E39 Jap Radio \ Central locking

[350chevy 0]

Hi, New owner in Wellington of a dark blue 1999 E39 525i and love it.

(Has the builtin TV, Nav)

Question 1). Is there any way you can change the radio frequency from the standard Jap settings to NZ. I was told this could be done without a band expander and just by reprogramming the radio itself

Question 2). When I brought the car, the central locking did not work. The car dealer told me the keys only last 5-6 years and would need replacing. I am a computer engineer and got our service dept to check and replace the batteries, the lights on both keys now work. I also tried to re sync keys using instructions I found on this site. Still no go. The car dealer then told my wife that the car battery had gone dead flat and remained this way for a month & replaced it with a new one just before we brought it.

Would this have anything to do with it? I also found another blog that mentioned the Fuel lock is the same circuit and to check the fuse, this appears OK? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Great people, great site!!

Steve

[Cale 36]

Welcome Steve, good to have another e39er here.

I'm sure Hotwire or Jochen can help you with your questions

[350chevy 0]

Welcome Steve, good to have another e39er here.

I'm sure Hotwire or Jochen can help you with your questions

Nice to be part of a cool site!!

I have an update on the central locking issue. Ended up taking my car to Amsterdam Cars Ltd in Lower Hutt, Very helpful guys, but were unable to assist. Ended up taking it to Jeff Gray BMW. Guy was good and did not charge. Turns out I was resetting the code correctly, just pointing the key in the wrong direction. I pointed the key to the motor while re-setting the code and you have to point the key at the Revision Mirror where the pick up Sensor is located while re=programming.

So only question one remains un-answered for. I am a very happy chappie!

Edited May 8, 2008 by stevensp

[greenday-rulz21 4]

Hi, New owner in Wellington of a dark blue 1999 E39 525i and love it.

(Has the builtin TV, Nav)

Question 1). Is there any way you can change the radio frequency from the standard Jap settings to NZ. I was told this could be done without a band expander and just by reprogramming the radio itself

This topic is related to you, although its for E38's.

As Hotwire has said in it, No, your radio hasn't got the world tuner in it. So it can't be reprogrammed.

Welcome to the site btw.

Cheers,

Nick

Edited May 8, 2008 by Nick021

[hotwire 352]

Hi Steve & welcome - yep you have the locking sorted - just hold your tongue right .

Being 99 (as is ours) your radio has the earlier radio tuner in it -pre 09/01, whereby it is Jap specific & cannot be reprogrammed to suit here. Only optios are:

Band expander - CRAP

Replace the radio tuner - GREAT - I have one to suit your car

Nav - Can also sort this for you - Brilliant system as others with will agree

Best to PM me for details

Cheers

Grant

[350chevy 0]

Hi Steve & welcome - yep you have the locking sorted - just hold your tongue right .

Being 99 (as is ours) your radio has the earlier radio tuner in it -pre 09/01, whereby it is Jap specific & cannot be reprogrammed to suit here. Only optios are:

Band expander - CRAP

Replace the radio tuner - GREAT - I have one to suit your car

Nav - Can also sort this for you - Brilliant system as others with will agree

Best to PM me for details

Cheers

Grant

[350chevy 0]

Thanks for the reply Grant,

Being new, what is PM? Steve

[greenday-rulz21 4]

Thanks for the reply Grant,

Being new, what is PM? Steve

Personal Message, just click on their username and click send message.

[350chevy 0]

sorry, I meant "many thanks Nick", just noticed it was you who answered my question regarding PK. Steve

Personal Message, just click on their username and click send message.

[jochen 4]

Hi, New owner in Wellington of a dark blue 1999 E39 525i and love it.

(Has the builtin TV, Nav)

Question 1). Is there any way you can change the radio frequency from the standard Jap settings to NZ. I was told this could be done without a band expander and just by reprogramming the radio itself

Yes, I have done lots of these. You can

a) change the radio to NZ-spec

b ) change the navigation to NZ-spec

Everything can be made to work.

Because you have a pre-2001 car, you have the old generation radio (OG).

This cannot be reprogrammed.

But it is plug and play with a Euro-model OG radio.

I suggest you buy a replacement radio module on eBay Germany or from Grant (hotwire).

Do not buy from US! US-radio is also different to NZ spec and won't work properly in NZ.

Only purchase from ,hotwire', or from NZ, Australia, UK or mainland Europe.

Nav can also work if you want, you have to swap the nav computer.

I had a 1997 E39 540i from Japan and I had fully working NZ nav and NZ radio (and of course TV, but I am sure you have already got that going)

I had 10 x TV channels in my car in Auckland :-)

Then I also hooked up my video iPod to watch movies on the TV screen, it was fantastic. Very easy and low-cost to connect a video source (like DVD player, video iPod, playstation, etc)

Edited May 9, 2008 by jochen

[jochen 4]

A couple more points:

If you retain the Jap nav unit, you can only use the Business single-tuner Euro OG radio

If you upgrade to the Euro nav unit at the same time, you can fit the Professional twin-tuner Euro OG radio. Professional is simply the best, that's what I had

Do you have DSP? Some older cars had DSP wiring which prevented use of the Professional tuner.

Do you have Telephone?

If Telephone is fitted, this can also be made to work in NZ if you want.

[350chevy 0]

Hi Jochen,

Thankyou very much for the detailed information you listed. Grant has also given me some very useful information to get me going.

Am trying to talk the wife into doing a few mods. having done up a few up "8's" in the past, she is not that keen due the high cost. I will wear her down. - BOYS need their toys!! Haha

Steve

A couple more points:

If you retain the Jap nav unit, you can only use the Business single-tuner Euro OG radio

If you upgrade to the Euro nav unit at the same time, you can fit the Professional twin-tuner Euro OG radio. Professional is simply the best, that's what I had

Do you have DSP? Some older cars had DSP wiring which prevented use of the Professional tuner.

Do you have Telephone?

If Telephone is fitted, this can also be made to work in NZ if you want.