New AV Equipment for BMW E90

bmw325i · 04-18-2014, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by safe d

Hi Cheezie . 2 questions on this install.

1. why did you need an additional 15a power supply? Was this not taken from the connects harness to OE head unit loom?

2. Where did you take your speed pulse from? I am installing a Kenwood DNX unit - car looks like this right now. Happy holsAttachment 1013056. Cheers also for this post. Been very helpful.

Safe

The connects2 harness needs a constant 12 volt connection. The harness has a speed pulse wire. It gets the info from the canbus wires.

Cheesegeezer · 04-22-2014, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by safe d

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheesegeezer

So here goes with the installation.

I used the this guide here for the most part of the install, although it's not for my HU(Deck) the motions are still the same for getting into the car.

Dynavin E90 Install Guide

You will find most of what you need in the guide above however there were a few tricky bits which I will elaborate on here.

I would strongly recommend removing all the stuff out of your glove box, and taking the back panel of for the fuse box as this is where all my cable runs go to including the 15A Supply for the stereo which I put in an empty 15A slot in the fuse box using a spade connector. In my case No.2 was free and 15A so used that.

I would also recommend removing the trim around the cup holders and removing the cup holders as you can see alot better when feeding your wires in that area. There are just 2 torx screws per cup holder to remove once you got the trim off. Picture below shows the cup holder with the screw removed.

There was only 2 I need to put through there, 1 was the Constant 12V supply for the stereo and the other was the microphone.

For installing the Microphone

First things first is to remove the 2 sunvisor clips that hold it in place. there is a hidden Torx T-20 screw behind a flap. You will need to remove both of these to allow for the roofliner to pop down without creasing it. so you can remove the roof center console with the lights in.

Get a small flathead screwdriver and pop the cover off to expose the screw and remove.

Once the both sunvisor clips are removed you can then pull the head liner down and press these two silver clips in to release the light unit. please support this when releasing the clips, as there are wires going into it.

Once this is out, unclip the connectors going into the back of the unit. I did this so I could work better with it. I didn't have a microphone in the overhead console. BMW put a blanking plate in there which can be removed by using your small screwdriver and pressing the clip in to release the blank and pull it out. The shot below shows where this blank is housed, but removed and the new mic fitted.

I then ran the mic cable down the roofliner and down the left pillar, the wire is thin enough just to tuck behind the A piller cover and then run behind the glove box. There is a plastic cover at the bottom of the A Pillar, adjacent to the glove box which pops of and you can feed the wire here and behind the glove box into the center console where the new stereo is going in.

VIDEO IN MOTION BYPASS

So this particular head unit, I only had to ground the parking brake wire to get it to work. (I bought the actual one for $20 of a guy, but then realised I didn't need it.

When you remove the original stereo there are 2 8mm bolts that you remove and didn't require them to go back in for the new stereo. I saw that there was metal to metal contact which equals ground so used this. I stripped back quite a bit of the insulation and just coiled the bare wires round the bolt and screwed it back in.

CANBUS BOX

The dynavin tutorial has a different box with an LED, the connects 2 kit doesn't, so I just plug it in. Now there is a wierd thing here you have to connect the 8 pin connector from the harness over the box from the same loom. seemed a bit odd to me but it works.

Placement of Looms/Connectors

I put the Large ISO connector and the Canbus box to the glove box side as there was a large void where these fitted quite nicely and out of the way. I then coiled the rest of the loom and other connector(black one for the stereo side) to go in the drivers side void.

Connects 2 Stereo brackets and Fitting

Well this was a little puzzle, the destructions that come with the connects 2 kit aren't worth the paper they are printed on. Firstly you don't need the Head Unit cage that comes with the HU. Just use the screws and screw these 2 plastic brackets onto the sides of the HU. They are labelled left and right. And should be mounted like in the picture below. There are actually only 2 screws that hold the lot in place.

CLIMATE CONTROL TRIMMING

Ok so everyone says this needs trimming, but why??? I just want to show you why, for those that haven't done this yet.

And that is pretty much it.

Hi Cheezie . 2 questions on this install.

1. why did you need an additional 15a power supply? Was this not taken from the connects harness to OE head unit loom?

2. Where did you take your speed pulse from? I am installing a Kenwood DNX unit - car looks like this right now. Happy holsAttachment 1013056. Cheers also for this post. Been very helpful.

Safe

Hi there Safed

I ran the 12v supply because the instructions for my pioneer tell me to run this. I didn't try without.

Speed pulse was never connected. Reverse was hooked into the harness so no need to do anything with that. Not even sure what speed pulse is supposed to provide.

You had any joy fitting your kenwood?

bmw325i · 04-22-2014, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheesegeezer

Hi there Safed

I ran the 12v supply because the instructions for my pioneer tell me to run this. I didn't try without.

Speed pulse was never connected. Reverse was hooked into the harness so no need to do anything with that. Not even sure what speed pulse is supposed to provide.

You had any joy fitting your kenwood?

Speed pulse is only necessary for navigation.

snaimpally · 04-23-2014, 08:40 AM

Excellent thread - thanks for sharing. Might be useful to post a thread in the DIY section. I am also thinking of adding a Pioneer double din unit to get NAV and a backup camera so this thread is quite helpful.

Cheesegeezer · 04-23-2014, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snaimpally

Excellent thread - thanks for sharing. Might be useful to post a thread in the DIY section. I am also thinking of adding a Pioneer double din unit to get NAV and a backup camera so this thread is quite helpful.

Thanks, i'm glad its proving useful to some folk. I too will be adding rear camera to the set up. Which one are you going for. I've seen a couple, one that integrates in number plate light and the other that is part of new boot popper button.

safe d · 05-05-2014, 06:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheesegeezer

Hi there Safed

I ran the 12v supply because the instructions for my pioneer tell me to run this. I didn't try without.

Speed pulse was never connected. Reverse was hooked into the harness so no need to do anything with that. Not even sure what speed pulse is supposed to provide.

You had any joy fitting your kenwood?

Hi Cheese G, I have been having some fitting difficulities.[ATTACH] Name: metra side.jpg
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[/ATTACH].

Can you offer any advice?

I found a hooking point for a harness at the rear which was fouling the rear of the hu. I cut that off for a bit more space. Made little difference. I got the glove box out to re-route the stereo harness - still no difference in the fit.

e90bmw328i · 05-05-2014, 10:13 AM

Cheesegeezer, all your pictures are disappearing. Subscribed to this thread. Should be sticky.

04-23-2014, 08:40 AM	#26
snaimpally Major 170 Rep 1,247 Posts Drives: 2022 F44 M235i GC Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Austin, TX iTrader: (9) Garage List 2022 M235i [0.00]	Excellent thread - thanks for sharing. Might be useful to post a thread in the DIY section. I am also thinking of adding a Pioneer double din unit to get NAV and a backup camera so this thread is quite helpful.
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05-05-2014, 10:13 AM	#29
e90bmw328i Lieutenant 39 Rep 407 Posts Drives: 2017 330i Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Hudson, TX iTrader: (1)	Cheesegeezer, all your pictures are disappearing. Subscribed to this thread. Should be sticky.
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