E46 Business CD Aux Input / Recoding required?

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27-01-19, 10:42
CitizenKane

E46 Business CD Aux Input / Recoding required?

Hi,

I’m trying to install an aux input into my e46 Business CD stereo. The stereo is post-09/2002.

I have so far tried two different aftermarket cables and in each case they fit into the back of head unit no problem but the Aux option doesn’t appear, the Mode button still only cycles between CD and Radio. I assumed the first cable I bought was just faulty, but the same issue appearing with two separate cables suggests the problem is elsewhere.

Neither of the cables are OEM so I suppose there is still a (slim) chance they both were dodgy cables.

But I’ve also read a few places that sometimes you need the stereo re-coded to allow the Aux option to show up, particularly if the battery has been replaced (incidentally I actually did have to jump the car last week so I don’t know if that’s maybe something to do with it).

Anyway, has anyone ever encountered this problem before? And if I do need to get the stereo coded is there anyone you can recommend to do it, or does this need to be done by a dealer?

Cheers
27-01-19, 10:44
HealyC

Do you have a cd changer in the boot and if you do make sure you disconnect it.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
27-01-19, 11:46
CitizenKane

No there is no CD changer in the boot. Actually that makes me wonder what the other 10 pin connector plug in the back of the head unit is for?
28-01-19, 12:12
doyleeoin

I plugged my aux cable into the back of the radio and it recognised it straight away. I got a genuine bmw one alright though.

As far as I know the other connector is for the OEM Bluetooth system.
28-01-19, 20:18
CitizenKane

It appears there are way more variants of the Business CD stereo than I realised:

https://e46radio.com/category/e46-head-units/page/2/

Mine is apparently the Siemens VDO one, but according to that page it should be compatible with Aux.

The only other possibility I can think of is that the cables I bought don’t work because they don’t appear to have resistors on them like the OEM one does, which is apparently the thing that makes the head unit recognise the Aux input.

Anyone have any other thoughts?
14-02-19, 13:56
CitizenKane

Update - I finally got my hands on an OEM Aux cable and, lo and behold, it works! So the two aftermarket cables I tried before were obviously just garbage. Just another lesson to stick with OEM if you can.

Anyway, now all I need to do is figure out how to mount the Aux input into the little compartment below the stereo. The installation instructions only show you how to install it in the glove box, which seems like a pretty stupid location to me.
14-02-19, 16:42
Moe

I have seen chaps put it in the ashtray which is a good place, or run it to the cupholders by the hand-break. Usually you need to do a little drilling. I put mine in the glovebox cause I didnt want to drill the car. The glovebox closes fine with it coming out the back, and run it under the trim along the transmission tunnel and beside the passenger seat, always there when you need it and when you want the car neat just tuck it away.

You will need to remove the headunit, aircon and trim around the transmission lever. The clips on these bit are not brittle and its a super easy job. If you have the double din nav unit, its a flippin mare to get out the first time, with its fiddly little push in both sides at the same time system.

Depends where you keep your phone I suppose. Glovebox is a 30 second job the others are not.
14-02-19, 17:24
CitizenKane

Thanks Moe! I didn't think of the glovebox installation the way you are describing it - I just assumed this would mean I would need to keep the phone/iPod inside the glovebox all the time. I'm slightly struggling to picture how you're describing it, though. Any chance you could do me a massive favour and take a photo of what yours looks like?
14-02-19, 18:13
Moe

1 Attachment(s)

Sorry its off have its subframe done......best I can do is this pic. Bring it to the glovebox, just poke it through the gaps with a coat-hanger with the cable tapped to it. Once there connect a cable to it and run that cable as shown, you can tuck it up between the carpet and the trim and you cannot see it (get a black wire). I just leave mine down by the passengers seatbelt clip.
15-02-19, 10:17
CitizenKane

1 Attachment(s)

Legend, thank you!

Looking at this, I wonder if my cable is different to yours - I recall from another thread yours is aftermarket? Mine has a female Aux input with a mounting plate (pic below). So what I was thinking was I'd need to mount this somewhere (e.g. in the compartment under the climate control) and could then plug my device into it with a short male-male Aux cable.

