So I've got a 1995 e38 and the car phone still works, I just inserted a SIM card into the cradle and everything checks out. I can even use the handset to send and receive calls and messages but there's no sound when trying to go hands-free.
When someone calls and the radio is on, the radio goes quiet, but there's no ringtone. And if I answer the silent call, they can hear me, but I can't hear the caller through the stereo unless I use the handset.
Any clues on how I might troubleshoot this issue? (I know almost no one uses these car-phones anymore, but I do like the retro-cool factor )
It's a mix now in the USA, Verizon still CDMA but T-Mobile & AT&T are the same as the rest of the world.
Check that the door speakers are the original double voice-coil types. These have a separate winding for the phone sound (each speaker has four connections). Quite often a previous owner will have swapped out the speakers to single-coil types.
Timm..2007 E64 650i Individual Sport..1999 E31 840ci Individual Sport..ex owner of 2000 E38 740..1999 E38 740i V8 M62..1998 E38 735i V8..1993 E32 730i V8..1988 E28 518i
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I'm quite jealous of this. I would love to offer the car phone for use the one or two times a year I have passengers.
Thanks Timm, that's something I never would have considered. I'll definitely look into that.
I found this problem on my old 740. Check the phone module in the boot, and that the co-ax cable to it has not become trapped and squashed, which can easily happen. As soon as mine was released the phone worked just fine
i'm jealous, wish we could get them to work stateside..
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