If your car has DSP and the retrofit loom does not, then the phone will not work, as the cars with DSP have the phone input going to the DSP not the radio module (like normal).

You need the retrofit lead that has the DSP plugs included.

I'm surprised that you get any sound from the radio/cd/tape/ipod etc at all.

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Sept 03, M3, Silver Grey. Retro-fits: Modded Mk4 DVD Drive, OEM Bluetooth, VR Control, Rainbow Speaker Upgrade, Sony SOT Amp, HK Sub, CCFL, Intravee II, NightMode.

Thanks. There is a BT module connector on my harness. What is the retrofit lead? Is it avail for purchase?

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2005 LeMans Blue e53 4.8is
MODs
///LeMans Blue RBs///Intravee II///Sirius///ACS Spoiler///AiB v3///HID Fogs///LED Tails///
///215 20" Ferric Gray///MTEC Pedals///DVD Headrests///SMG M Wheel///AFE CAI Stage 2

No problem.

OK, but irelevent, as it needs the DSP plugs as well for it to work.

err, you were the one that mentioned the retorfit lead.

But your car has DSP right? you can't just ignore the DSP option, it's integral to the cars audio input/output.

Here is how it works...

When the car is first ordered, the spec is made by the first owner.

He selects options that he wants, in your case DSP, no nav but phone.

He gets loom A, but you want nav and phone, (that's loom B) however you have DSP so that is loom C, you can't use loom B you must use loom C.

So, the nav retrofit loom you have is the wrong one for your car, you need the retrofit loom that will connect nav, phone and DSP, not just the nav and phone.

Also, your car is coded to have and use the DSP, if the DSP is not "seen" by the car then the result (at a guess) is no audio, you will also need to have the DSP coded for the Nav option.

The Audio output from the ULF (the phone unit) goes into the DSP amp directly, not the radio module like a normal car, so the loom must have the phone/DSP hookups.

How did you retrofit the nav? I assume you had a normal radio/tape up front and you junked that and used the 17round pin connector and then just hooked it all up?

Where did you get the nav retrofit loom from, ebay, the dealer?

I'm maybe a bit confused as to what you have, what spec is you car (exactly) and what is your end result.

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Sept 03, M3, Silver Grey. Retro-fits: Modded Mk4 DVD Drive, OEM Bluetooth, VR Control, Rainbow Speaker Upgrade, Sony SOT Amp, HK Sub, CCFL, Intravee II, NightMode.

Ok. So the loom is from ebay and non dsp. Yes car came with cd option and dsp.

I pulled the trigger too fast on the loom instead of purchasing retrofit from dealer.

Do I need to trash current loom? Can I retro dsp?

Here's the thing - I'm replacing factory sub. I'm not a fan of dsp. Don't need the echo lol. I know that's not all it does. .

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2005 LeMans Blue e53 4.8is
MODs
///LeMans Blue RBs///Intravee II///Sirius///ACS Spoiler///AiB v3///HID Fogs///LED Tails///
///215 20" Ferric Gray///MTEC Pedals///DVD Headrests///SMG M Wheel///AFE CAI Stage 2

Right, you have a couple of options,

1: get the correct retrofit loom from the dealer, a one that has DSP, nav and phone, it should be plug and play then.

2: try and adapt the loom you have by adding the phone and nav to the DSP (not easy).

It's not something I've done myself, but I have thought of retrofitting the DSP to my e46, so have looked into the pinouts.

Do you get any sound at all for what you have now? if so what works and what does not.

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Sept 03, M3, Silver Grey. Retro-fits: Modded Mk4 DVD Drive, OEM Bluetooth, VR Control, Rainbow Speaker Upgrade, Sony SOT Amp, HK Sub, CCFL, Intravee II, NightMode.

so if i get the retrofit loom, how does that plug into the current navigation loom that i've already got from another x5 and installed into this car?
Actually was thinking about this one. Not for me to do but my mech - he's pretty knowledgeable when it comes to BMWs and everything related. I know it wouldnt be easy.. but there's a link on this forum that says retrofit DSP, so it's been done i guess. Any thoughts on how hard it would be even for someone who has good knowledge of this? I guess the question is how hard would it be for you to do? lol.

I get sound out of EVERYTHING. The only thing that doesn't work is the bluetooth. I imagine it's because it needs the amp like you said. But when its plugged in, nothing comes on. Right now I have the nav computer, intravee II ipod hookup, etc and everything works. Radio works. I'm now getting voice from nav since I have the video module plugged in now.

