BMW Bluetooth installation instructions for e46 3 series

BMW 3 Series (e46) Bluetooth Installation DIY

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These installation instructions and diagrams are provided as a supplement to the BMW Bluetooth Installation Instructions which shipped with your Bluetooth kit. The following installation was performed on a 2003 325i Steptronic with Premium Package, Sport Package and Harmon Kardon sound. Your vehicle may vary slightly in appearance or layout, but the instructions should remain accurate.

Installation of the Bluetooth kit should take between 1.5 and 2.5 hours depending on availability of tools and installer proficiency. On a technical scale of 1 to 5 I would rate this install between a 2 and a 3. No part of the disassembly should require excessive force, so if it doesn't feel right, stop and make sure you've followed the instructions completely. I take no responsibility for any damage caused to your vehicle while installing your Bluetooth kit. I'd like to thank Stephen Edmondson (Shoefly) for taking the included photos and for his assistance in this project.

Note that you can (and should) zoom the following images by clicking on it!

What you should have received (Note: The blue voice input jumper plug on the bottom left is optional and wasn't

needed for my car as the plug was already terminated. If your local dealer stocks this part you might just wait to see

if you need it when you get to that point in the install. If you want to check beforehand you'll have to completely remove

the trunk interior lining on the drivers side of the vehicle and find the harness.

A. Bluetooth Antenna & Pairing Button Installation

A1. Remove ashtray from armrest assembly. Remove the two plastic Philips screws and the lower ashtray piece

Remove the ashtray light by pressing the tabs on both sides of the light inward and pulling the light straight out

from the side of the ashtray.

Here you can see the retaining clips for the light

A2. Remove remaining two Philips screws and continue disassembly of ashtray / rear armrest assembly

A3a. Remove center console storage trays and cup holders. Press in on the sides and small clips will release

the two pieces.

A3b. Remove center console assembly. Note: This isn't documented and isn't as easy as it sounds! It helps

if you pull the e-brake as far up as you can. You'll also need to disconnect the parking brake boot and allow it to pass

through the console opening. There are two screws under the shift cover shown below which must be removed

before the console can be slid back towards the back of the car and then out. From there you'll angle the console

and pull it away from the parking brake. Note the hazard and door lock buttons have a connector beneath them

which must be disconnected before completely removing the console. You will need to remove the console in order

to install the Pairing Button later on in the installation.

Removing wiring harness from hazard / door lock connection

A4. Locate the black FAKRA connector located below the ashtray assembly. Note that on my car, this connector

was hidden beneath the parking brake nearest to the drivers seat. Find the loose wire and pull it from under the

carpet. It was not hard to pull and was wrapped in cloth on the end.

Pass the connector through the rear of the console assembly into the rear ashtray area

A5. Secure the Bluetooth Antenna to the mounting bracket.

A6. Connect FAKRA connector to the antenna

A7. Please enlarge the following photograph for important information on aligning the holes with the Bluetooth

Antenna

A8&9. Take pairing button template and fold as noted on the template.

A10-A12. Tape template to the top of the center console and mark inside button hole to be cut.

A13-A16 Use a rotary cutting tool to create the opening for the pairing button.

Important!

Here's where I messed up but you won't! See the little marks on both sides of the cutout? That's from me

using a screwdriver to try and tap out the hole once I had it cut. One good slip of the screwdriver left a permanent

mark on my console. Why did it do this? Well I had the cut nicely done all the way around, but didn't realize

that there's a support ridge of plastic on the bottom right through the center of where the button is to be cut!

Make sure you turn the piece over and use a sanding drum or ? with your Dremel tool to remove this plastic

so that the square cutout can be removed and allow plenty of room for the button.

Again, bad focus but you get the idea!

A17. Reinstall the center console but do not replace cup holders or coin tray.

A18. Note! Doesn't look like much on the instructions but this is important! When you install the next-to-last piece of the

ashtray assembly, you'll need to make sure your guides or tape is still holding the Bluetooth antenna in an aligned

position. The two screws you install here will be what secures the Bluetooth Antenna in place.

A19. Locate the black 18 pin connector assembly in cloth-wrapped bundle near parking brake.

A20. Unwrap bundle and connect interface harness. Yes, this is a big 18 Pin harness that goes to a few little pins

on the other side. In order to lock the harnesses together, move the rotating clip on the vehicle 18 pin harness 90

degrees as shown. As you plug in the Bluetooth pairing button harness, rotate the clip back to it's original locked

position. You'll notice a positive click.

Harness in unlocked position

Lock pugs together by rotating lever

A21. Route the interface harness white 3 pin connector through the hole you cut for the Bluetooth pairing button.

A21. Connect the pairing button.

A22. Insert the pairing button into the cutout and reinstall the cup holders and coin tray. Again, your installation

won't have the divits mine did because you'll know to remove the bottom extra plastic before trying to punch out

the opening! Thank goodness for the armrest that covers it all up anyways!

