High cluster and High DSP radio retrofit

fellas
I want to retrofit low cluster and low DSP radio to high cluster and high DSP radio on my 530i
The DSP radio is different for high cluster as it has more computer options
Anyone who did it / any links ? is it only parts / coding or also wires need to be changed ?
I am not able to find info for DSP radio retrofit for a high cluster
Tnx I

This can be a bear of a job. Why don't you just ditch the DSP system (which isn't that great to boot), and go straight aftermarket nice double din with a decent amp & speakers? You will have all the bells & whistles, better sound and a much easier install process.

0.02

Hi

There's some posts over on bmw5.co.uk from those who've done these kinds of retrofits and, I will assume here and on other BMW forums as well. It's up to you if you wish to go this way, but from the value for money, Time and effort, costs perspective it's not worth doing in my opinion. You'll need to change your instrument cluster, perhaps buy specific looms and you'll need coding done. Then, you'll need to find working MID units with pixels intact and from the correct model years to be compatible with your very late build E39. I'm quite certain you'll need looms to make those fit and quite possibly once everything is connected and installed the whole shebang will also need coding. You'll then need to find a working DSP amplifier and then retrofit all the DSP speakers.

You'll end up with a few more computer functions and oem - read mediocre, sound quality and the cost is likely to run into the hundreds of dollars range and I daresay not far off $1K.

Cheers, Dennis!

Good point, Dennis. From my own dabbling into the DSP system, I have found enough year-to-year variations to make your retrofit a nightmare, at best.

High quality aftermarket would be the way to go.

well I already have great DSP + boston CS50 acoustic but my car has low cluster
I cant change ONLY cluster as i also have "low MID units with DSP" w/o computer button if you understand what i mean

The question is how to retrofit high cluster AND "high MID units with DSP"
No question about DSP changes which i already did and which sound great , just a cluster and DSP radio

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...&postcount=133

here is one picture where you can see what i am talking about

See BC button on the right side for MID

I want to retrofit from this



to this

Hi Champaign,

Better go make yourself a big cup of tea and get plenty of biscuits !

You'll need to do some digging around to find the correct modules needed, looms needed, any specialists who can code etc.

Once you've found out everything and know all the bits and pieces required, you can press ahead!

I'd hazard a guess it can be done, and has been done. I'd say the information you need is perhaps contained in multiple threads over multiple forums, maybe a stroke of luck has it that you find one thread with all you need to know etc.

Good luck!

Cheers, Dennis!

I looked into upgrading the low cluster and MID in 2004. I asked a similar question on another forum and got this reply:

Assuming you don't already have the high BC, this is what it would take to upgrade the 530:
wiring 61 12 0 306 722
cable ties 61 13 1 367 599 x20
coolant level switch 61 31 8 360 876
instrument cluster 62 10 6 942 197

The total parts cost for the above is about $600, and you will require an hour of labor at the dealer for coding. Vaheh at Crevier BMW was able to make the harness available for order in the U.S.

I chose not to upgrade because of the pixel errors that people were having at that time.

thanks Steve530
do you have a link to this thread ?

Here's the link.

There are at least a few more threads on the topic on that forum.

Originally Posted by Steve530

I looked into upgrading the low cluster and MID in 2004. I asked a similar question on another forum and got this reply:



I chose not to upgrade because of the pixel errors that people were having at that time.

Yes, Vaheh will help you. I was the second one he assisted way back in 2004 when I did my 97 528i. Had to import the harnesses then, but they might be available now in the US since they have since been added to the BMWNA catalog.

You'll also need this instruction sheet.

thanks fellas , so just to be clear
if i will do high cluster

===============
Assuming you don't already have the high BC, this is what it would take to upgrade the 530:
wiring 61 12 0 306 722
cable ties 61 13 1 367 599 x20
coolant level switch 61 31 8 360 876
instrument cluster 62 10 6 942 197

The total parts cost for the above is about $600, and you will require an hour of labor at the dealer for coding.
Vaheh at Crevier BMW was able to make the harness available for order in the U.S.
=====================

and get MID with B/C button i dont NEED any manipulation to get "BC" button on MID to work ?
Is it correct ?

======================
Correct, you don't "have to" replace the MID (main reason for retrofit is to also retrofit navigation, hence no need for MID),
but if you want to control the functions from there, you will need to get one with the "BC" button. I'm sure a lot of people who upgraded to nav will have those available.

Otherwise, yes, the cluster (IKE) is the main component here. The LCM also plays a part, but replacement will not be necessary due to the recoding.
The MID is strictly an input and display device that doesn't do any processing.
======================

I'm not sure if you're asking a question or restating posts from the other thread.

I did not replace my cluster or MID, so I cannot confirm that the upgrade will work as you want it to work. Hopefully Jarhed1964 can answer this for you.

My cluster was originally a LOW OBC. I bought a High OBC and imported the harness pieces pictured in the instructions, and wired it in accordingly. Only issue I have (more because I have been too lazy to correct the punch-wiring like I need to) is that pushing in and holding the button on the turn signal stalk doesn't reset the mpg or avg speed. My assumption is that I punched one of the wires into the wrong spot on the patch panel underneath the glove compartment. There are a lot of wires with very similar colors and patterns. That was the toughest part of the entire process. Other than that, the cluster works PERFECTLY. Not sure about MID and so on, I don't know much about the electronics, unfortunately. I don't have NAV either.

Igor, you need the B/C button on the high MID. it allows to reset the trip fuel consuption among other.

Originally Posted by doru

Igor, you need the B/C button on the high MID. it allows to reset the trip fuel consuption among other.

i guess you dont have high MID so you dont know how good it is

Actually I do