BLUETOOTH PHONE INSTALL

The e46 comes prewired with all the connectors needed to install all of the upgrades. To gain hands free cell phone use in the e46 you need to have a microphone and a bluetooth reciever/emitter. First I installed the microphone. The cables are in the garage door/sun roof panel. See the guide on the universal garage door opener install for more info. The cable bundle you are looking for is wrapped up next to the sun roof cables.

EQUIPMENT, SKILL, TIME, PARTS

The only tool that is needed is the screw driver that is part of the trunk tool kit (the one pictured here is #71-11-1-179-629.

Just like in the garage door opener you have to use the pre-scored hole in the panel and break it out for the microphone to then just rock into place.

STEP #1:

We will be removing the center arm rest. Under the arm rest there is a wire bundle under the carpet. Then we route the cables to under the back ash tray of the center arm rest and hide the bluetooth reciever/emitter there. First open the back ashtray. To remove it just lift it up and out.

This is the ashtray I'm talking about.

STEP #2:

Underneath the ashtray you will see two phillips screws. Remove them and that second internal tray can be removed.

STEP #3:

Two more scews are now visible. These are the final two. Just unscrew them and the center arm rest is now free in the back.

STEP #4:

Grab hold of the cup holders near the dash and lift up. The cup holders should come free. (you can see in the pictures that I kept all the screws in the cup holders). That bundle to the left is the wire bundle. I believe when I first did the install that bundle was buried under the carpet.

STEP #5:

You will need a place for the bluetooth pair button and I thought this was a great place for it. I drilled a small hole and installed the bluetooth pair button there along with the bluetooth code for the car (taped down next to the button).

STEP #6:

I lifted up the boot around the e-brake and shifter then undid the screws under the shifter boot and then I could lift out the center console. This exposed the carpet and I was able to reach in and pull out the wire harness. I then routed the bluethooth wire to the back of the console (no holes to drill just pull the wire over).

STEP #7:

Once plugged in I just left the bluetooth reciever/emitter sitting on the carpet and put the center conole back over the top of it. I have seen some people use tape to hold it down but I didn't find that that was needed. Put it all back together and you are done.

BAVARIAN TINKER

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