BMW's "approved phone list" and Blackberry

BeezDeep · 08-22-2009, 11:43 PM

Gentlemen,

Is it pretty safe to say that most Blackberries work on the idrive/bluetooth system despite the fact that only the Blackberry Pearl is on the approved list? Until recently I'd had a Curve that worked perfectly well until about 2 months ago. I knew I was upgrading to the Tour so figured I'd roll the dice and hopefully that would cure whatever ailed the bluetooth system.

Nope... my VZW Tour is doing the same thing. It pairs to the bluetooth and the display shows that the phone is in "in-call status" when its not. This makes it so my radio is either paused or muted. 2 weeks ago the problems that started were that the car would arbitrarily decide whether it would pair with my Tour whenever I started the car. It was about 50/50 the phone would pair and work well with the system. Now, as I mentioned above, it looks like I'm on a phone call when the phone is dormant on the seat. The time counter even comes on screen.

BMW service is telling me there's nothing I can do because I don't have an approved phone. C'mon guys... they don't even make the VZW Pearl anymore and I just have a hard time swallowing that.

Is there something I can do...some code I can slip in somewhere...perhaps a controll unit I can have replaced. I have a 2008 335I coupe that is still under warranty. I love this car more than anything and I smile while driving it even if I'm just out to get some groceries. The bluetooth problem is just a huge dissapointment despite my fondness for the vehicle.

Anyone have any ideas...thoughts...otherwise?

ceb · 08-23-2009, 09:27 AM

...and deleted the phone in the BMW and the BMW from the phone?

Did you also pull the battery from the phone and try re-pairing?

MY BB didn't work consistently until I delete the phone, reset it (by pulling the battery), re-pairing it and resetting the phone once again.

BeezDeep · 08-23-2009, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ceb

...and deleted the phone in the BMW and the BMW from the phone?

Did you also pull the battery from the phone and try re-pairing?

MY BB didn't work consistently until I delete the phone, reset it (by pulling the battery), re-pairing it and resetting the phone once again.

Thanks Ceb. I have done all of these things. In fact, sometimes I'm unable to delete the phone from the BT menu which i thought was odd. Is there some sort of hardware they could replace or software to reinstall?

sparky12 · 08-23-2009, 12:15 PM

I'm surprised to hear this as all the BBs I've owned, and there have been a lot of them, have all worked with the bluetooth systems on the vehicle I was driving at the time. It always seemed RIM did a good job with their BT stack. Having said that, I think Verizon has released an o/s upgrade for the Tour recently, or at least one carrier has. I think it's 4.7.1.42. Not sure if this would help your situation but it's worth a shot.

BeezDeep · 08-24-2009, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sparky12

I'm surprised to hear this as all the BBs I've owned, and there have been a lot of them, have all worked with the bluetooth systems on the vehicle I was driving at the time. It always seemed RIM did a good job with their BT stack. Having said that, I think Verizon has released an o/s upgrade for the Tour recently, or at least one carrier has. I think it's 4.7.1.42. Not sure if this would help your situation but it's worth a shot.

I'm hoping this update will help Sparky but I'm becoming more and more convinced that this is something malfunctioning with the car. The update hasn't come out yet but I'm keeping a close eye out for it. Thanks for the tip.

BeezDeep · 08-25-2009, 10:10 AM

anyone else have any thoughts or solutions?

froalskiner · 08-25-2009, 11:48 AM

I just paired my Curve without any issue. The addressbook even updated on its own. Check out http://www.crackberry.com to see if there is an update for you phone. You should be able to delete the vendor.xml file to update the OS...regardless of the vendor...as long as phone model is the same.

BeezDeep · 08-26-2009, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by froalskiner

I just paired my Curve without any issue. The addressbook even updated on its own. Check out http://www.crackberry.com to see if there is an update for you phone. You should be able to delete the vendor.xml file to update the OS...regardless of the vendor...as long as phone model is the same.

Thanks for the tip. I'll try that out. Crackberry is the best isn't it?!?

froalskiner · 08-26-2009, 04:57 PM

Any time!

