Scheduled Service Questions

I have scheduled a service next week to update the software and have an Ipod Aux installed. So, I thought that I would ask the experts what to tell them and what to expect. First, thanks to reading this board and Roadfly, (thanks cobradav), I will be leaving my Ipod with them to insure that it is working before I bring it home.

I have had my 2004 645Ci for three weeks now, had planned on buying new, but I was able to buy this one from an acquaintance for what seems like a good price. And while I absolutely love the way it looks and drives, I have had one problem. On cold mornings, within the first mile or so, I get a steering fault warning. However, after I make a stop somewhere and start it back up it does not come back on. And it has never happened later in the day or after the car has been driven a bit. Temps have been down in the 30’s a few mornings here. I also had the IDrive freeze up at the accept menu one time and just would not let me past that screen. Otherwise it has been awesome. Is this unusual or just an IDrive glitch that updating will fix? The build date on the door panel is January 2004 and it was purchased in May of 2004. I do not know if the software had ever been updated.

Thanks for your help, I visit at least once a day to learn more about this car.

Hello My Friend and welcome to the 6er family.

The update will address you computer glitches. I experienced the iDrive scenario once and after I received my last update in July I have been fine every since.

Be sure to tell the SA exactly what your issues are so they can apply other patches (Updates) to your sub-system for things like the Steering message.

P.S. IDrive is spelled iDrive.

GMAN

Originally Posted by gbelton

...P.S. IDrive is spelled iDrive.

What, it's not uDrive?

The dealer told me it was about $900 to have a satellite radio installed. Will the output on a portable satellite radio, which is around $100, be able to use the same Aux line they are adding for my iPod?

Yes, anything that has basic left/right audio input will plug into the AUX jacks and you can control volume via the steering wheel or dash volume control.

However, for a 645, I would spring and get the integrated Sat Radio. It is much nicer.

Originally Posted by Tio

The dealer told me it was about $900 to have a satellite radio installed. Will the output on a portable satellite radio, which is around $100, be able to use the same Aux line they are adding for my iPod?

Originally Posted by IFly650i

What, it's not uDrive?

Yep, pDrive.
Yep, mDrive too.

GMAN

Originally Posted by Tio

I have scheduled a service next week to update the software and have an Ipod Aux installed. So, I thought that I would ask the experts what to tell them and what to expect. First, thanks to reading this board and Roadfly, (thanks cobradav), I will be leaving my Ipod with them to insure that it is working before I bring it home.

I have had my 2004 645Ci for three weeks now, had planned on buying new, but I was able to buy this one from an acquaintance for what seems like a good price. And while I absolutely love the way it looks and drives, I have had one problem. On cold mornings, within the first mile or so, I get a steering fault warning. However, after I make a stop somewhere and start it back up it does not come back on. And it has never happened later in the day or after the car has been driven a bit. Temps have been down in the 30’s a few mornings here. I also had the IDrive freeze up at the accept menu one time and just would not let me past that screen. Otherwise it has been awesome. Is this unusual or just an IDrive glitch that updating will fix? The build date on the door panel is January 2004 and it was purchased in May of 2004. I do not know if the software had ever been updated.

Thanks for your help, I visit at least once a day to learn more about this car.

Welcome and glad to help

I just had the following experience from the cars first experience with freezing weather up at the Performance Center in Spartanberg, SC:

Got my first ICE indication display (good), first AS Hydraulic fault (bad) which told me to shut down immediately and not drive (a restart reset that and it never reappeared – I assume the same cold condition caused this) and my first ever iDrive reboot all by itself (bad) same cold day – and only the one time

I am going in for oil change so I will have them look at this too.

I just came across this Service Bulletin that could be the root cause of several problems. Kinda overlooked due to the generic title.

Here is the text of this one:

SI B 61 15 02
General Electrical Systems July 2004
Technical Service

This Service Information bulletin supersedes S.I. B61 15 02 dated April 2004.

designates changes to this revision

SUBJECT
MOST Bus Diagnosis


MODEL
E60 (5 Series)

E63, E64 (6Series)

E65, E66 (7 Series)


SITUATION
The customer may complain of one or more of the following complaints:

Crackling or popping sounds from all speakers.

Loss of audio.

Control display is constantly displaying the "BMW" banner.

iDrive controller is not responsive.

Control Display is blank, white or frozen on current menu screen.

CAUSE
Possible causes include:

Control module power or ground failure.

Fiber Optic cable connection fault or improper radius.

Faulty control module.

Dirty, scratched or defective Navigation map disc.

Navigation Computer over temperature.

AVT (Antenna Tuner) over temperature shutdown.

PROCEDURE
Refer to the attached "Functional Description" document from the DIS/GT1 or 2002 System Diagnosis for background information on faults and testing. Use the attached flow charts for troubleshooting.

With the introduction of DIS CD38 an improved "MOST system analysis" test plan is included to provide further troubleshooting for sporadic MOST faults. Please refer to Chart B on how to access this test plan.

When diagnosing sporadic MOST Bus complaints it is very important to understand exactly what the customer complaint is. Included in Chart B is a chart which describes the symptoms the customer may see when a particular module does perform a reset. This can be duplicated with the DIS software by performing a "component activation/control module reset" from within Control module functions of each MOST bus module.

Chart A: Fault diagnosis where fault is currently present.

Chart B: Fault diagnosis where fault is sporadic or intermittent.


ATTACHMENTS
view PDF attachment B611502ChartsA&B.
view PDF attachment B611502F_Description.

This information is so helpful to a new owner. Instead of just going in there and throwing myself at their mercy, I will be able to at least act like I know what I am talking about. I will explain the situation to the service department at the dealership, including the July 2004 Service Bulletin.

I will share my experience with this board in hope of providing some helpful information to others. This board makes owning the car even better because you get a prompt response from someone who been through it and doesn’t treat you like an idiot, even if you can’t spell iDrive.

And chuck92103 I agree that integrating the satellite radio would look better, but the portable Sirius S50 is pretty awesome. Plays movies on the LCD screen as well as stores up to 50 hours of music. I will able to take from the car, to the gym, to the office, and you can download music to it from the computer. I might not need the iPod.
Thanks again,
Tio

Originally Posted by Tio

And chuck92103 I agree that integrating the satellite radio would look better, but the portable Sirius S50 is pretty awesome. Plays movies on the LCD screen as well as stores up to 50 hours of music. I will able to take from the car, to the gym, to the office, and you can download music to it from the computer. I might not need the iPod.
Thanks again,
Tio

Tio - where would you stow the antenna that goes with the portable Sirius receiver? Is it integrated into the player? If it is, since satellite reception is "line-of-sight" where will you place the receiver? I'm also tussling with the choice of integrated sat radio, portable or neither.

Portables are great, but you have wires for power and antenna running everywhere. My neighbor bought one, uses only on long road trips because it is a hassle shuttling everywhere.

Here is the portable unit I was looking at:

http://www.sirius.com/servlet/Conten...=1130363753674

if you think if you buy the S50 you can listen to LIVE broadcast or the actual sirius radio, you cant. in order to listen to the radio, you have to have the device in a car unit or house, whichever. while it is not in a dock of some sort, you can only listen to it as a mp3 player. i repeat you cannot listen to the radio!! do not be fooled!!