MMI installation - question for the master

[Timmyboybunter]

Thought I'd make a start on getting the MMI installed today. Followed Dave's most excellent guide on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jY-pSPUz0IU

All gone fairly well, though for some reason I had trouble dropping the glove box after undoing everything. It felt like something was still attached on the right had side though I was sure I couldn't see anything remaining - in the end applied more force, half thinking something was going to crack, and it came free (not sure if there is something in there which 'pops' together and hence needs popping out before it will drop).

Anyway, as per Dave's suggestion I tested the kit before installing properly and all working well.

Box is now installed above the glovebox area internally, USB running through into the glovebox itself, all other wires run through to the head unit and re-installed, head unit stuck back in place. Here's where I'm now a little confused.

The main head unit hole where the actual unit slides in is 'sealed', in other words once the head unit is replaced and screwed in place, there is no where to run any wires through to the front of the car.

There are a few channels below this main hole however, so I've run the wireless antenna, microphone, and aux lead through one of these channels and into the cabin - available where the gear shifter trim will eventually be replaced. Attached picture shows where I am currently. 3 things left to do therefore.

1) Wireless antenna: will be installed as per Dave's video in a suitable place under the gear shifter trim. No problem.

2) Aux lead: need to run back to the aux port. The method in Dave's video for simply routing the aux lead around the back and underneath of the center console - is this done right through the middle of the console once it has been loosened, or should the lead be run underneath either the left or right hand length of the center console (tucking under, next to the tunnel carpet I mean i.e. NOT running under the removable trim panel), starting right under the head unit?

3) Microphone: I want to do the 'full' install and utilise the existing factory microphone, again as per Dave's video. What is the best path to route the microphone wire from the MMI box to the factory mic location? (put another way: can I get the mic wire to where it needs to be bearing in mind its current location sticking into the front of the cabin - or does it need to route BEHIND the steering wheel area to meet the OEM microphone loom and hence needs come come from behind the head unit area - in the same way the wires between the MMI box and head unit travel, just in the opposite side? The answer may be obvious once the microphone housing is removed from the column but I've been at it for hours now and am cold, annoyed and sore

[Timmyboybunter]

@AnubisZed if you're passing

[AnubisZed]

Hi Tim Nice work bud

OK, let me see......
1) To be honest it is better to run all of your wires before placing the headunit back in place and also while the centre console is loosened and free to be moved back and up to allow you to run them far easier.
2) Once you have loosened the centre console you can feed the WiFi antenna and AUX cables through the area under the black plastic bar between the blue and red arrows (photo attached)
3) Once you remove the lower steering shroud and lift the upper one you'll see there is plenty of room to run the wire back over to the passenger side behind the dash, although you may still have to pull the headunit out.

Hope that helps, youi know where I am if you need me

[Yoghurt]

Be careful when pushing the head unit back in place to pull the slack wiring from the glove compartment side. I think the first time I installed it the MMI just sent a red screen to the display so I may have put pressure on a connection.

[Silverstar]

Up to now I have been using the MMI box without the wifi antenna and it's been working fine, however whilst doing the recent subwoofer install I had to dismantle practically the whole car again so I decided to attach the antenna (while I was down there). I just stuck the antenna to the underside flat plastic part of the glove box.

The Aux cable you can fish it through the areas marked out in the photo by Anubiszed, I tried to do that just today but gave up cause it was still a pain to do, in the end I stuck with my original routing which is as you mentioned tucked up under the side of the console where it meets the carpet, once tucked in there it won't move. You just snake it around to the rear open the lid of the console and fish it through to the Aux port (as Dave shows in his video). As for the mic cable you can fish it through from the passenger side behind the head unit to the other side. I used a wire coat hanger to fish the wire through.

EDIT: Regarding the glove box, on the bottom right hand corner there is a tab which slots into the frame of the dash, this is why it feels stuck. I had trouble fitting the box back again because of this tab, left it overnight and faced it the next morning fresh eyed and saw the tab, once you know it's there it's a doddle.

[Timmyboybunter]

2) Once you have loosened the centre console you can feed the WiFi antenna and AUX cables through the area under the black plastic bar between the blue and red arrows (photo attached)
3) Once you remove the lower steering shroud and lift the upper one you'll see there is plenty of room to run the wire back over to the passenger side behind the dash, although you may still have to pull the headunit out.
Hope that helps, youi know where I am if you need me

Ok great, thanks for the reply Dave. I've got the wires coming through the bit with the red circle currently:

20201024_125638y.jpg (128.51 KiB) Viewed 2542 times

So I think the antenna and aux lead are good to go - I'll just poke them under that bar as you say, but I'm fairly sure they will be able to be poked there from where they're sitting currently.

