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9 minute read
BMW Homelink UGDO Remote Control Module Installation on the E46 Sedan.
Compliments of delmarco @ bimmerfest.com
9-6-2009
Because it is not just a Garage Door Opener... 
Trolling around on eBay waiting for parts you need to come up may not be the best way to spend your free time but time and time again you will get rewarded (i.e some old lady list an in demand part but doesn't know what she's selling so she mislabels it, prices it way too low, and you are the only one who sees it to buy it for 90% cheaper than it is currently selling for).
I put a bid on this new BMW Homelink device set at $40 and won it for $40 because the dude listed it in the wrong section and didn't use BMW in the title.
These things rarely sell for under $80 (Even the older style BMW E38 Homelinks sell for $75 and up). This one was brand new and the new style for rolling codes. I was tempted to resell it and triple my money but being a techie I needed to see what it looked like in my car and I also say the need for upping my total Homelink control buttons to 6 (when you include the 3 that is already in my Premium Package mirror).
You can buy the Homelink receivers modules through the Homelink website (www.homelink.com) or you can find various devices on eBay that can be controlled by a Homelink remote or will allow Homelink to control other devices such as computers, coffee makers, home security alarms, door bells, door locks, lights in your home, gates, garages, etc...
Basically if it plugs in and/or powers on with electricity Homelink will let you turn it on and off from your car seat.
My dream is for them to make a Carlink that will allow you to remote control other cars on the road. So if you got some slow poke in front of you, holding up the passing lane, you can remote control his a$$ over to the shoulder.
So just follow the pictures and you will see how easy it is to cut up your sunroof motor hatch lid and install your own OEM Homelink device.
And remember it is not just a Garage Door Opener!
Tools Needed:
-Butter Knife (dull and shiny)
-Razor (sharp and shiny)
-Flat head screw driver
-Oh and you should check to see if your car is prewired for Homelink. (If not then don't worry all you need is to buy the homelink connector harness from your local dealer or maybe a local Scrap Yard may have one from all those E38 that seem to be going there as of late. Upon procuring the harness all you would need to do is splice the 2 power wires {these would be the 2 non-brown wires} to any power source in the car and then splice the 1 brown wire to any ground source in the car)
LETS BEGIN:
PART 1:
Your Homelink wire harness will be wrapped up in black velvet tape and should be tucked in towards the passenger side of the car. I had to dig pretty deep to get mine out. Be careful not to damage the sunroof motor parts.
View of BMW E46 E38 E39 E53 Sunroof harness and switch from the back.
And lastly we have this this flat wide white connector in there which I have NO IDEA what it is for; either a Bluetooth related device (ie. Microphone) or the BMW SOS Assistance Module.
Before you cut into your car please be sure that the part you just bought off eBay works and more importantly works with your car
PART 2.
Time for some cuttin' uhm I actually mean pryin'!
The plastic groove is very soft and just rubbing a razor or knife a few times over and you will see or feel it giving way. You do not want to cut all the way thru the plastic and cut the fabric underneath. (The reason is the cut you will eventually make in the fabric HAS to be smaller than the square cut out in the plastic or when you insert the homelink the fabric will peel and fray off. You want to be able to fold the fabric back into the hole as you insert the homelink. That way the homelink in tightly secured and the fabric is not loose at the edges.)
Again, just rub the razor over the grooves a few times and begin prying with your flathead.
PART 3.
The insertion and connection...
PART 4.
Fun stuff...
Put the hatch lid back on. With the Homelink the lid was alittle tight going back on. Just tuck the wiring to the side and give it a good push up (remembering not to damage the sunroof motor) and it will eventually clip into place.
Mmmmmm...next DIY idea perhaps. 
Installing this BMW SOS switch but wiring it up to an aftermarket Bluetooth Speaker (such as the Bury CC9040 Speaker Phone Kit) to initiate a voice command call out. I believe our car has prewiring for this BMW SOS switch which is the flat wide white connector that I saw inside the hatch
