diy: xcarlink install on e60 pre-lci
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My Ride: coilvers retrofits
Model Year: 2001 and 2011
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i put my xcarlink for sale and thought i would do a DIY for anyone wanting to install one, also for the buyer to have an idea how to install. please use this as a guide, im not responsible for any damage caused from my way of install.
remember to disconnect battery when working with any electronics.
ease of install: 8/10. very easy.
time to install: well, first time i would say maybe an 1-2 hours should be planned to take this on if you never took the dash apart, also depends where you mount the a/v cable or xcarlink. i kept mine simple, all cable went to glovebox. took me like less than 30 minutes to remove and put back together, only because i knew exactly what to do.
first, pull the dash trim, going to be little tough, might have to use a little strength but not too much as to have the trim bend, their on by little metal clips.
![](http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a374/idroptrucks/D40D37A3-8E3F-446D-BCA6-15AFA06E3690-4954-0000027C55265436.jpg)
then disconnect this plug from the emergency/door-lock switch to be able to take the whole trim off.
![](http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a374/idroptrucks/A56E14DB-DC75-404C-B751-1395AA37AB2F-4954-0000027DDB23981D.jpg)
unscrew these two screws:
![](http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a374/idroptrucks/810A406F-5827-4E02-B332-7E879DF59E1A-4954-0000027E4B6DBD61.jpg)
now pull the m.ask in my case forward, might have to put a little strength into this, as its help on by clips same way the dash trim was. it should all pop off. (a good idea to do to make it little easier, but i did not do it in the photo is move the shifter in another position to have more room, please make sure your ebrake is on and the rear wheels are chocked if you do this.
![](http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a374/idroptrucks/91A9F7E8-9CEB-40C1-A944-EC93A6AC514F-4954-00000280425030BD.jpg)
unscrew these two screws to be able to pull the m.ask out completely.
![](http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a374/idroptrucks/D0DE66EA-019C-42C6-90B0-D7B867FBBF60-4973-00000281D2BFB13B.jpg)
this photo shows the xcarlink cable in the middle. it literally is plug and play. unplug original from m.ask and plug into the cable provided by xcarlink and then plug that one into the m.ask.
![](http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a374/idroptrucks/3D651DB1-4D9F-4F57-B618-EC33B8DD5F86-4954-0000027DC09FCF25.jpg)
basically from here you just need to run the cable to the xcarlink module. i placed behind the screen, their was actually more than enough room back there to have it. i didn't have any problems it being back there.
removing the screen, you just need to unbolt the two torx (correct name) screws
![](http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a374/idroptrucks/03B62E3D-0CAD-4675-9C61-DE6581767DD2-4954-0000027DC9BE00DD.jpg)
the head unit should then pop forward and out., you can see in the photo where i had the xcarlink mounted.
![](http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a374/idroptrucks/FD145B26-3A07-4261-913E-A5EA9E9A0CA7-4954-0000027DD22910B9.jpg)
never had any problems, very cool thing to have on the car. followed these steps from someone elses install i found on a site, but thought i would do my own since i cant find it and want to provide a how:to to whoever purchases this one.
remember to disconnect battery when working with any electronics.
ease of install: 8/10. very easy.
time to install: well, first time i would say maybe an 1-2 hours should be planned to take this on if you never took the dash apart, also depends where you mount the a/v cable or xcarlink. i kept mine simple, all cable went to glovebox. took me like less than 30 minutes to remove and put back together, only because i knew exactly what to do.
first, pull the dash trim, going to be little tough, might have to use a little strength but not too much as to have the trim bend, their on by little metal clips.
![](http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a374/idroptrucks/D40D37A3-8E3F-446D-BCA6-15AFA06E3690-4954-0000027C55265436.jpg)
then disconnect this plug from the emergency/door-lock switch to be able to take the whole trim off.
![](http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a374/idroptrucks/A56E14DB-DC75-404C-B751-1395AA37AB2F-4954-0000027DDB23981D.jpg)
unscrew these two screws:
![](http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a374/idroptrucks/810A406F-5827-4E02-B332-7E879DF59E1A-4954-0000027E4B6DBD61.jpg)
now pull the m.ask in my case forward, might have to put a little strength into this, as its help on by clips same way the dash trim was. it should all pop off. (a good idea to do to make it little easier, but i did not do it in the photo is move the shifter in another position to have more room, please make sure your ebrake is on and the rear wheels are chocked if you do this.
![](http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a374/idroptrucks/91A9F7E8-9CEB-40C1-A944-EC93A6AC514F-4954-00000280425030BD.jpg)
unscrew these two screws to be able to pull the m.ask out completely.
![](http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a374/idroptrucks/D0DE66EA-019C-42C6-90B0-D7B867FBBF60-4973-00000281D2BFB13B.jpg)
this photo shows the xcarlink cable in the middle. it literally is plug and play. unplug original from m.ask and plug into the cable provided by xcarlink and then plug that one into the m.ask.
![](http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a374/idroptrucks/3D651DB1-4D9F-4F57-B618-EC33B8DD5F86-4954-0000027DC09FCF25.jpg)
basically from here you just need to run the cable to the xcarlink module. i placed behind the screen, their was actually more than enough room back there to have it. i didn't have any problems it being back there.
removing the screen, you just need to unbolt the two torx (correct name) screws
![](http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a374/idroptrucks/03B62E3D-0CAD-4675-9C61-DE6581767DD2-4954-0000027DC9BE00DD.jpg)
the head unit should then pop forward and out., you can see in the photo where i had the xcarlink mounted.
![](http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a374/idroptrucks/FD145B26-3A07-4261-913E-A5EA9E9A0CA7-4954-0000027DD22910B9.jpg)
never had any problems, very cool thing to have on the car. followed these steps from someone elses install i found on a site, but thought i would do my own since i cant find it and want to provide a how:to to whoever purchases this one.
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