cleung

Hey guys, so I recently bought a cd changer from a member and this weekend went to try to install. So I found the qiring harness with the power and ground wire for the changer, but I'm not sure what I'm looking for in terms of the optical cable. I found the power and ground harness wrapped up against another cable with some velcro wrap but didn't see anything that I thought might be the optical cables. Is it maybe the cable that the harness was wrapped to? If someone has a picture of the opticla cable that would be great.

thanks

545felix

search for the dension gw500 installs, esp. bruce's - there's got to be pics of the connector there. it's a large plastic plug with two round holes on the side that connects to the changer. it will likely be wrapped in protective felt, and may have a plug on it to keep the optical ring connected.

cleung

So I think I have the optical cables but they are connected to each other, so what piece do I need to make them connect to the power/ground harness? Does anyone know if it is this part # 61138387214 ? I tried looking on realoem but they don't have a picture just this part number for a "envelope" for the optical cable.

bruce_miranda

I might be wrong but I think you need

61138387214
61136901844
61136905200

You need to remove the straight connector and replace it with the parts above.

cleung

Thanks Bruce,
what are the other 2 parts?

bruce_miranda

They are all bits of the connector you need.

txag_530i

I just did the same thing with my car, and found the same things you did.

You only need to buy part #61138387214, which is an "envelope" for the fiber optic cable. It costs about $2.00 and looks like this:





The other pieces that Bruce Miranda listed are already installed in the car as part of the cd-changer pre-wire kit. You can also "rob" it from the satellite pre-wire in your trunk if you are feeling too lazy to drive to the dealer twice (because you know he won't have the part in stock).

The fiber optic cable is green and the installed straight-connector is covered in what looks like black felt tape. Peel off the tape and you will see the fiber optic straight-connector. Insert a small screwdriver into the connector and gently twist it open. You also need to remove the blue locking tab of the new connector by gently pushing it out with a screw driver. When you open and close the car door you will notice that one end of the fiber optic cable glows red. This is the "input" side of the cable and needs to be inserted into the "arrow in" part of the new "envelope" that you supplied. The second fiber optic cable goes into the "arrow out" side of the envelope. Insert the blue locking tab into the new envelope and it will hold the fiber cables in place.

Insert the fiber optic assembly into the pre-wired power supply. It will only go in one way. You will hear it click into place. Place the whole thing into the back of the CD changer and then push the changer into place. You need a 2.5 mm hex driver to tighten the screws on the cd-changer to make it stay in the bracket.

Then, drive to your dealer and pay them $300 to have them activate the cd-changer in the iDrive. Or, find a local repair shop with the appropriate computer hardware/software and have them do it for about $100. Alternatively, you can make a complaint about the iDrive software (I told the dealer that my fm-presets and locking features kept resetting themselves, and that my restraint system light came on- all of which was true) and then ask the dealer to activate the cd-changer whilst they are updating the iDrive anyway. You'll probably pay about 1/2-hour for the service, or if you are really lucky like me they'll forget to charge you for it.

Good luck, and let me know if you have any questions.

xifaraind23

hi,

just asking, do you need to get the bracket as well? or is it already there in the glove compartment?

thanks guys.

txag_530i

You need to by the bracket, part# 65126909318

You'll also need two ISA M5x12 sheet metal screws, part# 07149158177 (I found two such screws at Lowe's)

Here is a diagram: CD Changer Installation Diagram

Be sure to call around to a couple of dealerships and/or indeendent shops as the price to program the CD=Changer in iDrive can range in price from $100 - $300. It might be best to bring the car in for another issue so that you only pay for the CD Changer activation and not the software updates.

Good luck.