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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Bolton, MA
    Posts
    876
    My Cars
    2001 740iL, 2001 325Ci

    Radio display units that can go in my '03 X5?

    I have that smaller/smallish radio display unit, (that comes with CD player above it), and it ain't working so good. Display is all jumbled up and I believe radio is faulty. (I scan to a station, save it in memory on a button, scan to another station and then hit the recently saved button/station... but it's not saved anymore).

    So, I'm on ebay looking at a LOT of replacements but my question is: Are they really different than what should be in my X5? Some say they've come out of E46s or 5-series and I'm not sure I can just plug em in and have them work. Realoem isn't helping me much. Can anyone give guidance on what will work for me?

    Thank you.

    Jay
    '01 325Ci Convertible, 5-speed
    '01 740iL, Stahlblau with beige interior & 18" M-Pars, GROM bluetooth
    '03 X5 3.0 six cyl, Gray on gray

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    (northeast) Indiana
    Posts
    19,321
    My Cars
    15 650ix GC & 14 X5 50i
    The e38/e39/e46/e53 generation have specific audio components for the dash. They are not exchangeable with the exception of some of the e39/e53 parts. The MID (multi-informational display) in the e39/e53...I believe are the same (please verify this by looking up the part nbr in one of the part databases...click on the part nbr to see what other BMW models use the same MID).

    The in-dash Cass/radios or single CD/radios are also model specific (again the e39/e53 may be compatible). The Nav screens are different in the e53 vs the e39 & e38 & e46...the angle of the screen is positioned to facilitate the higher seating position of the X5...and the back end of the dash components are different to accomodate the HVAC system in each model.

    The MID and the in-dash cass/radio or CD/radio are two separate components (in the US market). If you are in a BMW market that uses the IRIS...then you may have an integrated amp in the "head" unit. But no BMW got the IRIS in the US market...we only got the MID and in-dash radio...or one of the two nav screen set-ups.

    You should be able to see the difference in the two CD53 radios below in how the face plate and the radio unit are not designed the same. The back half of the radio may slid into the opening but the faceplate will not line up properly. This was done on purpose due to BMW ending the anti-theft radios that fit all other BMW models in those generations. The e38/e39/e46/e53 moved to model specific components to diminish the black market of stolen radio possibilities.

    {e39 CD53}


    {e46 CE53}
    Last edited by Qsilver7; 08-06-2018 at 11:35 AM.
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    2015 650ix GC (Moonstone/Cohiba Brown) <<~>> 2014 X5 50i (Space Gray/Mocha)

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