'90 525i w/ odd radio connector??

[rhyswill5]

We just got a really nice '90 525i... had to do some front end work, but that was no prob... Question: when trying to upgrade the stereo, we found that the typical 17-pin adapter doesn't match anything on the back of the OE (Pioneer) radio. We have several small plugs for power, front speaker(single wire), rear speaker(single wire), etc. The fuse is the old style glass-barrel type. The pics on the web show a very simple plug-in design with a plastic push in fuse. Does anyone recognize this and how do we work with/around/through it?? If a pic would help, please respond and I will try to get one posted.

This original HU is the Pioneer KE-83 ZBM... the connections push "down" into their positions, not "in" like the adapter - if that helps...

Thanks

[El Presidente]

pics would help. Are you sure you have the right adapter? if you don't, it is possible no one makes an adapter for that model, although I find it unlikely that is the case.

If it is, you can hardwire the HU or hardwire a male adapter in place to work with the female adapter you have.

[rhyswill5]

From everything we can find there is only one adapter... here are the pics of the radio...

Sorry - I need some time to figure out how to decrease my pic size... filled the whole screen with a fuzzy blurrrrrr.

From this picture you can see how the connections plug "down" into their homes and not "in" to the back of the radio.

I'll add a close-up if it is clear enough.

[rhyswill5]

Here is a closer pic of the connections looking down across the back of the radio... the white cover to the right is the cd connection. The small orange cover(center of connecting area, under wht&yelow) is the fuse cover. The power is the small plug on the bottom left...

If hard wiring is necessary, what is the plan with the "no speaker ground wire" concern?

Thanks

[rhyswill5]

GOT IT!!! Found the answer on another site... we have the old style connector/radio in this car. No adapter - strictly hardwire the old to the new...

The bad part is I found the info on a site I've looked at several times already - just hadn't looked all the way to the bottom of the page ghead

Now we'll see what happens.

Thanks for your help...

[jllphan]

So you are trying to install an aftermarket head unit. I was under the impression that you were trying to install a different oem deck.

Yes you would have to hardwire an aftermarket deck in that particular BMW as an aftermarket wiring harness would prove to be a tough find. Do you have a wiring diagram of the oem harness?

[rhyswill5]

Yes - the wiring diagram from the site along with the indications on the back of the original radio were sufficient - there were only two (illum/memory) that weren't clearly marked. Of course I switched them on the first attempt, but they were easily corrected when I saw the only way to see the display was to turn on the headlights... too simple. Lot of great info from this site re: how to utilize the stock components w/o having to replace everything at once. The stock speakers sound fine for now along with the amp function. All that's left for now is

Thanks for your input...