Sections: DIY | R53 (Coupe) Dec 8th, 2004 54 Comments 
Time to break out the torx set… here are the official install instructions for MINI's iPod interface kit.
It may also be worth noting that the part number listed on the actual interface (pictured above) most likely isn't the number that you need to order the kit. I would guess that is found on the box itself pictured here.
And finally it may interest some to see who actually produces the interface listed in the lower right corner of the pitcure above.
RHT3 Dec 8th, 2004 Link
FYI: Also should be included with adaptor kit. To be printed by dealer (from BMW ASAP database) at time of purchase, as specified on the yellow kit box label. Instructions P/N 01 29 0 393 657.
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Greg B Dec 8th, 2004 Link
I second that. I have a 2005 MCS w/ Navigation on order. I would like to know if this is an option. otherwise, I'll save myself the money for an iPOD Photo.
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Gabe Dec 8th, 2004 Link
From all indications no. I would recommend the ICE-Link Plus for those with Nav.
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Joe Dec 8th, 2004 Link
Anybody look at the suggested install time? .5 hrs. is not enough. I am reasonably good at this stuff. Took me 1.5 hrs and if I did more of them I think the fastest I could do a non-sloppy install would be 1.0 hrs. So why did i choose the MINI adapter vs. the ice link? That void warranty thing again. My local dealer could be referred to as the warranty nazi.
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Shawn Dec 8th, 2004 Link
Love to have this but the installation instructions state the iPod interface adaptor is incompatible with either the CD changer, Sirius satellite radio or the Bluetooth phone kit. That kills it for me since I already had the phone kit installed. I wonder why it cancels not just one of the other audio options, but all three?
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Gabe Dec 8th, 2004 Link
$149 plus installation. For more info do a search in the upper left for “ipod”.
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atropos Dec 8th, 2004 Link
Joe, They charged 1.5 hours for my iPod/Mini installation… $132 CAD…
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Bill Dec 22nd, 2004 Link
Just got it…. wouldn't want to be without it! I cannot get on a plane without my iPod…. now I can't get in my MINI S without it either.
Dealer installed… MINI branded iPod instruction booklet… plays 5 different pre-defined playlists or everything.
Basically you create 5 playlists in iTunes like so: 'MINI# – whatever' and the first 5 buttons on the factory-installed stereo will trigger each. Button 6 plays everything and all songs can be played alphabetically by artists or randomly. Your stereo will not show artist or song info…. : ( , otherwise all good!
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Liz Dec 26th, 2004 Link
i just want to know how long the battary is supposed to last on a mini ipod. i lost my instructions manual.
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Nico Potvin Dec 29th, 2004 Link
Is it compatible with the ipod photo?
because it isn't mentioned in the manual..
cheers
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DG Dec 30th, 2004 Link
Guys great weite really useful, wife has had minis BL & BM for years! Need a favour? saw the piece on the ipod kit which my wife kindly arranged to be shipped from US to UK as Christmas present for my BM E46 but….no installation instructions. Have you got access to any for the BMW E46 kit as I'm struggling here?
Thanks
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Diana Fishbeyn Jan 26th, 2005 Link
I just purchased a mini ipod and I think it’s the best thing ever. However, I seem to be missing something here. I keep all my music on my computer categorized within folders(jazz, blues, etc.). I would like itunes to exactly replicate my original setup. When my music was transfered to itunes, all the folders were erased and the transfer of music was just made in alphabetical order. How can I ape my computer setup to itunes?
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Gabe Jan 26th, 2005 Link
Diana – the thing to remember is that you don’t interface with your music within a folder structure anymore. You’ll be doing that through iTunes. iTunes has the ability to browse (to enable the browse feature click the “browse button” in the top right while in the library) via genre, artist, or album.
I’ve found (after years of use) that it’s just best to let iTunes arrange the music and for the uer to access from within the program.
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Paul A. Feb 4th, 2005 Link
Interesting development. I must have 1 of the 4 Minis w/ a cassette rather than a CD in the head unit. My dealer installed the iPod interface and now it seems it won’t work with my head unit. Any thoughts? They didn’t charge me, but said they can’t remove the iPod interface b/c it is a “one way” jack (which I assume means you tear it up if you rip it out. I guess I could do the ICELINK+ via install in the boot at the CD Changer, but I’d really prefer to get the iPod interface to work.
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zakdog Feb 16th, 2005 Link
My wife bought me a mini Ipod for Valentines Day…ain’t she a peach!…and I resort to making playlists of artists or albums to get around the DISTURBING LACK OF FOLDERS and LACK OF CUSTOMIZING INDIVIDUAL TUNE INFO…
there’s always more than one way to skin a cat…until I find out you can have only so many playlists or something
Greg
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Gabe Feb 16th, 2005 Link
zakdog – you may want to look into some of the options on the iPod and iTunes. There are a ton of ways to view and organize the music… more than any other player or jukebox software I’ve seen.
