BMW E30 Continental TR7412UB-OR Radio Install [period correct]

Installation instruction and overview of the Continental TR7412UB-OR deck on a BMW 325i E30 Convertible
Here is a post with the written instructions for this install
www.bimmerforu... Would you like to be a Patron? if so it will mean the world to us: / dorksandbolts

[@VincentMoulinet]

Hello ! Thanks for the video. I have just received the head unit but it doesn't come with the wiring (the red adapter with the colorful cables). Where did you get it ?

[@DorksandBolts]

I got mine at ECS tuning here: www.ecstuning.com/b-vdo-parts/vdo-headunit-wiring-harness/ac1111-slash-330~vdo/

[@ZiggyStardust2329]

Great video, with it I installed mine successfully in my e30. For anyone else doing it: - to secure the unit into the cage, make sure the tabs on either side of cage are flush or even bent slightly inwards when you push the unit in. Should click and secure - If you have the fader knob, the speaker wiring is slightly different. Connect e30 yellow wire to radio front left +, yellow brown to front left -, blue to front right +, and blue brown to front right -.

[@DorksandBolts]

Great tip!

[@kadenharris6300]

my yellows are different by yellow brown do you mean yellow red?

[@kadenharris6300]

just figuring out that i don’t have yellow or blue browns! I bought my e30 s52 swapped and when i took out the radio it seems that someone was already back in there. My fader knob is disconnected from anything, I have the wires to set up the speakers like I would if I didn’t have the knob, should I set it up like I would without?

[@alsaku33]

Here to confirm the head unit is great! So far it really performs well in my e30. Looks good too imho! I also made an install video for an "early model" e30 bypassing the stock amp, premium sound system with fader in the dash.

[@Retrobeemer]

Thanks for the video. I'm looking for a sensibly priced head unit for my E34 and I quite like the way these look. I looked at the Clarion M508 but they're twice the price of this. I did find a nice Blaupunkt but the Royal Mail lost the bloody thing! Nice E30 by the way! Mark

[@DorksandBolts]

Thanks Mark, I really love the look of this unit and the blaupunkt was a close contender. Mail now days really sucks lol. Keep us posted about your progress. cheers!

[@ryankeahey]

Great video! The orange cable that connects to the gray and red cable for the interior lights works fine but when I shut the car off and remove the keys the backlights stay on. The radio and screen shuts off but just those backlights stay on - they're really dim but still it obviously drains my battery. Any thoughts on what could be causing that? When i disconnect the orange wire just the screen lights up but no buttons/backlight. This my current solution but not sure how it will look at night.

[@rgupta250]

Nice job splicing the wires together. What connectors did you use?

[@DorksandBolts]

I got a bunch of “Kujet” solder seal wire connectors on amazon. They are shrink tubing, solder and glue in one. They look nice but are a bit tricky to use. You definitely need a blow torch or heat gun. I used a kitchen crème brûlé (chef’s) torch and it worked well. Some say you should not use solder on BMW connectors but really these wires are analog so I don’t think it matters. I’m sure any coupler would work. In retrospect I would have left the antenna and amp power cables (white) the way they are. I thought they were some aftermarket job but no the mess there was all BMW.

[@DorksandBolts]

And Go Habs!

[@rgupta250]

@@DorksandBolts Thanks for the reply. I'll check Kujet out.

[@rgupta250]

@@DorksandBolts The drive for 25!!!

[@qizhou6106]

great video! BTW, yours has amp?

[@DorksandBolts]

It has the OEM amp. Here check this video out which will give you a good sense of how it’s wired as I play around with the wires kzbin.info/www/bejne/eoK8gaqZZ9aiapo

[@frankleiendecker7169]

Installed same radio but everytime i get in the car i have to push it on , i want this automaticly when turn on the contact , how do i do this?

[@pawewika8333]

I have connected an external microphone, but the receiver still uses the integrated microphone. what am I doing wrong?

[@kadenharris6300]

I have a thick brown black wire and a thin brown black wire, what do i with these?

[@o_k]

Nice video of the radio I might buy! I have one question of the BT handsfree. If your radio is off when you are driving, can you still answer the call from the radio button? Does the radio automatically turn on just for the call and off after call has ended?

