[alep85]

Hi everyone,
I have a 2009 328i with the following electronic options:

S1CAA
Selection of COP relevant vehicles
S249A
Multifunction f steering wheel
S5GAA
Preparation alarm system
Code
S676A
HiFi speaker system
S693A
Preparation BMW satellite radio
S697A
Area-Code 1 for DVD
S6FLA
USB/Audio interface
S818A
Battery master switch
S8SCA
Telematics access request,country-spec.
S8SPA
Control unit COP
S925A
Transport protection package

So I have the 6FL (USB Audio) package and Hifi speaker system, and I know there have been a lot of posts on wiring a MULF2-HI (which I have in my trunk) for bluetooth retrofit.

My question is, with the 6FL package with satellite radio prep (but no 0640 bluetooth phone prep), is the mic wiring still present to the overhead console, or is that something I need to wire? I see the pink antenna connector and 2 other cables wrapped up in a cloth sitting in the trunk, and one does look kind of like a mic cable, but I'm unsure if maybe it's just actually a satellite radio-related cable. I've attached pictures for reference.

If I do need to wire the mic myself, what kind of wire do you recommend? and do I need to run it behind the glove box, or can I just run it straight back to the MULF unit?

Thanks in advance, everyone, I truly appreciate the help on this!

[PichaDis11]

Not sure if the Mic wiring is already there in your car but the wiring you see in the trunk is the SAT prep wiring. See this thread about getting bluetooth to work and ask questions there too.

[alep85]

Originally Posted by PichaDis11

Not sure if the Mic wiring is already there in your car but the wiring you see in the trunk is the SAT prep wiring. See this thread about getting bluetooth to work and ask questions there too.

Thanks for the reply. I'm thinking I have some sat wiring in the trunk that isn't relative to having bluetooth (although the cable on the far left does like like shielded mic cable). I'm going to pray up the front overhead console and check for the cabling sometime in the next week or two.

Question is, do I need to run the mic wire from the center overheard console into the glovebox like those with voice control have had to do? (see THIS thread for what I'm talking about) Or can I just run the mic wire straight back to the MULF2-HI? If so, is there a good picture diagram or walkthrough someone posted on how to run this wire? And how much length of shielded mic wire do I need? I'm confident in being able to do it myself, but I haven't seen too many picture tutorials on running the wire since most people seem to already have the phone pre-wiring.

Again, thanks for the help on this. I know there's a lot of resources here on how to do it, I just want to make sure I'm doing it the correct way for my particular configuration.

[PichaDis11]

Originally Posted by alep85

Thanks for the reply. I'm thinking I have some sat wiring in the trunk that isn't relative to having bluetooth (although the cable on the far left does like like shielded mic cable). I'm going to pray up the front overhead console and check for the cabling sometime in the next week or two.

Question is, do I need to run the mic wire from the center overheard console into the glovebox like those with voice control have had to do? (see THIS thread for what I'm talking about) Or can I just run the mic wire straight back to the MULF2-HI? If so, is there a good picture diagram or walkthrough someone posted on how to run this wire? And how much length of shielded mic wire do I need? I'm confident in being able to do it myself, but I haven't seen too many picture tutorials on running the wire since most people seem to already have the phone pre-wiring.

Again, thanks for the help on this. I know there's a lot of resources here on how to do it, I just want to make sure I'm doing it the correct way for my particular configuration.

Hey not a problem at all. Happy to help out. The thread you referred to is a great to look to get started. Only in your case I'm not sure if you have Voice control. If you do then That would save you a ton of time with this. The thread also explains the pin out of the mic wiring to the 54 cover socket for the MULF2 module. I'll post a link to a thread similar to your situation with some more info.

Edit: Here's the thread http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=765036

[alexwhittemore]

Area code 1 for DVD - does that mean you have iDrive? Anyway it seems to me like you probably don't have voice control. If that's the case, you've got to make and run a cable - I bought some shielded twisted pair from ebay, the mic-end connector can be substituted with a row of 3 breakaway .1" female headers, and the mulf-end pins to plug into the connector are available from Mouser. I can find mouser part numbers for you if you need to go that route. I can also just build the cable for you and ship it to you, if you want to do that PM me.

[alep85]

Originally Posted by alexwhittemore

Area code 1 for DVD - does that mean you have iDrive? Anyway it seems to me like you probably don't have voice control. If that's the case, you've got to make and run a cable - I bought some shielded twisted pair from ebay, the mic-end connector can be substituted with a row of 3 breakaway .1" female headers, and the mulf-end pins to plug into the connector are available from Mouser. I can find mouser part numbers for you if you need to go that route. I can also just build the cable for you and ship it to you, if you want to do that PM me.

Thanks for the reply, alex!

Do you have to solder any connections/pins to the cable? If so, I might enlist your services on this in creating the cable.

