ALD

Hi Nathan, yeah, there was something that chatted to me in Japanese every time I turned the car on.  There was a card reader in that compartment below and to the right of the steering wheel.  For some reason removing the card stopped the voice.  With the immediate problem solved I didn't bother investigating further to discover what it was all for.  I'm thinking of putting a new stereo in so perhaps that will provide the opportunity to remove the toll booth sensor and card reader.  I wonder if either are connected to the stereo?

The two devices look almost identical Michael.  So, a toll booth sensor.  I have been looking at the damn thing for years wondering what it was.  Now I know!  Thanks for your help everyone!

Don't think it could be a rain sensor, the wipers are entirely manual.  Seems to be an evolving consensus that it may be a toll booth sensor which hadn't occurred to me.  What threw me off was the mic-like grill on the front of it.  It looks OEM, very professionally fitted, a little surprised that BMW would make something so market specific as a Japanese toll both sensor!

Anyone else with a Japanese import have one of these up near the rear view mirror?

Interesting.  It is a Japanese import.  If it is a sensor for gps/automatically paying at toll booths I wonder how it works.  The car has zero comms, no nav etc.  Maybe its some kind of RFID sensor ...

Hi everyone, I have this 20c sized sensor of some sort mounted at the top of my windscreen by the rear view mirror.  While it looks just like what I reckon a mic would look like, given my car has zero handsfree or similar, I'm guessing its actually some other kind of sensor?  Any assistance identifying what this is would be much appreciated!

Hi everyone, a short introduction:

- I'm a happy long-time E46 (2001) 325i owner.  Car has been great, a joy to drive and damn reliable (regularly servicing has no doubt helped).

- I'm based in Auckland.

- I haven't modified my car in any way so its stock at the moment.  My wife recently got a new car and it seems to have all the bells and whistles so I'm now looking at things I may be able to update a little!

- I'm embarrassed to say that I don't have a single pic of my car and as its dark outside I'll have to wait to tomorrow to take a couple to post here.

Cheers,
Aaron.