F10 Change iDrive Language

For those in North America who are stuck with English, Spanish, and French for the iDrive language, if you'd like to have any other languages (for instance German, Polish, Russian, Arabic, etc.) the following steps need to be taken:

KOMBI -> 3008 PIA_Einheiten -> Funktionen -> Sprache -> uk / werte 1
HU_CIC -> 3000 HMI -> Funktionen -> LANGUAGE_MASTER -> english_uk
HU_CIC -> 3000 HMI -> Funktionen -> LANGUAGE_1 -> english_uk / werte 2
HU_CIC -> 3000 HMI -> Funktionen -> LANGUAGE_2 -> fransoesich / werte 6
HU_CIC -> 3000 HMI -> Funktionen -> LANGUAGE_3 -> spanisch / werte 4
HU_CIC -> 3000 HMI -> Funktionen -> LANGUAGE_4 to LANGUAGE_16 to all the other languages that are available in the system.

Apparently having the main language as UK English allows the car to display other languages, but if it's set to US English, then only English, French and Spanish.

Note: did not test for Asian languages!

Originally Posted by nucleotide

For those in North America who are stuck with English, Spanish, and French for the iDrive language, if you'd like to have any other languages (for instance German, Polish, Russian, Arabic, etc.) the following steps need to be taken:

KOMBI -> 3008 PIA_Einheiten -> Funktionen -> Sprache -> uk / werte 1
HU_CIC -> 3000 HMI -> Funktionen -> LANGUAGE_MASTER -> english_uk
HU_CIC -> 3000 HMI -> Funktionen -> LANGUAGE_1 -> english_uk / werte 2
HU_CIC -> 3000 HMI -> Funktionen -> LANGUAGE_2 -> fransoesich / werte 6
HU_CIC -> 3000 HMI -> Funktionen -> LANGUAGE_3 -> spanisch / werte 4
HU_CIC -> 3000 HMI -> Funktionen -> LANGUAGE_4 to LANGUAGE_16 to all the other languages that are available in the system.

Apparently having the main language as UK English allows the car to display other languages, but if it's set to US English, then only English, French and Spanish.

Note: did not test for Asian languages!

Wow! I will try this later

Originally Posted by fhinfo

Wow! I will try this later

OK! Here are the results I have tried! I was SUPER surprising after something happened!

First I have tried other languages such German. Then I went by following steps and made the German language worked!!

KOMBI -> 3008 PIA_Einheiten -> Funktionen -> Sprache -> uk / werte 01
HU_CIC -> 3000 HMI -> Funktionen -> LANGUAGE_MASTER -> english_uk
HU_CIC -> 3000 HMI -> Funktionen -> LANGUAGE_1 -> english_uk / werte 02
HU_CIC -> 3000 HMI -> Funktionen -> LANGUAGE_2 -> fransoesich / werte 06
HU_CIC -> 3000 HMI -> Funktionen -> LANGUAGE_3 -> deutsch / werte 01

Everything looked so good. So I tried to do some Asian languages, which is tough and hard to figure out.


As before, whenever we have contents with Non-English languages may show "squares" on iDrive and "?????" on cluster. For example:




Then I just follow by the instructions above and make some changes by following

KOMBI -> 3008 PIA_Einheiten -> Funktionen -> Sprache -> china_traditionell / werte 09
HU_CIC -> 3000 HMI -> Funktionen -> LANGUAGE_MASTER -> chinesisch_trad
HU_CIC -> 3000 HMI -> Funktionen -> LANGUAGE_1 -> chinesisch_trad / werte 0A
HU_CIC -> 3000 HMI -> Funktionen -> LANGUAGE_2 -> chinesisch_simp / werte 0B
HU_CIC -> 3000 HMI -> Funktionen -> LANGUAGE_3 -> english_uk / werte 02

After these steps were done, I selected the language in iDrive with the selection "blank" on the screen and this was what happened



Scary right? lol

But go back to the cluster, here was what happened.


Chinese display OK!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW


Japanese display OK as well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


No problem with Recent contacts! No more "??????" !!!

you can see the Chinese characters on the left down side, which is "Doors Open!" It depends on the language selection in the iDrive. So if I change it to "Chinese_Simplified", "Doors Open!" sign will be changed as well. But the bigest issue is.... there is no language pack installed in the iDrive. So it would cause the iDrive screen blank at all. I can't let this stupid thing happen. So I change the value by following and everything works good!

