Newbie iPod Hook-up Question
 

Hey, as you can see I'm a newbie to the site, just bought my X-5 about a week ago and love it. Had a question about an iPod hook up that came with the car and for the life of me I can not figure out how to use it. Here is what I know: It's a black iPod cord coming out of the dash by the steering wheel. The CD player was taken out and supposedly that is how you use it but I can't get it to work. I was told to make a playlist on my iPod called BMW1 in all caps and that was suppose to get the stereo to somehow recognize it. Didn't work. That's all I know, so if anyone out there knows anything please advise. If not, thanks anyway. Cheers!

When you plug in the Ipod to the cord, what is displayed on the Ipod screen? Also, are you on CD when the Ipod is attached?

It sounds like you have the OEM iPod kit from BMW (not the best one available, but it should do the trick). If so then see this manual for tips on how to use it - http://www.bmwmotorsports.org/pdf/iP...ers_Manual.pdf

:xoutpost:

When I plug the iPod in nothing changes on the screen. When I plug the iPod into the cord when its off it will turn on but nothing else. And yes, I'm on CD when I plug it in.

Ucrew may be correct in that you have a oem kit. There is no logo or information displayed on the Ipod screen like BMW or Dice? Does you Ipod appear to be charging when you plug it in?

I have the OEM iPodYourBMW kit in my '02 X5. I installed it myself and your description sounds strange. The supplied cable is white and the proper routing is from the back of the head unit in the dash to the glove box. The in-dash CD player does not have to be removed or disabled. I have never made any playlist and it works fine. I usually run it off "CD6" which accessed the entire library and put it in random on the head unit. I'll have to go out and test mine out. I haven't used in a while so I'll refresh my memory and update here if something is different.

It sounds like you might have some other sort of solution. :dunno:


EDIT: I just ran out and tried mine. The screen displays "BMW" and "OK to disconnect". I do not have any playlists on my iPod much less a "BMW1" list. The MID shows "CD" and "6" for a sort of "Disc 6" idea. There are no indicators for 1-5. It plays fine on "6". As JCL suggested below, there is power so maybe it is some sort of FM modulation system. Try putting it in FM mode and scanning through the channels while your iPod is in play mode. The cable that you are plugging into might just by a 12V power source along with a FM transmitter.

There is apparently power there, since the iPod turns on. Try scrolling through the inputs on the BMW radio (CD, FM, etc) and see if it is on another input. You want the CD changer, not the CD input.

Agree that it doesn't sound like the BMW solution (which has a white cable) so it could be just about anything, from an Icelink to ???.

Do you mean the CD-changer had to be taken out? Sounds then like one of the third party solutions that plug in where the CD-changer would (in the "trunk"). Look behind the panel on the left side rear and see if you see any kind of device pluged in there (eg: Dice, IceLink).

Also, what kind of iPod are you using?

Sounds more that it is the AUX plug-in kit from BMW.

Select AUX (if you can - if not I am wrong!) and then start the ipod and see if you get sound.

John