DIY OEM Bluetooth Retrofit doityourself

[Crickett]

I actually did this almost a year ago, but didn't have the mounting brackets to do it up right . . . [Jeremy Clarkson voice] until now.

(I used this guide from Bimmernav (http://www.bimmernav.com/BMW_E46_Bluetooth_Installation_Instructions.html) to help myself along the first time.)

Tools you'll need:

Philips screwdriver
flat screwdriver (or your fingernails)
8 mm socket
10 mm socket

Parts you'll need:

a BMW TCU (84 10 9 129 851) or ULF (13th gen 84 10 9 154 358) (I pulled the TCU from my wife's 2004 X5 with Assist, YMMV)
TCU bracket – 84 13 6 924 551
Bluetooth antenna – 84 50 6 928 461
BT antenna bracket – 84 13 6 912 160
"body nut" x4 – 61 13 1 372 033
"hex bolt" x4 – 07 11 9 902 932
plastic nut x3—6 (I used 3) – 63 25 9 128 043
hands-free microphone – 84 31 6 938 762

Parts for the trunk (L to R): TCU bracket, TCU, "body nuts", "hex bolts"
(plastic nut not pictured)

http://tcholo.net/images/bmw/BTDIY5.jpg

Parts for inside the cabin: antenna bracket, Bluetooth antenna, plastic nuts

http://tcholo.net/images/bmw/BTDIY21.jpg

Got all that? Good, here we go.

0. Before doing any installation steps, look at the TCU's label for a four-digit number labeled "PK"; this is the pairing key you'll need when pairing your phone for the first time. You do not want to get everything installed only to discover you don't remember the pairing key!

1. Pop your trunk & use a flathead screwdriver or your fingernails to remove the plastic expanding rivets holding the left side of the trunk liner in place:

http://tcholo.net/images/bmw/BTDIY1.jpg

I think there is supposed to be a second one here:

http://tcholo.net/images/bmw/BTDIY2.jpg

2. Start pulling the trunk lining away from the body & into the main trunk cavity:

http://tcholo.net/images/bmw/BTDIY3.jpg

Keep pulling it away until you reveal the trunk accessories framework:

http://tcholo.net/images/bmw/BTDIY4.jpg

3. I didn't find out until later that it's much easier to route the needed cables now, before you start mounting the TCU.

There is enough room between the mounting brackets & the body to route the cables to this position, behind the bracket:

http://tcholo.net/images/bmw/BTDIY8.jpg

These two cables are long enough to be routed through this hole in the bracket:

http://tcholo.net/images/bmw/BTDIY9.jpg

4. Clip the body nuts onto the top part of the main bracket:

http://tcholo.net/images/bmw/BTDIY6.jpg

http://tcholo.net/images/bmw/BTDIY7.jpg

5. Bolt the TCU bracket to the main bracket with the four 8 mm "hex bolts"

http://tcholo.net/images/bmw/BTDIY10.jpg

6. Plug in the large black plug into the back end of the TCU before mounting the TCU on the bracket! Unless you're leprechaun-sized you won't have enough room to both work & see what you're doing if you try plugging it in after mounting it. Trust me.

7. Mount the TCU on the bracket, plug in the blue & white plugs, & secure with a 10 mm plastic nut:

http://tcholo.net/images/bmw/BTDIY11.jpg

Note: I only had one plastic nut from the wife's X5 to use, but the TCU feels secure enough to me to not be worried. Also, the white plug gets in the way of putting one on the right post, & the two on the other end (by the black plug) were too difficult to fit anything back there to tighten them anyway.

8. Button up everything in the trunk the reverse way you took it apart: guide the trunk lining back into its place, reinsert the expanding rivets, & close your trunk.

