Radio, Bluetooth, etc. all kaput

bookman2 · 02-18-2011, 04:38 PM

I recently had the displeasure of having my radio, sat, bluetooth, CD... the whole kit and caboodle go out on me. The symptoms were consistent with what others here have reported just before their systems shut down:

First my iPod would cut on and off as the SOS light flashed above my head. I then tried the CD player which worked for a moment before it too stopped responding. My first clue that something was amiss was when my Droid X wouldn't sync up with the bluetooth after four months of near flawless operation. Now, to add insult to injury, my airbag malfunction warning signal has lit as well. Naturally I'm out of warrantee.

What I couldn't find during my search of the threads was what others paid for the repairs (not necessarily including the airbag issue). If there is anyone out there who has had this issue I would much appreciate some sense of what your approximate costs for the repairs were.

bsamoul · 02-18-2011, 04:41 PM

Happened to me (under warrantee, though) and they had to replace the TCU. The TCU runs all the communications for the entire car. My radio didn't go out, though. I just didn't have BMW Assist (SOS) and Bluetooth.

csquared013 · 02-18-2011, 07:16 PM

hey i JUST dug myself outta this situation, sorry to hear about the radio.

My dealer thought it was a blown amplifier since I have L7. They quoted it at $1800 for a new amp with labor and coding give or take a bit (there are some lower figures on here).

I bought a used amp for $600 since it was a lot cheaper than getting a new one and they were going to charge me $345 for a coding and install until they found out they were wrong about what was wrong with the car.

Finally had a competent shop work on the car and found the issue was the TCU. A new TCU with install and coding set me back $875 after the base fee for diagnostics ($150 at my dealer)

Good luck with the problem, I hope it doesn't turn out to be as much of a pain as mine was!!

urbanite23 · 02-18-2011, 07:54 PM

Wow, I just got a 330i both the op and csquare who had the issue have 330's as well. Are there any symptoms for this or just random? Is it a common issue? sorry to hear btw..

bookman2 · 02-19-2011, 07:00 AM

Thanks for the responses they were helpful. It looks like I'm going to be out at least a grand on this one.

John 070 · 02-19-2011, 07:52 AM

I too have a droid X. I was talking on the bluetooth when it kept dropping. My first impulse was to reboot the phone, no go. Then I got into repairing, etc., no go. I was beginning to worry, when all of a sudden I got the yellow battery icon, and then the entire ignition shut-off (sorry but WTF?).

My hunch is it's software that's trying to orderly shut down unimportant things when the battery is low (unimportant, like the ignition, what do these engineers think?).....

I've never had the problem again and the car was taken on a few trips on the highway which lasted several hours, so my assumption is the battery is recharged properly now...

csquared013 · 02-19-2011, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by urbanite23

Wow, I just got a 330i both the op and csquare who had the issue have 330's as well. Are there any symptoms for this or just random? Is it a common issue? sorry to hear btw..

I asked the dealer about this when i was in for the repair and he told me they see it from time to time because the TCU is a "delicate" unit but he didn't say it was terribly common, luckily.

rbelf · 02-21-2011, 10:08 AM

"Delicate" my a#$...BMW shopped out their TCU productions for the 06 and had a bad install/product with 2 of the 3 suppliers (at least thats what i am finding out). If you look at the price history of the TCU's they started at $1400 and are now down to about $300-$400 because so many people had to buy them. I am having a horrible problem right now...see thread

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=487872

What i am about to replace next is the TCU (already replace the CCC). The only difference is that my entire Nav screen is blank and shuts on and off but this may (hopefully) be because of an intermittent fault in the MOST bus caused by the TCU. IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING and I am in conversations with BMW NA about it. My car is just out of warranty but is a CPO (which doesnt cover electronics!). I urge you and everyone else to call BMW NA about this problem and force them to do something about it (1-800-831-1117; bill at ext. 7305).

Anyway, if you know anyone that can get you wholesale pricing for parts, the TCU should be in the mid $200's plus coding. There are a lot of shops that can code these things if you can avoid going to a dealer...it only takes about 20 minutes. good luck.

