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Thread: Do ALL E85 Z4's really have a 6-pin CD changer connector?

  1. #1
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    Do ALL E85 Z4's really have a 6-pin CD changer connector?

    I'm trying to install an iPod interface in my 2003 Z4 3.0i (09/02) and can't find the 6-pin CD changer connector that the interface uses. I have all of the trim panels in the trunk removed, I've removed the trim between and behind the seats, and I've removed the storage compartment behind/between the seats (between the rear speakers). I'm finding lots of connectors, but not the one for the CD changer. Is it possible the connector could still be hidden somewhere? If so, where?!

    If this car truly doesn't have a CD changer connector, do I have any other options for an iPod interface besides an FM modulator?

    rear_console.jpg
    Last edited by BimmerM3inGA; 07-27-2014 at 12:03 PM.

    1998 ///M3/4/5 | 1999 528iT | 2003 Z4 3.0i

  2. #2
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    I have a 2004.... My 6 pin was located in the trunk behind the carpet on the bulkhead ... Directly behind the console. It might be stuck behind one of the bulkhead frame pieces...

  3. #3
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    I have a 2004.... My 6 pin was located in the trunk behind the carpet on the bulkhead ... Directly behind the console. It might be stuck behind one of the bulkhead frame pieces...
    I understand that's where it's supposed to be. And I looked. And looked. And looked Which is why I took the entire rear console apart - I thought it might be stuck or buried somewhere. I traced every bundle of wire and none of them lead to the mysterious phantom connector.

    1998 ///M3/4/5 | 1999 528iT | 2003 Z4 3.0i

  4. #4
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    Mine didn't seem to be there either, but it was. I kept feeling around till I felt something jammed under a larger set of cables. A small mirror helps too. The group should have a brown wire in it. Not sure if any came without it. I've found far more posts saying it's there and you have to dig for it, than any other. Mine took about 15 minutes to take apart and 3 hours to find the elusive plug.

  5. #5
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    Here's a link with pictures that helped me find the wires. Really helped to identify them after seeing the colors. Also, in mine, I had to pull on the metal frame where the document shows the wires being pulled through. They must have been pinched in there during assembly, but it did help to release them. Otherwise, the tips were hidden and it felt as though they were connected and pulling on them was going to end badly.

    With your console pulled apart, you'll likely be able to identify them easier than working through the trunk with a mirror. Hope this helps:

    http://www.zpost.com/forums/attachme...chmentid=81131

    This video really helped me as well:

    http://youtu.be/EHIfb0CW7cE
    Last edited by PopTheTop; 07-27-2014 at 07:15 PM.

  6. #6
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    If you do not have a CD Changer, then the connector on the back of the head unit is open. Just plug the cable into the head unit.
    I had to do that when I added the aux cable on my 2003. My 2008 came equipped from the factory and that is where it is plugged in to.
    You all never seem to have enough time to do the job properly the first time, but you always seem to find the time to do it a second time......... ME

  7. #7
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    There must have been a prep kit option then, because I had no changer, but the plugs were in the locations attached above. Got to love consistency.

  8. #8
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    If you do not have a CD Changer, then the connector on the back of the head unit is open. Just plug the cable into the head unit.
    I had to do that when I added the aux cable on my 2003. My 2008 came equipped from the factory and that is where it is plugged in to.
    Are you saying the 6-pin plug that came with the iPod adapter will plug directly into the back of the head unit? I've had the radio out already but don't recall a 6-pin connector on the back. But that was a while ago…

    1998 ///M3/4/5 | 1999 528iT | 2003 Z4 3.0i

  9. #9
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    Looking at the rear of the head unit, there are two 12-pin connectors. Both are below the 10A fuse. If I remember correctly, the one you want is connector 'B' (X13321) which is to the left and below the fuse. The connector on the right and below the fuse is for a TV input but I think it will work (not sure) with the aux cable.

    I do not have the BMW iPod adapter. I have the BMW AUX input on both cars. YES, they plug directly into the head unit. They do not plug into the CD Changer.. Not sure how that line of thought got started.

    The original BMW aux cable (kit) did not come with a complete connector. Just the pins on the wires. You had to insert the three pins into the existing connector on the rear of the head unit.

    If for some reason we are talking about a DICE unit, then I do not know. If we are talking about a Dice unit, then that SHOULD have been mentioned in the beginning..
    You all never seem to have enough time to do the job properly the first time, but you always seem to find the time to do it a second time......... ME

  10. #10
    Join Date
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    It's the SoundPlicity BMW iPod Integration Interface Module from Bavarian Soundwerks.

    I did some more research over the weekend, I think I may have found the root of my problem. The car is equipped with DSP. I've owned this car for nearly 5 years and never knew that! Anyway, it seems that some DSP-equipped cars have a small coaxial connector AND a 6-pin connector and some only have the coaxial connector. It would seem that mine only has the coaxial connector.

