# Bluetooth with Assist



## mattsoldo (Aug 28, 2004)

*This could drag on for a while*

I called BMW USA yesterday. Their story has changed from 'Available in late fall' to 'We don't know when it will be ready'. Thats not too encouraging.


----------



## BMWfan325 (Aug 12, 2004)

*Work already done*

I'm not an electrical engineer... (but I play one online)

I guess my point is that all the work associated with pin - pin compatability and dealer programming has already been figured out by smart engineers. Everything else appears to be the same from model year 04 to MY 05 (radio, steering wheel) so why is it soo difficult to replace the TCU for those of us that have BMW Assist already?

If anyone out there can explain that to me, I'd sleep better at night.


----------



## Technic (Jun 24, 2002)

BMWfan325 said:


> I'm not an electrical engineer... (but I play one online)
> 
> I guess my point is that all the work associated with pin - pin compatability and dealer programming has already been figured out by smart engineers. Everything else appears to be the same from model year 04 to MY 05 (radio, steering wheel) so why is it soo difficult to replace the TCU for those of us that have BMW Assist already?
> 
> If anyone out there can explain that to me, I'd sleep better at night.


Think about it for just one minute: if that pin to pin compatibility "has been figured out", why it is required to remove Assist to install Bluetooth in the '04/very early '05 models? If the pins are the same, _everything is the same_... why just create a "Y" jumper harness that allows a Bluetooth module to coexist with the Assist using the same, single 54 pin connector and then a quick reprogram by the dealer for both modules be syncronized and prioritized in the i-Bus pipe? That could have been a quick "retrofit" for 04' owners with Assist. However, as of today there is no retrofit of any kind and none even announced for the near future.

Perhaps, IMO, this swap cannot be done simply because the required hardware in the '04 is not there for both modules to coexist in one combo unit or/and the ECU software update to make this happen have a conflict with some other module in the car.

Now, if you want to be the pioneer in doing this swap, please go ahead. A lot of people will be very interested in knowing the results. :bigpimp:


----------



## BMWfan325 (Aug 12, 2004)

*I agree*

I get it and I agree with you. There must be something related to "other hardware in the car" (i.e. radio, steering wheel, CPU chip) other than the TCU. However, I'm frustrated because no one seems to know exactly what that difference entails.

Oh well


----------



## Technic (Jun 24, 2002)

BMWfan325 said:


> I get it and I agree with you. There must be something related to "other hardware in the car" (i.e. radio, steering wheel, CPU chip) other than the TCU. However, I'm frustrated because no one seems to know exactly what that difference entails.
> 
> Oh well


Well, I just found out that my car have the BT antenna in the rear of the center console from factory, in addition of the BT logo in the Assist TCU already noted. So, BMWfan325 I think that a 04 swap could be possible with a upgraded 05. Now I am almost sure that the BT hardware is there in the 04 Assist TCU, but propably there is a hardware conflict in E46s that BMW could not make it work thru software in time for production release. So even after installing all this hardware, and including the pairing card in the vehicles they decided not to announce it because it would not work.

The TSB on this issue specifically mentions this 04 E46 Assist/BT TCU hardware no support for BT between production 03/04 (my M3) and 08/04. Therefore no software upgrade for 04 E46s to activate BT in the TCU, although there is one on the 03/04-on E60 models with Assist.

So, even if a TCU swap can be possible, the question becomes if the current 05 software to make it work will be compatible with the existing external hardware on 04's surrounding the new TCU.


