Removing the OE phone mount

[AnubisZed]

OK guys a quick How-To here for removing the OE phone mount under the armrest.

A few people have said in the past that they cannot get this out and some have managed it, so hopefully this'll help if you either want to remove it completeley or just to replace a component.

So you need to remove some trim, firstly the centre console top trim needs to come out, and to save on posting loads of photos this is something I've shown in my videos a few times now so if you click the video below and jump to 07:45 through to 09:26 and then jump to 19:05 this'll show you how to get the trim out, disconnect the electrical connections and to release the whole centre console....

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

So you now have a loose centre console, but you stiill can't get the tray or phone cradle out yet.

Firstly you need to disconnect the 2 (or 3) connections (power, antenna and/or the purple one to the combox if you have one) lift up the whole console to gain access...



Now release these 6 clips from under the phone bracket (start at one end with 2 of them and work along) and gently lift the phone bracket out through the console with the cables...



If you are taking it out completely then remove the rubber mat (or 2 rubber mats if you have the cup holder version) to gain access to the 4 screws, undo these and then using a trim tool prise the tray up from above taking care where the clips are on each side...





To replace the phone tray with a full tray then just screw it in with the 4 screws and place the centre console back using a reversal of the removal proceedure.

Like I say just a short one here, but this way it'll save any damage to your centre console

 

[B21]

Good write up..I guess for many, the obsoleted list of phones that the snap in cradles supports renders that space useless..

I've retained an old iPhone 5/ SE to use the snap in as just a pure juke box player..

 

[AnubisZed]

Good write up..I guess for many, the obsoleted list of phones that the snap in cradles supports renders that space useless..

I've retained an old iPhone 5/ SE to use the snap in as just a pure juke box player..

If, for instance, you had the iPhone 5s snap-in adaptor and had the MEDIA version and you had a later iPhone then you could fit a short Lightening extension cable (female to male). Then you could plug your later phone into the cable and the cable into the Lightening port on the snap-on adaptor. You would loose the benefit of the external antenna but the modern phones are fairly good on reception these days. You'd still retain your direct connection to the iDrive for video and to the combox for Connected Drive.

Or you could fit one of the wireless charging brackets, but with this you are then down to a Bluetooth connection only, but at least it's making use of the space and electrical connection.

Some will say that you can just plug your iPhone into the USB port, which you can, but using the snap-in adaptor for this frees up the USB port

 

[B21]

Good to know..at the moment I’m keeping the old iPhone se alive..with 128gb I can get my whole music library of 6,000 tracks in Apple AAC 196kbs format..

So with the BMW media support I get art work etc..

I’ve got a 64 gb USB stick that also has 6,000 tracks in WMA format as a backup…

Plus of course a 256gb blue tooth iPhone ..

I like to keep a backup to my backup..

The main issue with USB is that some the artwork doesn’t get encrypted by WMP so I lose the artwork on some albums…major first world problems :rofl:

 

[AnubisZed]

Good to know..at the moment I’m keeping the old iPhone se alive..with 128gb I can get my whole music library of 6,000 tracks in Apple AAC 196kbs format..

So with the BMW media support I get art work etc..

I’ve got a 64 gb USB stick that also has 6,000 tracks in WMA format as a backup…

Plus of course a 256gb blue tooth iPhone ..

I like to keep a backup to my backup..

The main issue with USB is that some the artwork doesn’t get encrypted by WMP so I lose the artwork on some albums…major first world problems :rofl:

Yeah I've found that it's a bit hit-n-miss with the album art on the USB stick. I was recommended an app called Mp3tag that dose a resonable job but even then some still don't show up, not to worry.

I like all the options depending on my mood at the time, although I don't have a massive amount of music mainly as I stream most these days even more so as I have Android Auto (and Apple CarPlay) on my iDrive. It's a shame that BMW decided to support Spotify and not Apple Music

 

[B21]

Heh heh…streaming in Scotland outside the Central Belt would mean long periods of silence…whereas there is quite a lot of basic 2G coverage it gets iffy quickly on 3G , don’t ask about 4G…

I guess if you keep to the main arterials then coverage is maybe ok..

On the artwork I’ve spent a long long time to try and crack it an automated way with little success..so in a strange way reassured that other people struggle… :tumbleweed:

I just love on an iDrive a split screen with the map on the left and the song n artwork on the right..

It’s easy enough to force iTunes to successfully encode artwork but it’s hit n miss with WMP…

 

[AnubisZed]

To answer a question from a member......

This is how the tray looks normally (obviousley mine is not in the car, but you see the idea!)...



So even removing the snap-in adaptor you still cannot gain access to anything....



Removing the rubber mat from the other side (or the two drink holder mats) gains you access to two of the four screws but it's still not enough...



So this is why I've written the How-To above so you don't damage anything just pulling or prying at plastic. After all if you remove it properly then you can sell it on eBay

This photo shows the four screw holes after everything is removed...



Hope that helps

 

[PointedMarlin]

Good write up..I guess for many, the obsoleted list of phones that the snap in cradles supports renders that space useless..

I've retained an old iPhone 5/ SE to use the snap in as just a pure juke box player..

I’m not anywhere near my Zed at the minute but I have an old iPhone 5 how do I get it to snap in so that it charges & plays music?

The connections do not look like iPhone connections but I figured they were an old style Nokia or Samsung

 

[PointedMarlin]

Oh I’ve just looked again at Anubis Zed’s pictures

I don’t have that iPhone attachment piece

I only have the bits below that

 

[B21]

Oh I’ve just looked again at Anubis Zed’s pictures

I don’t have that iPhone attachment piece

I only have the bits below that

Not exactly clear…so do you have a completely empty unit or do you have the base that the snap in adapter sits in?

