Build and install your own AUX Cable!

[Hosse]

Yahoo!
Thank you so much! This worked right away:-) My socket wasnt empty though. There was 4 cabels there already. These 3 pins where still empty. My luck, the three cabels i bought fitted perfect in the socket, so it looks like brsnd new:-)

I mounted the connector in the glovedepartment. Not visible and I can but the phone/mp3 player hidden.

Only thing now is that theres a gap between the radio and the vents on the right side and i thinkt that the buttom of the radio is to far out. Strange..

Side:


Right:


Left:

[LeeME3]

There are 2 plastic washers on the screws that hold the radio in - did you put both of these back in? If only one was fitted it would possibly 'skew' the radio slightly (although not sure it would move it up as much as the photo shows). What about the bottom of the radio against the dash and the top of the vents against the dash? Presumably one of those gaps is inconsistent as well which will at least tell you if it is the radio of those blasted vents that are out of line.

[VvrooomM]

You've tucked the cables back in wrong which is stopping it sitting correctly, probably all under pressure rather than slotting home easily is my bet.

[Hosse]

Oh no! Than I have to yake it out again... The vents where a nightmare..

Thanks for the advices!

[Hosse]

Hi again
Theres really no lower bass inn my car after this. Anyone tried to mount this without the capacitors? They will filter the lower frequences.

[p4cks]

I bought the incartunes AUX cable, connected it OK however when I plugged my iPhone into it it was not playing my music. AUX was an option on the CD player though. Strange.

[adam04]

1x Computer Connector Pins - Found in Maplins Computer connectors section - £0.29

Sure this has already been posted but part for this;

http://www.maplin.co.uk/colour-single-p ... bles-98848

[dan425]

Right, hopefully I can use your collective wisdom of those that have done this mod to solve my problem.

Created the cable - no dramas.
Got the fans off - no dramas.

But I'm currently having a problem getting the cables to fit into the back of the stereo unit. At the back of the stereo, instead of the pins that would plug into the coloured computer wires (as picture on page one), it's a series of square pegs that look like something plugs into them, rather than the other way around. I can see where they're meant to go, it's just the wires at the moment won't fit!

Does that make sense? It was a bit dark for photos, so I'll take one tomorrow.

Any ideas in the meantime?

EDIT: Photos added.

[dan425]

Update on the mystery wire situation:

I've pulled out the black plug (any ideas what it's for? Radio or Satnav didn't seem to fail when I did...) to reveal the pins. So I need to find some sort of pin to plug into the back of the black plug (see above) to overcome the plug being in the way of the pins.

[hawk1996]

I have read throgh this post but can't seem to find the answer to my question, does the positive leg of the capacitor go towards the radio, or the ipod?

[Mangozac]

I have read throgh this post but can't seem to find the answer to my question, does the positive leg of the capacitor go towards the radio, or the ipod?

It doesn't matter - the audio is a low level AC signal and the capacitor is just used for coupling.

BUT

If you want to be super anal about it and copy the exact way BMW manufactures it, the positive terminals of the capacitors are on the iPod side.

[hawk1996]

Got, it. Thanks for the reply

[z4russ11]

Update on the mystery wire situation:

I've pulled out the black plug (any ideas what it's for? Radio or Satnav didn't seem to fail when I did...) to reveal the pins. So I need to find some sort of pin to plug into the back of the black plug (see above) to overcome the plug being in the way of the pins.

Dan - I guess you figured out what the mystery wires were? It may be that they're for bluetooth - this is what I found when putting the cable in mine today. Have a look at sk93's post on the third page for the wiring diagram of the rear of the head unit to identify the mystery wires.

A tip for those who are about to put in the aux cable and have bluetooth. I bought the cable from incartunes (with the capacitors included), however when I came to fitting it there was already a block connector in the slot I needed to plug in to - this was for the bluetooth system, identified by the diagram on page 3 of this thread. I had to carefully destroy the plastic clip on the end of the incartunes cable to remove the metal pins which could then be inserted in the correct slots on the existing plug along with the bluetooth audio cables. They slotted in the existing plug no problem. I'm really pleased with the result - it's taking the line level from my ipod/iphone which seems sufficient and good quality.

So...the bits I have used are http://www.incartunes.co.uk/pc7-bmw-01- ... -580-p.asp (with 'circuit board' fitted inline) and http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002ATMN22 plus the 12v to usb adaptor.

The lead from amazon was long enough to route back underneath the central column down the left side and come out by the passenger seatbelt buckle.

[cyhliu]

Guys,

Just wanted to say thanks, have been reading this (very) long thread and it's been great help in my attempt of installing the aux in cable. Received the cable from Jamie from Sopers (who gave me a good price for the part, thanks!) yesterday and so thought I would spend today trying to fit it.

After several hours, I thought I'd share some of my experience with those yet to attempt, took me a while to remove the vent, it does simply slide out once you have the clips undone, however mine took a little longer as it wasn't giving, then gave it a bit of a pull, turns out that there is some foam at the back of the vent, think with age (mine's on a 04 plate) and heat the foam 'glues' itself to the front of the inner vent.

Once that is off, and the stereo removed, I was looking for the plug that I had to remove and insert the wires from the aux in cable. I didn't manage to find the plug, mine has no CD changer but has both DSP and Bluetooth, so was expecting a plug in the place where I should be plugging the aux cable, but there was none, turns out that I just needed to simply plug in the aux cable. I had already managed to remove the individual wires from the female end of the plug so had to insert them back, luckily I hadn't demolished the plug unit.

I had to then test the cable, my stereo wasn't showing 'Aux in' when I was pressing 'mode' but once the plug was inserted, pressing the 'mode' button did indeed display 'Aux in'. I had to then search for a 3.5mm jack to jack cable, realised that I didn't have one so set out the find one (will spare you the details). Once I had manage to get hold of one, came home tested and it worked fine. I then tried to pop the stereo back in but it wasn't sitting flush with the dash, decided to re-route the wires behind the black plastic 'pillar' in the dash, this did the trick and so tightened the screws. Fitted the vent and routed the remaining of the cable down through to the 'hatch' underneath, where I drilled a hole and popped the female end of the jack through. Pleased with the result, although the sound quality is not as good as through either radio or CD but this is expected using just a 3.5mm stereo plug. I found using the 'Bass Booster' helped and the iPod turned to full volume gives it about the same volume as the other functions. Hope these observations may help anyone else attempting the install, thought it would be good the give something back to the forum!

[RichardP]

Try changing the sensitivity of the Aux using the 1-6 keys instead of turning the iPod volume to full, you should get better quality.