can get slammed.

The 5 y.o. is tall enough to reach the outer handle, but not tall enough to pull it straight out properly, so he hangs on it or yanks it downward toward him diagonally (I just realized this the other day). This can't be good for the handle, so I asked him not to do that and am trying to get to the car first and open his door for him (if you have kids you already know that no matter how many times you tell them something they forget). Fortunately he is big enough that he can usually reach the inside handle to pull the door closed once in his car booster seat, and for this the soft-close works well.
Exiting, he usually shuts it himself and I get the dreaded greasy hand prints... but the soft close works there too.

Also as I noted in my owner's post, an advantage is being able to close the doors and not waking a sleeping child in the car during gas stops.

A final, universal fact is that if you are wanting to open a door (any door) then your kid will be standing right where the door needs to swing. If you are trying to close a door, they will be standing where it needs to swing. Several times a week my kids heads get a bump from a door (not to mention the chairs, railings, counters, ...)

[X Driver]

I use it always, as my wife do it aswell. Even my friends know and use it, it is kind of cool.

Need it in my next car aswell..

[JupiterBMW]

Originally Posted by heatmizr

Ok I'll chime in....
I have Soft Close on my 2012 M Sport with a build date of Feb 2012. I have every package(!) so not sure which one they are a part of, if any.
1. Yes, they are sorta cool, I do use them as designed.
2. My wife still closes her door normally, as does anyone who ever rides with me, unless I point out the feature and ask them to close it softly, so no benefit there.
3. It takes a few weeks to train yourself to not shut the door so hard, and now I constantly try to "soft close" my door on the other car without that option, which is annoying.
4. I do like them, and though I use the feature I don't think I would say they are worth retro-fitting. Having them creates as many issues as not having them and having to shut your door again occasionally to fully close it. And BTW my interior is still starting to creak if that tells you anything. I think you are going the long way around to "fix" a potential problem - it's easier to replace a trim piece than do this retro fit. So let's be honest, you want them because they are cool
It just seems like a lot of work for an "mehhh" option to me...


Additional notes on kids:
My kids are 3 & 5. The 3 year old can't reach the door handle on the outside to open it, and can't close the door once in his car seat anyway so it's still all me there. I don't really let him close the door for safety reasons, and I prefer to close it myself to avoid hand prints on the bottom of the door On our sedan he closes his own door but I have taught him to do so using TWO hands on the door handle, and push it shut. That way there is no stray hand that can get slammed.

The 5 y.o. is tall enough to reach the outer handle, but not tall enough to pull it straight out properly, so he hangs on it or yanks it downward toward him diagonally (I just realized this the other day). This can't be good for the handle, so I asked him not to do that and am trying to get to the car first and open his door for him (if you have kids you already know that no matter how many times you tell them something they forget). Fortunately he is big enough that he can usually reach the inside handle to pull the door closed once in his car booster seat, and for this the soft-close works well.
Exiting, he usually shuts it himself and I get the dreaded greasy hand prints... but the soft close works there too.

Also as I noted in my owner's post, an advantage is being able to close the doors and not waking a sleeping child in the car during gas stops.

A final, universal fact is that if you are wanting to open a door (any door) then your kid will be standing right where the door needs to swing. If you are trying to close a door, they will be standing where it needs to swing. Several times a week my kids heads get a bump from a door (not to mention the chairs, railings, counters, ...)

Great post, thank you.