jochen

Hi, I'm looking at buying a 540i this week (yes I know, finally you say...). This car has the full TV/nav system etc and is ex Japan, 1997 with 74,000kms on the clock. A good price I think at <$22k. I went over it with a fine-tooth comb today, quite clean and tidy but with some minor niggles (like 2 x speakers not going, small tear in the drivers door leather, one minor parking ding in the door, and the CHECK ENGINE light...) One question I have is the CHECK ENGINE light - I couldn't get it to come on. I ran the instrument console self-test, which illuminated most bulbs, except the CHECK ENGINE. (which test you ask? It's TEST 2 when you hold in the RH console button and turn ign on) I know some bulbs like Cruise control, airbag, ASC are not part of the instrument cluster self test, so what i want to know is: If you have a E39 540i, could you please run TEST 2 (Instrument cluster self test) and see if your CHECK ENGINE light comes on? Or describe to me how it comes on? Like: ignition on, but engine not running, or in start only, etc I wish I just have a bulb failure, I want to make sure... Thanks, Jochen

"But the part where you turn ther lights on" is called the headlight switch and yes, it is normally illuminated at night time. You may have a blown illumination bulb, remove the switch and check the bulb Jochen

Hey if anyone has a Jap BMW and wants their radio or nav system converted to full NZ spec, talk to me. I've done lots of them and know my way around the BMW stereo systems I can get and fit replacement radio tuners for almost any model BMW, with and without nav system I have also successfully converted a nav system from Jap to NZ mode, and had it fully 100% working, with all NZ maps, route guidance, voice instructions, english menus, and everything Cheers, Jochen (the BMW Radio Guy)

Hi, didn't bother for part numbers of the nav unit, a Mk3 or Mk4 nav unit will do fine. I've got a couple coming at the mo. Mk4 is spoken for, if anyone wants a Mk3 (fitted!) come and see me Jochen More a hobby than a business. Happy to help anyone that wants help, or to guide you through a DIY process Jochen

Here's another pic outside my house, on maximum scale. Note the TRAFFIC button on the monitor, proving this is a Japanese E39, and the NZ map on the display, from the functioning nav system :-) It works great! Jochen

Radio/tape, with CD changer control Proper NZ band, all working Anyone want one? Jochen

Added AV and Reverse Camera to a 740i today. Very easy to do. Note that the Reverse Camera is NTSC, even when rest of system is PAL Luckily, this 740i owner was getting a reverse camera ex USA, so he'll be fine. Cheers, Jochen

Here's a pic of it working in Waipa

We successfuly converted a E39 nav system from Jap to NZ !! For the story see my postings here... http://www.bimmersport.co.nz/forums/index....t=0entry86174 If you want to know how, I'm happy to share the knowledge The test Jap E39 car now has full NZ radio with RDS, NZ TV tuner, and NZ nav system Absolutely bloody brilliant! Everything works! Jochen

HOORAY - IT WORKS!!!!!! We have successfully converted a Jap Nav system to a NZ nav system and it works! Had to bite the bullet and pay $850 for a nav data CD from BMW, but once that was fitted, the system came alive and all of the nav features worked in the Jap car. I'll post some pictures when I get them - the car is now in Te Awamutu Fantastic - all the theory and research was correct, and we got the nav system cracked. So exactly the same applies to E38 and E46s with nav systems - if you have a Jap nav system, you CAN get it to work in this wonderful country of ours See ya! Jochen (very happy Radio Expert and now I've also gotta say Nav Expert !! )

After wallowing in the depths of despair re the NZ nav DVD, I rang BMW, managed to find someone intelligent (!!) and found that we simply had the wrong version DVD. There DOES indeed exist a map CD for the E38 / E39 / E46 nav systems Available for $900 ex BMW - we will try and I will post my results here when we confirm it works!! Cheers, Jochen (much happier now)

Try the US as well, good prices there. Or Germany, falls du Deutsch kannst. Fuer mich ist es kein Problem :-) Jochen

Check also the re-chargable battery in the instrument cluster. This serves to maintain the odometer memory when the power is off, but when the battery gets old all sorts of wierd instrument gauge problems occur. If in doubt change it, they only cost a few bucks from Jaycar. Instructions to do so are all over the 'net Jochen

Well we fitted the Mk4 Nav system and a Professional radio. The professional radio is fantastic, works really well. You can tune in to a station, and while you are listening the radio actively searches in the background for other stations and lists their names on the screen (using their RDS names). Neat to watch. And the Professional radio supports TMC, which in conjunction with a nav system would be really neat - if only the radio stations here broadcasted the TMC data.... The Mk4 nav connection went well, and we updated the nav system to OS v27, which worked seamlessly. The Mk4 nav fitted in the same mounting as the Jap nav unit, and the GPS conenctor disconnects from the Jap GPS receiver and straight in to the Mk4 Nav. We left the Jap VICS receiver unplugged as this was not needed. The Asian style menu system changed totally to a different European look, which I think looks much smarter. However - the DVD we had for NZ map data was for the E60/61 and other new models..... I am not sure if we can obtain NZ map data for a E38/E39 Mk4 system, I need to ask further So essentially we now have a working Euro nav system but no map data :-( If anyone clever here on Bimmersport knows what we can do, please tell me! Cheers, Jochen