Also, my biggest fear is making sure I'm prying up the right spots and running the cable in the correct areas. Since it's not pre-wired, I don't want to do a shoddy job (or worse, pry up interior plastic pieces and break them). And it seems like most of the directions have been for people with pre-wiring, so this step wasn't necessary. If you guys have any advice on this step, it'd also be appreciated. Also, I may consider paying my local independent BMW shop to run the cable, as they said if I had all of the parts, they could probably do it with 1-2 hours worth of labor. We'll see.

Thanks again!

[alexwhittemore]

The parts in question are:
headers: http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/...UeQQFNAc5cY%3d (Mouser part # 517-929974-01-36-RK)
MULF pins: http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/...pJJNgxfQ%3d%3d (Mouser # 571-963726-1)

Wire (that I used, no reports of problems in 3 installs) http://www.ebay.com/itm/25-feet-24-A...item35c9aaec7c

EDIT: I left out a link to heatshrink, but you can get a kit with appropriate sizes at radioshack/frys/probably even home depot.

You can probably get alternative and/or cheaper wire. I'm quite sure you can use regular 2-conductor speaker wire, even, but it'll be prone to interference, particularly in the form of your cellphone signal lighting it up with static. You also won't know unless your callers complain, and then it's easy to chalk it up to a shitty connection when it's totally avoidable, which is why I chose not to cheap out.

The soldering is relatively easy. Quite easy, even. On one end you're stripping the wire and soldering it to the female header pins. On the other side, you're stripping it and crimping on the MULF pins. The only tricky bits are: on the header side, you'll probably need to file down the edges lightly where you've cut off your block of 3 pins for a flush fit inside the mic. Then heatshrink over that. On the MULF side, you have to heatshrink the shield (since it doesn't have its own insulation), but if you go too far the pin won't fit in the connector. I secure the pins with a dab of solder OVER the crimp, but if you put too much on, you'll clog the pin. Finally, it's tricky to get the wires free of the shield on either end - I've taken to sticking a pair of tweezers THROUGH the mesh shield at the base where you've removed the outer insulation, opening the hole, and pulling the wires through. That way, you never need to unbraid the shield.

If it sounds like too much for you, PM me, otherwise I'm happy to help you DIY!

[alep85]

What about routing the cable from the mic to the MULF? I haven't really seen a guide or set of pictures that shows how to route it, and while I've wired radios/factory aux inputs before, I'm a bit afraid to just go tearing apart my interior without a basic guide.

Again, thanks for all of the help, everyone!

[alexwhittemore]

Originally Posted by alep85

What about routing the cable from the mic to the MULF? I haven't really seen a guide or set of pictures that shows how to route it, and while I've wired radios/factory aux inputs before, I'm a bit afraid to just go tearing apart my interior without a basic guide.

Again, thanks for all of the help, everyone!

People often just stuff it under the edge of the headliner all the way back (around the headliner from the mic, over the A and B pillars, down the C pillar, behind the seat and into the trunk). I don't love that myself, it seems harder to me to peel enough of a gap back without messing up the trim pieces than it is to simply take off the four pieces you need to go the factory route.

What I have done is:

1) headliner. There are two screws, one under each of the visor snaps. When you undo those, the entire headliner sags down enough for you to get the FZD out comfortably as well as tape the new mic cable along the roof to the drivers A pillar.
2) A pillar. Pop off the "airbag" plate with a screwdriver, under it is a screw. Undo that, and the A pillar will slide up and off some supports on the windshield-edge. Run the cable down the A pillar on the windshield-side of the airbag (don't go OVER it).
3) down through the dash. You can feed the wire from the bottom of the A pillar down through the dash to behind the pedal trim, where the FRM is. The pedal trim removes with three Torx screws across the top.
4) Driver's scuff plate. The driver's scuff plate is attached with three push-in connectors. Just lift straight up sharply and they pop out. You can pop them back in the same way.
5) B pillar cover. Same deal. There are 2 or 3 snaps along the bottom, pull out into the car from the pillar and they'll come undone.
7) rear seat bench. This just snaps in. Pull up sharply on the leading edge around the 1/3 and 2/3 of the seat width in from either door. Lift the seat out.
6) rear seat corner cover. There are a few plastic blind rivet - pop the center out with a screw driver and the rivet will pull out easily. Take this trim piece off, then
7) rear scuff plate. This will be free to pop off like the front one once the seat corner cover is off.

At this point, you're all the way back to the seat back. Assuming you have solid (not folding) rear seats, you now use a T50 torx bit to undo the two screws at the base of the seat back, then go into the trunk and release the clips holding it in. Then bow it forward. Probably best to look up the seat removal DIY for visuals on this one. Unfortunately, you're stuck with this no matter how you run the wire, and it's the hardest bit to remove.

Once that's gone, and with the trunk bottom and left-side liner removed (this is held in with 5 or 6 more of those plastic rivets), you should see very clearly where the factory harness runs to the MULF. Just zip-tie your cable to it, and you'll know you won't get any rattling or looseness.