KOMBI -> 3008 PIA_Einheiten -> Funktionen -> Sprache -> china_traditionell / werte 09
HU_CIC -> 3000 HMI -> Funktionen -> LANGUAGE_MASTER -> english_us
HU_CIC -> 3000 HMI -> Funktionen -> LANGUAGE_1 -> english_us / werte 03
HU_CIC -> 3000 HMI -> Funktionen -> LANGUAGE_2 -> spanisch / werte 04
HU_CIC -> 3000 HMI -> Funktionen -> LANGUAGE_3 -> franzoesisch / werte 06

Yes! Just change KOMBI -> 3008 PIA_Einheiten -> Funktionen -> Sprache.

That's it!

HU_CIC settings remain as original. In this case, you won't lose anything in your iDrive such as Navigation and so on. Also you will get Asian languages display on the cluster as well.

Originally Posted by nucleotide

For those in North America who are stuck with English, Spanish, and French for the iDrive language, if you'd like to have any other languages (for instance German, Polish, Russian, Arabic, etc.) the following steps need to be taken:

KOMBI -> 3008 PIA_Einheiten -> Funktionen -> Sprache -> uk / werte 1
HU_CIC -> 3000 HMI -> Funktionen -> LANGUAGE_MASTER -> english_uk
HU_CIC -> 3000 HMI -> Funktionen -> LANGUAGE_1 -> english_uk / werte 2
HU_CIC -> 3000 HMI -> Funktionen -> LANGUAGE_2 -> fransoesich / werte 6
HU_CIC -> 3000 HMI -> Funktionen -> LANGUAGE_3 -> spanisch / werte 4
HU_CIC -> 3000 HMI -> Funktionen -> LANGUAGE_4 to LANGUAGE_16 to all the other languages that are available in the system.

Apparently having the main language as UK English allows the car to display other languages, but if it's set to US English, then only English, French and Spanish.

Note: did not test for Asian languages!

Hello. Where do i find this text? I really need help Hope to get an answer fast

Originally Posted by turboaltibox

Hello. Where do i find this text? I really need help Hope to get an answer fast

What do you mean? Find what text? Need help with what?

Please tell me you EMAIL,i need u help..

It rocks~ I can change it with different langage UI! Thanks man

I can help you,really!!

I changed the UI to all Chinese but the Nav won't work due to no character can select, do you know how can I use Chinese UI with comparable with English Nav?

Originally Posted by Melsu

I can help you,really!!

Originally Posted by lek

I changed the UI to all Chinese but the Nav won't work due to no character can select, do you know how can I use Chinese UI with comparable with English Nav?

Hi!Lek,
Texts of Map is according to CIC UI,CIC can not use two different language at the same time,Sorry!

What if I change CIC UI to Chinese, how can I enter text/address to NAVI?

Originally Posted by Melsu

Hi!Lek,
Texts of Map is according to CIC UI,CIC can not use two different language at the same time,Sorry!

Originally Posted by lek

What if I change CIC UI to Chinese, how can I enter text/address to NAVI?

About NAVI,you loaded US MAP,you just can use English to operate NAVI,So you need to change language to English and then you can input all of them in English....,or retrofit Chinese UI to English,no other way...,sorry!
For China map,we need to add 866(CHN-SIMP) and 8AA(China map) to VO and Taiwan need 866 and 8LT ,then code CIC.After that,if I choose Chinese, the map shows Chinese word,if I choose English, the map shows English words.US car have no map region code(like 8AA,8LT),just country code 853,So if you use US map you just can operate NAVI in English.

If we change iDrive language to UK English, does it also change voice recognition pattern to UK English?

Originally Posted by Stealth.Pilot

If we change iDrive language to UK English, does it also change voice recognition pattern to UK English?

Maybe,I am not sure,need test!but I know if CIC is programmed to Chinese,the voice control will not exist anymore, even you program it back to English.So voice control depends on original language.It not support all languages,most of asia language can not use voice control.

When I changed KOMBI -> 3008 PIA_Einheiten -> Funktionen -> Sprache. to Trad. Chinese then Voice Control comparable/work flawlessly with Cantonese and Mandrain. Just NO can't use NAVI in US~ defeat the purpose

Originally Posted by Melsu

Maybe,I am not sure,need test!but I know if CIC is programmed to Chinese,the voice control will not exist anymore, even you program it back to English.So voice control depends on original language.It not support all languages,most of asia language can not use voice control.