Attachment 8119

When you say you need to remove the aircon and gearknob trim, is that only if you are running the cable down to the ashtray or cupholders? If I'm installing it in the little compartment under the aircon I assume I have to remove the aircon unit itself, but not any other trim?
15-02-19, 10:30
doyleeoin

Quote:

Originally Posted by CitizenKane

So what I was thinking was I'd need to mount this somewhere (e.g. in the compartment under the climate control) and could then plug my device into it with a short male-male Aux cable.

This is exactly the way I have it in mine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CitizenKane

When you say you need to remove the aircon and gearknob trim, is that only if you are running the cable down to the ashtray or cupholders? If I'm installing it in the little compartment under the aircon I assume I have to remove the aircon unit itself, but not any other trim?

You won't have to remove the trim around the gear stick if you're putting it in under the aircon controls.
15-02-19, 10:33
CitizenKane

Quote:

Originally Posted by doyleeoin

This is exactly the way I have it in mine.

Fantastic. Any tips for installing it? I presume it's pretty straightforward - the installation instructions even give you the exact size drill bits for each hole (3mm for the two screw holes and 8mm for the hole in the middle for the jack itself).
15-02-19, 11:37
doyleeoin

It's very simple really

Remove the strip of trim above the glovebox first (plastic trim removal tools are very handy to have for it)
Remove the trim above the radio.
Remove the two screws holding the radio
Remove radio (it just pulls out once dislodged, take the cables off the back)
Pull out aircon controls by pressing from behind.
Pull out compartment below aircon controls

Once you're done drilling and routing the aux cable just put it back in the reverse order. The hardest part is putting the radio back in because all the wires can get squeezed behind it. But it's grand really.
15-02-19, 12:48
CitizenKane

Quote:

Originally Posted by doyleeoin

It's very simple really

Remove the strip of trim above the glovebox first (plastic trim removal tools are very handy to have for it)
Remove the trim above the radio.
Remove the two screws holding the radio
Remove radio (it just pulls out once dislodged, take the cables off the back)
Pull out aircon controls by pressing from behind.
Pull out compartment below aircon controls

Once you're done drilling and routing the aux cable just put it back in the reverse order. The hardest part is putting the radio back in because all the wires can get squeezed behind it. But it's grand really.

Thanks. I've done the first 4 of those 6 steps a fair few times already (when I was trying out the various Aux cables). The rest sounds straightforward enough. I'll be giving it a go this weekend.
15-02-19, 13:27
Moe

its got a nice little front plate on it that I dont have, be a shame not to get it looking nice
15-02-19, 14:01
CitizenKane

Agreed! From an ergonomic perspective the location below the aircon unit makes most sense to me, albeit it will be fairly hidden.
17-02-19, 16:56
CitizenKane

Well got this fitted pretty easily. The Aux sound quality isn’t great though. I wasn’t expecting it to be amazing, but it’s noticeably poor compared to the radio and CD. Not sure if that’s down to the unit itself, the connection, or something else.
17-02-19, 17:22
JohnH

Quote:

Originally Posted by CitizenKane

Well got this fitted pretty easily. The Aux sound quality isn’t great though. I wasn’t expecting it to be amazing, but it’s noticeably poor compared to the radio and CD. Not sure if that’s down to the unit itself, the connection, or something else.

Sounds like the perfect excuse for an upgraded BM54 from Carphonics with stage 2 upgrade and Bluetooth stemreaming
17-02-19, 18:08
Moe

I dont understand why the sound would be bad, maybe the cable is nicked or a connection is not being made properly somewhere....
19-02-19, 13:57
CitizenKane

It might have been the 3.5mm cable I was using. I just bought a new (longer) one and sound quality seems a lot better now.

It's an archaic way of listening to music for sure (a far cry from CIC iDrive when I had my LCI e92...), but I do like being able to keep the dash OEM and volume controls on the steering wheel.