BMW NBT Idrive. For Retrofit in Ibus Cars (BMW E38, E39, E46, E53, E83, Range Rover L332)

BMW NBT iDrive
For retrofit in iBUS cars (BMW E38, E39, E46, E53, E83, Range Rover L332…)
Table of Contents
NBT RETROFIT OVERVIEW....................................................................................................................... 2
Difference between NBT models ........................................................................................................ 2
NBT radio plugs ................................................................................................................................... 3
Before you start .................................................................................................................................. 4
Parts provided in the full NBT retrofit kit ......................................................................................... 12
NBT plug diagram .............................................................................................................................. 15
INSTALLATION ....................................................................................................................................... 16
How to connect the video plug? ....................................................................................................... 19
How to connect the Bluetooth antenna? ......................................................................................... 19
Installing the 355cm long HSD wire for the USB socket ................................................................... 20
How to connect the microphone? .................................................................................................... 22
Customers with OEM DSP amplifiers ................................................................................................ 25
GPS location flying/jumping over roads ........................................................................................... 25
If you have an issue with radio reception ......................................................................................... 28
Installing the GERMANIKS bezel for the iDrive controller in BMW E39 ........................................... 31
© GERMANIKS.COM Version 1.2 (May 2016) – BMW NBT in IBUS cars Page 1 of 32
NBT RETROFIT OVERVIEW
Difference between NBT models
Note:
The Basic version does not support reverse camera function at all.
All other models do support reverse camera (Including Basic +USB 2 + USB 3 version)
NBT radio plugs
Before you start
Your car electronics and iBUS network must be in good working order.
For example if your cluster is faulty, that will prevent the NBT from starting
Fitting a BMW NBT radio to an iBus car will require significant customisation. Especially to fit the
screen and the iDrive controller. You may have to involve a car audio shop to make a custom screen
bezel and iDrive controller or buy from us.
You can also use a BMW F30 or F15 screen and install it on the dash directly.
BMW F30 and F15 (left) screens side by side
BMW F15 screen in place
GERMANIKS custom screen bezels are also available for E46, E38, E39, E53, Range Rover
Our bezels do accommodate the following screen sizes
BMW e46 : 8.8” screen size
BMW E38, E39, E53 : 10.2” screen size
GERMANIKS custom made BMW E46 bezel for NBT retrofit
Custom made screen bezel for BMW E53
Custom bezels for BMW E46 and E39
Parts provided in the full NBT retrofit kit
Pictures
Top left : BMW microphone (OEM) -

Optional
Top right : Plug/Wires for microphone.

Connect these to the 2 exposed wires from
the radio plug (2 wires marked as MIC+
and MIC-). Comes with 5 metre long wires.
Bottom left : Bluetooth antenna (Connects

to plug 15 from the back of the NBT)
Below are the standard 7 buttons iDrive controller on the left and Touch version of the iDrive
controller on the right. The Touch version handles hand writing recognition (Extra module is
required to get this function to work. The Touch controller can be used without the Touch
recognition module just fine, but the handwriting recognition feature will not work)
Hand writing recognition allows you to input destination addresses, scrolling through navigation
maps and so on
Pictures
Top left : Radio plug extension with iBUS-

CAN conversion module. 5 metre long 4
pins green connector for the iDrive
controller. 2 wires exposed and marked as
MIC+/MIC- to connect the microphone
2 wires exposed and marked as CAM+ /

CAM- for back up camera (Known as
FBAS/TRSVC port)
Top right : NBT radio and screen (From a

F10 here).
Bottom left : 5 metre long HSD wire/video

plug to connect the NBT to the high
definition screen (CID)
NBT plug diagram
 FBAS/TRSVC : Back up camera input
INSTALLATION
Connect iBUS CAN 1 high and low to the car cluster
On BMW E39:
Connect yellow wire from the iBUS module to the yellow/black wire of your cluster (Blue plug)
Connect blue wire from the iBUS module to the yellow/brown wire for your cluster (Blue plug)
On BMW e46:
Connect yellow wire from the iBus emulator to the yellow/red (Pin 9 on Kombi/Cluster)
Connect the blue wire from the iBus emulator to the yellow/brown (Pin 10 on Kombi/Cluster)
Use the yellow and blue wires provided (Already prewired for you if you bought a kit from us)
See pictures below (Wires provided that you need to connect to the cluster to get the speed signal
from the car)
Connect the 5m long yellow and blue wires as shown below
Pictures
Top left : The 2 CAN bus wires we need to

tap into from behind the cluster
Top right : Cut the wires in the middle

(ONE AT A TIME) and extend them in
order to connect the new wires. Twist
them together or solder them.
Bottom left : Showing wires joined

together and secured using heat shrink
tubes.
Use wire insulation tape to secure the loom (Automotive fabric coated tape such as TESA tape
preferably)
How to connect the video plug?
Connect it up this way on the back of the radio, it is only possible to connect one of the 2 plugs this
way. This is usually the pink plug while the purple plug connects on the screen itself. Plug color may
vary so do not rely on color code only.
How to connect the Bluetooth antenna?

