BMW E60 iDrive Upgrade – 2004-2010 5 Series – Bluetooth Music/Rear Camera/Touch Screen

In order to perform a BMW E60 iDrive upgrade, the existing screen must be removed. The head unit must also be removed from the dashboard so a new wiring harness can be attached to it that integrates with the replacement Android screen. Use patience and care when removing the dashboard trim in your BMW E60 5 series...plastic becomes brittle as it ages and the chances of breaking apart increase dramatically if it is forcefully removed.

1. The iDrive screen is simply anchored inside the dashboard by two T10 Torx screws. Use a Torx bit to remove the two screws then grasp the iDrive screen and tilt it forward.
2. Grasp the iDrive screen and carefully remove it from the dashboard.
3. Unplug the two electrical connections on the back of the screen. It helps to use a small flat blade screwdriver as shown below.
4. Next, the dashboard and center console trim will need to be removed so the head unit can be accessed. Start by using a plastic trim removal tool to loosen the outside corner of the dashboard trim on the passenger side of the vehicle. We like to "twist" the plastic trim removal tool (instead of prying it) to pop the trim loose from the dashboard as shown below.
5. Be very careful as you slowly pull the trim away from the dashboard with your hands...it is a very expensive piece and you don't want to crack it. If you break any of the dashboard trim clips during removal, you can order more by clicking here. If you break the metal trim clamp you can reorder one by clicking here.
6. Reach behind the dashboard trim and push the door lock switch out. Unplug the switch and remove it from the trim.
7. Grasp the shifter handle and pull up until it releases. DO NOT TWIST IT. It may take two hands to get it to release, but it will come free.
   
8. Use a plastic trim removal tool to remove the shifter trim and leather shifter boot from the center console. Unplug the back of the shifter trim and remove from the vehicle.
9. Remove the ashtray from the center console.
10. Use a T20 Torx bit to remove the two screws anchoring the center console trim.
11. Using a plastic trim removal tool, remove the iDrive controller knob.
12. Carefully pry up the side of the center console trim until it releases from its trim clips. We like to use a twisting motion with the trim removal tool to pop it loose as shown below.
13. Pull the center console trim loose with your hands.
14. Reach under the trim and remove the iDrive menu button. Disconnect it and remove it from the vehicle.
15. Turn on the ignition and put the shifter in the drive position. This will give you enough room to remove the center console trim. Remove the center console trim from the vehicle.
16. Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the two screws mounting the center dash trim to the dashboard. Use a plastic trim removal tool to carefully pry the center dash trim loose.
17. Pull the center dashboard trim down until the back of the HVAC controller can be accessed. Unplug the three electronic connections behind the HVAC controller and remove the center dashboard trim from the vehicle.
18. Remove the two screws anchoring the sound system head unit to the dashboard. Grasp the head unit and pull it free from the dashboard.
19. Locate the main wiring harness and the iDrive cable on the back of the head unit.
20. Unplug the iDrive cable.
21. Unplug the main wiring harness by lifting its locking arm and pulling the connection free.

Installing the new BMW E60 iDrive upgrade wiring harness is very simple...it is essentially "plug and play". The old head unit wiring harness plugs into the new adapter allowing all of the original iDrive functionality to display on the new screen. It also allows the newly upgraded Android screen to be managed by the iDrive controller knob. If you have an existing XM Satellite Radio connection it can be easily transferred over to the new wiring harness (see step 3 below). Also note that if you already have a Bluetooth telephone installed in your BMW E60 5 series, then you do not need any of the external speakers or microphones that were shipped with the new Android unit.

1. Before connecting the new wiring harness to the head unit, it will need to be routed behind the dashboard to the new Android iDrive display. In order to do this, the dashboard mounting bracket will need to be loosened so the wiring harness can be slipped behind it. Use a Phillips head screwdriver to remove the six screws anchoring the dashboard mounting bracket and gently tilt it forward.
2. Carefully route the new Android iDrive wiring harness behind the bracket. Reinstall the dashboard bracket when you are finished.
3. ***If you have an existing XM satellite radio, then you will need to complete this step. If you don't proceed to step 4. Locate the two fiber optic cables in the head unit's wiring harness that controls the satellite radio module. These two fiber optic cables must be moved to the new wiring harness - this is simply done by using a metal pick as shown below to release the fiber optic cables and unplugging them from the factory harness. Plug the cables into the exact same position in the new wiring harness until they snap into place (see images below).
4. Line up the new and old wiring harnesses as shown below and plug them together. Make sure the plastic locking bracket is secure.
5. Plug the new Android iDrive wiring harness into the back of the head unit.
6. If your new Android iDrive wiring harness came with a mini-speaker already installed, you can disconnect it. You do not need the mini speaker when installing an Android iDrive screen into a BMW E60 5 series with a Bluetooth phone (it is already wired for sound).
7. Plug the audio wire in the new wiring harness together and wrap it with electrical tape to keep it from pulling loose during the installation.
8. Carefully reinstall the head unit back into the dashboard and secure it with its two mounting screws. Remember...space is limited with all of the new wiring. Take your time and DO NOT force the head unit back in. You may have to tuck some of the wirings in to make enough room.

The new Android iDrive screen simply fits into the existing opening in the dashboard. Please note that the space behind the new screen is tight. The new wiring harnesses take up a lot of room, so make sure they are carefully tucked out of the way when installing the new screen.

