@%#!$%@#$%. Radio / iPod works like a charm ...

[ProZak]

(see here (http://www.bimmer.info/forum/showthread.php?t=18718)) ... but I've blown out the bulb on my OBC. Rassafrassa.

So, is there any way to get at it without taking apart my dash again?

[Jay 535i]

Changing the OBC bulb is way easy.

Slide out your radio. No need to unplug it. Just slide it out.

Pull the lever to eject the OBC.

Drop in a new bulb.

Repeat in reverse.

Whole thing takes five minutes, max.

Please post pics of the radio in situ, and let us know if you find the 700MB limit, um, limiting.

[DanQ]

If the lever for the OBC is accessible from the opposite side of the radio and you had as much fun as i did trying to get the radio in place with all of the wiring, it may be easier to take out the glove box and take down the side panels to get to the OBC.

[ProZak]

Fabuloso. All I need to do now is identify the eject mechanism. Photo / schematic, anyone? I'll post pics soon. And I haven't really hit any major pains in the butt vis a vis playlists, but ohhhhhh lord, it scrolls through artist names slowly. Course, I haven't read the manual yet; maybe I'm doing something wrong. :)

[Jay 535i]

Fabuloso. All I need to do now is identify the eject mechanism. Photo / schematic, anyone? I'll post pics soon. And I haven't really hit any major pains in the butt vis a vis playlists, but ohhhhhh lord, it scrolls through artist names slowly. Course, I haven't read the manual yet; maybe I'm doing something wrong. :)

Please keep us posted about that scolling issue, and other issues you discover with the unit. I'm really curious as to how well it all works, with the iPod.

Now, for the OBC...

Slide out the radio and rest it on the center console, wires still intact.

At the back of the OBC, on the left side (LHD car -- dunno about RHD), near the top of the OBC, there's a little tab at the back. It's a lever, in fact, but doesn't look like one. You'll only see the tip of it, which is a little metal tab.

Get your finger behind the tab and pull hard directly towards you. That is, pull straight out. The lever's arc is practically a straight line, so pull straight out.

If you've never done this before it might take a lot of effort.

Be ready to catch the OBC, as, if you're applying a lot of effort, it will eventually shoot out of the dash at Mach 2.

There are three little light bulbs in the OBC, each accessible without any disassembly. Each one takes a 90-degree turn to remove or replace. Replacement bulbs are about $2 at the dealer.

To get the OBC back in, I found it's a good idea to put equal pressure on the face of the OBC and on the lever. If you put all your effort on the lever, the face of the OBC can get snagged on the dashboard and potentially break.

Hope that helps!

[ProZak]

Awesome instructions, my man. I'll get right on that this weekend. Oh, and pics of new stereo in this thread (http://www.bimmer.info/forum/showthread.php?p=134122#post134122); comprehensive review coming later.