Install the antenna on the rear shelf or C/D pillar for optimal reception (When radio is installed in the
trunk). Otherwise, just install it as close as possible from the phone’s usual location for optimal
reception. With the kit, you may have been provided 2 GPS antennas. In that case simply trim off the
plastic guides on the original NBT radio (One on each side). Then the second GPS antenna will fit just
fine here.
Installing the 355cm long HSD wire for the USB socket
The HSD wire provided does not fit the NBT
You will need to trim off the plug as show below using a sharp blade.
The plug fits just fine upside down
How to connect the microphone?
You will need to run the microphone wires all the way from the front to the trunk (When NBT is
installed in the trunk)
1. Install the microphone in place as shown below
After you ran the 2 wires all the way to your radio plug (Provided), then join the 2 microphone wires
to the radio harness (MIC+/MIC- wires already exposed)
Twist the wires together then use heat tubes to secure the wires (Put the tubes in first)
Note : Our kits are now provided with the microphone plug prewired, so you can skip this step
GERMANIKS kits are supplied totally prewired.
See example below of a complete NBT retrofit loom below
Customers with OEM DSP amplifiers
If the sound cuts off after 30 seconds or so, please note that your DSP amplifier will need to be
recoded
You will need to have the following tools available for coding: BMW Standard Tools 2.12 with
NCSExpert, a Windows laptop, a WIFI connection close to your car for remote coding (If applies).
The coding settings are as follow:
1. Read the AMP module with NCSExpert in Manipulation mode

2. Edit the module settings a find the value : BEDIENELEMENTE
3. Change the value from "bordmonitor" to "mid_basis"
4. Save the new configuration file
5. Run SG_CODIEREN in NCSExpert
GPS location flying/jumping over roads

Please note that once you have the NBT installed along with the GPS antenna, it takes 50 miles of
driving on average for the NBT to accurately show your car location on the maps.
In the meantime, your car may be flying over roads
If the issue persists, you will need to disconnect the IBUS module and open it up (4 screws)
Once opened you will see the main board
As you can see at the bottom of that board, you have a line of switches called SW0, SW1, SW2 etc
If the jumper is currently on SW1, please change to SW0, and if the jumper is on SW0, change to
SW1.
Close the cover of the IBUS module and drive again a good few miles to see if it is any better.
The latest iBUS modules we supply since October 2015 have the switches now located on the
outside.
Also the new modules we are now providing have the red plug to connect to a F series radio panel
for those who also want to retrofit it in the cabin
If you have an issue with radio reception
Some ISO to FAKRA antenna adapters do not fit properly
When they fit, sometimes the radio reception is not very good.
Also the radio plug on the car side is very fragile. I managed to damage it in my case when trying to
remove the ISO male/female extension.
You can permanently remove the ISO connector from your car and fit the fakra adapter (Applies to
early cars with the ISO antenna)
Some antenna adaptors do not offer a reliable connectivity as they do not match inner and outer
sizes of the original FM antenna plug from the car.
1. Cut off the end of the original antenna and expose the wires.
2. Have some heat shrink tube handy (2 sizes, one small one for the middle wire, another
bigger one for the outer wire)
3. Do the same on the FAKRA adapter itself. Expose the wire with a good bit of length available
so you have no troubles joining the middle wire especially and keep enough room to be able
to join both middle wires together.
4. The middle wires have been secured together. Join the other wires and secure them with
the other tube (That you already run before you secured the middle wire)
5. Secure the whole plug with automotive tape (Such as 3M Automotive Refinish Masking Tape
or other)
Installing the GERMANIKS bezel for the iDrive controller in BMW E39
If you purchased the iDrive bezel for BMW E39 from us, please find the instructions below
1. Remove the compartment here and use a dremel to cut off the excess of plastic as
highlighted on the picture below
2. Cut the excess of plastic on your iDrive controller. Install it into place. And use a hot glue gun
to apply hot glue along both side to secure the controller. Make sure the bezel is flat and not
bent before doing so.
Here is how the iDrive bezel looks with the normal iDrive controller. And also here it how it looks
with the Touch version
Enjoy!

BMW NBT Idrive. For Retrofit in Ibus Cars (BMW E38, E39, E46, E53, E83, Range Rover L332)

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BMW NBT Idrive. For Retrofit in Ibus Cars (BMW E38, E39, E46, E53, E83, Range Rover L332)

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Copyright:

Available Formats

BMW NBT iDrive

Difference between NBT models

NBT radio plugs

BMW F15 screen in place

Our bezels do accommodate the following screen sizes

BMW e46 : 8.8” screen size

BMW E38, E39, E53 : 10.2” screen size

GERMANIKS custom made BMW E46 bezel for NBT retrofit

Custom bezels for BMW E46 and E39

Top left : BMW microphone (OEM) -

Top right : Plug/Wires for microphone.

Bottom left : Bluetooth antenna (Connects

Top left : Radio plug extension with iBUS-

2 wires exposed and marked as CAM+ /

Top right : NBT radio and screen (From a

Bottom left : 5 metre long HSD wire/video

 FBAS/TRSVC : Back up camera input

Connect iBUS CAN 1 high and low to the car cluster

Top left : The 2 CAN bus wires we need to

Top right : Cut the wires in the middle

Bottom left : Showing wires joined

How to connect the Bluetooth antenna?

1. Install the microphone in place as shown below

See example below of a complete NBT retrofit loom below

The coding settings are as follow:

1. Read the AMP module with NCSExpert in Manipulation mode

GPS location flying/jumping over roads

In the meantime, your car may be flying over roads

Once opened you will see the main board

Some ISO to FAKRA antenna adapters do not fit properly

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