See my post here: http://www.bimmersport.co.nz/forums/index.php?showtopic=7036 Jochen

Did you know your E38 / E39 / E46 nav system with TV Tuner has an extra AV input and a reverse camera input? These are available on the video module in the car, but are not normally cabled (except for some E38s) If you want, you can add RCA plugs to the cable loom to allow easy connection of a Playstation / X-Box / DVD player / Reverse Camera etc to your TV tuner in your E38 / E39 / E46 (they're all the same).. I got some RCA cables made for me in Germany by a cable manufacturing company. Properly, professionally crimped, with the correct BMW pins to just click in to the existing BMW connector on your Video module. Price: $18 per cable (each) For Reverse Camera you only need 1 For AV you need 2 (1 for Audio, 1 for Video) Let me know if you want these cables, I have had a limited quantity made Available for pickup in Mt Eden, happy to fit for you too if you bring your car. Cheers, Jochen

Yes, BMW NZ commissioned Geosmart to produce the map data for this country. So of course they prepared it in a format for the current series BMWs, which is on DVD. MK1, MK2 and MK3 nav systems all use CDs, and there is no map data for NZ available on CD. So those systems are useless here in NZ. java script:emoticon(':banghead:') smilie What you could do on your car is remove the MK3 and fit the MK4 nav computer. That is a plug-and-play upgrade, with exactly the same connectors, the Germans do it all the time. It's much easier on your car to upgrade, java script:emoticon('') smilie just source a MK4 DVD Nav unit from Germany and then get a BMW Nav DVD (available ex BMW for $800, or can be found on TradeMe for around $600) Cheers, Jochen

A BMW Business RDS (radio/tape) or Business CD is available for the E34 / E36 - and E30 if you wish I'm out of stock right now but I'm always hunting for more Jochen

Hi, If you only have one wire to activate the indicator lights, then you need to use a diode to connect the two indicator circuits together The indicator wires are Blue/Red (L) and Blue/Black ® - you can find these wires either at the instrument cluser or on the hazard light switch, which ever is most convenient to you. Connect the diodes like this: --------------->|----------to indicator (left) from alarm -----+ --------------->|----------to indicator (right) Your diodes must be able to handle the total current of all indicator lightbulbs, including any trailer lights (if you have a towbar of plan to add one) So budget for 2 x 21W (front + rear) + 5W (side) + 5W (dash) + 21W (trailer) = 73W which is @12 V = 6 amps So buy 2 x 6Amp (or higher) diodes and you'll be right For the central locking you'll have to look at the wiring diagram for the central locking for your car Jochen

I'm selling one of these: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=59591204 That model doesn't have CD changer control, but I have a couple of E46 Business RDS units that do have CD changer control If you have a Jap import E46, and want to have proper radio reception, come and see me. I can supply a replacement radio for you, and fit it while you wait if you want. Jochen (the BMW Radio Guy)

Just listed today (Sat): http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/C...on-59580089.htm Got a BMW radio or nav question? Feel free to ask me. Jochen (the BMW Radio Expert)

Any more Nav system or Monitor Qs, ask away :-)

Hi, For the benefit of all I'll answer here. Yes, it is possible and it is very easy. As long as you have the TV tuner on your Bordmonitor - which you'll recognise by the fact that you can receive TV - then you have an AV input which you can connect any standard video source too. So you can connect a DVD player or a Playstation or X-Box or your digital camera or whatever. The TV Tuner actually has 2 x extra video inputs. 1. The AV input I've mentioned above 2. A Reverse Camera input, which, when active, has priority display on the monitor. Both are easy to wire up, either by a) fitting new pins to the connectors on the TV tuner and wiring in new RCA sockets on a short lead fitting RCA sockets on a short lead to the circuit board inside the TV tuner c) buying a special adapter cable so everything is plug and play on to the TV tuner It just so happens I've got some of these adapter cables coming from Germany, should be here in a few days. If anyone wants to hook up an AV input to their Bordmonitor, then I'm happy to help. Cheers, Jochen

I've got a modern BMW Business RDS - see pic - this is the right model for a E34/E36 Controls the 6xCD 'CD Changer A' or the 'CD Changer P' Full working order, looks like a new one Complete with security code and a printout of the manual Let me know if you're interested, Jochen (the BMW Radio Guy)

See here: http://cgi.ebay.de/BMW-M3-E46-E36-SCHALTKN...1QQcmdZViewItem Jochen