[jeddo45]

Hi once again community

My radio has never worked because it looks like it is missing two parts. Here are the pictures:






The first picture is where the shark fin antenna protrudes out of the trunk. I see that it is hollow and the pink connector is just hanging.

The second picture is in my trunk under the removable mat. I see what I am assuming is the same pink connector. Am I missing an amp or something? The object that is sitting next to it has no open ports.

If someone who has knowledge with the sound system of my car could direct me, I would be very appreciative!

Thanks in advance.

[ctuna]

There is and entire e9x stereo subforum here

http://www.e90post.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=27

The indirect link back to the specific stereo info below.

bimmerfest stereo
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...ighlight=ctuna
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...ighlight=audio
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...ighlight=audio
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...ighlight=audio

The shark fin antenna is on the roof in every BMW I have ever seen. And I believe that one is GPS.
The FM antennas are built into the rear glass if I remember correctly.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...2&d=1260829447

How did you get one without and antenna if I may ask ? What was the state of the car when you got it was it being parted out?
Does LBC stand for Long Beach
The lack of object to the left is where a satalite
tuner would go in that model year.


electical e90 pdf
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...,d.cGU&cad=rja
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...85464276,d.cGU
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...85464276,d.cGU

[gbalthrop]

Originally Posted by jeddo45

(1) My radio has never worked (2) because it looks like it is missing two parts.

As ctuna suggests, the pink connectors are most likely for some input device (such as SatRadio/GPS) which is an option but NOT present on your vehicle. If so, the lack of such option should NOT prevent your radio from operating noramally.

Questions:
(1) what model radio do you have?
(2) For instance, does it say "BMW Professional" on the upper left of the faceplate, and does it have button immediately below that labeled "AUDIO"?
(3) Does anything light up on the faceplate/LCD when you press the On/Off button?
(4) What happens when you press the "AUDIO" button? (you should get a list of available audio input sources, such as Tuner, CD, USB, Aux)
(5) Have you checked the fuse(s)?

Fuses are located behind the glovebox, and F11 (10A) is the main radio fuse, & F8 (20A)is the amplifier fuse. So if you get no activity on the LCD when you press the On/Off button, check fuse 11, and if you get lights but no sound, then check fuse 8.

A fuse chart is/should be located on the rear of the access panel (rear glovebox panel -- just rotate the two fasteners 90 degrees to remove the panel.

Please answer those questions and someone can help,
George

[ctuna]

Also is it just the radio that won't play or the entire sound system
which is more likely. In which case the first thing to check is water
on the amp.

Did you buy and auction or parts car.
To find out what it came with use a free BMW Vin decoder to find out with options it came with.

[jeddo45]

Originally Posted by ctuna

Also is it just the radio that won't play or the entire sound system
which is more likely. In which case the first thing to check is water
on the amp.

So I'm away from the car (work) for now but I'll answer the more technical questions later. However it's just radio that doesn't work. I have CD and AUX input, no USB. Any audio going through the AUX cord plays just fine. Bluetooth phone calling works fine too.

When I get to the car tonight, I'll answer more questions. Thanks for the input thus far!

[ctuna]

Look in the entertainment PDF and the electrical pdf s for wiring
and block diagrams.
The fact that you have a TCU/Mulf in the trunk
means you should have GPS shark fin board
in the shark fin.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...2&d=1260829447

Antenna descriptions start on page 16 of the above
document. Looks like the antenna board is missing.

[jeddo45]

Alright, I just got off of work and I am now able to answer everyone's questions. I will do my best to be as clear as possible. Here we go:

Originally Posted by ctuna

How did you get one without and antenna if I may ask ? What was the state of the car when you got it was it being parted out?
Does LBC stand for Long Beach
The lack of object to the left is where a satalite
tuner would go in that model year.

I got the car from a used car dealership. Didn't think to test the radio when I purchased it (lesson learned.)

