Safety Warning
DIY auto repair can cause serious injury, fire, or vehicle damage. These guides are for informational purposes only. Always follow OEM torque specs, wear PPE, and consult a certified mechanic if you are unsure. You are solely responsible for your safety.
SDARS Satellite Tuner
The SDARS satellite radio is the same as the satellite tuner fitted on the E60, E61, E63 and E64.
It enables reception of digital radio signals. These are of a higher quality that analog transmissions.
Advantages of digital satellite radio:
- Reception of same radio station across the entire US mainland (excluding Alaska)
- Digital reception of music, news and talk stations
- Wide choice of available music genres
- No commercial breaks
- Digital signal transmission provides greater immunity to external interference
Only the SDARS system developed by Sirius Satellite Radio is supported. This uses three satellites which follow an elliptical orbit around the Earth. Because of the arrangement of the orbits, there are always two satellites over the reception area.
In large urban areas where there are obstructions (e.g. tower blocks, tunnels) or in situations where there are topographical features (e.g. mountains) that block the satellite signals, terrestrial transmitters are used to relay the signals.
The separate satellite tuner is necessary because the signals are transmitted in the gigahertz band (microwave band).
The satellite tuner is located in the trunk above the recess, on the left (when viewed from the rear) next to the Telematic Control Unit (TCU).
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When to See a Mechanic
Stop DIY work and contact a certified mechanic immediately if any of the following apply:
- • You smell fuel, burning insulation, or see smoke.
- • Brakes feel soft, pull hard to one side, or make grinding noises.
- • The engine overheats, stalls repeatedly, or misfires under load.
- • You are missing required tools, torque specs, or safe lifting equipment.
- • You are not confident in the next step or safety outcome.