Anyone know how to take out the radio in a 740il E32?
ive searched multiple places and a million people have said a million different things im just trying to find out the right way. thanks

Not sure if a 740il e32 is different, but I've taken the radio out of a 735il ... there are tabs on either side of the unit, pretty much in the middle, covering two sort of hex type screws. You have to look closely as they are pretty small. Open these tabs and take out the retaining screws using a small hex wrench ... then just pull the deck out, unplug the harness from the back ... and you're done. Well, done taking the old radio out anyway.

Good luck.

IF it is the original BMW radio...there are 2 small flap doors on each side...when you open them (with your thumb nail)...you should see a 5 pointed brass screw behind the doors.

You can use the dedicated pentagonal shaped tool...a small torx screw...or very small jewelers screwdriver to turn those brass screws counter clockwise.

By turning those screws to the left (counter clockwise) it will retract "wings" on each side of the radio that holds the radio by compression in its opening.

The screws DO NOT physically come out of the radio...they just expand or retract the wings on the side of the radio.

Once you remove the radio, you have to the main wiring harness (on the left rear as you face forward) that comfounds some people. It's obvious that the harness needs to move back and away from the radio...but the instructional icon on the wiring harness indicates that you should move it upwards and away from the top of the unit.

As in German engineering fashion...the harness mechanism is over engineered...and the icon is correct...as you lift upward on the harness...it will begin to move backwards and away from the rear of the radio head unit. Really sort of neat to see how it works. :)

Hope this is helpful...and it's the God's honest truth...plain and simple...regardless of what other instructions you've heard. ;)

Now if you have an aftermarket radio installed...then these instructions do NOT apply!

You can see the brass screw behind the right flap door in this pic below of a BMW anti-theft radio...

http://www.nmia.com/~dgnrg/radio1.jpg

Q, seriously man ... you should open up a 7-Series DIY School ... I'd attend if I was a little closer to Indiana! ;)

Q, seriously man ... you should open up a 7-Series DIY School ... I'd attend if I was a little closer to Indiana! ;)

Ahhh shucks :blush2 ...thank you. And I didn't intend to double post the answer...you got your's in before I finished typing ...so you beat me to the punch! :D

Ahhh shucks :blush2 ...thank you. And I didn't intend to double post the answer...you got your's in before I finished typing ...so you beat me to the punch! :D

Haha, I figured so much ... no problems, your answer was "slightly" more detailed anyway. :)

I'm in Indiana... Let me know when the seminar is happening I'll be there.

Better yet, how about I have you work on my car.... gotta be cheaper that the garage;)

Follow-up question... the swap to aftermarket sounds fairly simple, but does the CD changer function with a new head unit?

The swap to the aftermarket isn't necessarily simple. You'll have to find a wiring harness that works with the new deck, or route the wires into the new deck yourself. And, it's possible that you may have to bypass the factory amp.

I think the only way the CD changer would continue to work is if you got a deck from the same manufacturer ... don't know what that is off the top of my head.

alright thanks for the help. ill try tomorrow. im going to put a CD43 unit in there.

do you want to post a picture of what that looks like when you done??