BMW 735i - Radio problem

[kjs]

Car: BMW 735i - 1991 model

Problem: This car had an original Pioneers Stereo cassette system in the car, which has now seen the ghost. So I tried to replace it with a new Kenwood system. But what did I find when I removed the Pioneers system - THAT its a non-standard system. I have spoken to several Audio installers who have informed me that these cars have a built in Pioneers AMP - and for me to fit the Kenwood, or any other system in I would have to get the whole wiring changed. Which I find a bit drastic, especially at the prices.

What I have found that the Pioneers system was connected via the DIN socket rather than the ISO plug.

Is what I'm being told true? If not does someone have a wiring diagram that can help me.

Thanks & Regards

Khalid

[libertylover]

FYI the amp is in the trunk behind one of the trim panels, either on the right side or the one that attaches to the back seat. And yes, I have a wiring diagram I can send you but I'll have to look it up.

The BMW radios are easy to find on ebay. Most have a built-in cassette player and electronics that control a 6-CD changer in the trunk. The CD changers are also plentiful-I bought mine on ebay for $150. If you want to go this way, I'll look up the BMW part number for your car so you can be sure to get the right one. If possible, supply the last 7 characters of your VIN (mine is DE85083).

If you really, really want to install the Kenwood system, well, I'll send you the wiring diagram. Let me know.

[kjs]

Liberty,

Thanks for the info on the heating problem.

I woudl ideally like to change the stereo to a Kenwood one. I have looked in the boot for an amp - but have found nothing - thats why i took it to an audio specialist. They told me that on these models the amp sits behind the dash - possibly behind the glove compartment or the space under the ashtray. They said that it woud take 3 hours to disconnect the amp and to re-wire the car for the Kenwood system.

Am I being told porkies here??? And what of the DIN connections that came out of the Pioneers? There were two DIn connections - one for the speakers and the other well - i guess for the power and earth. Where are these going? Is there an ISO switch. If it'll help - what I'll do is I'll take a picture and post it here next time.

Thanks mate

khalid

[libertylover]

Kahlid --

Where are you? UK, Australia, India? (I noticed your use of the words "boot" and "mate".). The reason I asked is that I think my data is for USA and Canadian cars so it might not be accurate if you are elsewhere. I'll send the data anyway though.

As far as the 3 hours of labor, that could very well be true. I know from the other board that to change the heater core behind the dash takes about 10-12 hours labor. Ugh.

-- Tom

[kjs]

Liberty,

I'm acutually from the UK - London - where we have right hand drive cars.

'Boot' = Trunk - as you might have gathered.

I don't know if the wiring would be the same - but yesterday I was just doing some research and found that the original BMW stereo (as you mentioned) had an ISO plug at the back - NOT a DIN socket. So whats going on??? Has this car been modified - and the original connections are still at the back someplace???

As to the heating problem - I did try what Johan told me - and the heating mechanism worked when the passenger side themperature control was put on full - BUT the automatic heating system - i.e the one that heats the car up quick - doesn't seem to work on the passenger side - it still blows out cold air. Looks like I gotta take in to the BMW dealer to have a look.

Khalid

[libertylover]

Khalid --

I've gathered some data to send you. Please send your email address to me at [email protected].

I double-checked my Bentley's manual about the location of the amp. It says that for all models/all years covered by the manual the amp is under the parcel shelf in the trunk/boot. Note: this book is for the E32 body style and some of the wiring diagrams distinguish between USA and Canadian models, but no mention of UK models, so... If you like, send me the last 7 characters of the VIN, in the above mentioned email if you like, and I'll see what my parts catalog comes up with.

I'm not much help with the heater problem. You might go back to the other board and tell Johan of your findings, which may help him to narrow down what the problem is. Since I live in Florida I'm not too concerned about the "quick-heat" feature-frankly, I never heard of it. I can confirm that for 4-5 days/year the heated seat is nice. For the other 360 it's the A/C that I want to work.

BTW, I was stationed at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk from 6/73-6/76 and developed a love for the place and for you "Blokes", as we called you. My wife and I made a few trips to London but there was a lot of IRA bombings in those days. We've been back 3 times since then-we LUUUUV London. Last time we were there we stayed at the Bailey's Hotel, across the street from the Glouster tube station.

