I am writing this for my wife. She picked up the iPod adapter for the Mini last week from Long Beach Mini. I volunteered to install the adaptor as I figured it couldn't be too difficult.

Firstly, the iPod Mini adaptor, as mentioned in some previous posts, looks identical to the BMW version with possible exception of a few plugs. I don't know why it took them 5 months to figure out how to crimp different style connectors on. Secondly, the install instructions call for special crimping and removal tools but can be done without. The instructions have a section where you must remove 4 of the wires from the radio harness, this calls for a special removal tool. However, I succesfully removed the connectors by using a small flat head jewelers screwdriver to push, from the front, the square connectors out of the harness. If anyone decides to do this install they will notice that the square connectors have a small tab that must be released to get the pins out of the radio harness. The other item, the crimper, can easily be avoided with the use of some pliers and intelligent crimping. Overall, the installation is not very difficult. A note of caution: once step is to remove the wires from the radio harness and then insert them into the new 4-pin connector supplied with the kit. Make sure to install these plugs/wires into the connector in the appropriate order 1-4, the connector holes are labelled. I didn't notice this at first and it required me to redo that plug, that is pull the crimped connectors out and move them around.

As far as functionality here is the deal. It works through the CD changer input, so if you have a CD changer or some other option using that port you will have to come up with some sort of switch, manual or otherwise, to further select the option after you select the CD changer on the head unit. Once you plug the iPod into the connector the iPod says Mini on it. You can see no information on tracks or anything else while it plugged in. I find this to be kind of stupid as the head unit also doesn't display any track information, so you really can't find out what you are listening to, which could be annoying if you just downloaded some new music to your iPod. I have also noticed that the iPod doesn't pause when the radio is switched off or the car is turned off. I got out of the car for 10 minutes and when I got back in and turned on the car the iPod had advanced 3 songs. Sometimes when the car is turned on the head unit doesn't remember the last setting (i.e. if I was listening to the CD player and turned off the car, when I turn it on the radio starts on FM station 1). In the owner's manual for the iPod adaptor, it states that the radio is supposed to start up in the same mode as it was turned off. It also states that the iPod should pause when the mode on the head unit is changed or if the head unit is turned off. I believe it does pause if I change the mode of the head unit. I have double-checked the wiring and all seems well. It is possible that I crimped a wire when I reinserted the head unit, however, due to the plugs involved with the install there are really no exposed wires to short onto anything. The sound quality is good, although the volume is lower than the CD player, I do believe it sounds better than radio or a FM transceiver. However, some of the functionality, or lack thereof to be more precise, is annoying. I also don't know if the iPod continues to charge if plugged in with the car off (i.e. I don't know if the charging line that it draws power from is switched or constant 12V). Incidentally, I completely disconnected the head unit from the Mini and when I plugged it in it still remembered all of my preset stations, which means that the head unit must have some non-volatile memory, pretty cool.

I will try to contact Long Beach Mini and see if these problems are common or if they even know about them.

 

wow! Thanks for the write up I know this will be very appreciated around here!! And I think It just made my mind up to get the Icelink Gotta have that track info, I have too much stuff on my ipod to not be able to see whats playing,

thanks again
mike

 

Wow, I guess I'll have to go with the Ice Link. I really can't comprehend why the standard cd player doesn't display MP3 track info and then they would release an iPOD adapter and have it not display MP3 track info also. Gah.

 

I installed the Dension ice-Link and love it. Your not limited to 6 play lists and its right there if you need it. The iPod slips in and out of the car mid-song with no glitch!

I installed the control boxes in the rear compartment where the CD changer goes as it was easier to run the single cable up front than to fool with working behind the radio and installing the control boxes there.

Pic in gallery..

murmin

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...cat=500&page=1

 

Sounds much like the installation of the Aux input when you have NAV and don't have HK. This may be why it doesn't appar that the Ipod adapter is available if you have NAV right now, one of the wires coming from the Nav into the stereo may be in a slot on the plug that the Ipod adapter needs. That's just my theory however....

 

I gotta go with the Ice-Link or the Monster iCruze because I'm always challenging my passen..., uh co-motorers, to name that song, name the band, what album is this from, etc. etc.

 

Thanks for the write-up. I'm glad I got the Ice-link, because I like seeing the track info and having more direct control over playlists, etc.

 

After all was said and done we decided to remove the iPod adapter from the MINI and return it. The problems were as follows:

-HU did not recall previous function or mode when turned on
-iPod lost sync several times and HU switched to FM1
-iPod didn't pause when HU was turned off
-HU occasionally wouldn't switch playlists
-iPod didn't display track info, although I don't believe it was ever claimed that it would, the above problems are not supposed to exist according to the manual

Part of the install is to cut some wires and one of the wires is ground and one of the others must be a constant power line. Somehow, the iPod adapter doesn't seem to transmit the constant 12V when the car is off. Maybe they put a relay in to transfer power, but that relay could be energized by the switched accessory line. I would recommend against the iPod Mini adapter from BMW/MINI.

In addition, since I had to cut some wires to install the adapter, in particular the power lines, by removing the adapter the radio now doesn't turn on. I need to find some of the crimp connectors for the radio harness. I think these will need to be purchased from the dealer, I checked Kragen and AutoZone no luck...I think I will try the Dension IceLINK even though it won't display the track information on the HU, not sure why the BOOST doesn't support CD Text.