Now for the inside portion:

1. The Bluetooth antenna mounts at the back end of the center console, so get into your back seat & open your ashtray:

http://tcholo.net/images/bmw/BTDIY13.jpg

Press the ashtray cover down fully to pop the ashtray out of the console:

http://tcholo.net/images/bmw/BTDIY14.jpg

2. Remove the two plastic screws in the expanding rivets at the bottom:

http://tcholo.net/images/bmw/BTDIY15.jpg

The screws & rivets look like this, so be careful to not strip them when reassembling:

http://tcholo.net/images/bmw/BTDIY16.jpg

3. You can now remove the ashtray holder thingy but be careful to not break the cable plugged into it for the little ashtray light:

http://tcholo.net/images/bmw/BTDIY17.jpg

4. After unplugging the light, you can now remove the two Philips screws at the bottom of the ashtray cavity:

http://tcholo.net/images/bmw/BTDIY18.jpg

(Yes, I lost a washer . . . )

5. Now remove the plastic lining trim piece; it just snaps out (sorry, I didn't get a picture).

6. You can now lift up the back portion of the center console to gain access to the antenna mounting location (you'll need to raise the armrest to do so):

http://tcholo.net/images/bmw/BTDIY19.jpg

I didn't remove any of the parts at the front of the center console so I couldn't completely remove this part, I just had to hold it up while working. It really wasn't that much of an inconvenience.

Here is the location you'll be mounting the antenna & bracket to:

http://tcholo.net/images/bmw/BTDIY20.jpg

7. Mount the Bluetooth antenna to its bracket with two 10 mm plastic nuts, attach the black & purple cable to it, & attach the assembly to the mounting point with the silver body nuts:

http://tcholo.net/images/bmw/BTDIY24.jpg

Note: I mistakenly did not use the body nuts to clip the antenna bracket to the mounting point; it would've made reassembling the center console much easier. Do it like this:

http://www.bimmernav.com/images/e46bt22.jpg

8. Now, just reassemble everything in the reverse order of disassembly, taking care to route the ashtray light power cable through each piece as you go.

The microphone installation is exceptionally simple, just follow Bimmernav's guide (http://www.bimmernav.com/mic.html).

To use your new factory Bluetooth system, either start the car or turn the ignition to position 2. The TCU should be discoverable for ~120 seconds; use the pairing code from the label to connect. After a successful pairing, your phone should automatically connect each time you get in the car.

I hope this helped! Enjoy your BMW Bluetooth system!

[danewilson77]

Well done. Nice writeup Crickett.

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

[kayger12]

Another great contribution.

Nice work.

Droid X. Tapatalk. Use it.

[tomjonesrocks]

Wow--pretty awesome DIY. I had seen a couple passing comments around that OEM bluetooth was getting easier to do parts-wise--something about the latest ULF but haven't researched it fully. While I think this would be cool to have am still on the fence whether I'm up for this level of work/cost for this feature...hmm....

[jsfbmw]

Yes, this is a great write-up and photos. What also amazes is that there already is a cable to the spot where the antenna goes. Makes me want to disassemble things just to see whats where.

[GMATT]

Can you give a approximate cost for parts?

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk

[Meric]

Nicee.. Did you get your contacts on the radio's screen?

[WOLFN8TR]

Nice DIY! Thanks...


Tapatalk App

[Crickett]

Can you give a approximate cost for parts?

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk

$0 for me (pulled from our X5); I think I've seen ~$300 – $500 for used sets. :dunno


Nicee.. Did you get your contacts on the radio's screen?

Yup! On my iPhone I chose a contacts list to sync when connected to a Bluetooth device; not sure if all phones are that way.

[johnrando]

What's the difference between a TCU and a ULF?

[Crickett]

What's the difference between a TCU and a ULF?

I believe the ULF has no built-in cellular radio (i.e. BMW Assist functionality); it was designed explicitly to provide Bluetooth connectivity (& voice command recognition for navi). The TCU combines phone connectivity – whether a factory-installed handset or a Bluetooth-connected phone – & BMW Assist cellular hardware.

Additionally, the two units pair with a Bluetooth phone in different ways: the ULF uses a paring button (usually located under the armrest) to initiate the paring process, & the TCU starts up in pairing mode & remains discoverable for ~120 seconds.

[CERF04ZHP]

I need to do this!

HTC EVO / Tapatalk

[terraphantm]

I didn't see this mentioned, but when I retrofitted a ULF into my old zhp, I lost my speedometer and odometer. A lot of google searching later, I found that you need to remove pins 7 and 8 from the 54-pin harness to get the speedometer back. I don't see this issue mentioned very frequently, so maybe it only effected early ULFs or early cars (I had a 1st gen ULF in an 07/2003 build zhp). Just thought the tip might come in handy to someone else who runs into the same issue

[johnrando]

Great tip, thanks!

