Originally Posted by mtthmpsn

Keeping this 6 year old thread going (just for the searchers like me)...

Reply to Shevin: I just added the BMW auxiliary input to my new-to-me '06 X5 3.0 with standard stereo, putting the pins in the existing connector. The reason for not just straight swapping the connectors is that you lose your X5 OEM phone audio (if you have that option). I had to do the wire connections to keep the phone option on the BMW stereo (tried the straight connector swap first and immediately realize I lost my phone audio on the stereo).

However, I can say that that isn't the reason your bluetooth-to-aux adapter isn't working, because I did the extra steps of inserting the 3-pins and have the same problem you have where it doesn't always recognize "AUX" with the adapter (sometimes it does) but always does with straight aux-to-phone. I expect this is because the stereo is looking for a certain impedance from the auxiliary port that you only get with a straight connection to your phone and not from the bluetooth.

I have a Kinova BTC450 bluetooth-to-aux - maybe other brands don't have the same problem. I wish there was an adapter/resistor you could put between the Kinova and the auxiliary input so that the stereo recognizes it, but until then, does anyone have an existing bluetooth-to-aux device where the auxiliary input ALWAYS recognizes (i.e., allows "AUX" selection)? Thanks.