Using Lighter Socket to Connect iPod BMW 2004 645

[Claire-i1bmr]

Has anyone got any suggestions on the cheapest way of being able to connect an (old) Ipod to the cigarette lighter socket to play music using the car speakers?

I have a 2004 645 with radio and CD player in the glove compartment. CD loader working fine, but most of my music is on ipod not CD any more. Laptop doesn't have a CD slot and anyway, I don't want a ton of CD's in the glove compartment with half my iPod music on it as a second best to connecting the iPod itself.

Not bothered about having my iPhone connected, and not bothered about having FM wireless transmitter function either. Not that these things would work with my car..
Just want to be able to play music from my ipod in the car.
Any suggestions that have worked in your 2004 645, I'm all ears!

[Monty Python]

This will supply power:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00HFEJM62/ref=asc_df_...

But I don't know how you intent to get the sound from the ipod to the speakers.....or do you mean the USB socket?

[Craikeybaby]

Does your car have an AUX in socket? My 2004 1 series does, so I'd expect that the 6 series would too.

[Claire-i1bmr]

Monty Python said:

This will supply power:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00HFEJM62/ref=asc_df_...

But I don't know how you intent to get the sound from the ipod to the speakers.....or do you mean the USB socket?

Yeah, I was hoping to get the sound from the iPod to the car speakers. No USB socket in my car. Just ciggy lighter. Assume there is something connected behind the build-in CD player but I have no reason to remove that as it's working fine.
Might end up having to be CD player or iPod..

[Claire-i1bmr]

Craikeybaby said:

Does your car have an AUX in socket? My 2004 1 series does, so I'd expect that the 6 series would too.

You could have expected the 6 series to have more in the way of sockets but it doesn't! Mine is a March 04 6 series so maybe the later 04's onwards had better connections.

[LFB531]

Been there....

I tracked down a used OE interface that goes into the slot replacing the multichanger, took at punt at GPB65. Serial number is 65410411033. Lots of BMW cars use the same thing I gather.

Comes up as CD1/2/3 on the display, ipod classic lives in the glovebox and charges, a bit clunky to use but playlist tracks are displayed and sound is fine.

Fitted it myself, it was simple plug and play. Had to be patient for a few minutes whilst the car worked out it was there but works just fine and way better than an Aux plug or transmitter. Mine came without a cable to the Ipod, got that from Main Dealer in a couple of days but that was a slightly eye-watering fifty pounds from memory.

Hope that helps. mine is a '56 650 with two cd/dvd slots. I was told as long as you have a CD changer it'll work, not sure how true but mine does.

[LFB531]

This is the cable;

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-NEW-GENUINE-E81-E88...

and the box of tricks;

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-BMW-Alpine-Ipod...

Edited by LFB531 on Thursday 2nd November 14:36

[Collectingbrass]

If you don't have the aux in socket (introduced on builds from some point in 2005 I think) first of all you need to check the car will play CDs with MP3 format music. Then you need to fit an interface device, either the one referenced above or a Dension from http://www.dension.com/ which will give you up to date bluetooth and hands free calling. This is because the car's entertainment system runs on a fibre optic circuit and you need to access this. This is plug & play and I fitted the Dension to my 645 last year. Feel free to PM for more.

These cars are wonderful but you're not in Halfords anymore Toto...

[LFB531]

In action........apologies for the music choice

[Prinny]

I picked up an ‘06 M6 on Wednesday, and have just finished fitting the ipod kit in place of the cd changer, as alluded to above. Took about 1 hour total (would have been less, but mis-hooked the glovebox positioning the first time on replacement).


As above, get the Alpine Ipod kit from either BMW ( about £320 new) or e-bay.

To fit:
1 - open glovebox. there are 4x torx t20 to undo across the top face.

2 - on each side of the glovebox, behind the damper/strap there’s a t30 torx and a Philips screw to undo.

3 - now gently wriggle the glovebox unit out. there’s two hooks at the top corners, so the most effective way (for me) was to put my hands into the glovebox with palms up, then apply up, and back (towards rear of car) pressure.
4 - with g/b loose, disconnect optical cable, light cable, torch charger cable and ‘open’ button cable (all have press/push tabs for fitment, so easy enough).
5 - glovebox now completely out of the way,
6 - open the two little covers, bottom l & r of cd-changer unit.

You’ll see two small t20 heads. I didn’t have a torx drive that would fit in the narrow recess, so used a 2.5mm allen key instead. Unscrew for about 10-15 turns each side, and you can now slide out the cd changer. Disconnect it with plug on rear.

Stop & have a warm/cold beverage of choice (basically an excuse to get up and straighten your back from all the convoluted positions you’ve been twisted into, the last 10 minutes)

7 - You should now have something like this.

Connect the MOSTBUS cable to the ipod unit, and then the unit to the ipod itself. Then, connect the optical cable back into position ( the one top left of the glovebox - the cable you can see coming in from top left..) - If you leave this free, it won’t work as there’s no circuit). Turn on ignition, and check you can access your ipod!

If yes, then turn it all off again, disconnect the ipod, and get ready to secure in place. If no, then I can't help you further & Google-fu will be needed.

8 - the supplied kit comes with some sticky foam pads & tie-wraps. Use these to hold the unit in place where the changer used to be.

9 - make sure you’ve got the actual ipod cable routed so it’s going to be accessible into the glovebox.
10 - refit all connections to glovebox, then refit glovebox to car. (top tip, make sure the cable for the glovebox release hasn’t popped out of its holder in the trim above, otherwise you’ll not be able to open the glovebox! TRY IT FIRST TO CHECK!)
11 - open glovebox, attach ipod to cable, then route cable through cover plate ( supplied with kit) so that cd changer hole is now covered, and ipod is ‘loose’ in glovebox.
12 - enjoy ipod through car stereo.

Edited by Prinny on Saturday 4th November 18:12

Buggered if I can get pictures working... I have to go see some fireworks, so will be back later to try and add the pictures!

Edited by Prinny on Saturday 4th November 18:13

got it...

Edited by Prinny on Saturday 4th November 21:02

[Claire-i1bmr]

LFB531 said:

This is the cable;

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-NEW-GENUINE-E81-E88...

and the box of tricks;

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-BMW-Alpine-Ipod...

Edited by LFB531 on Thursday 2nd November 14:36

Many thanks - sounds like a good solution but my car is too old for this so will look at the other suggestions. Thanks again though

[Claire-i1bmr]

[quote=Collectingbrass]If you don't have the aux in socket (introduced on builds from some point in 2005 I think) first of all you need to check the car will play CDs with MP3 format music. Then you need to fit an interface device, either the one referenced above or a Dension from http://www.dension.com/ which will give you up to date bluetooth and hands free calling. This is because the car's entertainment system runs on a fibre optic circuit and you need to access this. This is plug & play and I fitted the Dension to my 645 last year. Feel free to PM for more.

Thanks - will PM you..