Routing the IceLink Cable X5
 

This is a description of my 2006 BMW X5 IceLink installation. My vehicle requires the DSP converter, so some of the pictures may not pertain to your vehicle. Installing the cable requires one to move among the three compartments: driver, back passenger, and rear storage areas. As a result, the photos jump among these three areas.

This installation requires no power tools or cutting of materials in the vehicle.

Photo 1: Remove both side bolsters from the rear seat. The bolsters just pull out. Tug them from the top in the direction of the arrows.
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Photos 2 and 3: Carefully remove the driver and passenger side rear plastic door sill pieces. These are fragile, so go slowly. You might want to have some super glue handy in case you damage the underside connector slides. Note the locations of the four mushroom connectors. The second picture shows the passenger side piece removed.
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Photos 4 and 5: Use a 10 mm socket to remove the nuts holding both rear floor lights below the bench seat. Note which direction is up. Unplug the housings and set them aside.
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Photo 6: Lift up the rear bench seat bottom. The middle seatbelt is held captive so you won't be able to completely remove the seat. Just rotate the seat up.
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Photo 7: Unhook the carpet from the two clips holding it under the bench seat.
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Photos 8, 9, 10, and 11: Move the driver's seat forward and remove the side panel from the center console. A paint scraper and cloth will help you pry off the panel. Note the locations of the four mushroom style clips in the third picture. Also note how the front of the panel slides onto the mating panel at the leading edge (fourth picture).
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Photo 12 and 13: Pry the next panel near the gear shifter. This panel does not have to be completely removed.
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Photo 14: Move back to the rear passenger compartment, and begin lifting up the rear carpet. I used a couple of water bottles wedged in to help lift the whole carpet piece. The carpet is rigidly molded and requires a bit of finesse.
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Photos 15 and 16: Below the center console, there is a hole in the carpet that leads to the "cable tunnel." You do not need to remove the console to find this hole. Feed a piece of semi-rigid 1/4" plastic tubing (ice maker hook-up tubing works well) through this hole toward the rear of the vehicle. This acts as a fish tape. I would be cautious about using a metal fish tape because there are a lot of important wires in this area. I didn't want to risk nicking any of the cables with a metal fish tape.
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Photo 17: Here is the plastic fish tape (tubing) running through the "cable tunnel" toward the rear of the vehicle.
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Photo 18 and 19: Tape the IceLink connector to the end of the fish tape (tubing), and pull it back through the hole in the carpet under the center console.
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Photo 20: Here is the IceLink cable (black) running through the "cable tunnel."
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Photos 21 and 22: Move to the front of the vehicle, and feed the IceLink docking cable through the hole in the ashtray compartment toward the side opening using the same fish tape method.
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Photo 23: Plug in the IceLink adapter to begin testing the device.
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Photo 24: Move to the rear passenger compartment again and begin routing the IceLink cable. Unclip the cable bundles, and reclip the connectors with the IceLink cable.
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Photo 25: Finish routing the cable up the side of the vehicle. Be careful to route the wire so that it does not foul the seat belt retention mechanism. There is a "tunnel" where you can route the wire safely above and to the left of the seat belt mechanism.
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Photos 26 and 27: Pull the wire behind the side wall cover into the electronics bay. I put a zip tie to hold the wire to a metal bracket behind the seat bolster (second picture).
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Photos 28 and 29: Connect the cable to the analog to digital converter. Connect the coaxial digital audio cable to the amp and the 3 pin power / data cable to the vehicle.
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Photo 30: Close the panel and turn on the car. Begin testing the iPod.
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Photo 31: As a precaution, I put black tape on the IceLink connections to be sure they don't come apart.
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Photo 32: Carefully stow the IceLink board in the center console area. Make sure to avoid the operational parking brake components. I set the IceLink in between the two legs of the parking brake bracket.
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Photos 33 and 34: Reassemble the X5. Set the carpet back in place, reattch the seat bottom, lights, etc. The rear side bolsters are a little tricky. Carefully remove this black plastic connector from the car, and attach it to the side bolster. Then snap the side bolster assembly into the car.
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Photos 35 and 36: The iPod in its glory!
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Photo 37: iPod hidden.
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Pictures updated and story complete.

Thanks for sharing! Great DIY write-up!

Great write up indeed! :thumbup:

Nice job! :thumbup:

I wish that I got this DIY before I installed my Ipod this past Friday 1/13. I did exactly the same, except I also run my JL remote bass control line with the Ipod cable and installed it on the ashtray as well. I have DSP with NAV and the new Source Selector works great (it allows you to keep your CD changer). Great write-up !!!

Justin.

[QUOTE=COrth]This is a description of my 2006 BMW X5 IceLink installation. My vehicle requires the DSP converter, so some of the pictures may not pertain to your vehicle. Installing the cable requires one to move among the three compartments: driver, back passenger, and rear storage areas. As a result, the photos jump among these three areas.

This installation requires no power tools or cutting of materials in the vehicle.