I just have a basic one from walmart, it's a Belkin Brand.... However I started using the ipod connector with my old iPhone 4 because I could never get the volume right (I would always get a feedback sound). I never had issues with sound only coming from one side of the car. I'm interested to see what the others have to say... If you've tried 2 different cables and still have the same problem maybe it's your aux input jack itself that's causing the issue.

 

There is the BMW Y cable you have to buy from the dealer. Its $70, and is the iPod adapter to 1/4" aux and USB ends. This will enable you to control it via iDrive. Don't just plug an aux cable in.

 

I have the Y cable but it is too short and therefore wanted to use the AUX

 

As you have found, this does not work. Buy an adapter that plugs into the Y cable.

 

Thanks. I will try getting a non bmw adapter (hate spending more money on electronics). Visiting my dealer this Friday.

 

I think you are saying that the connection is loose and that you need to fuss with the cable to get a signal from both channels. I have a one-month old 328i with the BMW Y-cable. The aux input jack works OK but seems to be on the loose side. In other words, one or the other channel drops out unless the cable is positioned perfectly. There must be some reason for this type of loose jack but I can't think of a good one. A normal 3.5mm stereo jack has a spring latch that firmly grips the plug once the cable is inserted. I've seen a number of posts going back several years about the loose jack but I'm not entirely sure that everyone experiences this.

 

Oh right. That is exactly what I am experiencing. It is quite strange that they have made it this way. I have talked to BMW on the phone and did not get any useful information. I was going to make this trip to the dealer but now am not sure whether that would actually be useful.

 

I have a 2013 328i without the upgraded Bluetooth/navigation and a Y-cable was included with the owner package. It works well, no problems with the connection. I also had a Y-cable purchased from Amazon that worked, but gave that to a friend who purchased a 2014 X3 which did not have the cable included with the owner's package. Interesting that BMWNA is not supplying these cables now.

 

My 2014 328i came with the Y-cable. The cable could have been supplied by the dealer rather than BMW. My Y-cable uses the old 30-pin Apple connector. I use a 160GB Ipod Classic that is almost completely full. The iDrive system recognizes the Ipod's 1,000 album directory pretty quickly.

 

My 2014 320xi also came with a dealer-supplied Y cable.