I finally decided to install the aux input in my e60 m5. After some research in the forums and finding out that buying an 80$ cable from the dealer just to remove the little green resistor board got me thinking, Im paying 80$ for a wire that i could be making for under 10$. So total cost for this project was actually around 7$
It's my 2nd DIY post so bare with me im a little bit rusty! I will answer all questions if anything is unclear.
First here is a list of the tools you will need:
Philips screwdriver
Drill with 7/32nd universal drill bit (plastic wood metal)
Electric Tape,
Xacto knife,
Strong glue (gel crazy glue, polyurethane or contact cement)
Welding iron
little bit of elbow grease
Now for the parts:
3.5mm audio female input (stereo very important)
3 female connector pins (tyco)
any audio cable with 3 wires inside(or 2 wires and a ground) about 1.5 to 2 feet in lenght
For the coding part you will need the K+DCAN usb cable and the software INPA with NCSEXPERT loaded into a 32 bit windows laptop.
Step 1: Code the car to make sure you can enable the AUX input before you do all this for nothing!
-Using the software NCSEXPERT you need to find the following module and change the following option:
For CCC systems, with navigation, add $NAUX in VO or module CAPPL : AUX_CONFIG = mounted (default is not_mounted)
For MASK systems 04-06 without navigation, add $NAUX in VO or module MASK : AUX_CONFIG = mounted
As soon as this is coded you should see your idrive screen reboot, once on double check is AUX all the way to the right.
If it is showing then you can build the cable and install it.
Step 2: The Cable
-It's pretty straight forward, you need to weld 3 wires to the 3.5mm female jack and weld the other end to 3 female connector pins.
One of them will be the ground, the other one Left Channel, the other Right Channel. Pics attached.
Step 3: The install location
-You can mount the cable in the glove box on the left side close to the emergency flashlight or you can mount the input under the radio.
-Once you decide the final location you will need to remove the trim where the air vents are. To do this open the passenger front door.
-Using a small prying tool gently pop the cover by starting from the edges and moving toward the middle.
-Once the piece is out, pop the hazard/unlock button and remove the connector.
-On the top left and right corner of the climate control buttons you will see 1 screw in each corner, remove with philips.
-Then gently pull the climate controls towards you, they should come out easily, apply a prying tool for the lower plastic board on each
side and pull towards you.
-Once the panels are out you need to remove 4 screws on the CCC unit (the metal plate under the cd slot) and 2 screws for the mask
unit.
-Pull the radio unit out, then unplug the big radio connector. (pic attached)
-Visually locate the black 12 pin connector (pic attached)
-for the MASK unit you wont find that 12 pin black connector, you can either purchase one from the dealer or connect the pins directly
if you connect the pins directly make sure they are all well insulated so they wont touch each other and short the input.
I attached 2 pics of the connector, one from the front and one from the back
-Before you put the radio back in it's location you will need to test fit the connector (attached pic) and make a whole to make space
for the newly installed input jack.
-Drill a hole where you want to mount the aux input and mount the connector, apply glue, let it dry before you install inside the car.
-Before you close everything, you need to test the system, turn the radio on and connect your smart phone, tablet or computer to the
aux input. Go to youtube and find the left-right audio test video. See if the sound comes out from the left and right speakers. If the
sound is reversed just change the left and right pin on the harness. If everything works reverse the installation and close everything.
Thats it!
Here are the pics!
1-Cable finished
2-Female 3.5mm stereo jack
3- Different type stereo jack
4- Tyco push pin female
5-Connector back view behind radio
6-Black 12 pin connector
7-Front view of 12 pin connector
8-Rear view of plastic board under radio
9-Hole to cut under radio
10- Final result!
It's my 2nd DIY post so bare with me im a little bit rusty! I will answer all questions if anything is unclear.
First here is a list of the tools you will need:
Philips screwdriver
Drill with 7/32nd universal drill bit (plastic wood metal)
Electric Tape,
Xacto knife,
Strong glue (gel crazy glue, polyurethane or contact cement)
Welding iron
little bit of elbow grease
Now for the parts:
3.5mm audio female input (stereo very important)
3 female connector pins (tyco)
any audio cable with 3 wires inside(or 2 wires and a ground) about 1.5 to 2 feet in lenght
For the coding part you will need the K+DCAN usb cable and the software INPA with NCSEXPERT loaded into a 32 bit windows laptop.
Step 1: Code the car to make sure you can enable the AUX input before you do all this for nothing!
-Using the software NCSEXPERT you need to find the following module and change the following option:
For CCC systems, with navigation, add $NAUX in VO or module CAPPL : AUX_CONFIG = mounted (default is not_mounted)
For MASK systems 04-06 without navigation, add $NAUX in VO or module MASK : AUX_CONFIG = mounted
As soon as this is coded you should see your idrive screen reboot, once on double check is AUX all the way to the right.
If it is showing then you can build the cable and install it.
Step 2: The Cable
-It's pretty straight forward, you need to weld 3 wires to the 3.5mm female jack and weld the other end to 3 female connector pins.
One of them will be the ground, the other one Left Channel, the other Right Channel. Pics attached.
Step 3: The install location
-You can mount the cable in the glove box on the left side close to the emergency flashlight or you can mount the input under the radio.
-Once you decide the final location you will need to remove the trim where the air vents are. To do this open the passenger front door.
-Using a small prying tool gently pop the cover by starting from the edges and moving toward the middle.
-Once the piece is out, pop the hazard/unlock button and remove the connector.
-On the top left and right corner of the climate control buttons you will see 1 screw in each corner, remove with philips.
-Then gently pull the climate controls towards you, they should come out easily, apply a prying tool for the lower plastic board on each
side and pull towards you.
-Once the panels are out you need to remove 4 screws on the CCC unit (the metal plate under the cd slot) and 2 screws for the mask
unit.
-Pull the radio unit out, then unplug the big radio connector. (pic attached)
-Visually locate the black 12 pin connector (pic attached)
-for the MASK unit you wont find that 12 pin black connector, you can either purchase one from the dealer or connect the pins directly
if you connect the pins directly make sure they are all well insulated so they wont touch each other and short the input.
I attached 2 pics of the connector, one from the front and one from the back
-Before you put the radio back in it's location you will need to test fit the connector (attached pic) and make a whole to make space
for the newly installed input jack.
-Drill a hole where you want to mount the aux input and mount the connector, apply glue, let it dry before you install inside the car.
-Before you close everything, you need to test the system, turn the radio on and connect your smart phone, tablet or computer to the
aux input. Go to youtube and find the left-right audio test video. See if the sound comes out from the left and right speakers. If the
sound is reversed just change the left and right pin on the harness. If everything works reverse the installation and close everything.
Thats it!
Here are the pics!
1-Cable finished
2-Female 3.5mm stereo jack
3- Different type stereo jack
4- Tyco push pin female
5-Connector back view behind radio
6-Black 12 pin connector
7-Front view of 12 pin connector
8-Rear view of plastic board under radio
9-Hole to cut under radio
10- Final result!