When I am on a Bluetooth call with my iPhone 4, and I select the source on the iPhone to be the phone itself (instead of the BMW Bluetooth because I am getting out of the car), the call is transferred back to the phone but the BMW Bluetooth stays on (and keeps counting seconds). I walk away from the car, after pressing the start/stop button twice as I usually do to kill the engine and radio mode, but Bluetooth stays on in the car. When I return, I have a dead battery.

So... How do I tell my car that it is okay to shut down, as the call has been transferred back to my handset?

 

^^^Either hang up before you shut the car off or turn off the bluetooth on your iphone. The car will continue to hold a bluetooth phone connection as long as you are still on the phone.

 

+1 It is a bother but seems to be only solution that works for me too.

 

Is your car battery dead or your iPhone battery? I usually turn my car off (Comfort Access) and push the start button twice to shut down everything ... but not always and I don't experience any unusual battery drain. Once I'm out of BT range ( about 30 ft ) even if BT is enabled on my Droid my calls are transferred to the phone. I do notice that if I forget I sometimes miss a call if it comes in after I've left he car, locked the door, and begun to walk away but within a few feet of the car.

 

The car battery went dead.

 

it seems strange for the bluetooth to kill a battery, unless its not letting the car sleep, but still, how much power could it use?

 

I think that's just it. It's not that the Bluetooth is killing the battery, it's that it keeps the battery mode on in the car as it doesn't recognize that I have switched from "BMW Bluetooth" to "iPhone" for the source on the phone. The speaker in the car switches off (but not back to radio, etc.), and it keeps the counter going on the car. Maybe I need to find out how to switch the source on the car, instead of doing it on the phone?

 

How old is your car battery? Maybe it's near-dead and the delay in the idrive to shutoff after a call disconnects is enough to kill it. I had that happen for a year on a car battery which was essentially dead but I was too stupid to realize it. Even something like an interior light on for an extra 30 seconds would kill my car battery.

 

I have experienced many problems with my battery draining, and had 2 batteries replaced under warranty.BMW can not identify the source and are now saying I have to drive longer distances or get a battery tender! Ridiculous in my opinion for a high end car.Something is clearly staying on and not putting the car to sleep and their"solution" is just a patch.You may be experiencing the same issue.Google battery draining early on BMW 5 series and read the article from the Chicago Tribune about some other unfortunate owner with the same issue

 

Mine seems be on some sort timer when I do this. When i turn the car completely off and remain in the car on a conversation eventually the Bluetooth will disconnect and shut down. Same as if I walk away and it transfer to the phone. I think I will pay attention to how long it stays connected. I have a new battery so there are no battery issues with this. I can imagine there would be if you had a weak battery. When I did have a weak battery it wouldn't take much to cause the warning light to illuminate.