TCU with build date 11/4/08
 

A friend picked up a TCU off ebay with this build date thinking it would the newest version but it will not work in his 8/04 build X5 with Nav/DSP/Assist. Is there something he has to do? Install was simple but the activate phone screen doesn't come on and pushing the R/T button only shows Phonebook Empty on the MID.

Any ideas?

What is the part number of the TCU?

Assuming it is part number 84.10-9 195 455, which is the newest available, since around 10/2007, then that should work. The TCU goes into pairing mode for the first couple minutes every time you turn the car on. The TCU does not use a pairing button to initiate the pairing, like the old ULF modules used to do. Do you know if your friend tried to detect the car with his Bluetooth cell phone after first turning the car on? If so, he should have been able to successfully pair the phone to the car.

I friend picked up this unit:

84 11 9 120 844

Not sure which model car it came out of, but it says Continental on the label and not Motorolla. It does have the BT symbol on the side.

Any idea where this PN originated from?

This is the unit he got from ebay.

BMW TCU E46 E60 E65 E53 E83 FACTORY RMANUFACTURED:eBay Motors (item 220352157802 end time May-12-09 14:33:10 PDT)

That is a slightly older unit that ended production around May 2006, but it should be totally compatible with both Bluetooth and Voice Recognition. This part could have come from any number of cars, including an E46, E53, E83, or E85/E86.

My hunch is that he did not follow the pairing procedure. The fact that the R/T button functions, and if the "Telephone" option appears in the main navigation menu, then the module is communicating with the car.

Correction:

I must have mis-read the part number. Part Number 84.1-09 120 844 ended in March 2005, and it does not support Bluetooth nor voice recognition.

What would be the proper pairing procedure? the part that was confusing was it never said activate phone even after we pressed the R/T button. All it said was "phonebook empty!"

The TCU goes into pairing mode every time you start the car. To pair a phone, turn the car on, and then go into the phone and tell it to search for Bluetooth devices. It should find the TCU and then prompt for the four digit security code on the TCU sticker. I think the car gives you about 2 minutes to pair before it returns to normal operating mode.

edit....

Here is a link that has additional pairing instructions.
http://www.xoutpost.com/articles/all...tooth-ulf.html

Thanks for the info brian. I talked to my buddy at the dealer and he says the unit most likely needs to be coded to the specific car since it came out of who knows what. Then it should work.

It will need coding to be 100% correct; however coding should not prevent it from working. We have found that coding was not necessary for used TCU modules installed in other cars. The used TCU worked (performed its core Bluetooth and voice recognition functions), but it was not 100% correct with the Assist and other related functions.

If that is the case, then perhaps he has gotten a defective tcu? It does not pair with the iPhone or even go into pairing mode it seems. It is a remanufactured unit from the dealer but doesn't seem to do anything. If it is functional, what color should the status LEDs be? I noticed it just flashes red and all three turn off.