To change language to English, you change it in the "Settings".
Settings is the bottom-left option on the main menu (whether English or Jap, it's always bottom-left)
Select the bottom-left Japanese text and click it.
The language setting is down the bottom of the first Settings screen. It's the only line that shows "GB" or "UK" or "US" - all meaning "English" of course. I think the Jap cars have US written on the menu.
Scroll down, click, select "US" and click.
Voila! Everything in English.
Regarding setting the radio to NZ mode:
Your car is right on the cutover date. 09/2001 was when they changed from old-generation (unprogrammable) radio to new-generation (world-tuner) radio
Cross your fingers and hope you have the new radio - you'll see straight away in the Service Mode if it shows an area setting.
Europe is the best setting, otherwise select Oceania if Europe doesn't appear.
TV (if you have it) just needs to be changed to PAL-Europe and then it will pick up all NZ VHF and UHF channels.
As for the nav, to make it work in NZ requires changing the nav computer (the drive in the boot) to a Euro-model Mk3 or Mk4 nav.
Mk4 is the best. It's not plug-and-play, as some wiring needs to be changed and connectors need to be changed.
You can buy 2nd hand Mk3s or Mk4s on eBay. The Mk3/Mk4 is the same around the world, so it doesn't matter what country you source it from.
But it is fully possible to have your E46 converted so that radio, TV, nav and telephone all work 100% perfectly in NZ.
And navigation is cool - I highly recommend converting the nav.
Nav conversion can be done as a DIY - I have instructions and software to reprogram the nav, or hotwire on this forum offers a nav upgrade service whereby you just bring the car to him, and he does everything for you.
Hi
Please excuse my digging up a very old thread here, but I have been searching everywhere to find an answer to this.
I just imported a Japanese spec BMW 540i m sport 2002. It has the Japanese navigation system as well as a separate VICS unit and phone module.
i thought I'd be clever and buy an mk4 computer and just switch it over and hey presto it would work. But no...it's a different plug.
I've coded the stereo to work in the uk as well as the display, and I'm reasonably confident with ncs expert now, but this sat nav thing has got me stumped.
I'm sure the information I need is here somewhere, but I'm having trouble finding what I need.
convert BMW Nav monitor from Jap to Eng
in Audio & In Car Entertainment
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Hi
Please excuse my digging up a very old thread here, but I have been searching everywhere to find an answer to this.
I just imported a Japanese spec BMW 540i m sport 2002. It has the Japanese navigation system as well as a separate VICS unit and phone module.
i thought I'd be clever and buy an mk4 computer and just switch it over and hey presto it would work. But no...it's a different plug.
I've coded the stereo to work in the uk as well as the display, and I'm reasonably confident with ncs expert now, but this sat nav thing has got me stumped.
I'm sure the information I need is here somewhere, but I'm having trouble finding what I need.
thanks
Mark