The dealer quote to re-code the amp is a little high, but not totally out of line. Most dealers only charge 1 hour of labor.

The broken coax plug is on your Trimble module (GPS receiver) that is a component of the MKII navigation computer. That is the antenna cable plug, and feeds to the GPS antenna on the rear parcel shelf. However, that alone would not cause the blank screen. You could completely disconnect that module, and the front screen would still display. However, the nav computer would not be able to see any satellites.

There are two screws at the bottom of the DSP amp. However, you do not need to completely remove those screws, since the holes on the DSP amp are slotted.

I suspect that you need a new nav computer. It is possible that you could restore life, however it was broken when you bought the car, so who knows what really happened to it. You can buy a used MKII on eBay for around $250. A used MKIII will run you $300- $400, depending on the wind. The DVD-based MKIV will cost around $750. The MKIII and MKIV are a huge graphics and performance upgrade. The MKIV has even more plusses (covered in other posts).

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SOLD
2000 E38 750iL Highline Edition, Upgraded with the lastest 2006 X5 Electronics
MKIV Navigation, 16:9 Display, Bluetooth, TV/Video with Backup Camera, Sirius, and Aux Input

The item you are looking at with the broken connector could be a telephone. Unbolt it, look for the BMW part number (in a format like 65.10 1 234567) and post the part number here. We can look it up in the parts database.

ok here's where I am at currently. I think Brian is right the nav brain seems dead and for now the new amp works but it sounds like a home theater receiver set on 'arena'. This isn't bad when music is on just when talk radio or something is there. I have a trip coming up next week where we will be driving 8hrs each way in it so I don't want to try to code it to remove the echo because I'm affraid brian is right. What really upsets me is that the dealer claims to know nothing of the "shut down mode" and told me to replace the whole system.

Ok folks first of all the unit with the broken connector doesn't have a bmw part # it's a motorola kit # SYN8486A. I looked this up as best I could and I think it's a bluetooth kit but i'm not sure. I'm going to try to borrow a digital cam from my office over the weekend to upload some pics. I'm probably not going to do much with it until after my trip because as I said I don't want to kill the radio again and not have it for the trip. Brian thanks so much for the info on the cost of nav drives because I think if i'm going to replace it I will go to the Mk IV. My only concern is the gps antennae. My nav drive I assume from what you said is MkII because it has the bump up on the top with extra connectors hooked up but they aren't coax it just has the one coax in the bottom back of the unit. I know this is difficult without me putting pix up so I will try to resolve that issue this weekend. I appreciate all your help gentlemen as it seems to me that you know more about these systems than the dealer does! I wouldn't go through all this crap with the nav as external ones like tom tom are reasonably priced but without it apparently I can't get into the menu's for the radio and trip computer to set distance and reset MPG etc... I miss the old 7 series system with the numeric keypad so I would at least be able to set date/time.

in order they are: 1. everything 2. mysterious motorola box (blutooth?) 3. broken conn. 4. best part # pic of motorola 5. what is this on bottom with the db25? 6. broken wire from motorola box going to front cab 7. my nav drive with box on top 8. view of front cabin

I want to upgrade nav drive to MKIV because of cool features but am skeptical due to having 4x3 screen.

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The black box with the fins and the broken connector is the telephone signal amplifier. Not important, and nothing to do with the nav problem. Unplug it completely.

the silver box on top of the nav computer is the GPS receiver.

Cool thanks. Any ideas on what the thin plastic box on the bottom with the DB25 on the right is? Also if I were to go with a MKIV nav will it work properly with a 4x3 screen or does it need to have the widescreen to display right?