Originally Posted by nucleotide

For those in North America who are stuck with English, Spanish, and French for the iDrive language, if you'd like to have any other languages (for instance German, Polish, Russian, Arabic, etc.) the following steps need to be taken:

KOMBI -> 3008 PIA_Einheiten -> Funktionen -> Sprache -> uk / werte 1
HU_CIC -> 3000 HMI -> Funktionen -> LANGUAGE_MASTER -> english_uk
HU_CIC -> 3000 HMI -> Funktionen -> LANGUAGE_1 -> english_uk / werte 2
HU_CIC -> 3000 HMI -> Funktionen -> LANGUAGE_2 -> fransoesich / werte 6
HU_CIC -> 3000 HMI -> Funktionen -> LANGUAGE_3 -> spanisch / werte 4
HU_CIC -> 3000 HMI -> Funktionen -> LANGUAGE_4 to LANGUAGE_16 to all the other languages that are available in the system.

Apparently having the main language as UK English allows the car to display other languages, but if it's set to US English, then only English, French and Spanish.

Note: did not test for Asian languages!

Thank you! I was able to add Russian and German.

Originally Posted by lek

When I changed KOMBI -> 3008 PIA_Einheiten -> Funktionen -> Sprache. to Trad. Chinese then Voice Control comparable/work flawlessly with Cantonese and Mandrain. Just NO can't use NAVI in US~ defeat the purpose

I have never tried load US map into a Chinese CIC,because load different map needs different FSC.You tried change language of KOMBI for your voice control,you are a smart guy!
I never think about that,but BMW didn't design the software that out of land people need.The NAVI problem is you use US map on a Chinese CIC.
Is "Chinese" the original language of your car?

I changed to Chinese CIC (photo attached), I tried the "Master Language" on Chinese or English. Chinese CIC can't work with the NAVI so I have to choose on either one~. I have MY13 US spec F10, I don't know anyone can have different language CIC and NAVI works flawlessly?

Originally Posted by Melsu

I have never tried load US map into a Chinese CIC,because load different map needs different FSC.You tried change language of KOMBI for your voice control,you are a smart guy!
I never think about that,but BMW didn't design the software that out of land people need.The NAVI problem is you use US map on a Chinese CIC.
Is "Chinese" the original language of your car?

Originally Posted by lek

I changed to Chinese CIC (photo attached), I tried the "Master Language" on Chinese or English. Chinese CIC can't work with the NAVI so I have to choose on either one~. I have MY13 US spec F10, I don't know anyone can have different language CIC and NAVI works flawlessly?

Your system is NBT not CIC.
You should understand my words above.
1.US map have no Chinese words.
2.Language of map is according to your system language choice.
Maybe there are some values need to be found and test,I will find them for you,but need time

Originally Posted by fhinfo

Wow! I will try this later

Total newbie here, so I'm sorry if my questions are silly/completely ignorant.

Here is what I got out of this thread so far:

1. OP (nucleotide) proposed that by coding the F10 idrive into a UK english setup, you can add more languages (since the US version only allows 3 languages).

2. fhinfo did some testing of his/her own, and concluded that you don't have to alter the main language. Just by changing the "KOMBI -> 3008 PIA_Einheiten -> Funktionen -> Sprache" bit, you can get the idrive to display an asian language such as Simplified Chinese.

This is my interpretation of fhinfo's result: By changing just the one code (KOMBI -> 3008 ...), the idrive screen (and the instrument cluster screen) have gained the ability to display one asian language, WITHOUT disrupting any other language display function of the entire system.

If my understanding is correct so far, here is my situation:

1. First of all, I don't have a 5 series. I am the new owner of a 2013 F30 328i with the base idrive (small screen, no navi, no harddrive, no extended displays in the instrument cluster).

2. I do, however, have BMW assist, which is nice, since when I am playing music from my USB stick (or my gf's iphone), I get album art, mp3 tag info, etc. So I'm pretty happy with the setup in my car.

3. BUT, the car does not display my chinese mp3's correctly. The tag info comes up as little squares on the idrive screen, and question marks (?????s) on the instrument cluster.

So, it would be REALLY cool if I can get the idrive screen (or even better, the idrive screen AND the instrument cluster) to display simplified Chinese. It sounds like fhinfo was able to do just this on his F10 5 series.

My questions:

1. What kind of idrive system is in the base non-navi F30 idrive system (with BMW assist)?

2. Is it very similar to the F10 system in fhinfo's car?

3. What do you think is the likelihood that I can make the one code change and get the car to display Chinese properly on at least the idrive screen?

