Hormazd

Anything is possible if you have the means! I always figured that a new TCU would solve the problem. Posts I read indicated that the wiring harness was different, but I guess thats not true.

Figure you paid a few $100 dollars than the CPT9000 for a better solution.

jtp1947

John Mac
I have 11/03 build, no nav, and am scheduled for cpt9000 Tuesday but now, thanks to you, have to rethink this. How long did the entire process take, does your b/t phone charge inside the vehicle, do you use the shark fin, and did the $2000 include the software update? So probably close to $2600 which would include the V-3 RAZR. Thanks for the information and congratulations!

Buster

My production date is 04/04 also, or so I'm told by the dealer, but I don't have a bt passkey card or manual for bt? Wonder why? Perhaps it's really 03/04?? Regardless, I will know by next tuesday evening if bt works and pairs to my newly purchased "old" sony erricson t-608 phone.
[/quote]

I just went through the same thing with my clueless dealer -gave them the bulletin number etc. and they still claimed it could not be done.

Here is what to do. Get on a conference call with BMW NA 800-831-1117 and your advisor/technician. BMW can check the VIN production data for your vehicle to verify if you have the proper TCU and/or wiring harness and can tell your advisor/tech that it is safe to perform the 831304 bulletin on your car.

I got my car back last night with BT retrofit. Dealer charged me and hour for labor, but in fact it took them two days to do the work since it was their first one. Shop foreman supervised the whole thing. I have 06/04 production date paired with Moto V600 on Cingular. Initial impressions:

Very useful. Functionality is excellent. The handset connects quickly and seemlessly to the vehicle. BMW Assist still works. Menu is easy to navigate and address book loaded - though I don't know how long it took.

Sound quality is good - not excellent - and what you hear is kind of flat. Does it use only a few speakers? Caller on the other end said I sounded like I was on a land line.

Voice commands do not work. I hit the button - hear the prompt - speak command - system says "Sorry?" - speak command - system says "Please repeat" then "system off".

You can use the hand set while on a call to key/navigate through menus i.e. to check voice mail, etc. Voice dial on the handset does not work when the BT connection with the car is active.

johnmac

I went in for 2 recalls which triggered the 13.3 upgrade. This was no charge. This took 2 days because it kept crashing which the dealer told me was common. I then had Bluetooth but it was flawed in that the car microphone did not work and the phone would not sync.

Then, based on some of the more helpful posts in this forum, I requested a new TCU (the dealer did not think my car would be capable of Bluetooth but was willing to try). Again - he charged me $1874.25 for the TCU plus labor ($305.95) plus tax. Total bill was $2324.85. I tried to negotiate and get it under warranty but to no avail.

I bought the RAZR for $600 from Cingular. Sweet phone.

The new TCU took 3 days to be received by the dealer. I then took my car in and it took the technician 1 day to install and program the new TCU.

I am not charging the phone in any type of cradle (they don't make one for the RAZR phone anyway). I don't think I'm using the shark fin for reception either.

Also - all of the voice commands DO work for me. I can dial by name or number by speaking it when prompted - very cool.

Incidentally I am in Hinsdale, IL (west suburb of Chicago) and the dealer is Laurel BMW on Ogden Ave.

-- John Mac.

moballa

Johnmac, that's great news! Thanks for biting the bullet - We may have never found out otherwise. I'm going to the dealer tomorrow! Thanks again!

(So...from the sound of it, a new harness is NOT needed, correct?)

-moballa

katmai

John,

Does your BMW Assist still work? If it does, I wonder if it is using your cell phone for BMW Assist calls.

Thanks,
James

Hormazd

My production date is 04/04 also, or so I'm told by the dealer, but I don't have a bt passkey card or manual for bt? Wonder why? Perhaps it's really 03/04?? Regardless, I will know by next tuesday evening if bt works and pairs to my newly purchased "old" sony erricson t-608 phone.
[/quote]

I just went through the same thing with my clueless dealer -gave them the bulletin number etc. and they still claimed it could not be done.

Here is what to do. Get on a conference call with BMW NA 800-831-1117 and your advisor/technician. BMW can check the VIN production data for your vehicle to verify if you have the proper TCU and/or wiring harness and can tell your advisor/tech that it is safe to perform the 831304 bulletin on your car.

I got my car back last night with BT retrofit. Dealer charged me and hour for labor, but in fact it took them two days to do the work since it was their first one. Shop foreman supervised the whole thing. I have 06/04 production date paired with Moto V600 on Cingular. Initial impressions:

Very useful. Functionality is excellent. The handset connects quickly and seemlessly to the vehicle. BMW Assist still works. Menu is easy to navigate and address book loaded - though I don't know how long it took.

Sound quality is good - not excellent - and what you hear is kind of flat. Does it use only a few speakers? Caller on the other end said I sounded like I was on a land line.

Voice commands do not work. I hit the button - hear the prompt - speak command - system says "Sorry?" - speak command - system says "Please repeat" then "system off".

You can use the hand set while on a call to key/navigate through menus i.e. to check voice mail, etc. Voice dial on the handset does not work when the BT connection with the car is active.
[/quote]

Download this and print it out. I keep a copy in the glove box.

Your Voice dial should work. Say "Dial home" or "Call Home" . To do this press the Voice button, not the phone button. It takes some time to search your address book for a match. Then says "Do you want to be connected to home?"
Wait for the beep and say yes.

This works if you have Pro Navigation and Voice caommands

acribb

This is good news. Will voice commands work with NON-Nav cars? I think they do, I just want to verify.....

johnmac

Yes - BMW Assist works and does NOT use my cellphone. (I made sure my phone was turned off and then made an Assist call which connected flawlessly).

-- JM

[/quote]

Hormazd

I think you want to keep your phone on. With the phone off ofcourse it works on the Verizon network. If you you are using a BT connection when your airbags go off, which network will it use? Your phone or the built in one with Assist. I really have not tested this but am curious.