On the mic lead then, it sounds like I do need to poke it BACK through and route from behind the head unit over to the steering column - thanks for clarifying.

Be careful when pushing the head unit back in place to pull the slack wiring from the glove compartment side.

Thanks - yes it took me a couple of attempts to get the head unit sitting flush - managed to poke all the additional wiring back and down into that space behind the head unit in the end.

The Aux cable you can fish it through the areas marked out in the photo by Anubiszed, I tried to do that just today but gave up cause it was still a pain to do, in the end I stuck with my original routing which is as you mentioned tucked up under the side of the console where it meets the carpet, once tucked in there it won't move.

EDIT: Regarding the glove box, on the bottom right hand corner there is a tab which slots into the frame of the dash, this is why it feels stuck. I had trouble fitting the box back again because of this tab, left it overnight and faced it the next morning fresh eyed and saw the tab, once you know it's there it's a doddle.

Thanks - sounds like if I take the 'tuck' option it means I don't need to loosen the center console; as long as no leads are on display anywhere (don't mind the rear of the center console) might be a good option. Will investigate tomorrow.

I thought it might be something like a tab on the glovebox - as when I was reassembling everything again and snapped it all back into the 'correct' postion, it was again stuck fast and wouldn't budge on the right hand side. Good to know.

Thanks all for the help

[Silverstar]

Thanks - sounds like if I take the 'tuck' option it means I don't need to loosen the center console; as long as no leads are on display anywhere (don't mind the rear of the center console) might be a good option. Will investigate tomorrow.

Yes correct. When I first installed the MMI I never took the centre console apart and left it alone. You can do all the wiring without disturbing the console. If you tuck the aux cable under the console where it meets the carpet and bring it to the back of the console and under the lid you will not see any part of the cable except for when you open the lid and the little bit that comes from the Aux port which is no big deal. To make life easier you may want to remove the black plastic cover located right at the back of the console so you can feed the wire under the lid.

[Timmyboybunter]

Not sure I fancy finishing with that white stuff out there.

[Yoghurt]

Came across and thought of you Dave!

[AnubisZed]

Came across and thought of you Dave!

nice find.

On all other sites I've ever been on (and that goes back to around 2001) I use DavesZed, but that is already in use on here, so I decided upon AnubisZed as I've had Anubis in my email address for about the same amount of time

[McHaggis69]

Sorry for going slightly off topic...

I installed a new Android head unit on my old Mercedes SLK which involved a LOT of trim removal etc. I did manage it and it all worked well.
However, my z4 I feel a LOT less confident installing carplay after watching all the quite detailed guides there are around.

The question is - does anyone on this group know anyone who would be willing to fit the carplay addition for me? I'm very happy to pay. Either a commercial fitter in or around Edinburgh/Central Scotland or even some friendly forum user who has done it before and knows what they are doing? I'm happy to travel to get this done.

I called a couple of commercial fitters who refused to install a 3rd party piece of kit.

[Timmyboybunter]

Does anyone on this group know anyone who would be willing to fit the carplay addition for me? I'm very happy to pay.

Yup - Dave/AnubisZed offers this service I believe, in addition to cruise control etc. Bit of a trek from Scotland but good excuse for an overnight drive out once the weather becomes less horrible and lockdown eases....

[AnubisZed]

Does anyone on this group know anyone who would be willing to fit the carplay addition for me? I'm very happy to pay.

Yup - Dave/AnubisZed offers this service I believe, in addition to cruise control etc. Bit of a trek from Scotland but good excuse for an overnight drive out once the weather becomes less horrible and lockdown eases....

Yes I do do it, yes it's a bit of a trek but saying that I've had members come from South Wales, Scotland, Holland and France before so distance is relative.

McHaggis69, I live in Grantham, Lincolnshire and if you don't mind a nice drive down then I can sort this for you once the current restrictions are over, send me a PM and we can talk.

[McHaggis69]

Thats good to know thanks. I will PM once its appropriate. Thanks!

[Roddy]

A dedicated MMI installation thread, perfect
I'm going to start at the back, with a camera, not highly recommended I know but was my original purpose.
The number plate light location isn't good, as mentioned I will use a number plate mounted camera. I will need to drill a small hole and insert a grommet here (maybe 10 ~ 15mm diameter):

Camera wiring.jpg (89.61 KiB) Viewed 2372 times

From studying photos and vids I think I will be able feed the wiring without removing the bumper, what say ye? Can't think of any other way to feed wire in.