jochen

Many thanks for your advise on reprogramming Jap BMW radio. I followed your instructions and unfortunately it did not work. I think it is because although my car is of year 2000, the radio was actually manufactured in 1999 and hence it is not working. I was wondering if you have any idea about it? It did not show Japan or Oceania....The other thing is regarding second hand radio that you mentioned in your article. I was wondering if you have any cd player that I might be able to fit in my car from the old bmw? My car is 320i. Also do you know what sort of speakers i will need if I need to upgrade my current speakers? Many thanks for your help. Asher

IHKR = Integrierte Heziungs / Klima Regler

= integrated heating and climate control unit

Pioneer head unit?

Alternator whine (which is what you are hearing) is normally caused by an earth loop, and sometimes caused by inductive pickup

To cure inductive pickup you need to separate the cables - in this case the inputs to the amp - away from any power cables in the car.

To cure an earth loop, you need to wire the earths in a star fashion, which is what BMW do to the audio system.

Additionally, BMW put a lot of care in their audio design to ensure the audio has potential-free inputs to the amp to avoid an earth loop.

You may find that you need to put a "hum buster" in the audio lines to the amp, to interrupt the shield of the RCA connectors, due to the distance between the head unit and the amp.

A hum buster is an audio transformer that galvanically isolates the audio input to the amp, thus breaking the earth path.

To test if this youle work, temporarily fit the head unit next to the amp, powered from same power and ground as the amp, and try it out. If no more whine, it is because you have stopped the earth loop by having all items at the same amp earth

When the head unit is in the front of the car, you have 3 x earth locations:

1. Headunit ground at its location

2. Headunit radio antenna - the coax shield is connected to ground at the antenna amp / antenna

3. RCA leads feeding the amplifier - they may be connected to ground at the amplifier

The loop occurs between the RCA leads and the vehicle chassis.

It can be very hard to stop this ground loop, which is generally due to insufficient isolation design in the amplifier and / or head unit.

Hence a hum buster may be the quickest and easiest solution

Other options:

I've got this software installed but haven't worked out how to install the camera locations as yet.

First get the list of NZ camera locations.

you'll want a name, latitude and longitude as an absolute minimum

Then use my POI_Maker Excel spreadsheet to enter the locations, and any other data you might want (maybe the speed limit per camera?).

POI_Maker: http://www.siegenthaler.co.nz/POI_Maker/index.htm

From POI_Maker you can generate the necessary IDX (index) and URL files.

Then add the IDX and URL files to the nav map disc, using a new (unused) POI category, as per instructions found elsewhere on the 'net.

For the best zoom level. Use 500 meters on open road / 100kph zones. Use 200 meters for around town. Use 100 meters when you get close to your destination.

Use 20Kms etc for seeing how far away from a township on open road.

My mate implemented Auto-Zoom on the Mk4 nav by changing the zoom levels according to the current vehicle speed

Sort of "SDMS" (Speed Dependent Map Scaling)

All it needs is a PIC and then write a small ibus interpreter that listens to kmph and sends out map scale changes as required, with a bit of hysterisis so that it does not switch back and forth all the time.

Hybrid: something for those wet Sunday afternoons in between waiting for new parts for the E30...

Every time one of these threads comes up I have the same thing to say.

Q: If these devices actually save you fuel then why haven't the car manufacturers built them in to their production cars? Why isn't the person who invented the device filthy rich from selling it to Toyota, VW, or Audi? Why are they instead peddling their device on the internet for just two easy payments of $29.95?

A: Because they're a croc of sh*t. And don't do jack.

Want to save money on fuel? Bike to work.

I concur, based on the simple understanding that manufacturers invest millions on achieving the best combination of fuel economy, emission control, performance, and engine longevity.

If they could improve one of these factors without degrading any others, for 2 simple payments of $29.95, then rest assured they would. And they'd fit them to every car. And the regulators would demand it as well.

But the manufacturers don't

And the regulators don't

A fool and his money are easily parted....

I didn't do the PM thing because there's more than one person here that specialises in this kind of guff - that & it is a forum - otherwise everyone would just use MSN!

Will try the menu thing again. BRB!

I hate MSN, Skype is better :-)

Remember the MENU button is a dual button, if you cannot get to the Service Menu using the left hand side of the MENU button, then try the right hand side

If it says DVD on the front of the nav, it is a Mk4

Once Perspective is enabled in the Service Menu, you can turn it on in the normal map view settings

I don't have a code generator for that model

But I don't think it has a code... but my memory is failling me...

Hey guys,

I have had my battery disconnected recently. When I turn the stereo on now it wants a code before I can use it.

Is there anywhere in the car where I would find this code? Otherwise I will have to pay for the code from the dealer with my serial number

Thanks

What make model stereo?