02-18-2011, 04:38 PM	#1
bookman2 Second Lieutenant 4 Rep 203 Posts Drives: 2006 330i SP, PP Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Chicago, IL iTrader: (0)	Radio, Bluetooth, etc. all kaput I recently had the displeasure of having my radio, sat, bluetooth, CD... the whole kit and caboodle go out on me. The symptoms were consistent with what others here have reported just before their systems shut down: First my iPod would cut on and off as the SOS light flashed above my head. I then tried the CD player which worked for a moment before it too stopped responding. My first clue that something was amiss was when my Droid X wouldn't sync up with the bluetooth after four months of near flawless operation. Now, to add insult to injury, my airbag malfunction warning signal has lit as well. Naturally I'm out of warrantee. What I couldn't find during my search of the threads was what others paid for the repairs (not necessarily including the airbag issue). If there is anyone out there who has had this issue I would much appreciate some sense of what your approximate costs for the repairs were. Last edited by bookman2; 02-18-2011 at 04:40 PM.. Reason: grammer
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02-18-2011, 04:41 PM	#2
bsamoul Major General 167 Rep 7,433 Posts Drives: E90 325i Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Walnut Creek, California iTrader: (2)	Happened to me (under warrantee, though) and they had to replace the TCU. The TCU runs all the communications for the entire car. My radio didn't go out, though. I just didn't have BMW Assist (SOS) and Bluetooth. __________________ -Brian 2X 2006 BMW 325i [Electric Red & Mystic Blue] \| ZPP \| V1 \| Rear Fogs \| M3 Lip Spoiler \| EAS RemoteKey \| BMS Powerbox \| Projector90 Headlights w/ LED AE \| LED plate lights \| OEM Blacklines http://www.tech-shine.com
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02-18-2011, 07:16 PM	#3
csquared013 Private First Class 25 Rep 152 Posts Drives: Arctic metallic 2006 330xi Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Santa Fe, NM iTrader: (1)	hey i JUST dug myself outta this situation, sorry to hear about the radio. My dealer thought it was a blown amplifier since I have L7. They quoted it at $1800 for a new amp with labor and coding give or take a bit (there are some lower figures on here). I bought a used amp for $600 since it was a lot cheaper than getting a new one and they were going to charge me $345 for a coding and install until they found out they were wrong about what was wrong with the car. Finally had a competent shop work on the car and found the issue was the TCU. A new TCU with install and coding set me back $875 after the base fee for diagnostics ($150 at my dealer) Good luck with the problem, I hope it doesn't turn out to be as much of a pain as mine was!!
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02-18-2011, 07:54 PM	#4
urbanite23 Private First Class 36 Rep 188 Posts Drives: black beauty Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: east coast iTrader: (0)	Wow, I just got a 330i both the op and csquare who had the issue have 330's as well. Are there any symptoms for this or just random? Is it a common issue? sorry to hear btw..
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02-19-2011, 07:00 AM	#5
bookman2 Second Lieutenant 4 Rep 203 Posts Drives: 2006 330i SP, PP Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Chicago, IL iTrader: (0)	Thanks for the responses they were helpful. It looks like I'm going to be out at least a grand on this one.
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02-19-2011, 07:52 AM	#6
John 070 Lieutenant General 1706 Rep 14,829 Posts Drives: 335i cpe Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: ZSP/ZPP/ZCW iTrader: (0)	I too have a droid X. I was talking on the bluetooth when it kept dropping. My first impulse was to reboot the phone, no go. Then I got into repairing, etc., no go. I was beginning to worry, when all of a sudden I got the yellow battery icon, and then the entire ignition shut-off (sorry but WTF?). My hunch is it's software that's trying to orderly shut down unimportant things when the battery is low (unimportant, like the ignition, what do these engineers think?)..... I've never had the problem again and the car was taken on a few trips on the highway which lasted several hours, so my assumption is the battery is recharged properly now...
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02-21-2011, 10:08 AM	#8
rbelf Private 3 Rep 72 Posts Drives: 2006 330I Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Wilmington, DE iTrader: (0)	"Delicate" my a#$...BMW shopped out their TCU productions for the 06 and had a bad install/product with 2 of the 3 suppliers (at least thats what i am finding out). If you look at the price history of the TCU's they started at $1400 and are now down to about $300-$400 because so many people had to buy them. I am having a horrible problem right now...see thread http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=487872 What i am about to replace next is the TCU (already replace the CCC). The only difference is that my entire Nav screen is blank and shuts on and off but this may (hopefully) be because of an intermittent fault in the MOST bus caused by the TCU. IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING and I am in conversations with BMW NA about it. My car is just out of warranty but is a CPO (which doesnt cover electronics!). I urge you and everyone else to call BMW NA about this problem and force them to do something about it (1-800-831-1117; bill at ext. 7305). Anyway, if you know anyone that can get you wholesale pricing for parts, the TCU should be in the mid $200's plus coding. There are a lot of shops that can code these things if you can avoid going to a dealer...it only takes about 20 minutes. good luck.
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