----------



## 16hr Day (Apr 17, 2004)

Technic said:


> Well, I just found out that my car have the BT antenna in the rear of the center console from factory, in addition of the BT logo in the Assist TCU already noted. So, BMWfan325 I think that a 04 swap could be possible with a upgraded 05. Now I am almost sure that the BT hardware is there in the 04 Assist TCU, but propably there is a hardware conflict in E46s that BMW could not make it work thru software in time for production release. So even after installing all this hardware, and including the pairing card in the vehicles they decided not to announce it because it would not work.
> 
> The TSB on this issue specifically mentions this 04 E46 Assist/BT TCU hardware no support for BT between production 03/04 (my M3) and 08/04. Therefore no software upgrade for 04 E46s to activate BT in the TCU, although there is one on the 03/04-on E60 models with Assist.
> 
> So, even if a TCU swap can be possible, the question becomes if the current 05 software to make it work will be compatible with the existing external hardware on 04's surrounding the new TCU.


so in english, there is still no upgrade for MY 04 E46 cars with Assist. :dunno:


----------



## Technic (Jun 24, 2002)

16hr Day said:


> so in english, there is still no upgrade for MY 04 E46 cars with Assist. :dunno:


... you can always can do the TCU swap and tell us about it. :thumbup:


----------



## 16hr Day (Apr 17, 2004)

Technic said:


> ... you can always can do the TCU swap and tell us about it. :thumbup:


what would that cost? I think I will just ditch the assist :eeps:


----------



## Technic (Jun 24, 2002)

16hr Day said:


> *what would that cost?* I think I will just ditch the assist :eeps:


... I guess some $1300.00 based on a 04 TCU price... if you are NOT planning to remain in the Assist program I do not think that is worth it just to get the BT (and without SES).


----------



## 16hr Day (Apr 17, 2004)

Technic said:


> ... I guess some $1300.00 based on a 04 TCU price... if you are NOT planning to remain in the Assist program I do not think that is worth it just to get the BT (and without SES).


so their answer to upgrading to a dopey service that is probably not worth it to begin with (since almost everyone has a cell phone in the free world) is to shell out 1300 bucks? Uh boy.


----------



## SunnyDriver (Nov 16, 2004)

*Buetooth/Assist*



mattsoldo said:


> Does anyone know (or strongly suspect) if the solution that will allow bluetooth with assist that is supposedly coming out soon will use the existing Bluetooth ULF module, or if it will be a whole new set of hardware? If thew ULF module is going to be the same, I'll just get it now and have assist disabled for a few months, but if its going to be a whole new module, I'll wait.
> 
> Thanks


I got a '05 330 zhp last week and bluetooth and assist work together, i.e you do not have to disable one to activate the other. My phone Nokia 6600 is not one of the listed phones. However, when I asked my phone to search for bluetooth devices it discovered the BMW bluetooth and asked for the pairing code. Currently, I cna make calls using the phone and upon initiation or receipt of a call, my car speakers/microphone take over. My address book does not automatically sync but my sales rep at BMW Bellevue told me that his colleague has been able to manually input phone numbers so guess I need to look into it further. Now if I can figure out how to initiate/end calls using the buttons on my steering wheel, that wuold be immensely helpful 

Hope this helps.


----------



## Technic (Jun 24, 2002)

SunnyDriver said:


> I got a '05 330 zhp last week and bluetooth and assist work together, i.e you do not have to disable one to activate the other. My phone Nokia 6600 is not one of the listed phones. However, when I asked my phone to search for bluetooth devices it discovered the BMW bluetooth and asked for the pairing code. Currently, I cna make calls using the phone and upon initiation or receipt of a call, my car speakers/microphone take over. My address book does not automatically sync but my sales rep at BMW Bellevue told me that his colleague has been able to manually input phone numbers so guess I need to look into it further.* Now if I can figure out how to initiate/end calls using the buttons on my steering wheel, that wuold be immensely helpful *
> 
> Hope this helps.


Unless you have Nav, it seems that without the phonebook download into the TCU your only option would be the separate SES module, that way you can dial by voice (both numbers and names) by just pressing and holding the voice button in the steering wheel. :dunno:


----------



## Technic (Jun 24, 2002)

16hr Day said:


> *so their answer* to upgrading to a dopey service that is probably not worth it to begin with (since almost everyone has a cell phone in the free world) is to shell out 1300 bucks? Uh boy.


Again, I am guessing that a TCU swap could work... there is no official retrofit yet.


----------



## BMWfan325 (Aug 12, 2004)

*Successful attempt?....Maybe*

It looks like someone may have successfully installed a 2005 TCU into a 2004 X-Series

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=80391


----------