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Drguano Feb 26th, 2005 Link
I had the Mini Cooper iPod Interface installed last December. When I select RND to play songs randomly from my 40 gb iPod Photo, the audio drops off intermittently 1-3 seconds per song. It goes silent and then the music returns. Mini says it is the iPod software, Apple thinks it is the Mini software. The dealer had a 4th generation iPod that played without problem. Anyone else have this issue?
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Anben May 3rd, 2005 Link
Hi,
Does anyone have the pdf instructions for the BMW E46 interface kit? Please email to me at anben@webmail.co.za
Thanks.
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Joe Jun 6th, 2005 Link
I just purchased the iPod Interface kit and I am looking forward to get it installed. However, the MINI/iPod Install PDF does not show you how to remove the (1st diagram on page 2)components: 1-Driver knee bolster 2-Center dash face 3-Radio side pillars 4-Radio 5-Glove box
True to BMW engineering, these components are tightly mounted without a trace (or diagram)of how to remove them. Are all these installations done through a dealership? If so how much do they charge for the installation? Does anyone have diagrams of how to remove these components? Thank you.
Joe
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blalor Jun 6th, 2005 Link
Joe, I’m kind of jumping in here, not having read the directions or even this article, but popping out the head unit is pretty simple.
Check out these instructions (for GBMINI’s auto-up circuit installation) to get access to the head unit.
Basically, remove the mirror control from the console (the hardest part, in my opinion), remove the two screws under there, the two screws in the cup-holders, the four torx screws on the downtubes. Yank the knee bolster down with both hands (using the cut-out as a handle). Slide the console back, and the downtubes can then be manipulated away from the dash. Once that’s done, you can remove the head unit.
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Ian Jun 6th, 2005 Link
Another head unit access option is detailed here on my weblog – you only remove the downtubes this way …
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Zsolt Janossy Jun 14th, 2005 Link
Hi,
I’m looking for an Ipod interface.A friend of my recommended the Ice>Link Plus. What do you think of it ?
Zsolt
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Jesse Jun 23rd, 2005 Link
well..I installed everything, it works fine…but all of a suddon it will shut off the stereo, I dont know why, I re-disassembeled the whole thing..checked connections… everything was tight, then… for some reason when i pull my ipod from the connection it wont get out of “MINI” mode…Any ideas?..>I cant find a touble shoothing guide anywhere.. .H E L P plz :)
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Shelby Aug 6th, 2005 Link
HELP!!! I let one of my friends put some of his music from his computer to my ipod and all of the songs I put on have been deleted. It’s no problem for me to put them back on but I can not figure out how to delet his songs from my iPod….
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Aaron Oct 7th, 2005 Link
My dealer wanted $200 to do the install! Over 2 hours for a trained professional who has all the tools at-hand and has done hundreds of this exacct same install? I don’t think so…
I’ll take the part and do it myself!
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Frank Oct 22nd, 2005 Link
Yes Claudio, the iPod adaptor does work with the new Nano. I have a black 4GB iPod Nano.
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Steve Nov 7th, 2005 Link
Is this PDF still current for the 2005 Model, The reason I ask is I bought a interface cable today and the model number on the front is different:
65 11 0 409 341
So i just wanted to make sure these instructions are still current for a 2005 Mini Cooper S.
Before I take it apart :-)
Thanks
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Steve Dec 5th, 2005 Link
Got the kit, but it didn’t have a manual – any one got one they can share please?
Managed to install it from the pdf above anyway no problems (2004 mini One D)
Cheers
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krystal Dec 11th, 2005 Link
I need help getting my itunes off of my ipod onto my computer can anyone help?
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Amanda Dec 24th, 2005 Link
I got a Mini iPod for cristmas and I wanted you know how to delet songs??
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Jack Jan 1st, 2006 Link
HELP!!! My ipod mini won’t let me pick a song. The ipod will randomly choose a song and i don’t want that song i’ll try to hit the next button, but it’ll just skip over 4 or 5 songs and pick song. Does anyone have any suggestions on what i should do???
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Tony Jan 5th, 2006 Link
In looking at the instructions, I see the installation requires much of the console to be disassembled.
Questions for those of you who have done this:
How difficult is it to disassemble and reassemble?
I’m thinking of doing it myself to save the $150 the dealership will charge to install it for me, but it’s quite an involved process and I’d hate to end up with a rattle or something worse…like a broken piece.
As a disclaimer, I’m not all thumbs, just not so willing to tear my car apart.
So is it a recommended upgrade to perform on one’s own?
Thanks.
