Construct your own Bluetooth ULF Pairing Button

My excitement regarding getting bluetooth working in my '04 325i was crushed recently when I found out that BMW no longer sells the ULF pairing button. Apparently it's now only available in the ULF install kit (~$160) and there's only one of those left in the country. I tried contacting bimmernav.com to see if they'd sell me one and they'll only sell it in their $675 kit (I don't think so).

Now this button can't be too complex can it? It must just short two wires together to initiate the pairing sequence, right? Can anyone confirm this (or sell me a pairing button ;-)). I guess the other option is to install the eject box, yeah?

Thanks for any help.

--
Eric

Originally Posted by Jonesy16

My excitement regarding getting bluetooth working in my '04 325i was crushed recently when I found out that BMW no longer sells the ULF pairing button. Apparently it's now only available in the ULF install kit (~$160) and there's only one of those left in the country. I tried contacting bimmernav.com to see if they'd sell me one and they'll only sell it in their $675 kit (I don't think so).

Now this button can't be too complex can it? It must just short two wires together to initiate the pairing sequence, right? Can anyone confirm this (or sell me a pairing button ;-)). I guess the other option is to install the eject box, yeah?

Thanks for any help.

--
Eric

You should get the eject box...

Originally Posted by Jonesy16

My excitement regarding getting bluetooth working in my '04 325i was crushed recently when I found out that BMW no longer sells the ULF pairing button. Apparently it's now only available in the ULF install kit (~$160) and there's only one of those left in the country. I tried contacting bimmernav.com to see if they'd sell me one and they'll only sell it in their $675 kit (I don't think so).

Now this button can't be too complex can it? It must just short two wires together to initiate the pairing sequence, right? Can anyone confirm this (or sell me a pairing button ;-)). I guess the other option is to install the eject box, yeah?

Thanks for any help.

--
Eric

I'm in the same boat. My wife's X5 has a pairing button that I hope will work once I get my ULF in. Otherwise, I was thinking the exact same thing in that the pairing button is proabably a microswitch that closes a circuit.

Please someone help us out!

Got some great advice and guidance from Derek and was able to pair my phone WITHOUT a pairing button. It's all pretty simple:

Remove the housing of the 18 pin connector that the pairing button is supposed to plug into. There is an indention that you push down with a thin screwdriver and the housing pops off.

Then locate pins 1 and 17. Again using a thin screwdriver, push down on the exposed metal to push the pins out of the housing. You do not need to puch the pin out through the holes but you could. With very little force with the screw driver and pulling slightly on the wire, the pin will come out of the housing.

Then you have your pairing button. The procedure is simple... hold the two pins together and count to 3 and then turn your ignition to the 1 position and count to three then release the pins. You should see BT pairing on your radio.

After successful pairing, I easily slid the pins back into the housing and stuffed it away.

No pairing button required.

Lots of button options at radio shack. Not gonna look great.

You could use dillard's information and wire up a button and just hide it in the armrest or something.

You can initiate BT Pairing with an iBus command.

Using a Resler interface and iBus Analyser software send the command

3F 04 C8 1C 84 6B

the phone will enter pairing mode.

Originally Posted by dillard

Got some great advice and guidance from Derek and was able to pair my phone WITHOUT a pairing button. It's all pretty simple:

Remove the housing of the 18 pin connector that the pairing button is supposed to plug into. There is an indention that you push down with a thin screwdriver and the housing pops off.

Then locate pins 1 and 17. Again using a thin screwdriver, push down on the exposed metal to push the pins out of the housing. You do not need to puch the pin out through the holes but you could. With very little force with the screw driver and pulling slightly on the wire, the pin will come out of the housing.

Then you have your pairing button. The procedure is simple... hold the two pins together and count to 3 and then turn your ignition to the 1 position and count to three then release the pins. You should see BT pairing on your radio.

After successful pairing, I easily slid the pins back into the housing and stuffed it away.

No pairing button required.

Where is the plug for the pairing button located?

You will need to remove all the screws holding down your center to let you move it around. Then you can wiggle a felt cover out of it's storage place.
Basically it lays flat under the cupholder. Here are some photos.

http://www.hiunlimited.com/bluetooth...btinstall3.htm

I am removing my eject box (replacing it with a euro compartment)...

The four cables for the button/charger (eject box + snap-in adapter)... The Green and White are the pairing ones (tried it in my car). The Red and Brown ones, are they simply 12V+ and ground for the charger?

If so, can I use them and hide a cigarette lighter charger beneath the console?
Or are the currents to high for the relatively weak Red and Brown cables?

Here's my eject-box connector. Green is pairing, is it supposed to have 12V+ for the system to enter pairing mode? Should be connected to.... red (via a button)?

Brown is negative(?)
Red is constant 12V+?
White is..? Cradle charging activation-someting?

Thank you guys! I built my own pairing button for $1.99 with a switch from Radio Shack. I connected it to pins 1 & 17 and pulled the switch to the back and hid it under the ashtray so I can easily access it (without a screwdriver).

Does anyone know which pin numbers are 12V and Gnd so I can connect a charger?

Where is the 18-pin connector? I have an E46 coupe, year 2005. Where is it please? Thanks

Originally Posted by Bjorn8781

Where is the 18-pin connector? I have an E46 coupe, year 2005. Where is it please? Thanks

Connector is bundled and stuffed under the armrest. You may be able to access it without removing the armrest. Remove the cupholder and you should see it wrapped in black.

Can I not have it? coz I cant see it.... or should I remove the armrest beacause it is there for sure?

It's there. You can loosen the armrest screws and not remove the armrest. That gives you a little more wiggle room.