FYI - this part number has been superseded by a new part number: 65 83 9 273 195. My drive just went bad (won't eject or take new DVDs) and I've found this tidbit of useful information for anyone else who may need it.

I had a 2005 and 2012 nav DVD and I was having the same errors, DVD read error, and Please Insert Navigation DVD (when it was already in there), so I replaced my dvd drive and fan following these instructions. It recognizes the dvd is in there now, but I'm still occasionally getting the DVD read error with both year DVD's. Any ideas what else could be wrong?

huguetguy,
My 2007 has been intermittent over the last couple of months and finally two days ago I permanently got the "please insert...." message. If I put a CD in the drive it will play the CD no problem, however cannot focus in on the DVD. I can hear the unit trying to focus when I first load the disc, then it gives up. Can you tell me where you bought the replacement drive and how much you paid? How long did it take you to change it out? Make sure your discs are clean, the smaller pit size of a DVD make scratches and smudges more significant in terms of error.
Thanks,

I bought my drive and fan from thebmwpartstore.com, it was around $136 with a core charge that I can't remember exactly. I have reset a couple times now, and have been running the 2005 disc and it's been working now for without any errors. Time to switch back to the newer disc (no smudges or anything, it's pristine) and see if it errors out, and then I'll know it's something with the newer disc.

Update
 

Just FYI, I purchased from theBMWpartstore.com and installed the replacement drive. It is still a version M3.5 and is obviously a refurb which seems to be all that is shipping now according to parts department. The new drive did not play CD or spin up a DVD and I was getting the same "Please insert...." message as before. With very little hassle, Mike at the parts store sent another unit and voila, works like new!. So don't panic if you get one that doesn't work and start thinking you have another issue like I did. I was optimistic when the new one didn't play a CD and my old one did. Thanks,
Kevin

H all. I get both errors ("please insert" and "DVD read error”). I swapped the disc. I know just get "please insert" but if I eject the disc and then re-insert it often works. Does that sound like a definite DVD player swap or bad luck with DVD's?

Cheers.

yeah, i think it sounds like you should swap the dvd drive.

great Excuse for a CIC retrofit!

Help, please; swapped drive and now screen is blank
 

So, I finally tackled this project, and it has got the better of me. Upon buttoning everything up, I started the car as normal, and everything worked except the iDrive screen: it was totally dark. I tried pressing menu to bring it up, and nothing. I checked the new DVD drive by inserting a 2013 nav disc, and the drive pulled it in and sounded like it was reading the disc, but cof course I couldn't see anything on the screen to confirm that. I thought maybe I can pull up nav through the voice command, but nope, "That function is not available," was the response, although I was able to use it to tune the radio.

As the radio was working fine, the next test was the CD player. I shut off the car, came back with a CD, start car, put it in, it plays fine. Then I tried voice command again, and all I got was a crackle through the front right speaker, but no 'response from the system at all. I tried it again, but nothing. Very frustrating, and a bit concerning. I haven't killed the car, and it seems the CCC is not totally gone, insofar as it operates the CD, DVD, and radio, but I don't know where to begin troubleshooting this problem, and given the strangeness with the voice control function, it seems like more than the screen simply dying.

I'd be most grateful for any assistance.

Help, please; swapped drive and now screen is blank
 

I tried rebooting iDrive to no avail. I did, however, note that the response of the control knob seems to make sense. For example, if I press Menu a few times to make sure that I'm at the top level, and then push forward for navigation, the knob can be turned two 2 clicks.