Hankdoll · 08-27-2009, 12:47 PM

My wife's Tour is giving her the exact same problems. Her old Curve worked great, but this is her second Tour (exchanged 1st due to the delayed roller ball issue) and the new one has the same problem.

Drakos · 09-05-2009, 09:55 AM

Ditto problem for the tour. It would say connected for about 2 mins, then radio would come back on. Now it will not go back to radio at all. BMW electronics suck. I bet you Jap cars don't have this problem

Drakos · 09-05-2009, 05:11 PM

I just found this. Gonna give it a try when I get home. I don't have idrive but hope it works anyways

http://www.somelifeblog.com/2008/11/...mw-idrive.html

Just a quick note to check your service provider to see if there is a firware update also for the Blackberry. Apparently the tour is on version 4.7.1.77 with Telus Mobility.

Go to the options icon and select "about" to access the firmware version of your Blackberry.

VP Electricity · 09-05-2009, 07:27 PM

My VZW Tour has only had one BT issue, and that was solved by a battery cycle (hadn't cycled it for a week...)

There is a VZW OS rev in beta, but VZW takes longer than Telus to OK them...

Drakos · 09-05-2009, 09:39 PM

Interesting VP. Where can you find the the beta OS from?

jcamber · 11-29-2009, 09:35 AM

I got a Tour paired about a month ago. No issues at first, now it's sitting on "Connecting ... " and same problems as what others are experiencing (i.e. radio is muted, telephone is in fact connected but steering wheel controls don't work, etc).

I'll try the battery out/in and report back ...

oh and by the way, I had an 8703e for 2 years (UGLY blackberry) and connected to my 06 e90 with absolutely no problems.

jcamber · 12-03-2009, 04:52 PM

BTW, I did delete the phone entry in the car, took the battery out of the phone, put it back in, then re-paired and everything is working fine now.

Thanks!

brbheels · 12-04-2009, 07:43 PM

I've had my VZW Tour paired since the day the Tour was released and never had a single issue. Not that that helps anyone a whole lot, but it can work.