 

[PointedMarlin]

Yeah the base that the snap in adapter sits in is what I have

20211025_092803.jpg - this photo in Dave’s post is what my centre armrest looks like when you flip it up

After I’d worked this out I did some googling & it looks like you can still get these adapters for the iPhone 5 but I’m not bothered enough to pay the £100 + from Ali Express or other alternatives to get one

 

[B21]

Yeah the base that the snap in adapter sits in is what I have

20211025_092803.jpg - this photo in Dave’s post is what my centre armrest looks like when you flip it up

After I’d worked this out I did some googling & it looks like you can still get these adapters for the iPhone 5 but I’m not bothered enough to pay the £100 + from Ali Express or other alternatives to get one

There are different versions of the snap in adapters for the iPhones to complicate matters.

Some, on the E89 , cheaper versions only support telephony, you need the media version if you want to play music with artwork..

 

[AnubisZed]

Yeah the base that the snap in adapter sits in is what I have

20211025_092803.jpg - this photo in Dave’s post is what my centre armrest looks like when you flip it up

After I’d worked this out I did some googling & it looks like you can still get these adapters for the iPhone 5 but I’m not bothered enough to pay the £100 + from Ali Express or other alternatives to get one

There are different versions of the snap in adapters for the iPhones to complicate matters.

Some, on the E89 , cheaper versions only support telephony, you need the media version if you want to play music with artwork..

It does depend which base unit has been fitted as well. The media snap-in will only be affective if the media base is fitted in the first place. Alas the only way to check this is to lift the center console (as per the video in post one above) and check the wires coming from the snap-in base. If they go to only two plugs then you have the basic version (antenna (black FAKRA) and power for charging) whereas if they go to three plugs (antenna (black FAKRA), power for charging and a purple FAKRA, which will go to the Combox) then you have the media version.
The MEDIA Snap-In adaptor I show in the photo above I bought recently for only £25, used and in mint condition (iPhone 5S) off eBay so they do come up from time-to-time at a decent price.
One thing to note, if it doesn't say MEDIA on the silver panel (as per my photo) then check the label on the back as it needs to say MEDIA there (to be honest if it isn't on the front then it's not a MEDIA version). If it says CONNECT on the label then do not buy it as it won't work on the CIC system in our E89's.

 

[B21]

Dave, great investigative work…

 

[fantomass]

Hi, lurking until now, very useful stuff on this forum - thanks all!

I also have the base without the snap-in adapter, and I'm contemplating what to do with it. I have a German version, so on one side is the phone cradle base, on the other two cup holders.

I'm trying to decide whether to make use of the wiring and to somehow fit in a wireless Qi charger in there - any tips on that?

Or I'll just get the base out and replace it with the rubber mat. (In fact, even with the base there, I use the space to store my sunglasses in their cover and it's a perfect fit, but the pedant in me doesn't like those connectors protruding )

 

[M33 LMO]

I'm trying to decide whether to make use of the wiring and to somehow fit in a wireless Qi charger in there - any tips on that?

I would also be very keen to see if this is possible and be able to make some practical use of the space.

 

[AnubisZed]

...
I'm trying to decide whether to make use of the wiring and to somehow fit in a wireless Qi charger in there - any tips on that?
...

I would also be very keen to see if this is possible and be able to make some practical use of the space.

Well you're both in luck as it is possible to fit the OE wireless base unit. This requires the removal of the current base with wires to be replaced by the new wireless base and just connecting the new wires up. As stated above you loose the extra direct connection to the system so are only on a Bluetooth connection instead (improved antenna reception is retained), but it gives you a modern charging facility. The design is a little old now compared to the newer larger phones, so you can obtain an extension bracket to increase the sprung retainer.

Cheapest brand new one I've found ...
**EDIT** These are brand new items and at really great prices compared to other sellers. I've fitted one for a customer and now have one myself as well
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/304221696628

A cheaper used unit...
Link removed as no longer available

And the extension bracket...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/294414939077?hash=item448c7f73c5:gmkAAOSwDl5hTLeT

Or if you can 3D print or know a friend who can, here are the STL files for you....
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4879680

Hope that helps

 

[huseyin88]

I was thinking to also do a wireless phone charging space but didnt as i couldnt see the screen if i ever needed to use it for maps of something.

I then thought about the wireless charger at the front but the roof buttons as if i did need the screen for any reason its easier to get at than in the arm rest... just my 2 pence..

I ended up getting one of those multimedia boxes from naviks wired in to oem screen and run a hdmi to usb converter to present my phones screen as i usually use google maps to the oem screen and also utilising the naviks box for front and rear reverse cam helps loads as well as using it for audio playback as i didnt have bluetooth playback, but also have tune2air wired in there to utilise steering buttons...

but yeah im sure theres loads of setups out there...

 

[olibattman53]

Thanks for this guide - will certainly be removing the outdated phone tray.
It seems cupholders divide opinion (and are also tricky to find online) but ideally I’ll try to change to the half storage/half cup holder option for the armrest. Having said that, do those of you with the cupholders in the armrest find them remotely convenient since your elbow goes there?!
Any tips on finding the right parts or is a case of hoping for an eBay special? I’ve seen various oddment bins for sale with part diagrams but no joy on the cup holder version. Lastly, do you know if they’re offered in LHD/RHD variants so that the cupholders will be on the pax side?
Cheers guys!

 

[B21]

You need
51169181218
Oddments tray

If you want just a plain large oddment tray