The Ultimate iPod Info Thread

Originally Posted by togles

The dealer told me that the aux input was not available for my car!, ?? I have a '05 545. Does that sound right?

It doesn't sound right. My '05 545i was a 9/04 build, so pretty early in the model year, and I was able to add an aux input. It was necessary to purchase the part, have the dealer install it, and program iDrive to see it. Total cost was around $65 for the part (www.bavauto.com) and under $200 for the install IIRC.

Your dealer may not have understood your question and thought you were asking if your car had an aux input, not if one could be added?

I have a 2008 iDrive with AUX and USB. My iPhone has always worked beautifully with the iPod integration. Ever since I upgraded to iOS4, however, the iPod integration seems really flaky.

Anyone else experience this? My iPhone is a 3GS. If you haven't already you might want to hold off on the update if iPod functionality in your car is really important to you.

I have been driving a loaner '09 535 Xi with factory ipod/usb in the center armrest. It was working well and then starting acting funny. This was before the OS4 update. The update seems to have had no effect. I have a 2nd Gen iPod Touch. I just had the OEM iPod adaptor installed in my '07 530 XI (glovebox). I will report back on that once I start using it.

Does anyone have iphone 3gs with ios4 fully working on the ipod adapter? Can you play and control music thru idrive? TIA

I have an iPod Touch 2nd Gen iOS4 using glovebox adaptor. I can control the music through iDrive. Hope this helps some.

Originally Posted by cccplus

Does anyone have iphone 3gs with ios4 fully working on the ipod adapter? Can you play and control music thru idrive? TIA

YES! I was having a lot of intermittent failures with my 3GS and iOS4, but I think I figured out a work around. It seems as though if I have the iPod app open before I connect the adaptor everything works perfectly. I've tested this several times today and every time it works. When I connect with just the home screen or the lock screen I get numerous random issues. I hope this helps.

Originally Posted by CompSciBimmer

YES! I was having a lot of intermittent failures with my 3GS and iOS4, but I think I figured out a work around. It seems as though if I have the iPod app open before I connect the adaptor everything works perfectly. I've tested this several times today and every time it works. When I connect with just the home screen or the lock screen I get numerous random issues. I hope this helps.

I too have noticed this. Setting the iPod on "iPod" before connecting is definitely helpful imo.

I have found that using an iPod Nano, even the most current works better than my iPod Touch 2nd gen. The manual says that the Nano 4G will not charge, but my 5G does. Keeping the number of playlists down is helpful too. By using the Nano, I can make this a dedicated device and keep my touch for everything but car use. I also tried a 2 GB older (think 2G) Nano with good results. My opinion, iPhone and iPod Touch=so so results with glovebox adaptor. YMMV

Why the Speck Dock is that expensive ($599) it is because the fiber cable? all other are around 150 and the OEM is 370.

iOS 4 issues on a 2G iPod Touch. The car recognizes that an iPod is connected, but won't play anything. The only way I can get it to play is to press play BEFORE connecting it to the car, and then it picks up from the current location. But I can no longer use the car controls to rewind or FF, and the display (non-iDrive) doesn't show the song title.

Functionality is very restricted, obviously. I wonder if this has something to do with the general sluggishness the iPod has been experiencing since the update. Seems like memory is maxed out, and maybe it just can't support the BMW integration any more, for whatever reason.

I found that my 2G touch did not get along with BMW interface even before IOS4. The display on the iPod shows "accessory connected" instead of showing the BMW Logo. Using a 5G Nano I can see the BMW logo. It seems to work pretty well. I am using the glovebox adaptor. I had an '09 535 loaner with the console iPod interface. That worked much better and didn't take as long to load the songs etc.

I upgraded my iPod to the latest software, OS4, and it still works well in my '07 550i. Am able to control it from the idrive controller. Now the OS on my iPhone (not connected to the car) is another matter; the phone has slowed down considerably to the point that I want to dump it.

I have a 3gS iphone on OS4 in my 2009 535ix via the center arm rest plugs and have full functionality through the idrive system. Ipod part actually now includes a display for playlists with the OS4 upgrade that didn't display before.

Could someone clear this up for me.

If a the MOST bus ipod adapter or Denison adapter take the place of the 6DCC in the glove box, why do you have to have the car coded to recognize the ipod?

Ok just bought my 2008 528i and I cant find the aux input port. Owners manual says center console, theres a hole in there but its too big for the plug. Is it possible that its an option that didnt come on all these cars? I cant believe its that primitive, Im hoping im just blind.

In my car is located in the back of the center console. Between the two chargers.

Yes. Between the 2 cigarette lighter sockets.

dun bother about the aux. it basically plays the iphone and you cannot control it on the idrive....

Originally Posted by adtian

dun bother about the aux. it basically plays the iphone and you cannot control it on the idrive....

In my 2009 the idrive provides full functionality of the iphone and ipod features.

Just bought a new iPod Nano last night along with a new iMac. My intent is to dedicate (leave plugged in) by leaving it attached to the iPod connector in the armrest of my 2009 535xi with the OE BWM attachment/cord/charger. Sounds like the current Nano should work very well (display a BMW logo even) with the iDrive. Any first hand expereince would be appreciated. Question about shuffle - I think it works that when a song is playing you push down on the idrive controller and select 'random' - and this will start shuffling songs on the nano after the current song is done playing?/

Also, paired my new iPhone4 this morning - no problem paired super easy and was making calls from the idrive right away.

Originally Posted by mermar

Just bought a new iPod Nano last night along with a new iMac. My intent is to dedicate (leave plugged in) by leaving it attached to the iPod connector in the armrest of my 2009 535xi with the OE BWM attachment/cord/charger. Sounds like the current Nano should work very well (display a BMW logo even) with the iDrive. Any first hand expereince would be appreciated. Question about shuffle - I think it works that when a song is playing you push down on the idrive controller and select 'random' - and this will start shuffling songs on the nano after the current song is done playing?/

Also, paired my new iPhone4 this morning - no problem paired super easy and was making calls from the idrive right away.

The nano may not charge,but otherwise it works well. If it doesn't charge it's not a big deal really. You can let it charge when you sync it to your iMac. That's been my experience. I have the iPod adaptor in the glovebox. Yours may work a little differently. I have good control of my nano using the iDrive controller.

Originally Posted by x3ronnie

The nano may not charge,but otherwise it works well. If it doesn't charge it's not a big deal really. You can let it charge when you sync it to your iMac. That's been my experience. I have the iPod adaptor in the glovebox. Yours may work a little differently. I have good control of my nano using the iDrive controller.

I have read about a part that resolves the charging issue - it is available through apple. I also have an older G3 Nano - maybe that one would both charge and play music.

Originally Posted by mermar

I have read about a part that resolves the charging issue - it is available through apple. I also have an older G3 Nano - maybe that one would both charge and play music.

The G3 nano should be fully compatible. The newer nano would be ok though. I have not bought the charging adaptor because it's really a minor annoyance. Having a dedicated iPod for the car is nice.

Originally Posted by CT535ix

In my 2009 the idrive provides full functionality of the iphone and ipod features.

I have got a e60 and it does not work with the controls.... Is there something I should switch on? I got the original cables from the dealers...

So what is the difference between these factory BMW ipod kits?

Is one newer than the other?

65-11-0-036-448 and 65-11-0-439-425