How do I know if I need to buy a combox?

isaacleese · 10-02-2016, 09:45 PM

So I have a 2013 328i with the standard USB and Bluetooth - mass storage over USB only, and Bluetooth only does telephone calls. I want to get enhanced USB and Bluetooth, but I can't tell if I need to buy a combox or if I just need to code the existing unit.

I plugged my VIN into Bimmer.work and the BMW VIN Decoder but honestly I'm lost. I can't tell by the readouts from there if I have the hardware necessary for smartphone integration over USB and Bluetooth audio. My questions are:

1) How can I tell?
2) Do either of these mods void my warranty?

Thanks in advance. I'm no stranger to hardware and software mods in general but this is the first time I've played with a car, so I don't want to screw anything up.

edit: okay so I found some coding guides that helped immensely. I looked in my trunk and there's no combox there, so unless I have NBT, which seems unlikely from what I've read, that means I'll have to buy a combox. It's my understanding that there are two comboxes: Media and Telematics. I have a BMW Assist entry in my ConnectedDrive menu, so I assume I'll need the Telematics unit? I don't and likely won't use BMW Assist, but for resale/trade-in purposes, I don't want to remove any functionality and it appears that retrofitting a Combox Media into a vehicle that has Assist will permanently disable Assist.

edit 2: electric boogaloo: okay so apparently BMW Assist on vehicles prior to MY2014 was discontinued as of January 1 2016, so it doesn't matter. BimmerTech has the Combox Media for $663, but I found a bunch on eBay for under $300. Are the eBay units worth the risk, or should I drop the coin on the BimmerTech one?

Sanelko · 10-03-2016, 01:10 PM

1. Look at the back of your head unit. However if your car lacks 609A, it's safe to assume you have a HU_Entry. If that is the case, I don't believe you can just retrofit a Combox, as you need a HU_CIC to do that. The easiest thing may be to just retrofit an NBT or NBT_EVO head unit so you don't have to remove additional interior trim and route wires to the trunk. Coding would have to be done regardless of the route you take.

2. Most likely, but nothing that is not reversible before you take it back in.

jondaman · 10-05-2016, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by isaacleese

So I have a 2013 328i with the standard USB and Bluetooth - mass storage over USB only, and Bluetooth only does telephone calls. I want to get enhanced USB and Bluetooth, but I can't tell if I need to buy a combox or if I just need to code the existing unit.

If you post a screen shot from bimmer.work, we may be able to help you with this.

I was in the same boat, a 2013 328i with just standard USB and bluetooth, i wanted to have the EBT and Siri integration. First thing is to open the boot and see if you have a Combox, I assumed you did and didn't find one. Then you cannot code EBT, I coded 6NS and it gave errors in the HU_Entry.
My route was to just retrofit a NBT, just completed it yesterday. With the NBT, you only have to remove two trim pieces (center console and the center AC vent trim), several screws, and replaced the current unit. It will be tons easier than retrofitting a Combox in the trunk, which requires running long cables and taking multiple things apart.

I got everything I needed including NBT, emulator, GPS antenna, and the CIB video cable for about $700 all from eB. The hardware installation and wiring took me just under 90 minutes, but the coding took me a lot longer (couple days of tinkering with the code, etc). But with that, I got navigation, EBT, media storage, DVD, Siri Eyefree, Chasis/drivetrain setting in different modes, and a few other features, well worth it in my opinion.

Anyhow, people on this forum are very helpful if you run into trouble. Most of the time, your issues have been done before.

Regarding the warranty, yes it will void it, but you only have about a year of warranty left anyways, just remove the NBT before taking it in for service (again, about 30min maybe). It really is quite easy if you don't have a combox.

Ajgatz · 05-10-2019, 01:48 PM

Jondaman,

Thanks for that post from way back when, very helpful as I believe I do not have a Combox on my 2013 328xi.

2 Questions:

How do I determine what the exact NBT, emulator & GPS antenna are that I will need for my vehicle?

If I decided I did not want to risk fudging this up myself... DO you know if this can be done professionally anywhere else?

10-02-2016, 09:45 PM	#1
isaacleese Registered 4 Rep 1 Posts Drives: 2013 mineral grey 328i xDrive Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Ohio iTrader: (0)	How do I know if I need to buy a combox? So I have a 2013 328i with the standard USB and Bluetooth - mass storage over USB only, and Bluetooth only does telephone calls. I want to get enhanced USB and Bluetooth, but I can't tell if I need to buy a combox or if I just need to code the existing unit. I plugged my VIN into Bimmer.work and the BMW VIN Decoder but honestly I'm lost. I can't tell by the readouts from there if I have the hardware necessary for smartphone integration over USB and Bluetooth audio. My questions are: 1) How can I tell? 2) Do either of these mods void my warranty? Thanks in advance. I'm no stranger to hardware and software mods in general but this is the first time I've played with a car, so I don't want to screw anything up. edit: okay so I found some coding guides that helped immensely. I looked in my trunk and there's no combox there, so unless I have NBT, which seems unlikely from what I've read, that means I'll have to buy a combox. It's my understanding that there are two comboxes: Media and Telematics. I have a BMW Assist entry in my ConnectedDrive menu, so I assume I'll need the Telematics unit? I don't and likely won't use BMW Assist, but for resale/trade-in purposes, I don't want to remove any functionality and it appears that retrofitting a Combox Media into a vehicle that has Assist will permanently disable Assist. edit 2: electric boogaloo: okay so apparently BMW Assist on vehicles prior to MY2014 was discontinued as of January 1 2016, so it doesn't matter. BimmerTech has the Combox Media for $663, but I found a bunch on eBay for under $300. Are the eBay units worth the risk, or should I drop the coin on the BimmerTech one? Last edited by isaacleese; 10-03-2016 at 12:42 AM.. Reason: found the answer to how to code
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10-03-2016, 01:10 PM	#2
Sanelko Second Lieutenant 70 Rep 235 Posts Drives: 2012 Jet Black 328i Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Seattle iTrader: (0)	1. Look at the back of your head unit. However if your car lacks 609A, it's safe to assume you have a HU_Entry. If that is the case, I don't believe you can just retrofit a Combox, as you need a HU_CIC to do that. The easiest thing may be to just retrofit an NBT or NBT_EVO head unit so you don't have to remove additional interior trim and route wires to the trunk. Coding would have to be done regardless of the route you take. 2. Most likely, but nothing that is not reversible before you take it back in.
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05-10-2019, 01:48 PM	#4
Ajgatz Registered 0 Rep 3 Posts Drives: 2013 BMW 328xi Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: CT iTrader: (0)	Secondary Questions Jondaman, Thanks for that post from way back when, very helpful as I believe I do not have a Combox on my 2013 328xi. 2 Questions: How do I determine what the exact NBT, emulator & GPS antenna are that I will need for my vehicle? If I decided I did not want to risk fudging this up myself... DO you know if this can be done professionally anywhere else?
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