BMW E39 Bluetooth Custom Kit Installation Instructions

BMW E39 Bluetooth Installation Instructions What is BMW Bluetooth? Bluetooth Functional Overview Users Manual for the BMW Bluetooth System Users Manual for the BMW Voice Control System (features included in X5 retrofit kit) BMW recommended phones for BMW Bluetooth System Bluetooth Features and Functionality BMW Bluetooth Troubleshooting Guide     Installation instructions below are for the BMW E39 Bluetooth Kits: Click here to buy now. NOTE: Our Bluetooth Kits come with the latest Generation BMW ULF modules Available as shown in the BMW Compatibility matrix (and NOT the problematic first generation 84 21 954 552 others are selling,   Be careful on getting older ULF modules as some people have had difficulties and incompatibilities with the old first generation ULF modules.  Why use Our Bluetooth Solution? Although detailed instructions will ship with your Bimmernav Retrofit kit The below Installation is a quick pictorial.  This install instruction is just a reference and your installation may slightly vary.   The process involves installation of a custom made telephone retrofit kit designed to your specific needs or requirements with a BMW ULF Bluetooth Module (equipped with our unique bluetooth wiring harness). The easiest method for installation in cars that are not prewired for telephone is to mount the pairing button in the trunk of the car as shown in the below photos. NOTE: ALWAYS disconnect BATTERY before working on the electrical system in a BMW.  Most importantly, you should ensure that the navigation computer Power light is OFF before disconnecting your battery.  BMW states that if the battery is disconnected when the navigation computer is on you may damage the nav computer.  The important thing to keep in mind is do not disconnect the battery if the power light is on your navigation computer. Tools required Phillips head screw driver 8mm socket driver BMWs that require custom bluetooth kits typically are for BMWs outside of North America that do not have telephone prewiring, or even telephone prewiring, power connection plug (BMW calls this power plug X400) All plugs are labeled X(something) as an identifier. The bluetooth kit detailed below shows a BMW E39 Australian model, without telephone prewiring, without X400 plug and without a center console arm rest cutout. This E39 required a custom made bluetooth harness to connect to the X322 power wires of the car, and NO Splicing of wires was required during installation. A microphone wire needed to be run up the side of the headliner, and mounted in the overhead console however running the mic wire in a BMW is actually quite simple and quick. The 2003 Australian model E39 Bluetooth installation detailed below did not have an X400 plug, but only the X322 plug located behind the navigation computer. Many Australian model E39s with Navigation and Television but without telephone prewiring will use this same configuration   This bluetooth kit is not typically for cars that have the "prewired for telephone" badge in the trunk of the car General Installation videos of Bluetooth Retrofit Module connection Bluetooth Module Installation Before starting remove the Bluetooth passkey sticker from the label of the BMW ULF control Module.  Put this sticker someplace safe.  I recommend putting this sticker on the side of the module or in the user manual easy access when needed.   Step 1) The Custom bluetooth kit comes with the "upgraded" BMW microphone P/N 84 31 6 938 762. The Microphone is installed in the roof, where your light, universal garage door opener and sun-roof switches are located. It's easier to just pry the lights out with you bare hands, then slide the rest of the panel down towards the front of the car and pull it down.  Microphone connection The BMW E39 without telephone prewiring and without the cutout for the microphone as shown in the above photo will require either you to cut this piece out yourself or purchase on of the trim pieces listed below parts are approx $30 from a BMW dealer. The kit will come with the small black trim piece as shown in the photo For vehicles Hands free telephone COVER SLIDING ROOF MOTOR BLACK 1 51442269454 COVER SLIDING ROOF MOTOR GREY 1 51448206529 COVER SLIDING ROOF MOTOR BEIGE 1 51448206530 If your car is not prewired for telephone, tuck the microphone wiring into the headliner from the overhead console and all the way back on the left side of the car. Tuck the mic wire into the top of the front A pillar, and then across the front headliner Thread the microphone wire into the overhead lights area, thread a long wire tie or similar object from the top of the windsheild into the overhead lights area. Then tape the mic wire to this wire tie and pull through. There is a 3 pin black connector wire, plug it into the mic and then just snap the mic in place. You may have to cut out the trim piece for the microphone hole or order a new trim piece from your local dealer for approx $30 USD Step 2) First of all, locate a small sticker on the ULF module that says "BLUETOOTH PASSKEY". Stick onto some place safe.  I personally like to stick this in the users guide. You'll need this passkey to pair your phone with the car's system. Open the electronics access area in the trunk of the E39 by lifting the cover down, in the same manner you would to change the CDs

