e53 '04-'06 owners with Nav/Bluetooth please help

[TriX5]

Need a bit of help here, I am installing Nav in my '06 and I have progressed to the point where I can identify where all the connectors on my new harness go, except for one thing.

The new harness does not have the red connector for the Nav. On my '03 with Nav there is a short connection (only two wires in it ylo/red & ylo/wht) between the Nav red plug and the connector block that is attached just in front of the amplifier (whichat lives underneath the CD changer). In that connector block (which is visible just by removing the LH cover in the trunk. In that location there are three or four connectors linked together. On my 03 the short harness coming from the Nav is connected to the third one from the left (the number on the short harness is 6 910 17003). The fourth connector in the block is white and it is empty. The problem I have is that on my '06 there is a connector already there that seems to connect to the bluetooth

Here is where I need some help.

1. Does your 04-06 have a red plug behind the nav (it is the top one)? You should be able to tell simpl by reaching in behind the Nav computer, connection is on the left from the front.

2. If you feel adventurous, if you take the four screws out of the CD changer (or if you don't have the CD changer in there) this particular connection should have a grey label attached and on it is a part nr. likely to begin with 6 910 XXXX (above the nr it probably says "Sachnummer"). I would really appreciate to have that number!

3. It would be really cool if you could snap a picture of the connector block so I can tell what the connections look like?

I am documenting the retrofit in a thread on the Navigation forum and will write a how-to with pictures to the best of my ability as I go through the retrofit. I think there are quite a few people interested in this retrofit and so your help would benefit not just me but al who might attempt this swap in. Thanks in advance for any help!!

[X5 Meister]

Posting some pictures of the areas you are discussing would help.

[TriX5]

Here is a picture of the area, the black box at the bottom contains the amplifier and just to the right of it is the block of connectors. Mounted on the front of the amp is the B/T module. To the right is the block of connectors, mine consists of three, a nav car will have four pieces. My car is in this stage of disassembly to install a new harness for the Nav but to see this part you only need to remove the cover in front of the CD changer.

The connector I refer to is the third one from the left, on my 03 (which has a nav) it is connect by a thin haness (only two wires) to the red plug on the back of the Nav. On my 06 as you can see in this picure it is also connected, but to the B/T module it seems. So now I am wondering if on the 06 I need the short harness to the Nav and how the connection to the B/T is established. Last pictures of the same are in the 03. The cable attached to connctor 3 is the one going to the red plug on the back of the Navigation unit.

That big whopping cable going to the top of the amp is what will be replaced by the Nav retrofit harness. It runs to the screen up front and around the back to the subwoofer and the radio.

Thanks.

[TriX5]

Today I had the pleasure of borrowing the key to an '05 4.4i of one of my colleagues. A quick look in his CD changer compartment revealed a number of things.

First, the short harness was physically the same as my '03 (same connectors and same color coding) but the number was different. The nr on this '05 was 6 973 578 01 (my '03 showed 6 910 170 03).

Second, this car has the same B/T module but in the third connector is has the cable coming from the Nav, nothing else. Because this car was fully assembled I could not check where the cable coming from the B/T was connected, or even if it has such a cable.

Finally, I noted that there was no coax cble between the CD changer and the amp. I wonder why? (The CD changer nr. was 82 11 0 028 760.) Both the CD changer and the amp had the connection for the coax but no cable fitted.....

It seems to me BMW zig-zags quite a bit with these installations. :-)

[TriX5]

Bump, anyone with too much time on their hands willing to take a look??

[sethro]

Sorry I can't be of help TriX maybe one of the techs can shine some light on this.

[Quicksilver]

I can only help with the coax cable by saying in my 05 it wasn't needed
for the operation of the CD player.