Regards,
-- Tom

[kjs]

Tom,

Apologies for the late reply - but I have been off work for several days - plus the computer at home is up the spout hence couldn't reply.

Thank you for all your help - heres an update:

Since I had a couple of days off - I thought I'd take it to an audio dealer - and might as well get him to do the wiring. When he opened up the dash he found that the car did not have an amplifier. Instead what had happened was that they reqired the cabling at the back to stick two din sockets onto it. Thats why all the main connections were hidden at the back of the dash - and everyone I took the car to said that it had an internal AMP. Anyway, 45miutes and 30 pounds sterling later I now have a Kenwood stereo with a CD autochanger.

As for the heater - well I'm afraid we have the luxury of using it like 6months of the year. Like even this morning I had to turn the quick heat on to defrost the ice....sigh - British weather.

I've been in London since 1978 - and now want to move out. Not because I hate it - but because of the rising economy. Its a lovely place - during the summer - but at present - I'd rather spend the days inside infront of a nice fire. When was the last time you were in London?

By the way, I would like some information about the 7 series - as to looking after it - tweaking it - etc etc....so if you have any websites that can help - I would be most grateful.

Thanks again.

Regards
Khalid

[libertylover]

Khalid --

Ah, British weather...

When I come home cold and tired,
It's good to warm my bones beside the fire.
(Pink Floyd)

Perhaps what I remember most about my 3 years in England is how cold it is. People in the U.S. think snow is cold. They've never spent a night on an English flight line, 25-30 degrees F and a 30 knot wind blowing ice-cold rain in your face and on your bare hands. It'll chill you to the bone! I swore when I left England I'd never be cold again but the Air Force had other ideas - to SAC Headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska. Now, I live in Florida with almost perpetual summer, but that's better than the almost perpetual winter of England-weatherwise at least.

My wife, our daughter, and I visited England in 1994. As well as seeing some of the tourist sights in London we went to Suffolk to show our daughter where she was born and where we had lived. I thought she'd hate the small village but she really liked it. The guy at the B&B joked that she was "local", since she had been born there-it made her feel welcome.

Then in December 2001 my wife and I went to London and and to Paris at Christmas time. We didn't get see some of things that we really wanted to see because of the Christmas and Boxing Day closings so we went back again in February 2002. We were lucky. The weather was cool (by Florida standards) but not the usual 20 hr./day rain. Now that we've spent all of our money, I don't know when we'll get back. When I win the lottery I'll have summer homes in Britain and Maine while maintaining a winter home in Florida. Well, a man can dream, can't he?

I'm glad you got your radio/CD going. By my experience, that's really cheap for ANYTHING done at the dealer's.

You could get the heat going as well but I'm afraid it will cost much more than the 30 pounds sterling you paid to have the radio fixed. Do you not want to tear into the car to fix the heat? Do you lack the tools/facility/experience to tackle such a job? I think the procedure is pretty well documented on Johan's site but it would not be easy. Since your dealer seems to be quite reasonable you might get an estimate from them to fix it.

The best website I know of for maintaining an E32 BMW is the one I gave you earlier, www.roadfly.org.

That's about all I know for now.

Cheers.
-- Tom

[HBARBEE]

Originally Posted by libertylover

FYI the amp is in the trunk behind one of the trim panels, either on the right side or the one that attaches to the back seat. And yes, I have a wiring diagram I can send you but I'll have to look it up.

The BMW radios are easy to find on ebay. Most have a built-in cassette player and electronics that control a 6-CD changer in the trunk. The CD changers are also plentiful-I bought mine on ebay for $150. If you want to go this way, I'll look up the BMW part number for your car so you can be sure to get the right one. If possible, supply the last 7 characters of your VIN (mine is DE85083).

If you really, really want to install the Kenwood system, well, I'll send you the wiring diagram. Let me know.

Could you please send me a copy thanks

[libertylover]

"Could you please send me a copy thanks".

Sure. What's your email address? And you have an '89 735, right?