Originally Posted by txag_530i

You can buy a used CCC from eBay or the classified ads on this site and install it in your car. Use NCS Expert to code the CCC to the options (or Vehicle Order) of your car. It works just fine, there's no need to change the VIN. The NCS Expert software and cable can be had for about $120 on eBay.

If you don't want to buy the software and cable then find someone local to do the coding for you.

You shouldn't presume that the CCCs on eBay come from flooded cars. Some of the E60 models are 10-years old and have been sold for scrap, or the owner's have upgraded to the CIC. My CCC came out of a 2006 M5, which is the same model year as my 530i. I got the whole system (screen, controller and CCC) from the classifieds for about $400. I sold my M-ASK components for $300, so it cost me $100 for the upgrade (not including the cost of the software package that I already had).

Originally Posted by KyleB

I assume your car already had CCC iDrive? if so, what did you have to change in the VO to get your replacement CCC to function? just curious

Originally Posted by Big Chaze

After countless hours searching the web I finally find someone who had the same identical symptoms as I do. Exactly the same. Althouhg my battery hasnt drained since its new, I was worried about the same thing. I did notice when I pulled a fuse out of the glove box the fans stopped working so I guess ill do that now until I figure out what to purchase with regards to a ccc. smh. Thanks for the info bud.

Originally Posted by DavaiLave

Just in case anyone has this issue in the future, I will share my experience:

I have a 2004 BMW E60 with "Professional Navigation", and one day when starting the car in the morning my iDrive told me that the battery had experienced a high drain overnight, but the car still started, and iDrive still worked. I went about my business.

The next day, I started the car in the morning and the iDrive was entirely dead. The screen didn't display anything, and the iDrive controller would spin freely. The DVD and CD eject buttons did not function. However, I noticed that there was a noticeable sound coming from the CD/DVD drives (sounded like a fan running), and the DVD/CD console lights would always stay on. I would also get the yellow SOS Error display icon on the speedometer.

The CD/DVD fan would run 100% of the time, and the lights around it would stay on 100% of the time, even when the engine was off and the car was locked. This, I assumed, was causing my battery to drain. I am attaching a picture of what it looks like when this issue happens (picture was taken when all lights were set to "off" and car was supposed to be "sleeping" with the doors locked... but clearly wasn't). (I also checked the IBS, Intelligent Battery Sensor, as outlined in many threads, in the trunk by the battery, and tried to unplug it, thinking that was the root cause of the drain, but it didn't make a difference.

I did not try unplugging the actual battery temporarily, because I was worried about the ramifications of something going wrong, and possibly being unable to start the engine afterwards). I also checked the trunk for water or condensation, even under the spare tire, but found no water or issues there (common known issue which can fry electronics in an E60). Thus, I knew it wasn't water seeping into the trunk causing the issue.

I took the car to a BMW dealer (here in the States), and for $100 they diagnosed the issue (I feel this is fair pricing for diagnostics at the dealer which require specialized computer equipment). They said my CCC had a catastrophic failure, and had to be replaced (car is over 10 years old, obviously no warranty). They quoted $1,400 parts and labor to install and program a refurbished/certified CCC unit.

Obviously, I wasn't going to pay $1,400 to repair the iDrive on a 10+ year old car at the dealer. They quoted the CCC alone at $1,456 minus $500 refund if I returned the old unit (total CCC price around $950). The programming was quoted at $280, and the rest was "labor", tearing apart the dash and reassembling it. That's how is came to $1,400. The BMW part number for the CCC was given as 65-83-9-123-088.

The trouble was that every moment the car sat parked, the battery would be drained by the constant spinning of the fan and the lights, which wouldn't turn off under any circumstances (even when car was locked). The CCC was keeping the car from "sleeping", it seems. This is a huge problem, since BMW batteries are expensive and must be programed to the car.

I felt like I was sitting on a ticking timebomb, which could discharge the battery at any time, and thus leaving me stranded.

I needed to "stop the bleeding," otherwise the battery would be dead in a matter of a few days if parked. The dealer offered to disable the CCC for another $140 on top of the $100 diagnostics fee, saying they would tear apart the dash and physically unplug the CCC unit. This would stop the bleeding, and I could salvage my battery, while of course not gaining any functionality because the iDrive would remain dead.

In the end, to stop the bleeding, I simply pulled out fuse number 34 in the glove compartment (easy to access). This stopped the CCC from constantly spinning/running the fan, and the console lights (LEDs) turned off, thus (I hope) saving my battery from draining while parked.

So far, it doesn't look like any other functionality has been affected (best I can tell). The rest of the dash and climate controls light up and seem to work as normal. However, I no longer get the seat belt "prong" (sound), and the open door sounds (prongs) are gone too. Of course, steering where buttons/controls are also inoperable, but that's expected. Overall, not a terrible situation, given the situation. At least the car drives fine and doesn't seem to throw any other errors.

I am now in the market for a used CCC, it seems they go for around $500 online, but I assume many come from flooded cars, which has its own inherent risk. It would also need to be programmed to the car, and it's uncertain if a BMW dealer will program a pre-owned CCC unit to a customer's car, since it didn't come from their "official source".

In the mean time, I'm enjoying the BMW driving experience without the pesky iDrive, music, and navigation. It's a bit lonely in there, but at least (I think) my battery isn't draining while I look for a used CCC.

I hope this helps someone out there. If anyone knows any good sources for legitmate CCC units, please let me know. Thanks.