My 2005 X5 Aftermarket Radio Install Thread

[Crowz]

Sorry I haven't finished the install yet but life keeps getting in the way and Im waiting on parts. I ordered another backup camera and a 5 pack of fuse shunts (allows me to tap for the backup cameras power at the side compartment fuse block without splicing into anything or cutting any factory wires.

Shows it will be here by Wednesday with the holiday weekend. Once that stuff gets here I'll finish up the project and upload the pictures.

I'm working on my maglock power connector right now to allow my house solar panels to charge the X5 when its parked.

[Fifty150hs]

Originally Posted by Crowz

It could but it would be more trouble than its worth and it probably wouldn't pickup as good.

The problem with the factory one is its the back of the vehicle and the radio is at the front of the vehicle.

Remember the factory gps antenna hooks to the nav unit that's in the side compartment at the back of the vehicle.

You would have to run a cable from the front to the back and come up with an adapter to plug into the factory gps antenna's plug. Its doable just more trouble than its worth to me.

Easier to just stick the included gps antenna up inside the dash somewhere. They pickup just fine thru the plastic dash pad.

[Fifty150hs]

Originally Posted by Crowz

Sorry I haven't finished the install yet but life keeps getting in the way and Im waiting on parts. I ordered another backup camera and a 5 pack of fuse shunts (allows me to tap for the backup cameras power at the side compartment fuse block without splicing into anything or cutting any factory wires.

Shows it will be here by Wednesday with the holiday weekend. Once that stuff gets here I'll finish up the project and upload the pictures.

I'm working on my maglock power connector right now to allow my house solar panels to charge the X5 when its parked.

Please share a link for the fuse shunts. Thanks!

[Crowz]

These are the fuse shunts I ordered.

http://amzn.to/2wwRnmt

[Fifty150hs]

Originally Posted by Crowz

These are the fuse shunts I ordered.

http://amzn.to/2wwRnmt

Thanks!

[itsbrokeagain]

Originally Posted by Crowz

Its not the radio its the X5.

So far I have bought several of the tag light with the backup camera made onto it. They fit e39 cars and some other bmw's but so far any bmw that has a removable piece that the tag lights and trunk/hatch opening button built into it wont work with them. Basically the tag light isn't removable. Its made into the piece. You can remove the lens but the guts are in the lip piece itself so there isn't enough room for these all in one replacement camera/lens to fit.

In the past I ground the camera housing down to fit inside but its just to time consuming to do again.

So I'm going to mount a different kind of camera on mine to get around the problem.

If you have a camera on your x5 already the radio will work with it fine. The radio will work with any backup camera.

Its this particular camera I cant mount to my x5 that I'm referring to and not the radio.

had this same exact issue yesterday with my girlfriends e46 325. Had to grind down the support on the plastic lens, in addition to dremeling the old bulb holder out. I cut the old holder out and soldered in the new led light to the existing wires, and drilled a hole in the trunk to run the antenna inside (im using the wireless setup).

covered the hole with some clear silicone, even though the trunk latch/plate lights are insulated with foam from the factory, so no rusting there.

reception is ok, it took me a while to get the antenna in the right spot to get the best pickup without getting distorted. Turns out if you bundle the turn on wires from the reverse light near the antenna, it causes all sorts of crazy static on the headunit. Had to loop it out and away from the antenna and that solved 90% of it.

Makes me wonder how Im going to run the wires for mine in the X, going to be an insanely long run from the top part of the tailgate, up into the cabin and the back down into the lower tailgate to pick up the reverse light power on.

[Crowz]

Originally Posted by itsbrokeagain

had this same exact issue yesterday with my girlfriends e46 325. Had to grind down the support on the plastic lens, in addition to dremeling the old bulb holder out. I cut the old holder out and soldered in the new led light to the existing wires, and drilled a hole in the trunk to run the antenna inside (im using the wireless setup).

covered the hole with some clear silicone, even though the trunk latch/plate lights are insulated with foam from the factory, so no rusting there.

reception is ok, it took me a while to get the antenna in the right spot to get the best pickup without getting distorted. Turns out if you bundle the turn on wires from the reverse light near the antenna, it causes all sorts of crazy static on the headunit. Had to loop it out and away from the antenna and that solved 90% of it.

Makes me wonder how Im going to run the wires for mine in the X, going to be an insanely long run from the top part of the tailgate, up into the cabin and the back down into the lower tailgate to pick up the reverse light power on.

I'm running mine across the top hatch from the handle lip to the passenger side. Then up beside the window to the rubber boot that goes from the hatch to the body. Then I will run the wires thru the boot and down the inside on the passenger side where the fuses are. Luckily the video input for the stereo is on the cable that plugged into the harness that used to go to the factory radio module. So its right there where the cables will come down basically.

[bcredliner]

Are any components of my DSP system utilized for this android system?

[Crowz]

My X5 doesn't have dsp so I didn't research into it much but this is from Seicane's site.

If your X5 E53 is also with DSP, this unit also can fit.Notice:It only supports BMW X5 DSP from year 2002 to 2007. BMW X5 DSP from year 2000 to 2001 will not work after installing this unit.

I have no idea what you can or can't remove with the dsp setup.

I am still using the factory amp in mine with the radio and nav module removed along with the cd changer.

[Crowz]

UPS shows parts should get her tomorrow so I should be able to finish the basic install howto shortly.