[plpeeple]

Phone Docking Cradle Installation on E90

Parts Needed:
Console Frame 51 16 7 118 054
Base Plate 84 21 6 946 063
Snap-in Adapter (specific to your phone)

Installation Instructions
1. Remove the Parking Brake Cover. Pull the black handle toward the front. Then push the cover to pop the snaps. Notice the snaps in Picture 3. Picture 1 and Picture 2 show the removing of Parking Brake Cover. (All the hookup wiring is located here)
2. Remove the black cover in the Center Console Compartment. Picture 4 and 5
3. Snap the Base Plate to the Console Frame and make sure the wiring goes through the Console Frame. Picture 6
4. Place the wiring through the center console compartment at the front pushing the wiring until you find them in the parking brake area. Pictures 7 and 8
5. The Hookups for the antenna will be on the other side of the main wiring hookup. Try to unhook the car antenna wiring (that is attached to the car) from the base so you have room to work with it. Hookup the car antenna cable to the Phone Docking Cradle Wire and place the wire back on the base. Pictures 9 and 10
6. Hookup the Main Wiring Hookup. The Main hookup has a bar that swings on the connection from the Phone Docking Cradle. There should be a little release button to press down and then pull the bar down. Place the Main hookup in the car hookup and the bar should move toward the passengers side and snap into place.
7. Now you have to hookup the antenna in the trunk. It is located on the driver's side on the trunk. You will have to remove the carpet from the Driver's side. It was located mid-way to the back of the trunk. It was wrapped in black tape. Remove the terminator and snap to the two cables together.

[plpeeple]

Tried to attach some more pictures of the connections
Picture 1 is the antenna hookup. After removing it from the base plate for the connections.
Picture 2 is showing the bar on the main connection.
Picture 3 is showing the base plate with the main connection and the antenna hookup is on the other side( closest to the passenger's side) on the base plate
Picture 4 is the Phone Docking Cradle in the center Console compartment. Completed

[Ascension]

Do you have a price for the docking cradle?

[aarnt]

My eyes!!!!!!! I can't see... I can't seeeeeeeee !!!!!! (kidding, but the blur doesn't make it clear to understand )

[innovason]

How much was the cradle? How noticeable is the performace from the 5 watt ant.?

[Biemdreamer]

Thanks for the guide. I found on my install I didn't need to pull the brake handle off the brake, just squeezed on the leather boot from opposite sides at level of snaps and it popped/pulled out easily.

[antidentite]

Originally Posted by aarnt

My eyes!!!!!!! I can't see... I can't seeeeeeeee !!!!!! (kidding, but the blur doesn't make it clear to understand )

[Sim Simma]

I just installed my docking cradle in the arm rest but can’t seem to find the hookup in the trunk? Is it located under the carpet on the floor or is it under the carpet on the side of the trunk? If anyone has any pictures that would help out. Thanks

[canucklion]

great DIY, thanks for sharing!

[jingai00]

Originally Posted by Sim Simma

I just installed my docking cradle in the arm rest but can’t seem to find the hookup in the trunk? Is it located under the carpet on the floor or is it under the carpet on the side of the trunk? If anyone has any pictures that would help out.

I also cannot find this connector.. and my cradle is not charging the phone.

Does this connector in the trunk need to be hooked up for charging ?

Sim, does your phone charge?

[Andy M]

Thought I'd update this thread with some of my photos since the original ones were blurry. The photos are of the connectors for the actual ejector plate (located under the handbrake).

[Andy M]

Give it a good pull.

I should have taken a photo of how it sits in there but basically it's a plastic tab. Just make sure you're going straight towards you and horizontal. Putting it back in was harder because you have to go parallel exactly back in. Basically, it's nearly impossible to plug anything in unless you get that piece out so this is a required step.

Now, if anyone can clear up the last part, that would be great. Phone charges but I'm not sure if the reception is better yet. I'm not sure if the 09's are already connected or not? The last part about connecting the antenna has me puzzled. I looked at the pieces and the pink one is a male antenna cable but I can't find a female end to plug it in to. There seems to be a port open on the communications module in the back (it has the Bluetooth symbol on it) but the cable's not long enough to stretch.

To answer everyone's question about where in the trunk this antenna cable is, it's right behind the little compartment that's sunk into the trunk. If you grab the plastic handle to lift up the compartment, you'll see where it hinges it can be pulled up easily too (with no effort at all). I found the communications module by accident because I was putting a frozen chicken in the trunk and didn't want it moving around (no joke!). If you can't find it still, I'll take some photos.

And if anyone has any clue how to finish this DIY about the connections in the trunk, please update this thread! Especially if you have an 09! (because I'm thinking the 09's are different).

[piezo]

Though my antenna cable was already connected in the trunk (Feb. '07 build E92), the inability to charge had me stymied for a few days until I realized that it was due to a setting on my phone (Moto E815).

Its' initial setup menu has an option called Battery Save, which as near as I can tell simply disables the keypad backlighting if the camera detects the presence of sufficient ambient light. In any case, the cradle would not charge the phone until the option was set to 'Off'.

Though this situation is likely unique to this particular phone/snap-in combo, it may be worth having a look for similar phone settings before pulling out the wiring diagrams and multimeter.

[Andy M]

How did you check whether the antenna was connected?

And yeah, my phone charges. I've got an Apple iPhone 3G.

From your post, I would assume that the 09 is already connected then so I guess I'm covered. There is however another unplugged antenna connector so I'm not sure if that's a spare for something else (maybe for an external antenna?) Thanks for the post.

[piezo]

Originally Posted by Andy M

How did you check whether the antenna was connected?

Empirically; more bars in weaker signal areas, combined with no loose leads in the trunk.

[Andy M]

Haha awesome, I should try that. Thanks. I get pretty good signal in almost everywhere I go so finding that weaker spot is going to be tough. Maybe drive out from the city a bit until my bars drop.

[IDreamofBimmers]

Any updates about the cable in the trunk?
I have an '06 w/ the premium and sport packages..
I'm assuming this DIY would work for me as well... right?

[carpoolman]

i olso cant find de connector? (BMW E90 wagon 2006)?

Please any help.....