How do I change the tuner in my 525? - BMW Forum

67shelby · 06-14-2007, 07:32 AM

I have a 2001 525 and need to replace the tuner. I bought another one. I dont know how to remove the old one and don't want to break anything. Please help...

da_bull · 06-14-2007, 07:12 PM

I believe yours has 2 little doors at either side of the radio in the middle. The doors open up and there is a little 5 sided tool that is supposed to go in there to unscrew it. Since no one ever seems to have that tool, a 2.5mm allen will work, just go slowly as it is brass and will strip out easily. Unscrew both of those and slide it towards you. There is a little lever that releases the harness. When you put your new radio in, make sure you get the adapter harness from your local shop for your car, it makes your install WAY easier. Good luck...

67shelby · 06-14-2007, 08:07 PM

Thank you. The new tuner is an OEM one, so it should match up. I appreciate the help. Ken

da_bull · 06-14-2007, 09:03 PM

Kewl, easy install then...

///M Power · 06-15-2007, 05:19 AM

Be careful when sliding out the stock headunit by the two "doors" if you've got high mileage where the plastic may have become weak from sun damage. It can seem unstable at times but just be slow and consistent in sliding it out. Be very slow while pulling it out if it seems stuck.

Marconi · 10-30-2007, 07:59 PM

I have a 2001 525dse saloon with the business radio. As described elsewhere in here, removal was by removing the volume Knob, inserting a 5mm flat screwdriver in the slot behind and a straight pull out.
Didn't help my blank display problem on the radio. There power to the back of it. Went back in without a problem.

How much was the replacement tuner (holds breath) ?

67shelby · 10-31-2007, 07:12 AM

I purchased a used one along with a cassette player as a set for $125.00 Unfortunately, this didn't fix my problem. I do still have the set. If you are interested in it email me at: kens67@optonline.net

Marconi · 10-31-2007, 02:18 PM

Thanks for the offer 67Shelby, but if you bought it with Dollars, it's a long way to post it to Scotland :-)

Tried a few more things tonight including a look inside the Radio, nothing obvious.

I think there is a remote Amplifier but I'm darned if I can find it.
It may be a nameless box in the Trunk.

Anyone in the UK got a spare 5 series radio, or a pointer to where I can get a conversion front plate to allow use of an aftermarket Radio which will work with all the goodies (remote CD 6 player and Steering controls.

Why does everything need to be non standard....Can't even get a wiring diagram.
Thank the lord for this place.

67shelby · 10-31-2007, 09:15 PM

Hi, The amplifier is in the trunk. It is on the left side behind the cd changer, and it is marked. The tuner piece in the dash is not much more than a display for the units. Ken

da_bull · 10-31-2007, 10:06 PM

Most of the time the amp has a series of twisted wires mostly blue and yellow (with stripes of different colors) being your speaker wires. 67S is right, its usually on the left side bolted to the same bracket as the cd changer.

Marconi · 11-01-2007, 06:28 PM

Only thing behind the t6 cd changer is bolted to the chassis, white, 4 inches by 3 inches by two, BMW labels and a bunch of wires.
That it?

Thought it was bigger, metal and heatsunk...?

As well as a completely blank Business C53 radio on my 2001 facelift 525DSE, had a fail to start yesterday as well.
Starter cranking well, not even a fire.
Lock/unlock...no joy.

Left it 5 mins and she started no prob.

Reading the learned wisdom in here, I think I have the world famous dodgy contact block on the ignition switch. 6 years old, 92,000 miles. and it's showing as a dead radio (although the night illumination works) and an intermittent start fault.

Booked it into my local garage on Tuesday for a diagnostic.
They reckon they see a lot of this , not just Beamers.
If that doesn't work...Dealer time.
I can live without sound, but not with a fail to start.

Just a thought..from what I've read on here, you can upgrade the radio as:
remove the front end, fit a 5 series aftermarket blank plate and fit a front end (with signal output) of your own.
Unless you use an adapter, the steering wheel controls will no longer work.
Unless you use an adapter, the Stock BMW 6 CD changer will not work.
You could use an aftermarket Radio with single CD of course.
The amplifier should work driven by the new front end, possibly with a signal adapter.

Sounds horrendous.
Surprised no one has developed a better way (whose name isn't alpine or BMW).

I'll post how I got on.

Thanks for the help and any other helpful advice you guys can pass

Much better than the TIS disk.

Marconi · 11-13-2007, 06:47 PM

Found the starting fault...air leak into the LP fuel system when not running, means lots of cranking before she'll fire up and injectors won't go until she sees 3.7 Bar on the LP fuel and at least 330Bar on the HP fuel rail at cranking..
My fault, I recently changed the fuel filter.
Dumb anti tamper fuel pipe clips replaced with standard ones and the Sensor O ring replaced as well.

Radio fault, ...my model of C53 radio has the amp inside the head unit, unless it's DSP.
That explains why I couldn't find the darned thing.

Doesn't explain why the radio won't work (no display, no sound but night illumination working). All the fuses and voltages are there.

I think it's simply busted and am trying to source another.

Marconi · 01-04-2008, 02:37 PM

Found a replacement 2nd Hand C53 radio on Evilbay, on it's way to me.

Mine is the flat pin version but a conversion plug for round to flat pin and vice versa can be had from evibay by seaching code 250191326311 .

Pin outs for flat and round pin can be found by searching BMWLAND forum under radio connections & adapters.

I'd post the link but the site is undergoing maintenance just now.

Hot Starting problem resolved on the BMW 525DSE by replacing the Cam position sensor.

Happy new year, american cousins.(Scots with funny accents)

regards,
Bill