jochen

Best thing you can do: lock it up in a garage. Keeps it away from thieves - especially seeing as you have told everyone on a public forum roughly where the car will be located :-)

I know these systems inside out, and so does hotwire.You cannot reprogram a 99 radio (the reprogrammable radios started in 2001) You must replace the radio module with a Euro-spec version. It is plug and play and easy to replace. Get a new radio from ebay Germany or ask Mr Friendly hotwire. He has some. The radio you need is a BMW Business RDS (E39 nav), model PH7851, made by Philips Like this one Plug and play. Radio is in the boot, left-hand side "lump" behind the boot lining covering the back of the rear seat. Make sure you remove, and destroy, the band expander after replacing the radio.

Tuning in 0.2MHz steps and only stopping on odd-numbered frequencies means the radio is in USA-mode. Check your users manual, or google the model number to find a users manual, to see if you can change the radio from USA-Mode to Europe-Mode. Post your radio model number here for us to help you further if you cannot find anything with my dear friend Mr Google.

OK, you have the SA629 phone optionn with the Motorola GSM phone Unfortunately the wiring diagram doesn't offer any extra clues. I'd suggest 1. Try a new handset (just plugs in) to determine if the fault is in the handset 2. If in the handset, check the actual speaker inside the handset 3. Check the cable connections to the handset and eject box are good. Remove connectors, look for dirt and corrosion, clean as necessary. Easiest way to diagnose if you are non technical is to compare to another vehicle with a working system side-by-side.

Disconnect battery and charge overnight on an automatic battery charger. Then reconnect. Should reset fine. You may need to re-sync the keys - this you can do yourself. Seat memory: Press Pos Number then M to memorise.

Remove radio control panel (MID or IRIS): pull off volume control, release latch behind volume control with screwdriver/tory/alen jey (varies) and turning about 45 degrees, pull on voilume control with long nose pliers and radio control will come forward and out. Remove radio by unwinding allen key locks (2x) under tape deck, then insert fingers into tape slot and slide radio forward and unplug. Remove radio mounting bracket by undoing screws and pulling out Then remove wood trim from radio bracket and reassemble.

PS: hotwire (forum member) may have a radio module for you. Ask him.

Change the radio module, plug and play, very simple. No programming required. Touring: The radio is under the black plastic trim under the boot floor to the left rear of the spare wheel well. Remove trim to expose radio module. Trim is easy to remove. Exchange from Jap to Euro model is plug and play. Remember to remove the band expander afterwards! Hopefully they used a plug-in band expander. You need a Euro-model Philips PH7851 Business RDS "old-generation" tuner module. This will be directly compatible with the Jap nav. Do not get a Becker Professional RDS, the Jap nav cannot handle the professional radio. Do not get a new-gen radio. This is also no compatible with the Japanese nav. PH7851 Business RDS looks like this: E39 Old-Gen Radio on eBay Another old-gen radio Another Old-Gen eBay radio But NOT this: NEw-Gen Radio Module Do not use: an ex-Japan radio an ex-USA radio, this won't tune to NZ stations a Professional RDS radio, won't work with Jap nav a New-Gen radio, won't work with Jap nav You are best to use an Euro radio module, this is directly compatible with NZ stations and standards, and has the added benefit of RDS for station name and song title display. PS: exchanging the nav is easy and really worth while. You'll get fully working NZ nav and a few extra features such as PIN-code immobilisation.

For your info: it is very easy to add the BMW integrated navigation system to your car (if you want). hotwire has the info and experience, as do I. Hotwire's advantage over me is that he is in NZ....

What model BMW telephone? There are many....Tell me the chassis number, and describe the phone as much as you can (fixed handset, wireless handset, bluetooth, etc) and I'll look up the wiring diagram for your car. It would also help if you tell me the phone manufacturer (on the telephone transceiver in the boot, above the CD changer / amplifier) Sounds like you have the fixed, cabled, handset. But I want to be sure.

Wow, that's an E30 ahead of its time. I'm not sure if plasma displays were invented 20 years ago. LCD displays, however, were quite common to find in BMWs.....

You need to see an optometrist, not an electrician

CD changer Digital input is standard spdif have you googled "ipod spdif" ?

Easy, most are self explanatory: 925 Shipping protection package Protection during shipping from factory to destination country. Removed once delivered. Ever seen a new car on a transporter? It has paint protection sprayed on, foam buffers on the bumpers and door sills, protection against stone chips on a transporter, covers on the seats etc to keep it clean and new looking during shipping. 823 Hot climate version A package that includes stronger AC and possibly no heater. Some cars also have larger radiators and increased engine cooling capacity for hot climates 807 Japan version The japanese version of the BMW. Radio is different, emission control and gearbox ratios can also be different. Fitted gearbox may be different. Stickers on the car can be in Japanese. Handbook can be Japanese. Numberplate holders are different to match japanese number plate sizes 715 M aerodynamic package The aerodynamic package such as body kit, spoiler etc 705 M sport suspension II The suspension package with generally stiffer spings, stiffer anti-sway bars, and possibly lowered slightly. 441 Smoker package Ashtrays and cigarette lighter fitted. 204 Drive version export Export version of the BMW, intended for non-German countries. Series options 853 Language version English. All documentation and stickers supplied in English. Even though it is a Japanese car, you can still specify the preferred language

The join is soooo good you don't see it until IRIS/radio is removed. Did you check the radio connector and the radio fuse? How long is a piece of string? What if you get one of eBay for $20? What if my mate fixes it for less than $20? What if the one on eBay costs $200? What if my mate charges less than $200? What if.....<add more what-ifs here> Plug and play if you have IRIS. Must enable MID functionality with coding as well (simple) If no IRIS, you must change radio, add MID cable, then enable. I'll ask.

