BMW E46 Bluetooth Installation Instructions

Installation instructions below are for the BMW E46 Bluetooth Kits: Click here to buy now.

Click here for the BMW 3 series convertible installation instructions. 

Although the Bluetooth Kits come with detailed step by step instructions for installing both the pairing button and eject box, the below quick pictorial guide will give you a good idea about the installation in the BMW E46. 

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?

The two options for the E46 install are pairing button and the Eject box install.  The eject box and pairing button installation are the same, although the eject box provides a cradle for charging and boosting the antenna of your cellphone.  For those of you who do not want to loose your cupholders, it is best to stick with the E46 pairing button install (right picture).  The pairing button can be mounted in any location you choose, or hidden under the cupholders.  Either the pairing button or Eject box with pairing button is required for BMW bluetooth as the steering wheel button can not pair phones, only activate voice recognition and dial.

For other very well documented installation instructions please visit the following website 2004 BMW 330CI convertible installation instructions.  Although this link is written for E46 Convertibles, the instructions are applicable for both convertibles and other E46 installations. 

All North American BMWs even without BMW phone currently are already prewired for phone.  You can verify by finding the Prewired for BMW Cellular phone in the trunk area.  Prewiring consists of wiring for all telephone equipment, plus coding for phone and voice recognition.  If your BMW is prewired for phone, and you install a new generation Bluetooth module, like we sell, it is unlikely that you will need to have your car coded.

Step 1)  Choose the E46 connection method you prefer.  Eject Box, or pairing button.  Eject box installation is on the left.  The "official" location for the pairing button is shown below.

Some users prefer to mount the pairing button in an alternate location such as the coin holder also shown below.  The location is not crucial as you will only typically use the pairing button when adding a new phone.  Some users even just tuck the button under the cupholders and take out as needed to pair a new phone.  Most all of the following directions are the same for pairing button and eject box installation.

Start your installation by lifting up the center arm rest to remove the cupholders

Lift the cupholders straight up to remove

Once the cupholders are out of the way, lift the coin holder up and out of the way to reveal the phone harness wiring.

The phone harness wiring should be easy to remove, although is sometimes taped into place to avoid being shifted around.  The below image shows the FAKRA SMB antenna connection that is used in the Eject Box installation.  NOTE: BMWs built prior to 03/02 may be equipped with a mini UHF, and your kit will include the necessary adapter if purchasing the E46 Eject box installation kit.  Connect the Eject Box wiring OR the pairing button wiring to the black 18 pin connector.  The two parts just snap together and easily lock into place

If doing the pairing button installation you can download the BMW Pairing button cutout template (NOTE: many people just hide the button under the cupholders) 

See below additional section for Eject Box installation

In order to complete the Bluetooth Eject box install you will need to get the following parts, BMW E46 Center console Frame color of choice and the snap in adapter of your choice.  Snap in adapters are optional, but doing an Eject box install without the snap in is kind of pointless.

Begin install of Eject Box ① into console frame ② by aligning and rotating into position as shown.

Connect eject box cable connectors (18 pin ELO ② and coax connector ③) to telephone pre-wiring located in step 1. Install eject box/console frame ① to center console.  If installing in an E46 produced prior to 03/02, connect the Mini UHF to FAKRA adapter between FAKRA coax connector ③, and the car's Mini UHF coax connector

Step 2) Connect the Bluetooth antenna.  In E46s made after 03/02 the Bluetooth antenna wiring has already been run from the trunk area to the center console as part of the phone prewiring.  If your E46 was equipped with BMW assist, you may actually already have the Bluetooth antenna pre installed.  If your BMW was built before 03/02 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.  Although this link is for the 5 series it is applicable to the 3 series as well.

In the 03/02 and higher E46, open the rear ashtray cover and pull the ashtray straight up to remove.  Remove the two screws at the bottom of the ashtray holder to remove completely.

Once the ashtray is removed, disconnect the ashtray light wire and remove the two screws to be able to lift up the arm rest.  You can easily lift it up about an inch and look inside to find if you have a Bluetooth antenna or not.  If not, one option would be to reach inside and find the Bluetooth antenna wiring to connect to your Bluetooth antenna, and then using double sided tape find a suitable mounting location.

Optional) Removing rear section of arm rest to mount Bluetooth antenna in factory location.  To remove the rear section of the arm rest lift up the actual arm rest, and lift up and away the rear cover to expose the Bluetooth antenna mounting location shown below.  You can then mount the Bluetooth antenna with the official Bluetooth antenna mounting bracket P/N 84 13 6 912 160, that may already be installed in your car and not included in kit

Step 3) Connect the Bluetooth ULF Module.