08-22-2009, 11:43 PM	#1
BeezDeep New Member 1 Rep 29 Posts Drives: 2008 335i E92 Saddle/Graphite Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Central CT iTrader: (0)	BMW's "approved phone list" and Blackberry Gentlemen, Is it pretty safe to say that most Blackberries work on the idrive/bluetooth system despite the fact that only the Blackberry Pearl is on the approved list? Until recently I'd had a Curve that worked perfectly well until about 2 months ago. I knew I was upgrading to the Tour so figured I'd roll the dice and hopefully that would cure whatever ailed the bluetooth system. Nope... my VZW Tour is doing the same thing. It pairs to the bluetooth and the display shows that the phone is in "in-call status" when its not. This makes it so my radio is either paused or muted. 2 weeks ago the problems that started were that the car would arbitrarily decide whether it would pair with my Tour whenever I started the car. It was about 50/50 the phone would pair and work well with the system. Now, as I mentioned above, it looks like I'm on a phone call when the phone is dormant on the seat. The time counter even comes on screen. BMW service is telling me there's nothing I can do because I don't have an approved phone. C'mon guys... they don't even make the VZW Pearl anymore and I just have a hard time swallowing that. Is there something I can do...some code I can slip in somewhere...perhaps a controll unit I can have replaced. I have a 2008 335I coupe that is still under warranty. I love this car more than anything and I smile while driving it even if I'm just out to get some groceries. The bluetooth problem is just a huge dissapointment despite my fondness for the vehicle. Anyone have any ideas...thoughts...otherwise?
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08-23-2009, 09:27 AM	#2
ceb NHTSA Nazi 28 Rep 1,983 Posts Drives: 335ix Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: MD iTrader: (1)	I assume you've unpaired the phone.... ...and deleted the phone in the BMW and the BMW from the phone? Did you also pull the battery from the phone and try re-pairing? MY BB didn't work consistently until I delete the phone, reset it (by pulling the battery), re-pairing it and resetting the phone once again.
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08-23-2009, 12:15 PM	#4
sparky12 Private 3 Rep 77 Posts Drives: 2013 M5 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: GA iTrader: (2)	I'm surprised to hear this as all the BBs I've owned, and there have been a lot of them, have all worked with the bluetooth systems on the vehicle I was driving at the time. It always seemed RIM did a good job with their BT stack. Having said that, I think Verizon has released an o/s upgrade for the Tour recently, or at least one carrier has. I think it's 4.7.1.42. Not sure if this would help your situation but it's worth a shot.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-25-2009, 10:10 AM	#6
BeezDeep New Member 1 Rep 29 Posts Drives: 2008 335i E92 Saddle/Graphite Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Central CT iTrader: (0)	anyone else have any thoughts or solutions?
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08-25-2009, 11:48 AM	#7
froalskiner Private 1 Rep 81 Posts Drives: 06 330i Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Camarillo, CA iTrader: (0)	I just paired my Curve without any issue. The addressbook even updated on its own. Check out http://www.crackberry.com to see if there is an update for you phone. You should be able to delete the vendor.xml file to update the OS...regardless of the vendor...as long as phone model is the same.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-26-2009, 04:57 PM	#9
froalskiner Private 1 Rep 81 Posts Drives: 06 330i Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Camarillo, CA iTrader: (0)	Any time!
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08-27-2009, 12:47 PM	#10
Hankdoll Lieutenant 136 Rep 423 Posts Drives: M2/M3/4/5 Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: O.C., CA iTrader: (0)	My wife's Tour is giving her the exact same problems. Her old Curve worked great, but this is her second Tour (exchanged 1st due to the delayed roller ball issue) and the new one has the same problem. __________________
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09-05-2009, 09:55 AM	#11
Drakos Lieutenant 65 Rep 534 Posts Drives: 2022 G42 M240i Join Date: May 2009 Location: Canada iTrader: (1)	Ditto problem for the tour. It would say connected for about 2 mins, then radio would come back on. Now it will not go back to radio at all. BMW electronics suck. I bet you Jap cars don't have this problem
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09-05-2009, 05:11 PM	#12
Drakos Lieutenant 65 Rep 534 Posts Drives: 2022 G42 M240i Join Date: May 2009 Location: Canada iTrader: (1)	I just found this. Gonna give it a try when I get home. I don't have idrive but hope it works anyways http://www.somelifeblog.com/2008/11/...mw-idrive.html Just a quick note to check your service provider to see if there is a firware update also for the Blackberry. Apparently the tour is on version 4.7.1.77 with Telus Mobility. Go to the options icon and select "about" to access the firmware version of your Blackberry.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

09-05-2009, 07:27 PM	#13
VP Electricity Brigadier General 289 Rep 3,201 Posts Drives: F34 xDrive Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: portland oregon iTrader: (3)	My VZW Tour has only had one BT issue, and that was solved by a battery cycle (hadn't cycled it for a week...) There is a VZW OS rev in beta, but VZW takes longer than Telus to OK them...
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09-05-2009, 09:39 PM	#14
Drakos Lieutenant 65 Rep 534 Posts Drives: 2022 G42 M240i Join Date: May 2009 Location: Canada iTrader: (1)	Interesting VP. Where can you find the the beta OS from?
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11-29-2009, 09:35 AM	#15
jcamber Private 2 Rep 55 Posts Drives: 2011 535i Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Fort Worth, TX iTrader: (0)	I got a Tour paired about a month ago. No issues at first, now it's sitting on "Connecting ... " and same problems as what others are experiencing (i.e. radio is muted, telephone is in fact connected but steering wheel controls don't work, etc). I'll try the battery out/in and report back ... oh and by the way, I had an 8703e for 2 years (UGLY blackberry) and connected to my 06 e90 with absolutely no problems.
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12-03-2009, 04:52 PM	#16
jcamber Private 2 Rep 55 Posts Drives: 2011 535i Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Fort Worth, TX iTrader: (0)	BTW, I did delete the phone entry in the car, took the battery out of the phone, put it back in, then re-paired and everything is working fine now. Thanks!
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12-04-2009, 07:43 PM	#17
brbheels Second Lieutenant 12 Rep 207 Posts Drives: M440I Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: CLT iTrader: (10)	I've had my VZW Tour paired since the day the Tour was released and never had a single issue. Not that that helps anyone a whole lot, but it can work.
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