Issues with Navi02 navigation system

I have decided to post this information. Someone might find it useful.

Laser readers (called optical pickups) in BMW navigation systems are working in extreme heat and that shortens their lives considerably. Usually they begin to malfunction after 4-5 years. Symptoms are different, but sometimes really weird, like navigation would read one disc and would not the other. In my case my NAVI02 would read 2006 disc and would not 2011, nor 2012. Yet, it read simple home-burnt CD. Go figure! :-)

After playing with my NAVI02, I have decided to replace the optical pickup. I found one on eBay for 17 dollars, including shipping (more than reasonable!).

Replacing the pickup is very simple, but there are 2 things you need to do:

1) On new optical pickup on the flexible cable, that connects it to the circuit board, you will find 2 solder balls. They are soldered right on the flexible cable. It might sound strange, but it is. You would need to remove them carefully, because they short-circuit conductors.



2) Secondly, your pickup unit should come with 2 potentiometers and straight cable. Make sure of that before buying. You should set the following values to those potentiometers - 260 om to the bottom one and 2.7 k om to the upper one.



Now you are ready to replace the unit.

Once that is done... Voila! Not only your navigational unit reads any discs, it also reads them darn fast!


Steven