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Thread: 1993 325is stock radio issue?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Location
    Princeton, NJ
    Posts
    19
    My Cars
    1993 BMW 325is

    1993 325is stock radio issue?

    Hi All,

    I have a 1993 325is (55k miles) with a stock radio that is intermittent and sounds very low. I replaced the amp with another BMW factory amp and I have the same issue. At times, the radio turns on but no sound at all.

    At times, the radio will work for a minute and then sound disappears but display is fine. It seems that the problem occurred when I replaced an on/off switch for the after-market alarm system.

    Is it possible that these problems are connected? All the speakers are fine. What else can I check?

    Also, do you know if a radio from another E36 will work with the same connector? For example, will a radio from 1996 328i work for my car? I know that the face of the radio looks different. Thanks.

    Best Regards,
    Louis

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Arlington, VA
    Posts
    9,933
    My Cars
    2018 BMW M240i
    It sounds (pun intended) like the head unit is headed (ditto) for its last round up. I’d pull it from the dash and see if the connectors at the rear match those on the newer head unit.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Location
    Princeton, NJ
    Posts
    19
    My Cars
    1993 BMW 325is
    I confirmed that my factory radio on my 93 325is has gone bad. I obtained a factory radio from a 96 328i (Alpine manufacture) which is model C33 DIN US.

    The wire harness connector for both radios are the same and the 96 328i radio works well except I cannot control the BMW Factory 6 Disc CD changer located in the trunk. The CD Changer is BMW and it worked fine with my original radio but it does not work with 96 328i factory radio.

    The pins in the back of the radio are the same for both. The only difference I noticed is that my original radio has a 5 Amp fuse and the 96 328i radio has a 7.5 Amp fuse. Also, the 93 radio I controlled the CD player with "Prog" button and on 96 radio it is the "Tape/CD" button.

    Does anyone know if the radios are compatible? Any changes that I need to make? Thanks for your guidance.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Location
    Princeton, NJ
    Posts
    19
    My Cars
    1993 BMW 325is
    Hi All,

    I confirmed that my model is CM5903L and the one I replaced it with was C33 DIN US and that is why it does not communicate with my BMW factory CD Changer in the trunk.

    Does anyone know if I need an adapter for the CD Changer in the trunk so that communication between the the head unit and CD Changer can occur? Thanks.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Arlington, VA
    Posts
    9,933
    My Cars
    2018 BMW M240i
    The old head unit may use a different communications protocol than the newer head unit. You need to verify that they use the same protocol.

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