I have an old amp too - from a 2000 i believe, i bought off ebay a long time ago and never plugged in. It's not the DSP amp. I believe its for cars that had the phone option (not necessarily bluetooth) but didnt have DSP. I noticed on bimmernav when you try to purchase bluetooth for x5, it asks if you dont have DSP do you want to purchase an amp for $45.

thanks again for your help. Although i trust my indie mech, I'd like to go into the transaction knowing as much as possible regardless. I've actually been able to help him on occasion with the info learned on this board.

So if i go buy the retro loom for $375 (got a quote from bloomfield - ordered from Germany)) - am i stripping out the nav loom thats in there now, plugging in my original loom, then doing the retro? Or can the retro be plugged into current regardless of whats there?

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2005 LeMans Blue e53 4.8is
MODs
///LeMans Blue RBs///Intravee II///Sirius///ACS Spoiler///AiB v3///HID Fogs///LED Tails///
///215 20" Ferric Gray///MTEC Pedals///DVD Headrests///SMG M Wheel///AFE CAI Stage 2

It doesn't, you will need to replace it for the correct one.

Indeed, it's a fairly major task and easy to screw up.

Right, the new loom must completely bypass the DSP then (good so far), if you plug the ULF in and get nothing on screen (telephone), do you know the the ULF works? if the unit has a valid power and GND input and good i-Bus connection then you should see it on screen, if the loom is OEM then it should just work, did you plug in all the plugs behind the dash, there should have been the large one (radio) and a smaller one for the BT unit (like a 6pin plug type thing).


you would need to uninstall and then reinstall the new one I suspect.

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Sept 03, M3, Silver Grey. Retro-fits: Modded Mk4 DVD Drive, OEM Bluetooth, VR Control, Rainbow Speaker Upgrade, Sony SOT Amp, HK Sub, CCFL, Intravee II, NightMode.

that sucks. lol.
Here's the thing. Loom is OEM. I know for a fact the ULF works because I was using it for a few months before I decided to retrofit Nav. When i plug in the ULF - i get no power to anything else. Not my computer not the radio etc. Nav screen does not work AT ALL. So figure i'm missing a ground somewhere or something. Its like when its plugged in it just halts/faults the entire system.

Plugs behind the dash? Yes everything should be plugged in. When you put (radio) you mean the navigation screen right? The radio for nav is in the trunk not behind dash. Sorry if i'm confused - radio behind dash is throwing me off as i'm sure its in the trunk.

I'm sure the ULF doesn't have an amp though, so that would be the first thing to check right? Also - what is the option for ULF without DSP - can't i just go that route? instead of re-retrofitting the DSP loom just to get ULF working again?

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2005 LeMans Blue e53 4.8is
MODs
///LeMans Blue RBs///Intravee II///Sirius///ACS Spoiler///AiB v3///HID Fogs///LED Tails///
///215 20" Ferric Gray///MTEC Pedals///DVD Headrests///SMG M Wheel///AFE CAI Stage 2

That sounds like an I-bus crash and is not good, something is very wrong somewhere, test the pinouts of the 54pin ULF plug.

Hold on, is the loom for a fixed BIT-II phone with the 54pin plug, that would explain it, it's wired differently for the BIT-II than the ULF (even tough its the same plug).

What year was the car that the loom came from??

Don't connect it again it could seriously damage the cars systems.

There is a converter from BIT-II to ULF, it's cheap, bimmernav does them (I think), try that first.

No, the screen is just that a dumb terminal (it does not do anything but display the screen menus).

Correct, it is now.

You had a radio up front before the retrofit yes?, this get junked and the new "radio" is just a module that goes in the boot.

If you had the cd player upfront (incorporated into the radio), then the plugs are all up front behind where the radio normally sits.

When you retrofit it all get re-placed in the boot (trunk), but all the main connections are still where the radio was.


The ULF does not have a sperate amp, it uses the radio module to amp ist output.

It should, but see above re the bit-II vs ULF.

It should, but see above.

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Sept 03, M3, Silver Grey. Retro-fits: Modded Mk4 DVD Drive, OEM Bluetooth, VR Control, Rainbow Speaker Upgrade, Sony SOT Amp, HK Sub, CCFL, Intravee II, NightMode.