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Thread: Radio problems

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Latvia
    Posts
    7
    My Cars
    E39

    Radio problems

    Hello, new to this forum and i have couple of questions.
    1. ) I have problems with my radio. When I start my car the radio is working fine, but after some time it just turns off and I can't turn it back on, it is like not responding. I have that 4:3 navi and some functions work, I can reset fuel consumption but anything with radio is not working, can't change station or anything. Radio turns off most often when I am driving and can't turn it back on, I have to turn my ignition off and on again for radio to start working again.

    2. ) And also I have problems with my 4:3 navi. Screen sometimes turns on and off for some time randomly but the radio was working for that time, the screen just turned off. And it like flickers sometimes.

    3. ) Can i downgrade to standard MID unit without any screen so I can keep my OBC functions?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    West London/Heathrow - UK
    Posts
    7,203
    My Cars
    03 530dT - Ex Police Car
    Hi,

    Your symptoms are indicative of problems within the modular setup and the 'turns off' thing means the amplifier module isn't getting the signal to remain switched on and therefore switches itself off. It 'could' be the amplifier itself is becoming more faulty - a well known issue and/or one of the other modules is faulty and/or the wiring has a continuity issue or cut etc. The 4:3 screen flicker is also well known and could be the video module or tv module beginning to become faulty, it could be the TFT screen itself as it's perhaps more than 20 years old now.

    You'll not be able to put in the MID module as that needs a different wiring loom completely and if you have DSP you'll need to remove the complete loom and speakers etc and I think also the wiring between the MID panel and instrument cluster.

    You have a choice now to spend considerably over the next few months, mid term and long term in keeping the OEM setup working as each module begins to fail with the multiple points of failure each has or, remove the OEM setup and put in modern electronics/head units/amplifiers/speakers etc.

    Cheers, Dennis!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Latvia
    Posts
    7
    My Cars
    E39
    What about aftermarket 1 DIN radio? Controls on my steering wheel will be able to control radio? Like volume, next/previous song. But with aftermarket radio there wont be option to reset fuel consumption or change time?
    EDIT:
    And if my amp is dying, can i replace it with some aftermarket amp and remove the OEM amp.
    Last edited by KVDS; 01-07-2019 at 03:15 PM.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    West London/Heathrow - UK
    Posts
    7,203
    My Cars
    03 530dT - Ex Police Car
    Hi

    There's various options you can go for and all have been discussed on this and all other BMW forums. You can go Single DIN, Double DIN, Chinese units, a car PC, tablet install, Raspberry Pi, or NBT retrofit.

    Steering wheel control adaptors/interfaces are available from the brands who make high quality and reliable head units or from after market specialists.

    If you have or wish to keep the OEM modules, you can add an external amp and there's various ways of doing so, all have been discussed previously. You can either remove the OEM amp or keep it and have an external amplifier - it all depends on what you want, how you want your audio quality performance increased and how much you want to spend

    Only a few head units promise full OBC connectivity and support and which work well. If this is vital for you, consider the Car PC/Tablet/Raspberry Pi/NBT retrofit. This again depends on other aspects you want and which route you take in terms of ensuring it works for you.

    Have a search here on this and other BMW forums to see what others have done and evaluate what you'd like and would want and then create a shortlist of products you want and if you can do it all yourself or if you'd need professional fitting etc.

    Cheers, Dennis!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Latvia
    Posts
    7
    My Cars
    E39
    Today took my car for a drive and everything was fine, radio screen didn't glitch or turn off and radio didn't turn off. Everything was fine. Could this radio and navigation unit be affected by cold weather? Couple days ago it was like -2 C to -5 C and today it was around 0 C

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Arlington, VA
    Posts
    9,933
    My Cars
    2018 BMW M240i
    Electronix manufactures have been using lead free solder for decades. Lead free solder is safer for assembly line workers. However, lead free solder is less flexible than solder with lead. As a result, modern electronix tend to suffer from bad solder joints. That is, the solder that acts as a signal conduit, breaks away from either the component (e.g., resistor, capacitor, etc.) or the circuit board on which the component is mounted. Hence you get an intermittent problem. The solution is to check the modules for bad solder joints with a magnifying glass. Then reflow the bad joints with a low wattage soldering iron (25 watts) and high quality solder designed for electronix.
    Also, voltage variations can cause older electronix to act up. You should check your car’s voltage at the jumper under the red plastic cover under the hood. Use the engine as a ground.

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