Starting in the trunk area, remove the trunk liner on the drivers side to gain access to the electronics area.  The trunk liner is very easy to remove simply by removing the expansion nuts.  These are quickly and easily removed by prying out the center cap first and then the rest will pry out easily

Once the center cap is off, the rest of the expansion nut comes quickly off.  To remove the trunk liner, gently pull down from the top and out of the way.  The liner is tucked into the top, bottom and side, and takes a little maneuvering to swing out of the way.  E46 Convertible see this link for location of telephone wiring.  E46 Convertibles with assist typically have the assist module in the trunk, E46 Convertibles with BMW phone may have the phone module behind the rear seat.  Check behind the trunk liner first with the instructions on the above link.

If you are replacing the BMW assist module your car already is equipped with the Bluetooth ULF mounting bracket.  You will just need to remove the assist module and mount the Bluetooth module to the same bracket.  Remove the 4 8mm bolts and the Assist module will come right out

Once the bracket is out, locate the three Bluetooth module mounting holes and attach your Bluetooth module to the bracket

Once the bracket is mounted locate the phone wiring harness to ensure that you have the SES jumper plug installed.  The SES jumper will be in place if your car already has BMW assist.  It is simple to verify by just unwrapping the felt covering on the phone harness wiring

The below image shows the SES jumper plug connected properly, and shows how to connect the two BLACK purple FAKRA SMB antenna wires together so that your BMW Bluetooth eject box wiring will connect the eject box to the roof mount antenna (not required in pairing button installation)  You will also find one small 3 pin connector in the same location for the cellular booster.  If you decide to install this optional piece, the three pin connector provides the module power. 

If your BMW is not equipped, connect a BMW SES jumper plug to the BLUE, 26 pin plug.  The SES Jumper Plug  is P/N 61 12 6 911 421 or P/N 84 11 0 018 038 ~$10.00.  If an SES module is connected to the Blue plug for voice recognition, you can remove the module and replace with the jumper plug as well.  The Bluetooth module has built in Voice recognition and does not need this separate module.

Next locate the Black (w/ white lever) 54 pin phone plug on your BMWs phone wiring harness (OR BLACK 26 pin plug in E46s built prior to 03/02 and connect included 26 pin to 54 pin adapter harness).  This plug is the same plug that was originally connected to the assist module. If your car was not equipped with BMW assist it will typically be wrapped in a cloth bag over the drivers side rear wheel well. 
  

Connect the 54 pin connector to one end of the ULF module (using the provided 26 pin to 54 pin adapter if e46 was built before 03/02), and the cream/purple colored Bluetooth antenna wire to the the other end of the ULF module.  PLEASE NOTE:  I have heard from some customers that they had TWO Cream colored antenna wires.  Make sure that you choose the Cream/Purple as shown in the below image.

Mount the ULF in a suitable location using the optional ULF mounting brackets ULF Control Mod Bracket Touring 84 13 6 924 698 Sedan/Coupe without audio AMP 84 13 6 924 550 double sided tape, or attaching directly to the frame with two screws and nuts in a similar manner

If your BMW E46 came equipped with BMW assist you already have the ULF/TCU interchangeable bracket 84 13 6 924 553, Bolt w/ washer 07 11 9 902 932, Hex nut 63 21 1 371 401 and Clip nut 61 13 1 372 033 that can be reused for your installation.  These brackets and hardware are also available from your dealer if you do not currently have assist.

Step 4) Next, verify that you have a BMW microphone installed.  If you currently have BMW phone or BMW assist currently, the mic will already be installed.  If not equipped with either, you can follow the instructions for installing a mic.  You can quickly and easily tell if you have a microphone by shining a flashlight in the holes next to the sunroof controls.  If you can see right through the holes you need a mic.  If it looks very dark and you possibly see a felt cover, then you most likely have a microphone already installed.

Please also note that E46 convertibles manufactured AFTER 09/03 have a new microphone location which is on top of the steering column.  The BMW part number is P/N 84 31 6 937 391 ~ $45 dealer part (convertibles built AFTER 09/03 only).  So far most all customers who have done the E46 convertible installation with a 09/03 or newer car, have the convertible microphone already installed from the factory.

If installing the BMW Bluetooth eject box most E46 owners use the E46 Shark Fin Antenna. P/N 84-50-0-146-776 $50 with Rubber mounting gasket P/N 84-50-0-146-775  $5, if not already installed

Step 5) Once you are complete, reassemble the vehicle and plug the battery back in.  Follow the Pairing procedure in the users guide to load your phone into the system  Users Manual for the BMW Bluetooth System 

Bluetooth Pairing procedure and operational videos

Once you complete your pairing procedure, the phonebook will be accessible with the steering wheel controls, and you can initiate voice commands with both the steering wheel buttons and the pairing button.