I had a Verizon Blackberry Storm in my 330cic and it worked just fine. When I purchased by 2006 550i late December, it worked fine for about three months. Then when I made a call, the person at the other end could not hear me. And, when someone called me they could not hear me answer.

I took the car into the dealership for a 15,000-mile check and had them look at the phone, they confirmed the speaker did not work, and asked me to make another appointment.

I took the car back two weeks later, and was told they paired someone else?s phone and it worked just fine. They said that the Storm was not a BMW bluetooth supported phone and that I would have to pick the Pearl, which was the only BMW support phone offered by Verizon. I did not want the Pearl, so I paid to cancel my Verizon contract and purchased the new 3GS iPhone from AT&T.

The iPhone paired and worked just fine in the car for about three weeks, so I thought BMW was right it was the phone. Then all of a sudden it quit working, meaning once again, when someone calls me the phone rings, but I cannot hear them, and they cannot hear me. When I call someone, I see the phone dialing, no sound, I see it connecting, no sound, and when someone answers they cannot hear me, and I cannot hear them until I switch the iPhone to away from bluetooth and to the iPhone or iPhone speaker.

I took the car into the dealership, explaining the same problem. Two hours later they call and say it?s the phone, and all you have to do is download the new software. So, I am guessing Apple has a patch for this. They leave the technical bulletin in the car:

SI B 84 04 09 ? Communication Systems, June 2009, Technical Service:

Subject: The Landside Person Finds the Caller Speaking from an iPhone 3G Hard to Understand. (I have an iPhone 3GS)

Model: E82, E88, E90, E91, E92, E60, E61, E63, E64, F01, F02, E70, E71 (I have an E60)

Vehicles produced from 2/28/07 to 8/30/09 equipped with ZPP (Premium Package) or SA 639 (My car is a 2006, produced in2005)

Cause: Apple iPhone software Bluetooth handling

Procedure: Do not replace any parts or update the vehicle software. Update the Apple iPhone software to OS 3.0 (available from Apple).

After the phone software update, it may be necessary to delete the iPhone paired to the vehicle and them pair it again, in order for the phone to operate properly.

So, wouldn?t you think the service technician would have looked at my iPhone, which I had left with them to see that my phone already had the OS 3.0 installed? My phone states: Version: 3.0 (7A341). Also, wouldn?t they know that this doesn?t pertain to my car since it?s a 2006?

I am looking for advice on how to convince the dealership that it is the car, not the two phones from two different manufacturers and two different carriers.

 

I?m sure you practised the arguments already - are there any other problems with the iPhone in your car? If not then the co-incidence factor is strong here is it not. The dealer would recognise that too. The fact that the problem is common when two different handsets are in use would point towards a problem in the car?s system initially. The unapproved status of the Storm is a convenient blame area; the fact the iPhone apparently has ?issues? in the area of your problem is a ?co-incidence? that steers the dealer towards the iPhone being a problem........a conundrum!

Perhaps an issue here is that these types of problems can be lengthy to track down from the dealer?s perspective, therefore a reluctance to investigate is in the background?

I?m not sure it helps you situation a deal however the attached SIB notice dates from 2007; it lays out the procedure for dealers when investigating handset/car problems for warranty claims. It also states that using an unapproved handset may trigger a fault condition in the cars system ? the example is not your reported problem, however a suggestion that this can happen is made ? it?s a long shot maybe, but worth a try in suggesting they look further into the cars system being an irritant contributing to creating the fault condition experienced.

My 2006 e60 had problems with some later handset models I tried, indeed the approved Motorola V9 had an unstable connection with the car initially ? since the car software was updated to solve other issues the V9 gave no problems at all; it did however work first time in my 08 e65. In the main the problems I?ve experienced in recent years have been with handsets, not the car. This area is not an exact science! Good luck.....................


SI_B_84_21_07_Communication_Systems_November_2007.pdf

 

Finally convinced the dealer it was the car, and they replaced the bluetooth communication module (looking for my paperwork to be more specific on the part no.). It works like a charm. Only frustrating thing is that I spent over $500 after cancelling my contract with Verizon, and buying a new iPhone with AT&T, which was all totally unnecessary because it was the car. The bad news is Verizon has much better coverage, the good news it I love the iPhone.

 

Happy to hear you worked it out with BMW, and sorry you had to go to AT&T in the process! I used to be with AT&T, but their coverage was absolutely terrible!! I have been with Verizon ever since and it has been SMOOTH SAILING!! Your Bluetooth problem is common, as we speak, it is happening in my X5, and just like you, BMW is claiming the phone is the issue, despite the fact it worked flawlessly for a year before these issues cropped up and AFTER BMW took the dash apart!!

 

I've got the same problem, just suddenly happened, been happily using it with my 3GS for a few weeks. Been to the dealer, not interested as out of warranty and don?t have a clue. Also been to a specialist again not interested just fobbed me off with what the BMW dealer said which was to fit a new Bluetooth module as fault code was showing. However this will hundreds and no guarantee that it will solve the problem. They couldn?t even tell me what the fault code meant. One thing I did before it stopped working was have a Ipod kit fitted my BMW, but they have checked it over and said it all fine.