Need Help Removing Factory Radio

[shreyas]

Hey so I’m trying to install a new head unit on my E46 M3 but am having trouble removing the factory business CD radio. All of the guides and videos I’ve seen show a black box-like connector that you lift up to remove but I seem to have something different that I can’t figure out how to unplug. One of the previous owners did install an AUX cable so it may be related to that. I attached some pictures of the plug. Any help would be appreciated.

[eacmen]

I think you just pull it out? The lever that you're supposed to pull up to remove it may have broken off?

[heinzboehmer]

+1 to above

[shreyas]

I think you just pull it out? The lever that you're supposed to pull up to remove it may have broken off?

You were right, just took a little force and a pry tool and I was able to pull it out. Thanks for the help

[AWE46M3]

Fast Forward to 5:20 to see how that mechanism works. It's a sliding lock

[bigjae46]

Just pull...like a man!

[eacmen]

Just pull...like a man!

That's how I destroyed my center vents! 😂

[bigjae46]

That's how I destroyed my center vents! 😂

You can’t pull those like a man. Pry down and out…then pull like a man 🤣

[craigjones]

You were right, just took a little force and a pry tool and I was able to pull it out. Thanks for the help

I know I’m a few years late but I’m currently in the same boat you were in but for my E36, I got the old radio harness off by pulling real hard and when I go to put in my new harness for my CarPlay, it takes an insane amount of force and it still won’t fully seat in. Do I have to add more force? I’m stuck and can’t find a lot of help online.

[elrichmeister]

I know I’m a few years late but I’m currently in the same boat you were in but for my E36, I got the old radio harness off by pulling real hard and when I go to put in my new harness for my CarPlay, it takes an insane amount of force and it still won’t fully seat in. Do I have to add more force? I’m stuck and can’t find a lot of help online.

Does your harness still have the lever to help seat it? Pushing it down is what helps seat fully into the connector.

[craigjones]

Does your harness still have the lever to help seat it? Pushing it down is what helps seat fully into the connector.

There’s nothing, the previous owner broke the whole thing and I found it fastened by a zip tie. The images shown are the new connector that can’t fully seat, if you look closely you can see a metal pin not fully in and I’m paranoid of a fire.

[I M Legend]

There’s nothing, the previous owner broke the whole thing and I found it fastened by a zip tie. The images shown are the new connector that can’t fully seat, if you look closely you can see a metal pin not fully in and I’m paranoid of a fire.

Sorry to see the predicament you're in. Without the lever it doesn't appear you'll be able to correctly lock it in place. You can continue to zip tie it in place...that's the easy solution.

Unfortunately if you want to do it right you may need to buy another connector. I found this on eBay (best to confirm fitment first): https://www.ebay.com/itm/15572455363...temCondition=4

You'll also need this tool to de-pin the wires from your old broken connector and re-insert into the new connector. https://www.etsy.com/listing/1685393...1&gao=1&&gQT=1

Good luck!

[shreyas]

As far as I remember it didn't take a very significant amount of effort to get the connector to fully seat. And I didn't have the lever either.

[craigjones]

As far as I remember it didn't take a very significant amount of effort to get the connector to fully seat. And I didn't have the lever either.

A buddy and I were struggling. We put two c-clamps on to force it fully on and when we released the clamps it would slide slightly off back to the half on position you see in the photos. I tested my CarPlay to see if it still worked and it worked great but I was scared of allowing 15 amps to flow without being fully seated.