Audio Connectivity Module (ACM) and Dension Bluetooth module
 

My first post. I’ll give you a spoiler about this particular story: this was a partial success / partial failure. I’m passing it on here for the communal knowledge.

I bought a 2004 X-Type about two months ago. Manual tranny and a sports package, with the 3.0L engine. I wouldn’t have thought a Jag could be such a fun car.

Anyway, I recently installed the Jaguar Audio Connectivity Module (ACM) and a Dension-branded Bluetooth module. Read about it at http://www.jimrothe.com/jaguar/acm-bluetooth.html.

I'd like to put the ACM in my 05 wagon (no touchscreen and no cd changer).

I've looked at the installation instructions and nothing about the acm itself looks difficult.

But taking the console apart - all those black arrows pointing to fastener locations don't say anything about how the fasteners work, what they look like, how to detach or in what sequence.

Last thing I want to do is break some interior trim part trying to pry it out.

Car interiors are usually simple if the "tricks" are known and near impossible puzzles if they aren't.

Hoping to get better instructions here than just a picture with some arrows....

Mine was the same.

The harness terminals were mostly a fairly common design where you press a button molded into the terminal in order to release a latching mechanism. I'm sure you'll recognize this type of harness when you see it and won't have any difficulty with it.

But two of the larger terminals that went into the back of the head unit initially threw me for a loop. These two had a swing-out lever integrated into the harness that I did not initially recognize. So I was pulling and pulling and not getting it separated for a minute or two before I finally realized how it works.

I'll try to get some pictures of these harnesses going into the back of my stereo within the next several days. When I do, I'll update my web page and mention the update here.

Much appreciated (and nice website BTW).

What I'm really needing most though is specifics on how to take the interior apart to get at the radio. The instruction pics with the kit just point to locations for whatever holds the trim parts in place but offer no real clues how to disassemble them. I'm sure it's easy when you've done it once, but I haven't been able to budge anything yet and I've broken too many interior clips in other cars before to try and force the issue in this one.

My life changed when I added the ACM and did a blu-tooth fix. I did a long road trip shortly after and it was like I never left my living room.

Define "blu-tooth fix." What solution did you go with?

I put in a Motorola IHF 1000 with a harness that mutes the radio when a call comes in and I can hear them over my speakers.

It's pretty easy to remove the radio/HVAC unit, the only thing to watch out for is to go slow and careful so you don't scratch anything, like your shift knob or plastic areas, as the
"frame" of the center stack is quite sharp...obviously watch your fingers too.

Go here and scroll towards the bottom where the instructions start for wiring in a sub, in those instructions there are some tips for removal of the center stack. http://mydrive.roadfly.com/blog/ChrisX/

Thanks! This is the first time I've seen what lurks behind the trim panels. I notice there appears to be some plastic chipped out in the exposed corners shown in the wiring pic. Is that from the clips?

I think that was some collateral damage from the first time I was back there when I first got the car, wiring up FM modulator CD changer back then. Probably in a ham fisted attempt to massage the rack out. Quite frankly I don't remember, could have come from the factory like that.

Firmware upgrade to support Dension Bluetooth?
 

So I haven't had a chance to get those pictures that I promised earlier. In all honesty, I probably won't be digging into the dash again until such time as I need to run a microphone wire for that Dension Bluetooth module that I mentioned on my Jaguar ACM web page. (Either that, or I'll get pictures when I completely abandon any hope of getting this thing to work, and I need to install a Parrott or Motorola Bluetooth interface.) Regardless, when I'm in there again, I'll get pictures, I promise.

But I did have a chance to do some research on Dension's web site regarding firmware upgrades for the Jaguar ACM and possible support for the Dension BTA-1500 bluetooth module.

The latest Jaguar ACM firmware from Dension is version 1.09. See http://www.dension.com/jaguar/?agree=0&sc=0. You can see the firmware version in the ROM file if you open it up with a text editor like Windows' Notepad.

Interestingly, the Jaguar/Dension firmware upgrade file shares the same name as the Dension firmware upgrade for Mercedes D2B versions of the Dension Gateway 500. The latest version of that firmware is 2.10. I took a chance - risking "bricking" my newly installed ACM - and upgraded to the latest Dension D2B firmware. The upgrade worked, which is sufficient confirmation for me that the Jaguar ACM and Dension Gateway 500 (D2B version) are in fact identical.

An examination of the text file that accompanies the Dension firmware shows the following improvements in the Dension firmware over the Jaguar firmware:

You can see in the version history that these newer firmware versions added support for certain Dension branded accessories, including the earlier BTA-1000 bluetooth module. Unfortunately, this was not sufficient to get the ACM/GW500 to see my BTA-1500. But this research seems to point towards a firmware upgrade to get this thing to work.

An examination of the firmware history for the MOST version of the GW500 shows extensive changes to support the BTA-1500 on a variety of vehicles:

I decided to try upgrading to the latest MOST firmware, with the expectation that the D2B hardware *probably* would not initiate the upgrade, but recognizing the possibility that it again might brick the hardware. Well, no upgrade, but no crash and burn either. My ACM/GW500 remains at version 2.10.

Bottom line of all of this is that newer firmware is available for the Jaguar ACM. Just use the Dension D2B firmware available here:

http://dension.com/index.php?pageID=...=Gateway%20500

Eventually, we *may* see an update of this firmware that inadvertently (and without official acknowledgment from either Dension or Jaguar) adds BTA-1500 support to our Jaguar ACMs. Watch this space....

Have you thought about downgrading the firmware to version 1.09 from the Jaguar site? Again....an $84 brick may come of it, but it may have Jaguar specific stuff in it that you need.

No, I have not given that any consideration at all. At present, the ACM with the newest Dension firmware appears to be fully functional, so why would I downgrade?

As an aside, it's the BTA-1500 bluetooth module that was only $84 - not the ACM -and it *IS* a brick to me, because it doesn't work in the Jag - yet(?). I could probably sell it on E-bay for nearly what I paid for it, but I'd rather retain it for a while in hopes that maybe Dension will release another firmware update that gives me the functionality that I believe to be within reach.

Duly noted. I was backwards...my bad.

Do you think that the Jaguar system would work with the older bluetooth adapter (BTA-1000)? Or are they pretty much the same?

Mat

They're definitely not the same, and the BTA-1000 *MIGHT* work, but I doubt it. My expectation is that the Gateway 500 firmware will have to be modified to get the combination of the GW500 and BTA-1000 (or -1500) to mimic the Jaguar phone module. Until that is done, I don't expect it to work.

But if you can find a BTA-1000, it might be worth trying. But you're breaking new ground here, so be forewarned.

I was always curious about phone buttons on the panel but only after $1500 quote from local dealer I realized that module is not installed in early X-Types. Does anyone know what exactly comes with dealer installed unit?

Anyone know what the specific harness is for our cars?

Quickly becoming an interesting post.....