I reside in Long Beach CA

I guess a SAT radio module goes there. I thought I was missing something for the FM/AM radio. I don't need SAT radio, so if I could get away with not having that module, no worries.

Originally Posted by gbalthrop

As ctuna suggests, the pink connectors are most likely for some input device (such as SatRadio/GPS) which is an option but NOT present on your vehicle. If so, the lack of such option should NOT prevent your radio from operating noramally.

Questions:
(1) what model radio do you have?
(2) For instance, does it say "BMW Professional" on the upper left of the faceplate, and does it have button immediately below that labeled "AUDIO"?
(3) Does anything light up on the faceplate/LCD when you press the On/Off button?
(4) What happens when you press the "AUDIO" button? (you should get a list of available audio input sources, such as Tuner, CD, USB, Aux)
(5) Have you checked the fuse(s)?

Fuses are located behind the glovebox, and F11 (10A) is the main radio fuse, & F8 (20A)is the amplifier fuse. So if you get no activity on the LCD when you press the On/Off button, check fuse 11, and if you get lights but no sound, then check fuse 8.

A fuse chart is/should be located on the rear of the access panel (rear glovebox panel -- just rotate the two fasteners 90 degrees to remove the panel.

Please answer those questions and someone can help,
George

I have the BMW professional radio. There is an "AUDIO" button directly under that label.

If I press on on/off button while the car is off, it boots up the radio. If I turn it off while the engine is running, it just displays the time and date.

When I press the "AUDIO" button, my options are TUNER, CD, and AUX.

Checked fuse 8 and 11. Both were intact.

Originally Posted by ctuna

Look in the entertainment PDF and the electrical pdf s for wiring
and block diagrams.
The fact that you have a TCU/Mulf in the trunk
means you should have GPS shark fin board
in the shark fin.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...2&d=1260829447

Antenna descriptions start on page 16 of the above
document. Looks like the antenna board is missing.

Downloaded. Reading through this now to see if I could find further information.


Hopefully this information helps.

[jeddo45]

I would like to also add that I don't see any visible antenna lines or modules on my rear windshield. Is that due to me having a hard top convertible and the antenna is somewhere else?

I was going to attach a picture of my rear windshield but it's too reflective.

[ctuna]

I would think it would have to be on the trunk cover .
Better look on Realoem.com

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e...ystems/1x1LMxx

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e...ystems/1od6sFx
From the above


E93

The E93 (Convertible) has no visible aerials apart from the SDARS aerial (US version) on the tailgate.

Different aerials are used for radio reception depending on the position of the convertible hardtop (closed or open).



Convertible hardtop closed:

Radio reception using aerials (AM, FM 1, FM 3) in the rear window

Convertible hardtop open:

Radio reception using aerials (AM, FM 1) in the rear left side trim and the aerial (FM 3) in the rear right side trim

[jeddo45]

Originally Posted by ctuna

I would think it would have to be on the trunk cover .
Better look on Realoem.com

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e...ystems/1x1LMxx

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e...ystems/1od6sFx
From the above


E93

The E93 (Convertible) has no visible aerials apart from the SDARS aerial (US version) on the tailgate.

Different aerials are used for radio reception depending on the position of the convertible hardtop (closed or open).



Convertible hardtop closed:

Radio reception using aerials (AM, FM 1, FM 3) in the rear window

Convertible hardtop open:

Radio reception using aerials (AM, FM 1) in the rear left side trim and the aerial (FM 3) in the rear right side trim

So this is going to be very interesting to find but I'm pretty sure one of the antennas may be my issue. Gonna have to dig around the car.

[Mashman]

Originally Posted by jeddo45

So this is going to be very interesting to find but I'm pretty sure one of the antennas may be my issue. Gonna have to dig around the car.

Are you getting static, or no sound at all?

You said that the rear window did not have any antenna lines? Maybe it was replaced, but I don't see how they could have replaced it, without using a BMW window with antenna - it's a pretty specific window.

