Apple CarPlay/Android Auto Retrofit

[magungo]

What is the consensus on where to store the MMI box? Did you put it closer to passenger footwell or directly on top of the headunit? Did you mount it with double stick tape?

[akkando]

Originally Posted by bd700

Hi all. Installing a Carrara box into my 2011 e90 today.

Does anyone know if it is still necessary to run the cable up to the headliner for the microphone? The instructions say only if needed if oem mic does not work.

I will be coding for the head unit aux if it matters.
Thanks!

I was also curious about this.

Something else I noticed is the LVDS cables in the diagram are one male to female and one that seems to be female to female for LVDS in to "back of car head unit radio" but in the box I have two male to female cables.

Also does anyone know if you need any dip switches set if you add reverse camera?

The first thing I've done is read the instructions, gather my tools, and go over what's in the box. The second thing I did was FOLD DOWN THE REAR SEATS since I'll be disconnecting my battery so I can get to the trunk if it gets locked.

[Cyberdemon]

Originally Posted by magungo

What is the consensus on where to store the MMI box? Did you put it closer to passenger footwell or directly on top of the headunit? Did you mount it with double stick tape?

Top of the head unit per the Bimmertech video. I didn't use any double stick tape it's in there very tight.

[Cyberdemon]

Originally Posted by akkando

I was also curious about this.

Something else I noticed is the LVDS cables in the diagram are one male to female and one that seems to be female to female for LVDS in to "back of car head unit radio" but in the box I have two male to female cables.

Also does anyone know if you need any dip switches set if you add reverse camera?

The first thing I've done is read the instructions, gather my tools, and go over what's in the box. The second thing I did was FOLD DOWN THE REAR SEATS since I'll be disconnecting my battery so I can get to the trunk if it gets locked.

The LVDS cables will attach to your existing cable like an extension and one will go to the carsara box.

The dip switches control the output signal of the box. No changes for the camera.

[GTiceman]

Originally Posted by magungo

What is the consensus on where to store the MMI box? Did you put it closer to passenger footwell or directly on top of the headunit? Did you mount it with double stick tape?

Just like the Bimmertech video. Mine was extremely tight behind the AC.

[akkando]

Originally Posted by GTiceman

CDMM_USB_AUDIO_DOUBLE_0B was not in my CIC codes and it seems my car didn't take when I coded the other two but I did have some issues with my car not updating other modules being coded through NCS expert.

I do not have a combox though, just 6FL.

So I was able to see all three values with BimmerCode. The CDMM_USB_AUDIO_DOUBLE_0B value was already set to not active. After coding aux and usb power still work in the arm rest..... which seems wrong. BimmerCode claims the values are coded. Perhaps I need to let the ecus go to sleep or something before they are disabled? Can't say if aux in back of head unit works, have not attempted install yet.

[GTiceman]

Originally Posted by akkando

So I was able to see all three values with BimmerCode. The CDMM_USB_AUDIO_DOUBLE_0B value was already set to not active. After coding aux and usb power still work in the arm rest..... which seems wrong. BimmerCode claims the values are coded. Perhaps I need to let the ecus go to sleep or something before they are disabled? Can't say if aux in back of head unit works, have not attempted install yet.

Do you have a combox?

[Marin_Oil_Burner]

Originally Posted by Iyzmi

Where did you mount the front camera?

I bought this one and mounted it to the bottom of the bumper, right above the grill. It barely fits there, but it was only because of the mounting threaded bolt were positioned more to the back of the housing. There are other ones where the mounting threaded bolt is more in the center of the housing...that would fit better. Here is the link to the one i bought, but the second link would fit better- https://www.amazon.com/NATIKA-Backup...2-b6761a63ecf6

https://www.amazon.com/GreenYi-Vehic...dDbGljaz10cnVl

[akkando]

Originally Posted by GTiceman

Do you have a combox?

I do not have a combox. It's one of the first 2011 M3s before they added combox.

[Marin_Oil_Burner]

Originally Posted by Iyzmi

Where did you mount the front camera?

I mounted the camera below the bumper (see yellow arrow). It barely fits, but worked fine for me. Other cameras with this same housing have the mounting post in the center of the housing which would work better.

Routing the wires through the firewall was kind of a pain, but eventually figured it out, going through the ECU box, where there is an existing hole in the firewall.

Here is the camera I used - https://www.amazon.com/NATIKA-Backup...2-b6761a63ecf6

[GTiceman]

Originally Posted by akkando

I do not have a combox. It's one of the first 2011 M3s before they added combox.

Well I am intrigued to see if you get it all working before I pull apart the car again. I tried with NCS Expert/Dummy but had issues so if it works I might just buy Bimmercode.

[akkando]

So for Carsara if you connect A to B on the harness what do you do with D the white loop cable?

Put it on L CarPlay high CAN cable? Someone mentioned this I think but the directions here don't say anything about it.

[bd700]

I left it off and everything works fine for me after finishing up this morning. Left over, unused cables were that white terminating loop and the iDrive cable

Coded before I started the teardown and audio/mic sound good to me.

[Cyberdemon]

Originally Posted by akkando

So for Carsara if you connect A to B on the harness what do you do with D the white loop cable?

Put it on L CarPlay high CAN cable? Someone mentioned this I think but the directions here don't say anything about it.

The loop should be left out.