[@DorksandBolts]

Hi Osku, I would have to try that out. Honestly I have never ran into that scenario, right now the car is in storage for the winter so can’t really tell you. However I think that if the radio is off, it won’t be paired with the phone so I don’t think you are able to answer the calls.

[@alexiraglin8811]

Do you need to run the original antenna for the radio to work? I would think that a modern radio doesn't need to but I'm not too sure.

[@DorksandBolts]

You don’t need the original antenna but you will need the amp. Check out our video on the antenna override switch which will give you a good sense how it’s wired: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eoK8gaqZZ9aiapo

[@yugo2k1]

Thanks for the post. Great video. Two questions: 1 - For the antenna, did you just pull out the little “stubby” connection that is there now? I’m having a hard time with it and am wondering if I need an adapter. 2 - Everyone on my end is connected correctly, but the stereo does not hold memory (stations and clock reset after tuning car off). I’ve checked the yellow (constant) wire and it does have a constant 12v charge when car is turned off, so I am struggling to understand why this might be. Did you run into this problem?

[@DorksandBolts]

Hey Goran. It’s been a while but from what I can remember, yes you just pull out the adapter. It should be a banana plug so it should just come out. Maybe give it a little bit of a jiggle 😅. As for the memory cable. Are you sure your iso connector has the same colours as mine? The manual is awful but there is a section in it explaining what each output on the ISO connector is. Perhaps confirm the iso plug you bought has the same colours as mine by comparing it to the manual and this video. I did have some power problems where my battery died and that reset my radio. But I feel like if you had battery problems, you would already know that. Good luck figuring out your issue and I hope you get your radio working . Feel free to write more details. I’ll be glad to help if I can.

[@shotsbyjoshh]

turned on my radio and everything seemed to work but no sound from anything what could it be ? i have the 2 way channel with the adjustment by the hazard lights

[@DorksandBolts]

Hi, there is a white wire that goes to the antenna and the other one that goes to the amp, perhaps you are not powering the amp. Maybe send us a picture of your wiring??

[@ramiavi]

Does it have preamp for sub woofer ?

[@samweston7108]

Hi do you find the backlight matches the other e30 interior? People say it does but I worry it's too orange. Cheers

[@jacobsikorski6920]

It doesn’t really. One of the things that bothers me about it. Also doesn’t dim either. There are people that took apart the unit and soldered new LEDs but that doesn’t fix the dimming issue.

[@DorksandBolts]

^|____What he said

[@SICULONORMANNO]

Hello! thanks for the video. Why doesn't the buttons illuminated?

[@DorksandBolts]

Hi Carlo, they do light up. But on the video I didn’t have the car lights on.

[@nicolaslandeta3943]

Great video. Mine has the volume control separate. Do you know how to deal with that? Thanks!

[@DorksandBolts]

Hi Nicolas, do you mean the fader button?

[@nicolaslandeta3943]

Yes.

[@DorksandBolts]

There is the possibility to add those, but it’s not a plug an play, you have to consult the wiring schemas for that. It is not impossible or too difficult to do. Do a google search for the radio schema and you can tap on the main connector that comes with the radio for that.

[@MrViicc]

@@nicolaslandeta3943 Hi Nicolas, I just dealt with this, you need to unplug the wires going to the fader and there you will find the wires for the speakers, cut those and the install is the same as the rest of this video.

[@cdmcali810]

Did it come with the external microphone that you can run up to a visor or other location?

[@DorksandBolts]

Yes it did, but I end up using the OEM microphone since it was too much of a hassle to run the wire. Of course if you don’t have a microphone, that’s your only option :)

[@cdmcali810]

@@DorksandBolts thanks! It is arriving tomorrow! Just waiting for the wiring harness as well.

[@DorksandBolts]

Awesome! Good luck on the install

[@gerardocervantes6314]

are you able to connect a sub and amp to these?

[@DorksandBolts]

I do remember seeing the instructions to add a sub and amp, but you do require to get an extra plug

[@PhyteByte]

@@DorksandBolts im doing mine with an Amp, I ran the 12V through the firewall hole that the computer wires go through.. and put the amp under the seat after cutting a hole in my carpet so it's flush

[@tiborfulop1806]

"Pi seek" off?