 

Hi,
You might have better luck finding the conectors at an electronics shop. (NOT Radio Shack)
If you have a sample they can probably find it, cheaper, faster, than dealer.
Unless the dealer feels bad about selling you some subpar gear, and wants to make nicey, nicey.
Just an option.
Joel

 

No just luck...we went about everywhere you can go...Eventually we ended up back at the closest MINI dealership, and they were rude, and just downright dumb about the entire thing. Suggested that I could buy an entire radio harness for about 300 dollars, but none of the crimp connectors came separately.

Then called the dealership we bought it from, and once again, superior service. The parts guy called us back after about 10 minutes of searching, and said that although he did not have them in stock, yes, they do exist, and by the way, do you want the part numbers and diagram numbers. He said they can be ordered from any BMW dealership. So we called the local BMW dealer that does not have a MINI with it, and we ordered 4 connectors of each of the 2 part numbers, at about 75 cents each, since we were unable to figure out which one will be correct. We will post the numbers when we get them in on Monday, and let y'all know which one is correct.

BTW, MAJOR ANNOYED that I have had no stereo for the past 5 days!!!! You don't know how much you use it until it is gone!

I can't wait for my IceLink Plus!

 

I got my iPod interface installed today and I find it's a good improvement over the Aux cable.

It is true that it's a bit sad that the headunit doesn't display songs title but it is the only downside of this device. I have the multi-fonction steering wheel and it works great! I didn't try the playlist fonction yet but it also seems to be great. My interface does pause my iPod when I turn ignition off... Just mke sure you follow the good procedure to connect and disconnect your iPod! (turn the HeadUnit on and then plug the iPod to connect iPod to MINI, turn off HU and unplug iPod after to disconnect).

I got rid of my iPod holder in one of the cup holder and moved my iPod in my parcel-tray... Out of sight but a lot more fonctionnal than before!

As for seeing which song os currently playing, I always plug my iPod on iTunes after a ride and I look at which songs played lately to modify them (rating and comments), so not being able to access my iPod while motoring is not a problem at all!

So my rating on the MINI iPod interface is :
/

 

for those of you who don't want to do any installing. I have heard and read good reviews about this product similar to the griffin itrip but better. check it out.

http://www.podfreq.com/

 

I am happy that someone has had good luck with this...We unfortunately did not! Although we followed the instructions to a T, everything was inconsistent with how it worked. Sometimes it would pause, sometimes not. Sometimes it would boot back to the Ipod, sometimes to the radio. Most of the time it would lock up while playing and using the playlists were impossible, because it wouldn't change.

But, congrats to you! Continued luck to you as well, and may your motoring days be filled with music!

I hope to get my IceLink soon, so I can install it, and hopefully have more luck!

 

Hey dude, you know that the IceLINK Plus DOES support track info on the OEM HU? It will be added with a firmware update by the end of the month. The IceLINK Plus just started shipped 2 days ago. Bunch of info over at MotoringFile.

-mike

 

I wonder if this was software related... When's the last time you updated the software on the iPod?

 

I updated it right before we installed the adapter...

 

Like I said just wondering, I actually have no experience with the adapter myself. What exactly does it consist of anyway?

 

Whatcha mean???

 

Is it just a bunch of wires with an iPod plug, is there a component box of some sort in the mix? Maybe a secret decoder ring?

 

There's a component box with 2 DIN connectors (like AppleTalk). One goes to the iPod and one goes to the HU. The HU cable gets connected in the radio harness.
I don't know what's in the "black box."
No decoder ring, unfortunately!

 

I am curious as to what 'route' you used to run your cable from the back to the front? Dis you have to cut the panel door in the boot? Also, is the cable visible in the cabin?

 

As the owner of a 2005 MCS with the new HU that plays MP3's off Cd's I am astounded by what I read on these boards about fitting iPods to cars. Lets face it, the iPod was not designed for use by someone supposedly paying attention to the road, and cars are not designed for little white boxes with wires all over the place. My daughter has an iPod, and I have a Muvo, and they are nice personal portable music systems, but for the life of me I can not understand why you would want to take your nice Mini and clog it up with all those sparkling white wires and boxes to do something that automotive Head Units are supposed to do. By the time you buy an iPod and adapters, and mounting brackets and all the rest of the stuff people seem to buy, you have spent a fortune for what amounts to what a computer person would call a "kludge." Then you have to worry about everything being stolen every time you park the car.

Of all the cars I can think of, a Mini should be the car you are paying attention to when driving - not reading tiny LCD screens for the name of tunes that you should already know since you ripped or downloaded them and copied them onto the iPod. If you want a box that plays songs you do not recognize - well thats a radio! And it came with the car.

I guess what someone needs to do is come up with a head unit that plays MP3's off CDs and has a fake, mock-up iPOD that attaches to the car with wires and brackets and adapters and plugs in the cigarette lighter and displays the song titles off the MP3 CD on a little, barely lit, lcd readout screen. Now that sounds like a winning product!

 

My iPod requires one wire. Plug it in, select a playlist, put it in the "cupholder" and go... its that simple.

 

For those with the simple install (one cable from iPod to aux input), what kind of cable is this? Please be specific about the connectors (male, female) and the size required. Thank you.

 

Gee it's your bursts of insight like this that make your posts so enjoyable... Thank you for your constructive post, and profound assistance.