I just coded mine and wasn't able to get the IDrive harness working in any configuration. But I was able to code it so I just unplugged it at the end.

My setup worked with either A#->B# or L#->B#. I tested both and they seem to work fine. The Loop terminator should not be plugged in.

With 3 min of testing and some EQ tweaking from the previous posts the overall system sounds very good. I really would have to find some specific tracks but the bass hits hard without having it cranked all the way up. Can try some hip hop later on to see how it goes.

Coding with NCSexpert sucks. I spent 15 minutes just trying to get the KCan serial drivers off a CD because no computers in my house have CD drives anymore. Should've just paid for an app and saved my time.

[akkando]

Originally Posted by Cyberdemon

The LVDS cables will attach to your existing cable like an extension and one will go to the carsara box.

The dip switches control the output signal of the box. No changes for the camera.

Yeah I'm still thinking I've got the wrong cable.

LVDS in on Carsara goes to pink on the head unit but both the head unit and Carsara ports are male. The LVDS direct from head unit to to Carsara Input seem to need to be Female on both ends.

[Cyberdemon]

Originally Posted by akkando

Yeah I'm still thinking I've got the wrong cable.

LVDS in on Carsara goes to pink on the head unit but both the head unit and Carsara ports are male. The LVDS direct from head unit to to Carsara Input seem to need to be Female on both ends.

So one cable connects to the pink cable coming from the display, and the other cable goes to the pink connector on the head unit. Do your cables look like the ones in the instructions? I think one was a 90 degree connector on one end but I don't remember off the top of my head.

[akkando]

Originally Posted by Cyberdemon

So one cable connects to the pink cable coming from the display, and the other cable goes to the pink connector on the head unit. Do your cables look like the ones in the instructions? I think one was a 90 degree connector on one end but I don't remember off the top of my head.

There's no cable in the box that will connect from the head unit to the Carsara, just one or the other, but not both. Quad pins on both units, but both cables are pins one side and holes on the other.

I wonder what would happen if I don't have a connection to Carsara LVDS Input temporarily? Maybe I get CarPlay but won't see the idrive?

[akkando]

Originally Posted by cyman83

I got it to work without the idrive harness. Just waiting for them to send me the right cables now. They sent me two lvds in cable, so I had it all apart to test

I am missing the LVDs input cable and have two extensions. Any chance we could swap cables?

[akkando]

Originally Posted by akkando

There's no cable in the box that will connect from the head unit to the Carsara, just one or the other, but not both. Quad pins on both units, but both cables are pins one side and holes on the other.

I wonder what would happen if I don't have a connection to Carsara LVDS Input temporarily? Maybe I get CarPlay but won't see the idrive?

Turns out CarPlay works but idrive doesn't as I expected.

No audio. Could be because I attempted to code the head unit to take audio from the rear (what cable would the audio be coming from? The harness?), maybe because I need to go into the idrive settings and select the correct input etc but I can't? Can't really trouble shoot audio at the moment, got to wait for the correct lsvd cable so I can see the idrive.

Ordered one from Amazon but it's not clear it's exactly the same but it will get here on Tuesday, everything else is from China to be delivered in February. If that doesn't work I'll try BMW parts or fcp Euro for an expensive cable.

No communication back from Carsara seller about the wrong cable.

[Cyberdemon]

Originally Posted by akkando

Turns out CarPlay works but idrive doesn't as I expected.

No audio. Could be because I attempted to code the head unit to take audio from the rear (what cable would the audio be coming from? The harness?), maybe because I need to go into the idrive settings and select the correct input etc but I can't? Can't really trouble shoot audio at the moment, got to wait for the correct lsvd cable source can see the idrive.

Ordered one from Amazon but it's not clear it's exactly the same but it will get here on Tuesday, everything else is from China to be delivered in February. If that doesn't work I'll try BMW parts or fcp Euro for an expensive cable.

No communication back from Carsara seller about the wrong cable.

That stinks. I suspect a lot of these cables are the same so hope Amazon gets you the right part. The seller has responded to other folks so maybe just keep pestering them. Not sure if they have another email address on the instructions for support?

You need to select the aux audio source to get it to work. I made that mistake yesterday after coding I didn't re select the source and thought I did the coding wrong.

[akkando]

Originally Posted by Cyberdemon

That stinks. I suspect a lot of these cables are the same so hope Amazon gets you the right part. The seller has responded to other folks so maybe just keep pestering them. Not sure if they have another email address on the instructions for support?

You need to select the aux audio source to get it to work. I made that mistake yesterday after coding I didn't re select the source and thought I did the coding wrong.

It's unclear to me what exactly these cables are. There are usb cables that look just like them so maybe that's all they really are with additional shielding. BMW lists them sometimes as USB and sometimes as CIC cables.

A search on "HSD" cables brings similar looking cables up. Dacar 535 gets some search results. LVDS gets some results. Fakra gets some results, I think that's the shape of the plastic connection.

[GTiceman]

Originally Posted by akkando

I am missing the LVDs input cable and have two extensions. Any chance we could swap cables?

That stinks so you didn't have these two? I had a momentary pause when I did mine because I didn't think it all would work. It was a bit strange at first that one cable from the car goes direct into the MMI box and another is the extension/adaptor for the connection between the MMI and the CIC if I recall correctly. I actually think I didn't have the extension cable pictured, just the one. I also have a CiC.