B1-B3. Remove the Bluetooth Passkey sticker from the Bluetooth ULF control module and place the sticker on

the included Bluetooth Passkey card. You'll need this four digit code to pair your phone with the vehicle. This

security operation prevents others from connecting to your vehicle or phone without permission.

C1-C3. Remove the left rear trunk trim panel. There are two dime sized black plugs which must be pried out with

a small flat head screwdriver, making sure not to damage them. From there, a good deal of pulling is required to

remove the trim. It is tucked behind most every edge, so just go one edge at a time. Luckily I have the folding

seats option which made it easier to get the inside portion of the trim. If you're going to need to use excessive

force anywhere, this is it!

C4. Locate the 54-pin connector and WHITE FAKRA connector (Note that there's two connectors which look the

same, one having a purple end and one having a white end. You can tell that the plugs are keyed so that they cannot

be inserted into an incorrect piece. The large connector will be wrapped in velcro-secured cloth and is easily removed.

(Pictured below sitting right on top of the shelves.)

C5. Route the large 54-pin connector to the right side of the carrier rack, towards the rear seat. Give yourself

some room to work as you're about to take it apart and remove a couple pins!

C6. So it looks like BMW planned on having speed sensitive volume on the Bluetooth kit but for some reason

it didn't work. This means you get to manually modify their harness! The pins you remove provide a vehicle

wheel speed signal which must be disconnected.

C7. There are two small tabs on the connector right on top of the where the bundle of wires enter the connector.

Push these two tabs upwards and slide the inner plug assembly out of the connector.

C8. PAY ATTENTION! You're about to remove two wires from this harness, and they may not survive the battle.

The biggest thing to notice is that the included manual shows pins 7&8 in the WRONG LOCATION. If you looked

at the document you'd disconnect pins 6&12. That would probably be bad news! Pin 7 is YELLOW with a

GREEN STRIPE. Pin 8 is WHITE with a GREEN STRIPE. Press the small metal tab for the connector end

while pulling the pins out of the harness with a pair of needle nose pliars.

C9-C10. Bend back the wires you removed, tape them individually, then tape them both to the connector wire.

C11. Reassemble the connector.

C12. Attach the ULF Control Module to the large mounting bracket using three included M5 hex nuts

C13. Place threaded clips onto the vehicle mounting bracket and install the ULF Control Module bracket

using four M5 hex bolts. (Note: see notes for C14 before continuing... there's a variation to the install that

you might want to consider!)

C14. Connect the 54-Pin connector you modified to the right side of the unit nearest the vehicle seats as well

as the white FAKRA plug to the left side of the ULF Control Module. (Note: You'll probably end up looking

like a fool in the trunk of a car like me trying to get the 54-pin plug in. An easier method is to plug the 54-pin

connector in before you mount the unit! Don't plug the white FAKRA connector in yet though, as it will interfere

with the bolts needed to mount the right hand side of the bracket.)

C15. Reinstall the left rear trim panel. Sounds so easy doesn't it? It's not as bad as removing it!

Installation of Microphone

D1. Carefully pull down access panel on headliner. The panel is simply held on with clips and will come loose

with a clean small flathead screwdriver if needed. Start from the front and rotate towards the windshield.

Note that the microphone location is nearest to the passenger. Who's going to be using this more, you or your

passenger? You of course. I decided to reverse the locations of the sunroof switch with the microphone.

D2. Locate the black 3-pin connector taped to the harness.

D3. Install microphone with arrow pointing to the front of the vehicle. This is IMPORTANT so pay attention!

This picture shows stock locations. If you want to swap the sunroof switch with the mic, you'll need to slightly

and carefully dremel the microphone opening to accommodate the sunroof switch. It's a tad larger and you'll easily

be able to determine where to shave so that you can push it through and lock it in place. I also folded a small piece

of black electrical tape and placed it on the clip for the microphone cover to allow a tighter fit since the sunroof switch

it's going in is slightly larger.

You my friend, are done! Now it's time to have some fun!

Press and hold the pair button before turning the key to ACC. Turn the key on and continue to hold the button

for 2-3 seconds. Release the button and the MID display will show BT PAIRING. From here set your phone

option to detect new Bluetooth devices. Make sure Bluetooth is enabled on the phone. Enter the PassKey

code on your phone when prompted. After a second or two you'll see something like SUCCESS on the MID display.

Turn off the vehicle, then turn it back to ACC, not messing with the button. Watch your phone for a minute or so and

you should see it display it's Bluetooth connected icon. You may see a 'PLEASE WAIT' type message on the MID

display. It does this when it first sync's your phone's address book. Congratulations! You're now ready to use

your Bluetooth enabled car to send and receive hands-free, cradle-free calls!

Please contact me via e-mail with any additions or corrections!