Hi all. I bought my E46 Touring with a crappy Chinese substitute already fitted but it would not hold a signal neither would it store stations into the memory (electrical dementia !!).

I had a new Kenwood DPX-5100BT with a single CD slot in the radio Head fitted albeit it would not communicate with the 6 CD changer in the NS rear flank of the load space.

What would have been the option of the several 'Head Units' when my car was first built/registered back on/in 1st September 2001 ?

The first attachment was of the crappy Chinese offering and the second one is of the Kenwood that is currently installed.

 

Morning John Welcome to the Forum

Kenwood use their own bus software so it makes them fussy about what they will link with (I had Kenwood in a couple of V70 Volvo's) it may be simpler to find a Kenwood changer and lead. If you want to go back to OEM have a look at www.realoem.com put the last 7 digits in the search box and it will bring up your model then search the relevant section for the part numbers you will need. I assume that the OEM loom and all the connectors are still there? If the OEM Quadloc connector is up front then the OEM set up was originally "Business" with a Mid unit to communicate with the OBC and allow information in the binnacle. If the Quadloc is in the boot then the screen upfront had all the rest BM24 or 54 radio nav unit CD changer in the boot.

Hope this helps

Dave

Hi Greydog. Thank you for your reply. Looking briefly into the RealOEM site it all gets a bit technical !!!

Looking for the various leads/connections would surely involve getting into areas that cable/connections damage can occur.

I think that this is a job for the Car Radio specialist that removed the Chinese unit and installed the new Kenwood.

 

Normally there will be an ISO connection that just plugs into the cars loom at the Quadloc connector and into the back of the Kenwood unit if you get a Kenwood CD Changer and the long lead it will plug into the head unit and the CD unit will go in the boot where the original went. Your Radio man will advise and fit it I am sure but it isnt a complicated job just take your time.

Dave

1 hour ago, Greydog said:

Normally there will be an ISO connection that just plugs into the cars loom at the Quadloc connector and into the back of the Kenwood unit if you get a Kenwood Cd Changer and the long lead it will plug into the head unit and the CD unit will go in the boot where the original went. Your Radio man will advise and fit it I am sure but it isnt a complicated job just take your time.

Dave

Thanks Dave. I am in touch with the Radio guy and he tells me that the modern (last 10 years ) car radios have no facility or connection point for linking up with CD changers,

Reverting back to OEM could be a major exercise because the connections more than likely were trashed when the crappy Chines unit was installed before I bought the car.