Also, coding SEEMS simple enough (a $30 cable, a laptop, 50 gb of hard drive space), and I'm really just interested in making this one change so I can search through my chinese mp3s and my girlfriend can search through her iphone address book on the idrive screen. Now if I made sure to follow all the directions on this site and make a backup before I start, I should have a pretty low possibility of messing up my $39000 car right?

Anyway, sorry for the long-winded post. Thanks in advance for any and all advice!

Originally Posted by rtb001

Total newbie here, so I'm sorry if my questions are silly/completely ignorant.

Here is what I got out of this thread so far:

1. OP (nucleotide) proposed that by coding the F10 idrive into a UK english setup, you can add more languages (since the US version only allows 3 languages).

2. fhinfo did some testing of his/her own, and concluded that you don't have to alter the main language. Just by changing the "KOMBI -> 3008 PIA_Einheiten -> Funktionen -> Sprache" bit, you can get the idrive to display an asian language such as Simplified Chinese.

This is my interpretation of fhinfo's result: By changing just the one code (KOMBI -> 3008 ...), the idrive screen (and the instrument cluster screen) have gained the ability to display one asian language, WITHOUT disrupting any other language display function of the entire system.

If my understanding is correct so far, here is my situation:

1. First of all, I don't have a 5 series. I am the new owner of a 2013 F30 328i with the base idrive (small screen, no navi, no harddrive, no extended displays in the instrument cluster).

2. I do, however, have BMW assist, which is nice, since when I am playing music from my USB stick (or my gf's iphone), I get album art, mp3 tag info, etc. So I'm pretty happy with the setup in my car.

3. BUT, the car does not display my chinese mp3's correctly. The tag info comes up as little squares on the idrive screen, and question marks (?????s) on the instrument cluster.

So, it would be REALLY cool if I can get the idrive screen (or even better, the idrive screen AND the instrument cluster) to display simplified Chinese. It sounds like fhinfo was able to do just this on his F10 5 series.

My questions:

1. What kind of idrive system is in the base non-navi F30 idrive system (with BMW assist)?

2. Is it very similar to the F10 system in fhinfo's car?

3. What do you think is the likelihood that I can make the one code change and get the car to display Chinese properly on at least the idrive screen?

Also, coding SEEMS simple enough (a $30 cable, a laptop, 50 gb of hard drive space), and I'm really just interested in making this one change so I can search through my chinese mp3s and my girlfriend can search through her iphone address book on the idrive screen. Now if I made sure to follow all the directions on this site and make a backup before I start, I should have a pretty low possibility of messing up my $39000 car right?

Anyway, sorry for the long-winded post. Thanks in advance for any and all advice!

Some F30 owner from hon kong has tried this, the solution tried and tested above involve displaying song title in the cluster rather than I drive screen. The Hk guy test involve changing the country setting to Hong Kong in the hu_cic. It doesn't change anything other than the country and Chinese character shows up. Worth a try, else revert back to US if doesn't work. Those with nav have no luck so far as the language pack for Asian language doesn't seems to be present. So we ended up with blank screen if we hard code to Chinese.

Originally Posted by kon

Some F30 owner from hon kong has tried this, the solution tried and tested above involve displaying song title in the cluster rather than I drive screen. The Hk guy test involve changing the country setting to Hong Kong in the hu_cic. It doesn't change anything other than the country and Chinese character shows up. Worth a try, else revert back to US if doesn't work. Those with nav have no luck so far as the language pack for Asian language doesn't seems to be present. So we ended up with blank screen if we hard code to Chinese.

Hmm, so you mean the HK guys changed the following line from english_us to something like english_hk?

HU_CIC -> 3000 HMI -> Funktionen -> LANGUAGE_MASTER -> english_us

Worth a try, but I am a bit confused here:

1. I wonder if it would work on a US specification car. Why would a guy in HK try to code this in their F30, which already can display Chinese?

2. You mention "those with nav have no luck", are you referring to the HK guy's F30, where he had a non-navi idrive and got the chinese to display, but those with the upgraded idrive cannot get it to work?

3. Is there a description of what the HK guy did on any of these BMW forums?


Also, at least according the follow thread on F30post:

http://www.f30post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=765731

The stock US F10 5 series with professional navi has the ability to display chinese character. From the guy's description, I think if you load the song into the hard drive and go into the Properties > Details tab, you can get the Chinese to display. Unfortunately I've got no hard-drive in my F30 to test this possibility.

Originally Posted by rtb001

Hmm, so you mean the HK guys changed the following line from english_us to something like english_hk?