[aurelius]

To anyone who may be considering a BT retrofit, having done so recently in a friend's ZHP I can vouch for the ease of the DIY procedure found HERE (http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=720922). Parts cost is about $150. It works very well. Calls can be placed & answered with the steering wheel, mutes music when doing so, etc.

Note: you need a slightly different version of one of the parts involved if your car has NAV.

[cakM3]

first, excellent writeup using OEM parts Crickett :thumbsup

@ terra, that's interesting that you lost your speedo and odometer when you retrofitted the ULF module in your ZHP. I recently had SNA77 help me with my retrofit using his ULF module and did not run into this problem. My ZHP was prewired for bluetooth but never had anything installed until I did the retrofit. Maybe what you said about affecting earlier cars is a possibility...I have a 6th gen ULF in my ZHP. Interesting to hear nevertheless.

@ aurelius, that DIY you are referencing is Delmarco's DIY and yes, it is very thorough and has some videos as well... not using OEM parts but is a good alternative for those who desire BT but not pay for OEM parts.

John, what Crickett said about the difference between a ULF and TCU module is correct. If you have navi and do not need BMW assist, then the ULF module is the way to go if you care to have voice command for your navi. The TCU module is cheaper so if you don't require voice command for the navi, or if you don't have navi then I would recommend going with the TCU module. I have the 13th gen TCU module in the ///M and ULF module in the ZHP.

[johnrando]

Thanks Charlie. I have Nav, and was thinking voice command for that would be good. I also have a Parrot for BT, but I wouldn't mind buying a ULF and using that instead, as I really feel like I need that microphone right above the steering wheel instead of the parrot mic near the top, which gets more wind noise.

EDIT: I heard that a BMW dealer is supposed to "program" your car for BT, is that true, or just adding the ULF is all I'd need?
EDIT addition: Just looked, ULFs are still extremely expensive, will likely have to pass.

[terraphantm]

Officially, they're supposed to program it. Doesn't make a big difference though - all the programming does is change the module's name to match the last 5 digits of your VIN

For VA with nav, you can also get a separate SES module and use that with the TCU. I think they go pretty cheap on eBay.

[johnrando]

Thanks!

[ZHPurrr]

Bluetooth OEM DIY retrofit as described works GREAT, but I had a problem where the incoming calls didn't come through my speakers.

This 2 year old thread deserves a bump-- it's the most helpful I found on the interwebs for this project on an e46.

My 2004 330i had no nav, no BMW assist, and no microphone. It did have the OEM ipod, which turned out to be the issue.

IF you have OEM iPod, but no nav (as I did) you may experience the same problem I did- No sound from speakers, but everything else working perfectly. It was very, very hard to find info on this problem that was accurate, and not written in obscure jargon. It's kind of an edge case. But in case anyone else has the same problem, here's how to fix it. (without jargon)

The problem is NOT with your speaker. (probably) The problem is that the OEM ipod bluetooth wiring hardness (which is plugged into the back of your radio) does not presuppose that you might also want bluetooth. So it's missing two crucial wires. So you need to move them from the unused plug where they currently reside, into the plug that the ipod unit is using.

Here's what you need to do: Open up the dash to access the back of the radio. (plenty of vids available) It's not hard if you buy the right tools mentioned on this thread. Look at the big square plug in the back of your radio. At the bottom there will be a small square plug. Using a flathead screwdriver to lift the plastic tab on top, remove it (again, e46 radio removal videos are helpful and easy to find).

You'll note that this big plug actually contains a smaller plug on the bottom that is seperate, and once it's removed from the radio, this small plug can be removed from the big plug by pushing out a blue "U" shaped piece of plastic that holds it in place.

The plug looks like this:
http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/t455/PixHost1/BMW17pin_zpsa0e15431.gif

You'll notice that plug "A" is filled with a small square plug that leads to a "Y" wire junction and eventually to your ipod. On the the other arm of the "Y" is an identical small square plug. Many forums say one of these is white, but on my car both were black. Put a piece of tape on the one that is currently plugged in, to mark it as the one that will be replugged into the back of your radio in a few minutes.

Now what you need to do is remove the wires that are in positions 3 and 8 on plug "B", and put them into the same positions (3 and 8) on plug "A".

