7 Series Navigation Sirius & Auxiliary Audio retrofit

Pictures of new style radio w/Sirius software fully integrated in the E38

UPGRADING A 2001 and older X5, E46 3 series and E39 5 series, and E38 7 series BMW: see below

UPGRADING A 2002 & up X5, E46 3 series and E39 5 series BMW:

Official BMW Support for Sirius

How to update your BMW to support Sirius

It is also possible to upgrade your 2002 and older nav equipped 3, 5 or X5 BMW by simply updating your Trunk mount radio with a radio with FULL Sirius software Support and updating your navigation computer to MKIV for full integration into your navigation system. Upgrading your trunk mount radio to this version with the Sirius software support is as easy as unplugging yours and dropping this one in.

The updated radio software controls the ability to switch audio signals from the CD changer to the Sirius module using the SAME audio cable connected to the trunk mount radio. This audio cable is daisy chained together from the CD Changer to the Sirius receiver then to the trunk mount radio.

The nav computer controls the Operating system shown on the display, and the Sirius Controls.

Once you have these two pieces taken care of Sirius support is a piece of cake.

If you are updating your 2002* and up BMW with Navigation you will also need these parts

BMW Trunk Mount Radio - P/N 65 12 6 988 276 with Sirius and BMW MP3 Audiotext support

BMW MKIV Navigation Computer

P/N 84 11 0 150 526 CD Changer Extension Cable $12.08 OR P/N 84 11 0 141 978 2.1m CDC Extension Cable $13.80 depending on your application
BMW  Sirius Receiver
BMW Low Profile Antenna 

There “Might” be a bracket available for your application, but I am not sure

No recoding should be required on the 2002 and up radio retrofits.

IMPORTANT - You MUST set your new Radio "AREA" to US mode in order to use Sirius See BMW SB 650704 for details

Notes: *Check your Radio wiring harness to be sure as some 2002 model year vehicles were cut over after others. Best way to check if your 2002 Model year model BMW is to look at the radio connection pins. See picture below:

Parts required for PRE 2002 Model year (Round Pin) Upgrades <Updating your Radio to new style>

New style radio retrofit documents from BMW

For Model Years 2002 and up BMW, changed vendors on their radios from Alpine to Becker. What was immediately gained was an auxiliary input on the radios. This Aux input was a big step in the right direction allowing owners to add in I-pods, or other MP3 equipment to the stereo system. This vendor change was most obvious in a physical connector change on the radios (see image below). BMW understood that they would need to make an adapter harness from the old style to the new style and provides a CD input adapter harness and a Power/Audio pre amp output to the amp. ALL ADAPTER PARTS NOW AVAILABLE FROM BMW.

For Sirius Satellite Radio support BMW did another change in 2004 model year X5 which updated the trunk mount radio firmware to allow a software switching of audio inputs from CD Changer to Sirius Radio using the same CD audio input cable already in the radio. This is great news for people those of us who want Sirius radio. All we need now is a radio with Sirius Satellite radio software coded in and a MKIV Navigation computer that has the correct Firmware to display the Sirius radio User interface on the navigation display.

BMW Trunk Mount Radio - P/N 65 12 6 988 276 with Sirius and BMW MP3 Audiotext support

BMW MKIV Navigation Computer

BMW Sirius Satellite radio

P/N 61.12.6.913.957 Old to New style radio wiring harness

P/N 61.12.6.913.955 Old to New style radio antenna harness

P/N 61.12.6.924.785 Old to New style audio input adapter ( more pics 1, 2 )

P/N 61.12.0.140.716 (6 foot) 6 wire CD Input cable

P/N 84.11.0.141.978 Sirius to CD Changer adapter cable

BMW Sirius Antenna

New style radio retrofit documents from BMW

The Sirius Radio Retrofit is not that complicated now that all of the adapter harnesses are available from BMW.  It is just plug and play from the old style radio to new style radio

IMPORTANT - You MUST set your new Radio "AREA" to US in order to use Sirius See BMW SB 650704 for details

The below process is for an E38, but it still gives you a good idea on how to install in the other cars.  For example in the E39, the radio is right next to the CD changer and would be a quick 20 minute install.

The old radio harness consist of there parts. The Main harness, (circles on left) the Tape and nav audio input wiring (white connector) and the CD changer input (not populated because of DSP) The old to new connection adapts the old Main harness to the new main harness simply by plugging them together. IT IS NOW JUST PLUG AND PLAY. Now anyone can do the retrofit by simply following directions.

The OLD style to new STYLE Radio retrofit is simple as all of the adapters are available from BMW.  Just plug in the adapters and you can easily go from the old to new style radio, giving you aux input and making your car sirius satellite radio ready.

The 2001 E38 with DSP only requires Tape and Nav Audio to be connected. The Aux inputs are options and phone audio are not required in the DSP install.

First step is to remove all of the components of the rear compartment to remove the old style radio

Once all of the pieces are removed, you will need to remove the Trunk mount radio. The radio bracket is held into place by two sheet metal screws.

One is hiding on the left and the other is easy to see behind the black cloth 

Once removed, replace the old radio with new style radio and connect together with your adapter pieces. I wrapped everything in electrical tape just so that it did not rattle in the trunk area. Probably a good idea to wrap in cloth as well.

Put everything back together making sure to connect the White 6 wire CD Connector to the radio instead of using the SPDIF coax connector for CD Changer.

Next step is to follow the directions for installing Sirius radio.

1) Disconnect the 3 pin and 6 pin connector from CD changer

2) Connect these two wiring harnesses to the Sirius module

3) Connect the Sirius adapter harness from the Sirius module to the CD changer 3 wire and 6 wire connectors.

4) Route your Sirius antenna to a good location. (I mounted mine in the rear deck area next to the GPS antenna)

IMPORTANT - You MUST set your new Radio "AREA" to US in order to use Sirius See BMW SB 650704 for details

First time I started the car, the Sirius option came up perfectly. The tape, Aux, Radio and Sirius functions of the radio work as designed. See link for pictures

IF you have the TV option and after installing the new style radio, you will also need to make a wiring change to get TV audio properly.  This is the simple same change that is needed to be done when you have a 2002 or newer BMW.  for proper instructions, please contact the source of your TV video module supplier TVonNAV instructions are here http://www.tvonnav.com/manuals/TVonNAV%20Installation%20Manual%20v4.pdf but should apply to all other TV video module suppliers (see section on TV in 2002 or newer BMW)

In the E38 with the older CD changer you will need to move a pin on the 12 pin connector of the BMW adapter harness The cable that comes from BMW has the common ground (the tan and white wire) assigned to pin 2 - which is a null pin for the receiver. The common ground is pin 3. So to hear music from your OEM CDC player move the tan and white wire from pin 2 to pin 3 on the 12 pin connector and you have music.