What is the deal with Radio RDS on 5 series

I have had 5 series since 1997; '97 E39, '04 E60 545, '08 E60, and now '11 F10 550 and all of cars' radio RDS does not work. I do not see the the radio station information nor the songs playing on none of my cars (did not exist in the E39). What gives? I get 3 series loaners with basic radios and RDS works fine. It also works in other cars so it's not the radio station.

Also, God forbids you try and store a station while a song is playing; it will store part of the song's name as part of the radio id.

Why can't BMW get their radio right? Also, I just brought a brand new CD and placed it in my CD drive for the first time and the CD does not display the name of the tracks, only "Track 1, track 2 and etc.....

I have a $75k car and the radio sucks!

Does anyone else have these issues?

Set your screen up as split screen, select Entertainment Data as your right side content. Any station that transmits RDS info will be shown on that screen. Some stations do not transmit the data.

Also, make sure the RDS option is selected in iDrive. See page 175 of the manual.

Originally Posted by planet

Also, make sure the RDS option is selected in iDrive. See page 175 of the manual.

Right on. I think that is the solution to the OP's travails.

Thanks. However, if I split the screen then I lost NAV.

Originally Posted by Rick24C

Thanks. However, if I split the screen then I lost NAV.

No you don't. Just keep nav on your main screen, push the idrive controller to the right, put a check in the "Split Screen" box, press down to select what you want to see on the right, select "entertainment" and you're done. Now you have whatever's playing on your car's audio system on your smaller right side screen and your nav info on the larger left side screen.

Originally Posted by PsychDoc1

No you don't. Just keep nav on your main screen, push the idrive controller to the right, put a check in the "Split Screen" box, press down to select what you want to see on the right, select "entertainment" and you're done. Now you have whatever's playing on your car's audio system on your smaller right side screen and your nav info on the larger left side screen.

That is just the way I have my screen set up. It is most practical.

I'm having the same problem when I set my presets the song that was playing at that time is stuck on the preset screen when the RDS is selected. Can someone help? I have 2007 525. No navi Thanks

Originally Posted by Vinsobe

I'm having the same problem when I set my presets the song that was playing at that time is stuck on the preset screen when the RDS is selected. Can someone help? I have 2007 525. No navi Thanks

You're in the wrong forum. You want the E60 forum.

Hope they can help you.