1. Plug the main media input/output harness into the back of the new iDrive display. Make sure it is securely connected.
2. Plug the wiring harnesses in from the head unit. Make sure they are securely connected or your iDrive could lose power when the vehicle hits a bump.
3. We strongly recommend installing the USB cables to the Android iDrive screen. The USB cables are the easiest method of transferring data to your screen's hard drive from an external storage device and the best method of connecting Android Auto or Apple Carplay to your screen. You will want to route them to a location that can be easily accessed at all times - we suggest putting them in the glove box. Please Section 4 below for more information on using the USB cables for transferring data.
4. If you are adding a backup camera, connect the two RCA jacks and secure them with electrical tape so they do not disconnect during installation. If you are using a trigger wire for your backup camera (which we strongly recommend you do), solder and heat shrink it to the wiring harness. The wiring harness trigger wire is sometimes called the "camera detection" wire and is usually pink.
5. If you are adding any other external video, sound, microphone, GPS/navigation or antennae components, you can do that now. We do not cover adding any other external devices other than a backup camera in this article.
6. Slowly, carefully and methodically install the new iDrive screen into the dashboard. Make sure to tuck all of the wirings neatly out of the way so they do not get pinched. DO NOT screw the iDrive screen into place yet.
7. Before reinstalling all of the trim, start the vehicle and test the new screen. If you have installed a new backup camera, put the vehicle in reverse to make sure it appears. If there are any issues, turn the vehicle off and check all of your connections. The most frequent issue is the main wiring harness is not properly installed into the back of the new Android iDrive screen.
8. If the new BMW E60 iDrive upgrade screen is operating correctly, reinstall all of the trim by following Section 1 steps 1-17 in reverse.

The two USB cables that were installed in Section 3 above are the best methods of transferring data between your iDrive display and peripheral devices. Any type of device can connect to your iDrive screen for data transfer as long as it supports USB data transfer including laptop computers, phones, portable hard drives, SD cards, and memory sticks. The Android iDrive screen comes with file transfer software built-in, so it is very easy to upload music, movies, photos, and even apps to your iDrive screen via USB cables. A. Using the USB cable with an external storage device Transferring data from an external storage device like a computer or memory stick to the iDrive screen is very simple. The Android iDrive display comes with a built-in file manager that allows you to quickly upload any data from any external device, much like you would on a computer. Simply connect the external device to the USB cable, start the file manager app, and upload the data.   B. Using the USB cable for Android Auto or Apple Carplay As discussed earlier in this article, the best way to use Android Auto or Apple Carplay with your BMW upgraded iDrive screen is via a direct connection with the USB cable. Unfortunately, it is not as simple as plug and play...you will need to purchase a "dongle" that allows the iDrive screen to communicate with your phone. What is a dongle? It is a silly (and confusing) term for an adapter that allows certain external devices to operate through a USB port. In our case, a dongle will need to be attached to one of the USB cables  - this will allow us to connect our phone directly to the iDrive so we can use Android Auto or Apple Carplay.

Need an Apple Carplay/Android Auto dongle? Click here to purchase the same one we used for this article. Installing the dongle is not simple. You have to first install the dongle's app so the Android screen can communicate with your phone. We found the easiest way to do this was to copy the files on a thumb drive and manually upload them (see section A above). Please see the documentation that comes with your dongle for more information on how to install its app on your Android iDrive display. Apple Carplay Apple Carplay is an operating system made specifically for automobiles. It allows the user to access and control the most important functions of their iPhone including music, phone calls, messaging, and maps on their iDrive screen and by using voice commands. We were very pleased with Apple Carplay when using the USB dongle. In fact, it exceeded our expectations. The screen resolution was beautiful, and we could easily send and receive text messages by just talking to Siri on the iDrive screen. It was installed very easily...in fact, it was virtually plug-and-play. As soon as the dongle recognized the iPhone was connected, it automatically launched Apple Carplay. As discussed at the beginning of this article, there is absolutely no reason to connect an external GPS navigation receiver if you are using Apple Carplay. The maps are excellent and worked flawlessly. If you have an iPhone, we strongly urge you to try out Apple Carplay on the upgraded Android screen. Once you do, you will be hooked on it. Android Auto Android Auto, much like Apple Carplay, allows you to display and control much of your phone's functionality through the iDrive screen. Unlike Apple Carplay (which is basically plugged and play) Android Auto requires its app to be installed on the phone first before connecting to the iDrive display. We were not as impressed with Android Auto on the newly upgraded iDrive display. The screen resolution was average compared to the iPhone, and we found its user interface (UX) to be inferior to Carplay. That being said, it did allow easy access to our music library, Google maps, and even Spotify. Once again, you do not need to add an external GPS receiver for navigation when using Android Auto. Even though there are some units being offered that claim to have an anti-glare display, most Android iDrive LED screens on the market are very difficult to see in sunlight or with polarized sunglasses. As discussed earlier in this article, this problem can be easily fixed by adding an anti-glare computer screen protective film to the front of the iDrive display. It is very simple to apply, can be removed quickly if necessary, and works great with the touchscreen. Adding anti-glare film to the Android display is an easy and inexpensive solution.

Want to purchase the same anti-glare film we used for this article? Click here to order.

1. Measure the screen to get its exact dimensions.
2. Use a pair of scissors to cut out a piece of anti-glare screen protector.
3. Use the enclosed dust removal sticker and cleaning cloth to remove any dirt and smudges from the new Android display.
4. Peel off both sides of the anti-glare film and stick it on the Android display.
5. Use a credit card or the enclosed plastic scraper to push any air bubbles out of the film.