Cellular Phone Antenna - Installation
Group 65Sound System,
Cruise, Alarms, Monitors
Bulletin Number
65 13 96
Woodcliff Lake, NJ
August 1996
Product Engineering
SUBJECT:
Installation of Cellular Phone Antenna
MODEL:
All
Situation:
During March 1996 production, E38 and E39 vehicles received a new type of coax cable connector. Depending on the antenna coupling box being installed, an adapter may be needed to properly connect the cable to the coupling box.
In order to eliminate the loop of coax cable (routed from the antenna coupling box) visible through the rear window, BMW has redesigned the factory supplied coupling box and the pre-wired coax cable connector at the coupling box end on all E38 and E39 vehicles produced from approximately March 1996 on.
Depending on vehicle model, the previous coupling box was either square or rectangular in shape with the connection port centered on the right side of the box (as viewed from inside the vehicle).
The new design coupling box will be trapezoidal in shape with the connection port at the upper left edge of the coupling box (as viewed from inside the vehicle). This design will allow the coupling box to be mounted in such a way that the cable will be hidden behind the black window edge masking. In order to achieve this the connector port had to be as small as possible.
This small size was achieved by making the cable connector a "Quick Connect" type similar in concept to an air hose coupler.
The new design for the coax cable coupling was phased in during March 1996 after the first 100 E39's were produced and is installed on all 5 and 7 Series vehicles that are factory prewired for cellular phones.
Correction:
Determine which antenna coupling box/coax cable combination exists in each case, using the table below and the attached listing of antenna types. If a CMT 3000 or CPT 4000 phone is being installed in an E38 or E39 vehicle produced after 3/96, the adapter (P/N 61 13 8 369 629) for the coupling box may be needed.
Any vehicle that has a telephone as standard equipment will have the correct antenna and coupling box installed at the factory. Depending on vehicle model and antenna application, some E38 and E39 vehicles that have the telephone installed as an Aftersales accessory will have to use adapter P/N 61 13 8 369 629 to mate the new "Quick Lock" coax cable to the current inventory of antenna kits.
Please note that installation or removal of this adapter will require a 4.5 mm wrench (HAZET P/N 440-4.5) or socket (SNAP ON P/N STMM 4.5). This size may not be commonly available and may have to be special ordered.
If a situation should arise in which a vehicle is equipped with the old style cable and the antenna coupling box is of the new "Quick Lock" type, the factory installed adapter in the coupling box can be removed and the old style cable can be used.
The table below shows the various coax cables that will be encountered in current vehicles.
Models Quick-Lock Cable? Pre-Wired?
E38, E39 (From 3/96) Yes Yes
E38, E39 (Before 3/96) No Yes
E31 No No
E36 No No
A listing of the correct combinations of antenna and connector for the various models is included.
Warranty Status: Information Only.