    BavSound offers a coaxial to 6-pin adapter, so it looks like I will need to order that as well.

    1998 ///M3/4/5 | 1999 528iT | 2003 Z4 3.0i

  11. #11
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    From the Intravee site:

    PLEASE ALSO NOTE: If your car is fitted with the DSP Hi-Fi option please check your CD Changer to ensure it has the 3 pin and 6 pin connections - if it has a coaxial type connector you will also need a separate analogue to digital converter. (See the DICE DSP Adapter further down the page.)

    This confuses me. I have a USA*Spec in my car, the DSP version, installed professionally a couple of years ago. I also have one in my non-DSP ZHP coupe. It sounds perfect in the ZHP, and sounds like ass in the Z4M, very very muddy to the point I never use it. I'm wondering about the Intravee info above, and if perhaps I could have used the non-DSP version of the USA*Spec, and possibly gotten clean sound like in my other car?

    Full Intravee info here. From everything I've read over the years, this is the best solution to have..

    http://www.toysinyourcar.com/acatalog/intravee.html
    '08 Z4 M Coupé LM08602
    '19 Golf R

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by KevinC View Post
    .... and if perhaps I could have used the non-DSP version of the USA*Spec, and possibly gotten clean sound like in my other car?
    The two are identical. One comes with DSP cable, the other does not. You can add the DSP cable if required. You could try swapping them and see.

  13. #13
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    So I got the iPod adapter installed and working.

    For those who find this thread looking for a solution, here's the deal: I spent a lot of time trying to get to the bottom of this and every resource I came across said that ALL E85 Z4s have the 6-pin audio connector and if you can't find it, you're just not looking hard enough. Well, I'm here to tell you that's simply not true. For cars equipped with DSP, there is a small coaxial connector and there may or may not also be a 6-pin connector. In my car ('03 3.0i, 9/02 build date), there was only the coaxial cable - NO 6-pin connector. So I had to purchase an adapter to convert the coaxial to a 6-pin. And the adapter cost nearly as much as the iPod interface itself!

    How to tell if your car has DSP: With the radio on, press and hold the button with the music note icon - it's right below the volume knob. If you see "Concert", "Church", etc on the display you have DSP. You will need an adapter.

    The adapter came with zero instructions, and an online search turned up nothing. The vendor does have an installation video on their website, but it's for an X5. While the procedure is essentially the same, there are differences. It basically goes like this: Plug the coaxial cable into the adapter, then the adapter plugs into the 6-pin connector on the iPod interface device. Also, the adapter requires a separate 12VDC power source. It has two wires that must be connected to a 12V source. In the installation video, the recommended power source is to tap into the wiring going to the amplifier. In an X5, the amp is easily accessed and the connector is right on top. In the Z4, not so much. So, I decided to tap into the same 3-pin power connector used for the iPod interface. Rather than snip wires in the car and have to contort myself to into the trunk to make the solder connections, I opted to modify wiring harness that was included with the iPod interface.

    I confirmed the polarity of the wires in the 3-pin connector in the car by touching the leads of a multimeter to the ones most likely to be positive and negative. Sorry, I have already forgotten which colors they are! So anyone attempting this will need to check the wiring polarity

    I snipped off the plug, cutting all 3 wires so that I could cover all the connections with heat shrink tubing to make it a neat installation. Then I connected the positive and negative wires from the adapter to the appropriate wires in the harness, resoldered the third wire, and covered all the connections with heat shrink tubing. Everything went into the car and was tested prior to putting all of the trim back together.

    In my car there were at least 6 small coaxial connectors, and they all looked the same. So which is the right one to use? Again, some instructions would have been helpful. But I made an educated guess, and it was correct. Among the wiring bundles in the trunk, there was only one 3-pin connector (I found several warnings that there may be two - one for a cellular phone and one for the CD changer. The way to tell them apart is the connector for the cellular phone has a brown wire in the center and the one for the CD changer has the brown wire to the side. You MUST use the one with the brown wire on the side). The appropriate 3-pin connector was bundled with one of the coaxial connectors and they were the only two connectors in that bundle. So it seemed logical that the coaxial cable I needed would be the one bundled with the 3-pin connector. And for once, logic won out!

    This is NOT a simple plug and play installation. Some detective work and then some creative engineering was required to figure out how to get it all working. It was an enormous PITA, but worth it. This is actually my wife's car and she is very happy that she doesn't have to listen to crappy local radio any more. I'm certain I will be well compensated for my efforts.

    1998 ///M3/4/5 | 1999 528iT | 2003 Z4 3.0i

  14. #14
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    Sorry to revive this thread but, I am also following the same route. got myself the nice HiFi upgrade but unfortunately, comes with these obstacles. for the DSP converter, i was wondering if theres another way i can tap into 12V. possible through the cellular phone cable? my car doesnt have the phone so the connected is just there. Doesnt happen to have the standard colours though (white, grey and one brown i think). Is there a pin-out diagram for such a connector?


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