The diversity antenna is in the trunk area, below the drivers side taillights. It's connected to the antenna's in the window, and the antenna's in the door trim. When the top is down, the diversity antenna amplifier processes signals from the antenna's in the door trim, and sends the signal the the headunit. When the top is up, it uses signals from the rear window antenna's, processes them, and sends a signal to the headunit.

You showed a picture of the TCU in your trunk, is there another module beneath it? If there is, then you should be able to connect your phone over bluetooth - that does not require antenna to work, can you do that and get sound?

Is there no sound at all? If that is the case, I would check the stereo amplifier. Take off the rear, driver side, trunk trim, and check it out. Is there water, or evidence of past water, in that area?

[jeddo45]

Originally Posted by Mashman

Are you getting static, or no sound at all?

You said that the rear window did not have any antenna lines? Maybe it was replaced, but I don't see how they could have replaced it, without using a BMW window with antenna - it's a pretty specific window.

The diversity antenna is in the trunk area, below the drivers side taillights. It's connected to the antenna's in the window, and the antenna's in the door trim. When the top is down, the diversity antenna amplifier processes signals from the antenna's in the door trim, and sends the signal the the headunit. When the top is up, it uses signals from the rear window antenna's, processes them, and sends a signal to the headunit.

You showed a picture of the TCU in your trunk, is there another module beneath it? If there is, then you should be able to connect your phone over bluetooth - that does not require antenna to work, can you do that and get sound?

Is there no sound at all? If that is the case, I would check the stereo amplifier. Take off the rear, driver side, trunk trim, and check it out. Is there water, or evidence of past water, in that area?

On AM/FM radio, I just get static. All of my other sound/Bluetooth work. My rear windshield is a BMW branded windshield. If there are radio lines there, they look exactly the same as the defroster lines. They could be there.

[ctuna]

Based on the tech articles have you tried it with the both
the top up and down.(since they use separate antenna's based
on position of the top)

[jeddo45]

Originally Posted by ctuna

Based on the tech articles have you tried it with the both
the top up and down.(since they use separate antenna's based
on position of the top)

It's been awhile since I dropped the top. When I get back from work, I'll test the radio with the top down and see if it works.

[gbalthrop]

Originally Posted by jeddo45

On AM/FM radio, I just get static. All of my other sound/Bluetooth work.

I would say there is a VERY high probability that you don't have any antenna connection, at least with the top up, given that you get properly amplified sound from CD & Aux inputs, and you can select Tuner mode, on the faceplate.

Are you getting a frequency display? If you have a clear station stored on a preset button, try that and see if the tuner will display a frequency. I would assume the search/scan function won't work, confirming lack of antenna signal (sort of ;-)

Please let us know what you find,
George

[gbalthrop]

Originally Posted by gbalthrop

I would say there is a VERY high probability that you don't have any antenna connection, at least with the top up, given that you get properly amplified sound from CD & Aux inputs, and you can select Tuner mode, on the faceplate.

After looking at the Radio section in Bentley (650-7) it indicates that you have antennae underneath the rear bumper cover which you access in FM2 or FM4 mode of your Tuner. You might switch to one of those modes to see if you get antenna signal input from either FM2 or FM4 antennae.

If so, then it is just a matter of tracing the rear window & Left quarter window antennae feed lines for damage, corroded connectors, etc.

George

[jeddo45]

Originally Posted by gbalthrop

After looking at the Radio section in Bentley (650-7) it indicates that you have antennae underneath the rear bumper cover which you access in FM2 or FM4 mode of your Tuner. You might switch to one of those modes to see if you get antenna signal input from either FM2 or FM4 antennae.

If so, then it is just a matter of tracing the rear window & Left quarter window antennae feed lines for damage, corroded connectors, etc.

George

So I just dropped the top and tested the radio. No change, still static on both AM/FM channels. So I'm either looking at BOTH antennas having problems, or a bad module where the antennas go to, if that makes sense.