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Subject: Major Bluetooth Breakthrough Author: Brian (moderator) : member since January, 2005 : 8582 posts Posted on: 2009-04-04 21:43:18

We have a major Bluetooth breakthrough. All we need to do is solve a simple coding problem.

For a long time, we had a collective assumption that a Bluetooth-Assist TCU would not work in cars made prior to 2004. However, a few recent installations proved this false. Crds just installed a TCU in his 2003 M5, a person over on E46Fanatics installed a TCU in a 2001 E46, a few others on M3Forum installed TCUs, and I installed a TCU in my Dad's 2002 M3 (see the reference posts below). The advantage to the TCU is that it costs 1/2 as much as a ULF. My Dad got his TCU for $345, compared to nearly $600 for a new ULF. The challenge is that the factory default coding has voice recognition disabled.

http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/643431
http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?p=9204780
http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=230898

So here is our quest. We need to figure out a way to re-enable voice recognition in a new TCU. If you retrofit a used TCU that came from a car with VR on (like crds), you are set. If you have a SES module and a new TCU, you are set. However, if you are starting with a new TCU, you will need to get VR turned on. I tried every option I could find in Progman with no luck. It does not have the options we need for an early year car. I tried NavCoder, but it probably only speaks "ULF." Maybe Kiwijochen can solve this. It would save a fortune for future BT installers.

• Major Bluetooth Breakthrough (url) - Brian 2009-04-04 21:43:18 (2482 views)
  • Re: Major Bluetooth Breakthrough - merlin0www 2009-04-07 03:27:43 (513 views)
    • Re: Bluetooth Breakthrough, TCU Pairing, what I know so far... - crds 2009-04-07 04:06:53 (773 views)
      • Cut off dates for TCU w/ Bluetooth and SES can be found in SIB 84 13 04. - ripp222 2009-04-21 15:34:20 (513 views)
      • Re: Bluetooth Breakthrough, TCU Pairing, what I know so far... - mrmcoupe 2009-04-07 08:19:20 (470 views)
        • 84109205929 compatible with 01 e38 with SES? (nt) - theultimate740il 2009-06-30 14:24:56 (258 views)
          • I do not recognize that part number (url) - Brian 2009-06-30 16:38:08 (230 views)
        • Yes, the new TCU will give your car Bluetooth - Brian 2009-04-07 20:27:35 (528 views)
          • Re: Yes, the new TCU will give your car Bluetooth - mrmcoupe 2009-04-08 09:16:29 (385 views)
            • Try Circle or Tischer BMW for Part Number 84.10-9 195 455 - Brian 2009-04-08 11:14:10 (571 views)
              • Re: Try Circle or Tischer BMW for Part Number 84.10-9 195 455 - mrmcoupe 2009-04-28 00:00:09 (373 views)
                • Try these part numbers... - Brian 2009-04-29 01:01:28 (352 views)
              • Re: Try Circle or Tischer BMW for Part Number 84.10-9 195 455 - mrmcoupe 2009-04-14 08:15:07 (360 views)
                • Circle is correct, they are giving you the “official” BMW-supported kit - Brian 2009-04-14 08:50:22 (457 views)
                  • Re: Circle is correct, they are giving you the “official” BMW-supported kit - legalfee 2009-04-25 16:17:12 (315 views)
                    • The Bluetooth TCU is way cheaper than a ULF - that is the advantage - Brian 2009-04-28 01:33:45 (341 views)
                      • Re: The Bluetooth TCU is way cheaper than a ULF - that is the advantage - legalfee 2009-04-28 12:13:57 (476 views)
                        • If you compare used prices to used prices, a TCU is still 1/2 the ULF - Brian 2009-04-28 23:54:25 (306 views)
                          • finally i can put bluetooth in my 01 e38 without breaking the bank!!! - theultimate740il 2009-06-26 15:06:40 (207 views)
                  • Re: Circle is correct, they are giving you the “official” BMW-supported kit - mrmcoupe 2009-04-14 20:16:59 (270 views)
                    • Re: Circle is correct, they are giving you the “official” BMW-supported kit - theultimate740il 2009-06-26 19:47:23 (168 views)
                      • You are OK, TCU compatibility is independnet of the nav version (nt) - Brian 2009-06-27 13:46:00 (179 views)
              • Brian, have you tried NCS Expert to code the module directly? - seattlee38 2009-04-08 12:20:59 (789 views)
                • Great idea! I forgot about that. I will give it a try. (nt) - Brian 2009-04-08 13:34:42 (314 views)
                  • Let me know how you make out... I still - seattlee38 2009-04-10 11:11:52 (259 views)
                    • Will do. Easter weekend won't give me any play time, so maybe later next week. (nt) - Brian 2009-04-10 15:55:39 (244 views)
                      • No joy. NCS Expert did not see the TCU; It only offered a ULF in the module list (nt) - Brian 2009-04-18 20:26:00 (319 views)
                        • Re: No joy. NCS Expert did not see the TCU; It only offered a ULF in the module list - crds 2009-04-22 21:58:34 (287 views)
                          • I'll do it the next time I meet up with my Dad. We've been schedule challenged. (nt) - Brian 2009-04-24 20:33:03 (244 views)
                        • Can you pick an E53 X5 instead? - ripp222 2009-04-21 20:50:46 (271 views)
                          • Brian, you are correct - the TCU was plug-n-play in my E38! (nt) - ripp222 2009-04-24 15:35:21 (315 views)
                            • Details & pics below: (pic) - ripp222 2009-04-24 15:49:56 (491 views)
                              • Re: Details & pics below: - crds 2009-05-03 21:20:47 (302 views)
                                • I am hanging on to my SES. - ripp222 2009-05-04 11:27:24 (259 views)
                                  • Re: I am hanging on to my SES. (url) - crds 2009-05-04 21:24:12 (262 views)
                                    • Yes, but... (pic) - ripp222 2009-05-07 22:24:37 (349 views)
                                • Excellent. I still have not been able to do the memory dump from my Dad's TCU. - Brian 2009-05-03 21:23:37 (238 views)
  • Tiny update: we used TCU part number 84.10-9 195 455 in my Dad's 2002 E46 M3 (nt) - Brian 2009-04-04 21:51:38 (387 views)
    • Re: Tiny update: we used TCU part number 84.10-9 195 455 in my Dad's 2002 E46 M3 - legalfee 2009-04-07 10:42:17 (382 views)
      • That is what makes this a breakthrough... - Brian 2009-04-08 07:21:39 (362 views)
        • Re: That is what makes this a breakthrough... - legalfee 2009-04-08 14:06:50 (298 views)
          • TCU stands for Telephone Control Unit - Brian 2009-04-08 16:16:19 (533 views)
            • Re: TCU stands for Telephone Control Unit - legalfee 2009-04-08 17:06:37 (335 views)
              • Correct. (nt) - Brian 2009-04-08 17:37:59 (274 views)