I know of at least 3 different types for the E36

One of which I can generate a code for

Post a photo if you don't know what it is.

Check that the car is properly entering sleep mode: observe autotransimission LED indicator.

It stays on when ign is off, then switches off at +15minutes

When it goes off, car has entered deep sleep (hibernation). This is when current must be <20mA

Opening any doors, unlocking car, activating any devices etc wakes car from hibernation.

remeber to get the code for your radio/obc if you dont already have it before disconnecting the battery

No code in the E39 radios. They recognise they are in an E39 and are then happy.

Thanks - I checked suggestions 1,2 and 3 - all ok.

When checking I noticed that (with the radio on) there was almost no difference in reception quality when I unplugged the antenna coaxial lead. Reconnected and unplugged the power lead - absolutely no difference in reception quality. Reconnected and unplugged the multi pin plug (that connects to the window wires) - again absolutely no difference.

Suggestion 4 - before reinstalling the factory HU I was running an Alpine - I could get 3 or so stations but the quality was not good. Does this reduce the odds of my problem being with the OEM HU and perhaps point to a problem with my antenna amplifier?

I have spent most of the day on this and conclude that the only problem I have is is very poor reception. I ended up installing the band converter as with it I get another 2 stations but very weak - what do you think is happening here?

Your comments indicate a problem with the antenna cable or antenna amplifier

Note that a band expander will always make reception worse due to the reduced sensitivity and reduced selectivity that a band expander causes.

Check reception as follows:

Insert a 1m to 2m length of any old wire into the center pin of the antenna socket of the radio - a bit tricky as the SMB connector uses a small center pin.

The piece of wire will act as a temporary antenna

Compare reception to previous situation

If better, then the coax to the antenna tuner, or the antenna tuner, is damaged. Look for damage due to band expander fitting.

Now reconnect the antenna coax at the radio and connect the 2m length of wire to the center pin of the coax cable at the antenna amplifier. Does reception improve? Is it about the same as when the wire was connected to the radio directly? If so, coax is OK

If no reception, then antenna coax is bad. Check antenna coax using a multimeter: should be open circuit between inner and outer.

It should show continuity along the inner from antenna amp to the radio

And the same for the outer from antenna amp to radio

If coax is OK and reception improved with wire at antenna amp end, then antenna amp or rear windscreen is faulty.

Check again for power at antenna amp

Unplug rear windscreen antenna connector and use wire on the pins and look for improved reception

Replace antenna amp if it is faulty

If antenna amp is OK, check rear window for damage to antenna elements. But unlikely if previous radio worked ok.

It rear window is damaged, repair elements using rear window element repair kit, or replace rear window

NOTE: ensure rear window has no metallic tint. Metallic window tine on a window with embedded antenna elements kills the reception

That's a new-generation radio with programmable tuner, as fitted to E46 cars from 2001 onwards

The antenna tuner is also a new generation antenna tuner, looks like it was made in March 2003

The build date of the antenna tuner coincides with your car (your car was built 04/2003, and is a E46 330i Saloon M54 Europe Right hand drive N)

So everything is right

If reception is still poor, check the following:

1. Antenna amplifier is tightly bolted to the C-pillar (ground issues)

2. Antenna amplifier has got 12V on the white wire when ign is on

3. Antenna coax cable is tightly fitted to the antenna amplifier

4. Antenna coax cable connector is undamaged and is correctly plugged into the radio

5. Try a different radio to compare - maybe the tuner in the radio is poor

6. Try your car next to another E46 in the area with same generation radio system, and compare received signal strength levels (in the radio service menu)

hi everyone, who can help me convert jpn radio to nz. And one more thing is Tv tuner with no sound while dring.

and the DVD-player doesnt work, it can not play any dvd movie. How can i convert the navigation to nz map by

myself ? please contact me any time via email. Email: tjlilei@hotmail.com

To make the radio work you need a very special tool:

You cannot buy this tool at BMW now at Repco. You have to look around for one... they are a bit "organic"

As for TV tuner, use the same tool and check the settings, you want PAL-Europe for NZ.

As for DVD player, these are rare, I've never seen one in the X5. The standard model is the roof-mounted DVD entertainment system. Perhaps you can post a photo of your DVD player?

As for nav, yes you can do it yourself if you want. Replace Jap nav drive with Euro model, some rewiring required.

Thanks for this. Anyone have a pro unit? Or do I need to translate pages and pages of German Ebay to get one?

Should I put my request on "Wanted to buy?" on this forum?

Well whats wrong with translating?

Google does it for you so easily, and you can browse websites in around 30 languages with Google

Works really well.....

Unlikely to find a professional tuner in a NZ wreckers, but try. You want one that says BM23 on the sticker.