HU_CIC -> 3000 HMI -> Funktionen -> LANGUAGE_MASTER -> english_us

Worth a try, but I am a bit confused here:

1. I wonder if it would work on a US specification car. Why would a guy in HK try to code this in their F30, which already can display Chinese?

2. You mention "those with nav have no luck", are you referring to the HK guy's F30, where he had a non-navi idrive and got the chinese to display, but those with the upgraded idrive cannot get it to work?

3. Is there a description of what the HK guy did on any of these BMW forums?


Also, at least according the follow thread on F30post:

http://www.f30post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=765731

The stock US F10 5 series with professional navi has the ability to display chinese character. From the guy's description, I think if you load the song into the hard drive and go into the Properties > Details tab, you can get the Chinese to display. Unfortunately I've got no hard-drive in my F30 to test this possibility.

You'll want to start reading from page 78 (just a few pages):
http://www.f30post.com/forums/showth...696777&page=78

The guy in HKG doesn't have navi, just radio with a smaller idrive screen.

Can you also share the post where folks can import Chinese title into HDD and being able to view it, I'll like to try it, see if I get the same result, coz the believe now is that Asian language is not installed in the Head-Unit - Hong Kong, China & Taiwan uses a different part that supports Asian language. So a non-Asian CIC when try to activate Asian language will see a blank. We even tried adding language mentioned above, but those added language in iDrive selection also appear as blank.

Originally Posted by kon

You'll want to start reading from page 78 (just a few pages):
http://www.f30post.com/forums/showth...696777&page=78

The guy in HKG doesn't have navi, just radio with a smaller idrive screen.

Can you also share the post where folks can import Chinese title into HDD and being able to view it, I'll like to try it, see if I get the same result, coz the believe now is that Asian language is not installed in the Head-Unit - Hong Kong, China & Taiwan uses a different part that supports Asian language. So a non-Asian CIC when try to activate Asian language will see a blank. We even tried adding language mentioned above, but those added language in iDrive selection also appear as blank.

It is all in the f30post thread I linked to: http://www.f30post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=765731

There is a poster named "Silververtu" who showed a photo of his US spec 2013 550i which is displaying chinese characters in the mp3 tag info. In the next to last post in the thread, silververtu explained how he got the system to display chinese. I've got neither an F10 nor navigation, so it wasn't something I could try out.


I did read the several pages of reports by the HK guy who was experimenting with displaying chinese on his non-navi F30 idrive. I am still confused as to WHY he was changing all those codes. Shouldn't his HK spec F30 be able to natively display both simplified and traditional chinese? Why was his trying to fiddle with his master language setting?

Also, from what you were talking about, it sounds like F30s which were not sold in the HK/China/Taiwan market appear to have a different idrive unit which is missing the chinese language files, so my interpretation of these coding experiments is that the US spec F30 idrive may not be able to display chinese at all (although Silververtu's US spec F10 seems to be able to display chinese...)

Originally Posted by rtb001

It is all in the f30post thread I linked to: http://www.f30post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=765731

There is a poster named "Silververtu" who showed a photo of his US spec 2013 550i which is displaying chinese characters in the mp3 tag info. In the next to last post in the thread, silververtu explained how he got the system to display chinese. I've got neither an F10 nor navigation, so it wasn't something I could try out.


I did read the several pages of reports by the HK guy who was experimenting with displaying chinese on his non-navi F30 idrive. I am still confused as to WHY he was changing all those codes. Shouldn't his HK spec F30 be able to natively display both simplified and traditional chinese? Why was his trying to fiddle with his master language setting?

Also, from what you were talking about, it sounds like F30s which were not sold in the HK/China/Taiwan market appear to have a different idrive unit which is missing the chinese language files, so my interpretation of these coding experiments is that the US spec F30 idrive may not be able to display chinese at all (although Silververtu's US spec F10 seems to be able to display chinese...)

Silververtu said it's new nav, does it mean he has the HU_NBT? I'm not familiar enough to decode just from picture alone whether that is the normal HU_CIC or HU_NBT.

Either way, the HKG guy unit is capable of reading asian language already, but no Office functionality, after he activated Office, he lost his Asian language display, which were easily "fix" by coding the car radio to HongKong again.

As mentioned, we concluded US/ECE CIC is different from the few Asian country, which presumably has different language pack, however, we can't find diff part for the radio, which I assume you are having, so you could therefore do the same as what the HKG guy did to see if it would display Asian language while retaining all other US settings.

For the fun of it, if your idrive has the language, try just adding more language like what this thread started with and see if you could change to those language