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blalor Jan 6th, 2006 Link
Tony, it’s pretty simple. Check out Ian’s auto-up circuit install instructions, which involve disassembling the same components. All of the pieces you’ll have to remove are held in place by screws, so the chances of adding rattles are pretty minimal. :-)
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Tony Jan 6th, 2006 Link
So, blalor, are you saying you’ve done this and have not experienced any of the technical issues others have presented?
Thanks for the information.
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blalor Jan 7th, 2006 Link
I’m cracking up (in more ways than one). It’s comical to look back 6 months on this thread and see that I basically posted the same response twice. sigh
Tony, I’ve had to gain access to the back of the radio three or four times, now. That part’s pretty simple. I can’t speak to the MINI iPod interface, as I’ve got the Dension ice>Link: Plus installed in my ‘05 MCS. That’s got a separate list of technical issues all its own. :-)
Honestly, I would seriously consider just going with the AUX input and the Belkin car charger that has the built-in amplifier. The features and integration with the head unit are not so compelling to me anymore that I consider them must-haves. The AUX input is about a fifth of the cost of the ice>Link…
ReplyWith that said I’ve had two Ice-Links in two different cars and have never had any problem. It must be that humid Indiana air :)
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chris Feb 7th, 2006 Link
hi, just got bmw’s ipod interface installed to mini with h/k, seems to work fine but is anyone else getting hiss through their speakers(more noticable at beginning of each track,) thanks
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Duaneo Feb 22nd, 2006 Link
Folks,
I just got a new kit from MiniMania, and unfortunately their link to the instructions is broken. Not being one for waiting, I dug around a lot and found instructions for the newer kit. This page has links to several installation guides including the old and new installation guides for the ipod kit.
Cheers, Duane
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Gentry May 30th, 2006 Link
For jesse, re shutting-off stereo, and for chris, re hiss: i had both problems (and found the stereo wouldn’t turn on when the car did, or off when it did) — then from link above realized that only 3 of the 4 wire from the OEM adaptor are used in the new adaptor — the wire at port 16 stays where it is in the new adaptor, hence only 3 cables out instead of 4.
removing the cable from port 1 on the adaptor and returning it to port 16 on the stereo should solve these problems.
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Karen Jun 26th, 2006 Link
Bought my ‘05 MCS used and, though it came with the iPod Interface, it didn’t come with the user manual… anyone got one that they could email to me? karenandaaron@gmail.com Thanks!!!
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michael Apr 29th, 2007 Link
well gentlemen i have bought the ipod kit for my ‘04 mc and installed it per the dealerships instructions, after setting everything up did a quick test play…nothing, radio wont turn on. so i check for continuity on everything, and lo-and-behold current is flowing both from the harness and the radio itself… so i check everything and still no go, uninstalled everything and placed it back to the manufacturers pin placements and settings, the lot, but still no go on the radio…i checked the fuses and everything, but to no avail…has anyone else had this issue?
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Pepi Jun 15th, 2007 Link
For Chris – Yes, I have an 06 with the factory ipod adapter and HK head unit, and I get this annoying hiss in the audio. I check the iPod with headphones and it is not there, it is only in the mini (same iPod in my wife’s Volvo with adapter sounds fine).
Anyone have any suggestions?
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Mark Aug 14th, 2007 Link
I’ve just bought the dealer ipod connect kit. They kindly supplied the fitting instructions as mentioned earlier in the thread. But once again don’t tell you how to remove the stereo and glovebox when fitting, bit daft. So after trawling the internet I found this guide http://www.thisismike.com/mini/mini_ipod.html so will be attemting installing it using a mix of the two instructions. Will let you know how it went.
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victoria Mar 29th, 2008 Link
i have recently had an ipod connector fitted by mini into my cooper but its not picking up my 30g 5th gen ipod, it charges it but wont play anything. i have tried creating a seperate playlist but still nothing happens, mini are saying its not their problem and im going crazy!!
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Sebastian Apr 28th, 2008 Link
Victoria, not sure about the 30g, perhaps the installation wasn’t done correctly. Shouldn’t be the ipod itself, my 32gb ipod touch works w/o problem. I’m using and old mini ipod interface with in, in MCS 05 Cabrio.
regards
Sebastian
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Joe Oct 7th, 2009 Link
Hi,
I have a 2009 Mini Cooper with a factory installed iPod interface kit.
My iPod interface kit has two RCA type connectors on one side that connect to the car’s kit and the other side of the connector connects to an Apple iPod or iPhone.
Does any one know if there is any way that I can connect the new Apple shuffles (all metal, no controls) to my Mini’s iPod interface kit?
The Apple shuffle has the controls are on the earphone cord. It is a special earphones that has the controls built-in to the headset that controls the devices volume, stop, play, previous song and next song.
I have a charger for the car so power would not be an issue.
The shuffle is small and cheap enough that I wouldn’t have a problem leaving it in the car.
Thanks in advance for you help.
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