I-Bus Connection with Interface
 

I did a search and couldn't find an answer....Im gonna build a simple I bus interface and would like to know how it connects to the I-bus.The connection VBAT,IBUS and GND do i need to cut some cables or do i need to solder a connecter on this Interface.To be honest I dont even know where to find the Ibus.....I am an electronic tech so Im handy with the iron.

Thanks

The easiest place to find the iBus is on the CD Changer connection. It's a simple multi point bus, so you can 'T' it off if you want to keep the CD Changer (or other device connected to it).

The CD Changer has two connections, and audio connection which is either a 6 pin plug, or a co-axial blug if you have digital DSP, and a three pin iBus plug with +ve, Gnd and iBus data wires.

Thanks Richard.

What do you guys recommend here....do you unplug the ibus connector and try and find an opposite plug to plug into or do you leave it plugged in the cd changer and poke the cable ends in the connector....I wanna try and avoid cutting and resoldering the original cables.

Thanks

Go to your electronics store and get the mating 3-pin plug.

Then you can unplug from the CD player and plug the car cable direct into your ibus interface

The 3-pin plug is a standard size, I bought one from Jaycar locally for about 40 cents.

What I do however is easier - i use crocodile clips and clip onto the connector behind the amp, no need to disconnect anything, and it works :-)

Could I use crocodile plugs on the CD stacker??because I know where that is dont know where the amp is.

Thanks

you need to learn your car :-)

amp is behind the CD changer, LH side of trunk

Look at the size of the CD changer plug - you'd need miniscule crocodile clips for that plug!

Does the amp have a similiar connector? if not are the colours the same as is on cd changer?
Im sorry for basic questions......Thanks again.

Wire colours for each signal are the same throughout the car.

Connector types vary. Open the boot panel and look and decide which one you want to use on your car.

Accessible connectors varies from country to country

Jochen,
Sorry to be so blind, but is one of these connectors the one you use? It's an 03 E39.

Thanks!

Yes, on my car i just clipped onto the white connector beside the nav.

It has power (red/yellow) and ibus (white/yellow/grey - its the ONLY 3-coloured wire).

For ground I just clip to any non-painted metal bracket

I use small crocodile clips, very easy.

Kiwi, "red/yellow" power as well? I tried to use "green/red"...... Unsuccessfully, but in my case I'm not sure in efficiency of the interface.....

Finally I see the white/yellow/grey wire! Thanks very much.

None of those in your pictures are what you use.

At the bottom of the last picture is your CD Changer, look at the connections that go into that, there will be 2, one will be a rectangular connector, with one stepped side and three wires - that is the iBus connector.

As far as I understand On the second picture is exactly the same connector, right? But it's placed quite deep for the access - not the best variant, IMHO

Not true - you can connect to any of the plugs shown: radio, video module, nav, or CD changer.

I find the nav loom connector the easiest because physical access is so simple: no unbolting or dismantly required.

All the connectors offer power, ground and ibus, so you can use any of them

On your white 12p connector (which is X400, the telephone loom connector)

Pin 1 = Terminal 30 (permanenet battery power) from fuse F57 (red/green)

Pin 4 = ibus (white/grey/yellow)

Pin 5 = Terminal 58G, illumination (green/red)

Pin 7 = ground (brown/black)

You cannot power the ibus from the illumination signal, as this is a PWM signal, and will drive the interface crazy :-)

Sorry, I thought he was asking sepcifically for the 3 pin iBus connector. I know all the Nav/Radio/TV etc. modules have an iBus line in their multiplug.

No, I was looking for the connector that Jochen described. I don't want to pull out the CD changer every time. I didn't see the ibus wire because the light was weak and the yellow and gray weren't obvious.

Two "green/red'? :dunno: ..... I used Pin 1 (My pin 5 is empty, as far as I remember...)

No.

One is a red wire with a green stripe
One is a green wire with a red stripe.

Very different

aha..... now it's clear:thumbup: ..... thanx

Does anyone know if you can use the plugs that run to the phone cradles inside the cabin? I have bluetooth on my E46, and i removed that cradle. I noticed there was a similar plug to the one on the CD changer but it doesn't seem to work =(

My car doesn't have satnav either. I found a similar plug behing my CD changer in the trunk which also doesn't work... urgh!

I`m also wanted to know where i can find ibus signal on a car that doesn`t have NAV/CDC/PHONE.

Al the car`s i have use my ibus interface on had nav, so that was easy.
But would like to know where i can tap into the ibus signal easy on a car without NAV/CDC/PHONE.

Joxer

Assuming you have an X5:

The ibus goes to
On-board monitor
Video module
CD changer
Radio
MID
Navigation computer
Steering wheel
PDC control unit
Telephone control unit
Light control module

And if your car has ibus connected to kbus it also goes to

Air suspension control unit
RDS control unit
Beam throw adjustment control unit
Switching centre
Independent aux heating
Seat / steering memory
Immobiliser
Airbag diagnostic module
Heating and AC controls
General module

But almost every car has the CDC wiring fitted, so even if you have no CDC, you should still be able to connect to the CDC cable.

There is no ibus on the phone cradle.

You could tap onto the wires on the light switching centre (LSZ), which is directly behind the main light switch.

Thank you Jochen!

By pdc u mean in the rear right side on an e39 ?

Thanks

i mean the PDC control unit.

One in the rear for the rear PDC, one in the front for the front PDC (I think)

hello ppl, i have a X5 from 2001 with mk3, so my ibus connector are in the rear of the cd player of navigation? i have to disconnect it or not to i can connect the cables?

regards

The ibus is on both units: CD player and navigation

If you just poke a wire into the back of the plug into the ibus pin, you don't have to disconnect it.

What I do if i have no easy place to access the ibus, is choose the most convenient connector, remove the connector housing, poke a short wire into the ibus pin, and plug the connector back onto the device.
then I clip to the ibus with my crocodile clips.