Hi,

I am looking at installaing an FM expander on my 99 e46 business stereo unit and need to know how to get to the back of the head unit to plug the expander. I have taken off the cover under the steering column and managed to find a 12V source but cant find my way to the antenna jack.

Does anyone have any instructions please? hopefully I wont have to take too many bits off. Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks

Easy.

Pull off the trim panel left and right of the radio. They are just pressed, in, so pull them off CAREFULLY AND EVENLY. I use plastic bicycle tyre levels to do the job, works well.

Then remove 2 x screws (left and right of radio) and the radio slides out

Unplug connectors as required.

The radio has switched 12V and also permanent 12V on the radio connector

Antenna connector is DIN type, you may need a DIN-to-Japanese antenna connector adapter.

I don't have Nav. Just TV and Tuner. Does this make a difference?

Yes, it makes it better.

Euro radio module + TV tuner = identical setup to NZ-new car, so everything will work 100% perfectly

In fact, Euro tuner has RDS, so it even becomes better than NZ-new, because NZ never specified the E39 with RDS tuners.

They were all delivered with the C23 OCEANIA tuner which has no RDS support.

RDS arrived in NZ in 2000, and is now in wide use by some stations

In Wellington, where you are, RDS makes a HUGE difference on FM reception.

So make sure you get an RDS tuner only.

The radio module (tuner) models to look for are:

Business RDS (made by Philips), or

Professional RDS BM23, made by Becker

The Professional is the better of the two, with dual-FM tuners

When you change the Japanese tuner to an NZ New type, does the display show the correct KHz? or is still the same as if you had a band expander on the old Japanese one?

'97 E39 540i

Cheers.

When you swap a Jap tuner for a NZ (Euro) model, the radio works 100% perfect

Correct frequency display, full RDS functionality, exactly trhe same as if it was a NZ-New car.

In fact, better then NZ-new if you fit a Euro-tuner with RDS, because NZ-new (back in 1997) had no RDS support.

Given I now have a spare key without a transponder fitted, do you have access to buy the chip set / transpoder for these keys so I can get 100% use out of the key again?

A key without transponder can only unlock then vehicle.

It cannot start it, because the transponder is what the immobilizer talks to.

And as you say, it ain't there!

I don't know whether you can register another transponder from another key to your car.... you would have to try.

And registering keys to the car requires the BMW diagnostics computer

Is there any way to check if those lights are working? I suspect that some of them might not be working on my dash...

Use a multimeter on diode test and check each LED.

Depending on multimeter, the LED will glow slightly

And a $2 key cannot start the car...

Just bought a 96 323i Motorsport with the factory cassette head unit and has a CD shuttle in the boot, but i'm stumped as to how i get the CD shuttle to work! there are no obvious buttons on the headunit and i've pushed and held everything multiple times and nothing happens besides the cassette and radio.

help?

If it hasn't got an obvious CD button, then use the MODE button

If it doesn't work, check CD changer is plugged in and has power.

Its my understanding if i take the car into the dealers they can code it to flash the indicators and have the clown nose flashing when you lock the car even though there is no alarm on the car. I was thinking of doing this in the interim as a deterrent until i decide what to do. Do you know if this is correct.

Yes, but subject to age of car and what version of control units are fitted.

Basically, the dealer codes the OEM alarm as fitted.

This means it looks like an alarm is there

But of course, the siren, interior room sensor, tilt sensor are not fitted so the alarm won't do much other than flash lights and the LED

Assuming your mirror has an LED fitted ... not all IR mirrors have the alarm LED in them.

I have done a lot more looking around and i am getting a lot of conflicting stuff. Some say an auto dim mirror with clown nose but does nothing like blink you turn to dim mirror, Ones you cannot turn are auto dim mirrors and are ment to blink and have the alarm, I thought the red nose was for the remote locking unlocking, but then i read this comes from the rear diverse arial. So now i am just confused

The central locking remote control receiver is one of 3 different types:

Infrared (IR): The infrared sensor is the clown nose. The key needs to "see" the sensor to work.

Radio Frequency (RF), 315MHz: The radio receiver is in the antenna tuner, it uses the same rear window antenna as the radio system. No direct view of the antenna is needed for the RF remote to work, ie: works in your pocket

Radio Frequency (RF), 443MHz: Same as the 315MHz system but on a different frequency.

The type of remote control system is dependent on the market that the car was built for:

IR = Japan, older cars pre approx 2001

RF 315MHz = USA and newer Japan

RF 443MHz = Europe, Australia and NZ

To determine if you have an IR system, simply look at your key. Does it have an IR LED sticking out? = IR.

Can it lock/unlock the car when the key is in your pocket (ie: no visibility of IR sensor)? Yes=RF, No=IR.