Retrofit bluetooth on E85, anyone?

[cj10jeeper]

Interesting the carpet is raised already for the ULF module.
The US models used to have a 'presided for bluetooth' badge, but not the UK and no idea about Aus.

Frankly I thinknyou have to ask a dealer or pull the carpetnand look for tied up leads to be sure. Anything else is guesswork.

 

[VvrooomM]

My guess is that the bulge is a block of foam which I subsequently removed when fitting the module in my coupe.

 

[cj10jeeper]

Let me clarify that I don't for one minute suspect the bulge will contain the ULF or cradle, rather the only real way to be sure if the harness is in place is to lift the carpet.
Earlier UK cars didn't even have the raised carpet, just flat on the bulkhead.

 

[Mangozac]

Oh don't get me confused - I absolutely agree that the chance of finding the ULF module behind there is worse than zero!

If there is just a block of foam behind the bulge then that would mean that I would have to buy one of the ULF mounting brackets too. Like you suggest though CJ, it would seem that the best bet would be to pull the carpet and have a peek. I'm just worried about breaking the clips that you mentioned broke when you pulled your carpet. I'll try to remember to pull the ceiling light out tomorrow to check if there is a mic in there.

With regards to calling the dealer, do all of the dealers have that kind of info at their fingertips (i.e. not just the dealer who originally sold the car)? Will they tell you over the phone?

Two more questions:
1. Do you have voice control working? I was reading about issues with the ULF modules being only in German and despite other languages being code-able by the dealer it never works in anything but German.

2. Is any coding necessary or is it literally plug and play?

 

[cj10jeeper]

All dealers can access the build detail. Will they? Best bet is always in person at the counter.

Voice control works on both my conversions Z4 and now sold X5. Voice iirc depends on the generation of module of 13 launched. Voice is from 8 onwards.

I needed no coding as it all was plug and play.

Hardest job is all the wiring for the loom boot to steering wheel and mike and sourcing bits cheap on eBay.

 

[Mangozac]

Awesome. I'll keep my eye out for a gen 8+ ULF and have a poke around the boot on the weekend.

I just had a look in the TIS and it should be technically possible to remove the carpet screws without breaking them. Will report back with my findings

 

[VvrooomM]

bimmernav no longer sell the kit even though their site suggests otherwise - discovered after one long exchange of emails with them!!!

 

[cj10jeeper]

The guys on the forum always had me as the guinea pig so I broke a few things learning....lol

I have a list if all ULF versions by part number at home so can cross reference if needed.
Not at home for a couple of weeks - happy to say

 

[Mangozac]

bimmernav no longer sell the kit even though their site suggests otherwise - discovered after one long exchange of emails with them!!!

Good to know!

I have a list if all ULF versions by part number at home so can cross reference if needed.

Thanks but I've got that list as well - it's mentioned a few times across various forums.

I pulled apart the ceiling lights this morning and confirmed that there is no microphone present. There is however an unused 3-pin connector up there which I can only assume is for the microphone. This might be a good sign that I'm pre-wired for bluetooth? In any case I'll pull the carpet on the weekend and have a dig around the rear of the bulkhead...

 

[VvrooomM]

Latest version of mic sits on top of steering wheel cowling. If careful you can dremmel out the hole for it, one chance shot though so go slow.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Mangozac]

Yeah and in fact there's a whole steering column top trim with mic attached going on eBay ATM, but at least to begin with I'd rather just stick with the stock mic location.

At this point though it all hinges on the car being prewired and being able to track down a later gen ULF at a decent price. Will keep this thread updated.

 

[Mangozac]

Woohoo I'm prewired!

After peeling back the carpet I found the ULF mounting bracket. I unscrewed that and found the bit multipin connector and the bluetooth antenna connector. So from what I can tell I need the following:

1. ULF module preferably gen 8+ if I want voice commands
2. Bluetooth antenna (these are cheap only around $30)
3. Microphone

The instructions on Bimernav talk about the "eject box" which best I can tell is the lockable compartment behind the seats. I don't want to do all the phone snap-in adapter stuff so I'll have to find out which two pins to wire the pairing button to...

My multifunction retrofit kit for the steering wheel is on its way so I'm getting excited!

 

[srhutch]

I have a BT loom and pairing button, will dig it out later and tell you what you need, but from memory I think there will be a plug sitting there just for the button

 

[Mangozac]

That would be fantastic if you could. Yeah from what I can tell there will be a socket underneath where the CD changed mounts (if fitted), into which normally the snap-in adaptor setup connects. So I assume the pairing button just needs to wire into the appropriate pins from that.

Is the pairing button you have a proper one for the Z4? If so could I bother you for a part number?

 

[cj10jeeper]

That's great and will make alife a lot easier, although I expect you'll have a few twists and turns as you try to figure out what connects to what.

The pairing button I used is just a momentary on switch that I located under the coin holder. Saved messing about with wiring in the oem location.

 

[srhutch]

Pins 1 and 2 are the ones that have the button connected to them.

 

[Mangozac]

That's great and will make alife a lot easier, although I expect you'll have a few twists and turns as you try to figure out what connects to what.

Definitely!

The pairing button I used is just a momentary on switch that I located under the coin holder. Saved messing about with wiring in the oem location.

Pins 1 and 2 are the ones that have the button connected to them.

Cool thanks guys. Yeah I'll just stash a pushbutton switch somewhere (probably under the coin holder too). In even better news I just tracked down a guy on another forum who is selling a 6th gen ULF with the little pairing button harness for a very good price. Just waiting to hear if he still has it and will ship to Oz. If that's the case this could be happening sooner rather than later!

Oh and this guy claims that he has full voice recognition on this 6th gen as well, disputing the fact I've read on a few places that it was only available from 8th gen onwards. It seems that there two versions: one that is labelled just ULF and the other labelled "ULF MIT SES", the latter having voice recognition. It seems like just a difference in software...

Finally, is there an instruction document from BMW detailing installation of the bluetooth in an E85? Does anyone have a copy they could send me?

 

[srhutch]

All you need is here

http://www.bimmernav.com/bmw_Z_series_bluetooth_retrofit.html

 

[cj10jeeper]

In terms of the older generation ULF's also be aware that they tend to pair to less of e newer phones.

6 was launched iirc before the iPhone even hit the Market.

It's a bit of a gamble what pairs to what, but I'd hold out for later than a '6'

 

[Mangozac]

All you need is here http://www.bimmernav.com/bmw_Z_series_bluetooth_retrofit.html

Yeah I saw that, I was just hoping for something more "official"

In terms of the older generation ULF's also be aware that they tend to pair to less of e newer phones.
6 was launched iirc before the iPhone even hit the Market.
It's a bit of a gamble what pairs to what, but I'd hold out for later than a '6'

As an electronic engineer myself, I just can't understand all of the luck involved with getting a bluetooth link to work. I mean it's supposed to be a standardised system so after 17 years of the bluetooth system existing (according to Wikipedia Ericsson created it in 1994) why on earth are companies inventing devices that may or may not work with other devices? And shouldn't newer phones be backward compatible with earlier versions of the standard? It's crazy!

Sorry about that little rant - I don't expect anyone here will be able to answer it. The reality of the real possibility that I could go to all of this trouble and then not have it work with my phone just hit me. Additionally I may be upgrading phones in the next couple of months (definitely not to an iPhone though), requiring me to throw the bluetooth dice again.

I'll see what the story is with this 6th gen, otherwise will keep an eye out for an 8+.