Replace nav computer with Mk4 Replace telephone controller with bluetooth unit It'll then all work PS: there's a bit of detail in doing this, hotwire can help you if you are local to Hamilton / Te Awamutu.

There were two types of Business RDS: 1-piece unit: the radio is the whole device 2-piece unit, radio (top) and IRIS (bottom) On both, pushing the clock button will display the clock when the radio is turned off and ignition on. Does it? If not, it's a power problem. To see if you have a 1-piece or a 2-pice: it can be difficult to tell until you remove the radio (very easy to remove). You should also check that the radio is plugged in, and that the fuse on the radio is OK (on radio connector at back of radio). Also: you can tell if the radio is plugged in: do the controls illuminate when you turn the light switch on? If you have no illumination at all (check at night time!) then the radio may simply be unplugged. I have a mate in Auckland who is clever enough to fix these, I need to ask him if he is interested first - he won't like me posting his contact details in a public forum. Anyway, a 2nd hand working unit ex eBay Germany is a cheap fix. You can get them for less than 100 Euros (less than $200). Tape is cheaper than CD player. From my experience, it will be a simple problem. power switch faulty, or power-supply regulator chip faulty (I've had these faults before) As for your other question re CD changer magazine: it is a standard Alpine CD changer magazine. Go to a car stereo shop or a wreckers and get an Alpine magazine.

If you want info about nav and phone and how to make it all work in NZ, I can help. I've made loads of E39s work perfectly. All using oriignal BMW equipment.

Correct, amp is beside the CD changer in the boot, behind the LH CD changer access trim panel. Do you have the Business RDS with the MID or with the IRIS? MID = Multi-info display, a big dot-,matrix display with lots of soft-buttons below the display. shows radio, telephone, clock and onboard computer data IRIS = dedicated radio control buttons, can show radio and clock only. No OBC (onbocard computer) data. If you have the MID, does it illuminate and can you control and read the data from the OBC? Does the MID self test show the MID working fine? (press two outside MID buttons while switching ign on) If MID is OK, and you have checked the fuses, then your next step is to exchange (or fix) the radio. Use the opportunity to get a single-slot CD player, or get a Professional RDS instead of the Busienss RDS model.. To fix the radio you need a clever electronics guy (like me) with a MID or some emulation software (so he can control the radio) and the knowledge of these radios. Hard to find in NZ... PS: I am not in NZ any more... Jochen

Questions: 1. What model stereo: Reverse, Business, Professional, with or without nav? 2. What amp is fitted: none, HiFi, or DSP? 3. What market E39: NZ-new, ex-Japan, ex-Singapore, or other? Fuse map is shown below the fuse holder (above glovebox) and on the battery access trim (boot, RHS)

Want me to email you one? I need to know the model year of your E36 328i. And I need your email address. PM it to me.

The picture on that ebay post does not match what you received. the adapter cable is a BMW part. You get it from BMW. Go and ask at the spare parts counter, quote them the part number I gave you As for the antenna amp, it's the same. But try a wreckers for a cheaper version.

You bought a new-generation radio. Your car had an old-generation radio. BMW changed the antenna amplifier design and the antenna connection from old gen to new gen. The old radio has a large DIN antenna connector, and a smaller SMB antenna diversity control connector The new radio has an SMB antenna connector inside a FAKRA plastic housing. Often just called a FAKRA connector. The diversity control now occurs over the antenna connector. To connect the old DIN antenna cable to the new SMB-FAKRA connector on the radio, you need a DIN to SMB adapter cable. No, you cannot get these from Dick Smith! You can buy it from BMW: Part number 61.12.6.913.955 Price in USA $12.30, probably double that in NZ. Looks like this: One you have the adapter, you can connect the antenna to the radio. However, you won't have diversity control over the antenna amplifier, as the control method has changed. You antenna amplifier will default to one antenna only, instead of switching between all 3 x antennas. You loose the diversity benefit. Depending on where you live and drive, you may or may not notice this. Waikato drivers definitely need diversity, but Auckland CBD driver's don't. To make the diversity antenna amp work properly in your car, you need to swap out the antenna amplifier with one made after Sept 2001. Antenna amp is in the left-hand side C-pillar. Part numbers vary according to whether you have navigation or not, and whether you have RF-keyless entry, and whether the keyless entry is 315MHz or 433MHz. Price is around $200 USD, new, in the USA.

Won't MPH create a WOF issue?

No, but around 25 people on eBay in Germany do.