On my car these wires were yellow and black. Make sure you mark which one is in position #3 so you put them into the correct places on plug "A" once you getthem out of "B."

This will be hard. I used a couple of different thicknesses of paperclips, a micro-screwdriver, and a lot of force to push them out from the front towards the back, where the wires come in. The smallest paperclip fit best, but didn't provide enough force. (it bent) The micro-screwdriver was the one that finally provided the necessary force, but it kinda trashed the little metal tube things (Jargon: "leads") that go into the plug. In fact one split in half. I gather there is an official BMW tool for this, but of course there is. I did it the handyman way.

After smoothing them out a bit as best I could and deciding they would probably still provide electrical contact with the radio, I put them into the "A" plug, reassembled the big plug, re-attached it to the radio, and tested it. Success!

After putting everything back behind the trim, it looks as OEM as OEM should.

Incoming calls now came through through the speaker just as they should.

The beauty of the OEM setup is that there are no unsightly wires anywhere, the upgraded directional noise-cancelling microphone works brilliantly, and best of all, you can use all the fancy buttons on your steering wheel to answer calls, increase/decrease volume, and even dial out. Paging through contacts is lame on the small one-line display of the standard "business CD" so I made a "top 15" list of contacts and synced to that. For more obscure numbers I select them on my phone or use the phone's voice dialing commands. Fantastic!

Many thanks to OP Cricket and the other contributors to this thread for giving me the courage to try this project. I saved big bucks and am very happy with the results.

Total cost for Bluetooth retrofit: $200 (TCU and Bluetooth Antenna bought on Ebay for $100, which was a pretty good deal) plus the $60 updated microphone and ~$30 in misc parts from ECS as listed by OP.

PS: No programming was necessary.

[Pip]

Hmm damn I just sold my 2006 antenna, mic, and brackets for $45 shipped. Guess I could've gotten more money...although at the time no one wanted anything to do with BT.

[ZHPurrr]

mmm, seems about right for used. It's the TCU that's expensive. Going rate on ebay seems to be 200-300 but sometimes you see them for 100 like I did.

[derbo]

I just sold mine for $200 to Charlie.. so they are out there!

[cakM3]

I just sold mine for $200 to Charlie.. so they are out there!

Yep....couldn't pass on this and I needed to update my ZHP to the newest one so I can pair my iPhone 5s to it. I would check the classifieds occasionally...I was very lucky I happened to see this almost as soon as Derek posted his for sale thread....all it took was a few texts and a phone call to seal the deal. Again... thanks Derek! :thumbsup

[derbo]

No problem. I see it's been delivered. :thumbup

[nextelbuddy]

I'm curious, if I do this retrofit, will I be able to pair my android devices a Google pixel and stream music?

Currently I have the aux port that goes to the back of the factory business CD player and then I have a 3rd party BT adapter connected to the aux port with an ugly 3.5mm cable.

I really want factory BT to steam music via BT a factory way. Don't really care for the hands free cellular part.

[GreatFrog]

I'm curious, if I do this retrofit, will I be able to pair my android devices a Google pixel and stream music?

Currently I have the aux port that goes to the back of the factory business CD player and then I have a 3rd party BT adapter connected to the aux port with an ugly 3.5mm cable.

I really want factory BT to steam music via BT a factory way. Don't really care for the hands free cellular part.

I believe factory TCU is only capable of transmitting phone calls.

[derbo]

I'm curious, if I do this retrofit, will I be able to pair my android devices a Google pixel and stream music?

Currently I have the aux port that goes to the back of the factory business CD player and then I have a 3rd party BT adapter connected to the aux port with an ugly 3.5mm cable.

I really want factory BT to steam music via BT a factory way. Don't really care for the hands free cellular part.

Nope. BT modules in E46 do not support BT streaming audio outside of phone calls.

[Oltorf]

I just got bluetooth installed using this guide (thanks!) and it works, but I had a few questions just for my own curiosity.

What are these 3 plugs for? The one with the jumper, one that looks like a FAKRA plug, but won't fit any one the plugs on the TCU unit, and one little 3 prong plug. Any idea?
https://i.imgur.com/puTFROR.jpg


I'm using 2 fakra plugs, but the other 2 are empty. What are these for?
https://i.imgur.com/FaGpEPW.jpg

Thanks for the guide! Very useful.