Aux Audio Input: Need Part No. for E46 "Touring"??

My dealer says there is no application for my 2001 325xi "Touring". (The car does not have NAV or a CD exchanger)

The parts guy at Country BMW (Southhampton, NY) says he can find p/n's for the coupe, the convertible and the sedan; but not the wagon. He even called Montclair New Jersey for clarification. They said there is no Aux Audio Input upgrade available for the wagon.

I have searched the various forums and found write ups on the installs, and other facts and I have to believe someone has fitted their 2001 E46 Touring with the Aux Audio Input cable.

Short of pulling the head unit; taking it to a parts counter, and finding a connector end that fits....Has anyone an idea on how to determine which cable/connector to utilize?

Originally Posted by gordo325xiwagon

My dealer says there is no application for my 2001 325xi "Touring". (The car does not have NAV or a CD exchanger)

The parts guy at Country BMW (Southhampton, NY) says he can find p/n's for the coupe, the convertible and the sedan; but not the wagon. He even called Montclair New Jersey for clarification. They said there is no Aux Audio Input upgrade available for the wagon.

That is very strange. The BMW Aux Input kit only applies to model year 2003 (start-of-production 09/2002) and later cars. The kit isn't dependent on the body style, only on whether or not you have NAV.

In order to use the BMW Aux Input kit on a pre-MY2003 non-NAV car, you'll need a new radio head unit and the BMW Aux Input adapter kit. I think at least one person on this board has done this.

Hi Terry.... So for a 2001, my options to hard wire an IPod audio connection is either the Icelink or Dennison applications?

I am currently using the Griffen iTrip FM transponder.

Originally Posted by gordo325xiwagon

Hi Terry.... So for a 2001, my options to hard wire an IPod audio connection is either the Icelink or Dennison applications?

There are a number of adapters out there that will give you an Aux-In off the CD changer wires in the trunk, either with or without a changer. BlitzSafe and Peripheral Products are two I've heard of.

Of course, that gets you a source in the trunk, so you have to run the audio wires somewhere useful (center console, glove box, etc.).

If you think you might add satellite radio (either the BMW Sirius kit or the XM Direct kit), I'd suggest swapping the radio head unit out. You can probably sell your old one on eBay.

Note: The above is advice for this particular poster (who has a non-NAV car). With NAV, this swap is a lot more painful.

Like you I have a wagon, and the harness connectors for the CD changer are behind the left rear pop off panel. However, I assume the audio input harness must eventually end up at the head unit.


Maybe this is getting too complicated....but it seems feasible to just tap into the harness as it enters the Head unit. I know, easier said than done...I have looked at BMW schematics.....gordo

Originally Posted by gordo325xiwagon

Like you I have a wagon, and the harness connectors for the CD changer are behind the left rear pop off panel. However, I assume the audio input harness must eventually end up at the head unit.

In a non-NAV car I expect that is the case. For a car w/ NAV, they go to the BM53 radio in the back (in the case of a wagon, under the trunk floor).

But the connectors you need for an adapter are back there, so it makes more sense to run the stereo audio cable back up to the front from the trunk, rather than trying to relocate the adapter.

Originally Posted by gordo325xiwagon

.but it seems feasible to just tap into the harness as it enters the Head unit. I know, easier said than done...I have looked at BMW schematics.....gordo

I think its slightly more complex than that, only because something has to tell the head unit that there is an AUX input attached. Otherwise, how will the radio even "listen" to the input c coming into the head? I think the radio needs a "MODE" button to be pressed so that it will listen to a line-level input, otherwise, the radio only knows about AM/FM and the internal CD player.

The iTrip is a somewhat flat. I want the clarity that comes from a hard wire connection.

Since I am a 2001; there is no hope of using the aux audio input adaptor. Therefore, I think I should just get a trunk CD changer link, and run the cabling up to the Consul mounted IPod.

I alread have unswitched power from the glove box rechargable flashlight power adaptor.

There is no Nav or CD Changer so they are not an issue.