The Bluetooth connection harness in this car without telephone prewiring and without X400 plug required a special custom bluetooth harness that was simply connected to a white 12 pin plug and no splicing was required. This harness was custom made to the customers requirements and no splicing was required. Simply unplug a 12 pin power plug and insert the custom harness inline with the existing wiring. Customer provided detailed photos before the custom kit was made for his specific requirements

In BMWs without the X400 plug, (which is typically the BMW E39 with navigation and television), but no prewiring locate the X322 plug behind the navigation computer bracket

Disconnect the X322 bracket and connect inline the bluetooth adapter harness. The connectors for the provided bluetooth telephone harness are identical to the x322 12 pin connectors. Before disconnecting ensure the power light is not flashing on your navigation computer. You can disconnect the car battery if desired but it is not required. Simply unplug the existing socket X322 and connect the male end of the bluetooth harness to the female end of the X322 connector and the female end of the bluetooth harness to the male end of the X322 connector. To Disconnect, locate the locking tabs on either end and gently press while disconnecting. Both connectors have locking tabs on either side that allow for easy unlocking

Once connected slide the two 12 pin connectors together (turn one connector around 180 degrees to mate up with the other connector) with the locking tabs and connect back to the mounting location that this plug was originally found

Connect bluetooth module to bracket. The 2003 E39s with navigation already have the bluetooth module bracket. Use the three mounting holes displayed below

In this custom bluetooth installation, the customer decided to have the pairing button located in the trunk of the car as he preferred to keep the standard Euro Arm rest, and the pairing button is only needed once when you get a new phone. This method is the preferred method of installing bluetooth in a BMW that is not prewired. The pairing button is typically hidden in trunk area and only pulled out again when a new phone is purchased and needs to be paired to the car.

Connect the 54 pin connector to one end of the ULF module, and the cream/purple colored Bluetooth antenna wire to the other end of the ULF module. as shown in the below image.

You'll be placing the ULF module on the left side of your trunk, above the NAV unit in the below picture (right at the top of the stack). 
If your car was built after 09/02 production you may already have the bracket in the car. However if before 08/02, you may need the ULF module bracket.. Part #s: 84 13 6 924 547 (nav) or 84 13 6 924 546 (no nav).  Many people just install the ULF module with a double sided tape, but the choice is yours.

Then you just slide the clips into their places (you'll see indentations on the mounting bracket that'll help you figure out how the clip is supposed to be put on).  Don't plug in the CREAM COLORED FAKRA connector just yet, because it will be in your way of screwing one of the bolts in. Connect the Bluetooth antenna wire to the ULF module and find a suitable location for mounting the Bluetooth antenna.  BMW recommends placing the antenna on the rear deck lid center where there is no metal to cover up the Bluetooth antenna between the cabin and the antenna.

Once you are complete, reassemble the vehicle and plug the battery back in.  Follow the Paring procedure in the users guide to load your phone into the system 

This 2003 E39 Australian model was well optioned with navigation, television, Cd changer, but no telephone prewiring. Car was equipped with R/T and Face voice control button. customer did Not want to change Euro arm rest as shown in completed installed car, and therefore opted for the custom bluetooth kit designed with a wiring harness specific to his exact requirements and preferences.


BMW E39s without telephone prewiring will not have cutout for microphone. The kit will come with the microphone and microphone trim piece however you will need to either cutout the microphone template or order a new one from BMW. This part is typically only about $30USD and is easily replaced


BMW E39s without telephone prewiring may not have telephone face and R/T buttons. While these buttons are not required they are nice to have. the R/T button changes the up and down arrows from radio station selection to Telephone phonebook selection. The Face button when held for 2 seconds will activate voice control of telephone and navigation (if equipped) once the bluetooth system is installed. If you do not have the Face and R/T button these can be simply replaced. The wiring is the same with or without telephone prewiring. Therefore the installation is quite straight forward


Once the bluetooth system is installed the bluetooth and voice control function will operate exactly as it would have normally in a car prewired for telephone.


BMW X400 12 pin plug is typically found in this location mounted on top of the 6 pin plugs shown above .

In addition to the bluetooth system upgrade. This customer also installed the BMW MP3 cd changer offered by Bimmernav. This cd changer was a simple remove and replacement that took no more than 5 minutes and now provides upto 700 minutes of MP3 audio per CD!

Users Manual for the BMW Bluetooth System

Bluetooth Pairing procedure and operational videos