Build and install your own AUX Cable!

[Oryx33]

So for those not inclined to build the cable from scratch (Don't really trust my soldering and wiring skills) where can one obtain a prefab cable online that includes most if not everything needed but still have the option to have it shipped to Canada. None of the websites listed thus far ship beyond Europe.

[hawk1996]

2004 z4 - I have built the cable and installed and everything is working great, one question. I have the BMW Business CD radio and when I was hooking up the aux I had a connector on pins 6 and pin 12. From the drawing provided by sk93 thats for phone audio in + and phone audio in - What is that used for???

Thanks,

[RichardP]

The phone audio pins are used by the radio so you have hear audio from the phone! If these pins were populated than you must either have a phone or have the pre-wiring for it.

My advice would be to swap the pins over from the original connector to the new one (or visa versa) so you have both Aux and phone pins in place. The pins are quite easy to move over, you just need to depress a barb on the pin with a small screw driver, they then slide out and can be re-inserted into the other block.

[hawk1996]

ok, thanks for the info, how would i connect my phone?

[Hosse]

Is there also this lack of bass/Low frequenzy problem whit the prefab cabel from BMW? Im getting pretty tired of the bad soundquality in my car while using my iPhone...

Is there any other better solution for Iphone i E85? Is there a dockingsolution?

Thanks!

[Stromtech]

So for those not inclined to build the cable from scratch (Don't really trust my soldering and wiring skills) where can one obtain a prefab cable online that includes most if not everything needed but still have the option to have it shipped to Canada. None of the websites listed thus far ship beyond Europe.

You can buy the Mini aux kit from any BMW dealer in Canada for around $50. I bought mine while on a trip to the USA from a dealer for around $30.
The Mini part number for the aux jack is 82 11 0 153 367
I drilled a hole in the panel below the radio to install the jack (without the little aux-in label plate)
The whole job is about a half hour most of which was removing the center vent.

[D2LHR]

I have just finished using this post to work my way through and retrofit an AUX cable to my stereo. Happy to report that all is now working and sounding great!

Very helpful when someone shares their knowledge. Certainly helped me out loads. So a massive thank you to SK93 for taking the time to post this and all the additions make interesting reading when working through it. Almost all of the problems I come across were discussed at some point throughout the 14 pages!!!

Thanks for the help!

[chjade84]

Well $@#! me running!!!

So I bought a 2008 3.0i about 2 months ago and am loving it so far - but I've always wanted an AUX port, and I thought it was odd that it didn't come with one being a 2008. (It's also very basic though, no sat nav, no CD changer, no computer, manual seats, no climate control, etc.) So I come across this post...

GREAT IDEA!

I get online and get capacitors and a nice quality 3.5mm jack. I get some shielded cable from work. I came up with an elaborate plan to run the female jack from that worthless little round thingy next to the ash tray (what is that?) up to the stereo for a nice finished look that wouldn't modify the car at all. I get home with all the parts and start looking things up - solder everything together. I then go out to the garage and get the vents and stereo out. The plug in the back I need has some wires in it but people said that was normal - sat nav or bluetooth or something. Then I notice there are 3 wires and they are all in the locations I need for the AUX jack.

Well that's not right....

So I stick my head under the dash and what do I see?!












There's not an epic enough facepalm picture on the entire internet that does this situation justice...



**I should note that I heard SOME Z's had the AUX port from the factory so when I bought it I felt around down there and it was smooth so I just assumed it didn't have it -- after all it had almost no other options... Turns out I was just feeling in the wrong place...**

[Neilw]

Hi All

I've built and tested my AUX cable. Worked first time. Nice to use my GSCE Electronics skils again



I've cut down the stripboard now.

It has abit of a hiss on the cable is that normal?

Anyway I have a bluetooth kit. Does anybody know where I can get hold of the tiny pins that fit into the connection block?

Thanks all

[Adamski]

I dont have a hiss, but then mine is an OEM cable. I don't think a hiss is normal

[Neilw]

Its not really loud, Sounds like a de-tuned radio. maybe due to the lenght of the stripboard I was using.

[Stromtech]

I have a BMW Mini Aux cable...absolutely no hiss. IMHO you should not have any hiss unless something is amiss.

[Neilw]

I'll have found this bits do you think they look like the correct pins?

http://www.nexxia.co.uk/product.asp?s=C ... ode=M-70-1

http://www.nexxia.co.uk/product.asp?s=C ... ode=M-61-1

[Stromtech]

Should look like this :
http://www.outmotoring.com/mini-cooper/ ... ookup.html

[fallingman]

Okay, I'm cursing a lot right now.

First the good news... I got the air-vents out in around five minutes. Reading all the advice on this forum about releasing those fiddly clips really paid off. Thanks all!!!

So vents out and head unit out.

Next I turn to the cable I got from In-Car Tunes. I got the one with the circuit board fitted in-line.

Plug it in and - Hey Presto! - an AUX option appears on my MODE button.

So far so good.

Then I drill a hole in the panel beneath the head unit. All nice and neat and the cable socket fits through snuggly.

BUT - the socket isn't long enough to protrude all the way through the panel

Somehow, I have to reduce the thickness of the panel around my drilled hole. Or get a new cable with a longer socket (which I'd rather not do)

Any ideas anyone?