iDrive Malfunction
03-10-2013 | 07:19 PM
#21
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From: Tampa (Riverview), Florida
My Ride: Rides: 1992 525i (Sold), 2000 Dodge Dakota Quad Cab (Sold), Everett-Morrison Cobra - built 1998, 2005 Nissan Frontier Pick Up (daily driver)
Something killed my car - starting with the iDrive - I guess I am at the mercy of the dealership - if I can get the car there. I am sure they'll charge accordingly now...
03-11-2013 | 09:10 AM
#22
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After reading the thread, this sounds like a distinct battery/alternator problem. I could be off, but before going to the dealer, just try going to Autozone and putting a battery in it. It almost sounds like your battery is completely dead and considering you have low mileage, it probably never managed to get a good charge from the alternator (I'm assuming you make relatively short trips in the car). These cars will shut down systems if the voltage is low enough. Your battery is probably so low in voltage that IDrive had to shut down, followed by all of the other ancillary systems. You have low mileage, too so i bet that is the original battery in there. Also note that the alternator doesn't run all of the time like most cars, so you have to drive these cars regularly and for a decent distance. This could also be related to your loss of power issue you had...if your alternator or battery isn't putting out power, you have nothing to fire the coils, hence power loss. Try a new battery first...
03-11-2013 | 01:58 PM
#23
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My Ride: E60 530i
After reading the thread, this sounds like a distinct battery/alternator problem. I could be off, but before going to the dealer, just try going to Autozone and putting a battery in it. It almost sounds like your battery is completely dead and considering you have low mileage, it probably never managed to get a good charge from the alternator (I'm assuming you make relatively short trips in the car). These cars will shut down systems if the voltage is low enough. Your battery is probably so low in voltage that IDrive had to shut down, followed by all of the other ancillary systems. You have low mileage, too so i bet that is the original battery in there. Also note that the alternator doesn't run all of the time like most cars, so you have to drive these cars regularly and for a decent distance. This could also be related to your loss of power issue you had...if your alternator or battery isn't putting out power, you have nothing to fire the coils, hence power loss. Try a new battery first...
03-11-2013 | 03:07 PM
#24
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From: Encino, CA
My Ride: 04 545i - Titanium Silver/Black, Sport pkg, Comfort Seats w/ Lumbar, Premium Sound, power rear sunshade, Adaptive Xenon Headlights, Steptronic, Park Distance Control, Fold down rear seats w/ski bag, Aux jack, 6-disk changer, puddle lamps...
Engine: Custom Remus cat-back exhaust w/chrome square tips, K&N Air Filter, Charcoal Filter Removed, Sprint Booster :-), 50/50 mix of 91+100 Octane, EuroRev ECU Remap (coming soon lol), Dinan High-Flow Throttle Body (coming soon...maybe lol)
Interior: Portable Sirius Stilletto 100 w/car kit, Garmin Nuvi 680 mounted below rear-view mirror, LCI-style I-drive knob, Dark Poplar Center Dashboard Trim.
Exterior: E60 forum clings, 5% rear tint, ACS roof spoiler (painted black for distinct look against limo tint), ACS trunk spoiler, ACS add-on front spoiler and rear apron (awaiting installation), "18 Black Staggered BeBeS Style OER (emergency replacement for cracked sport 124 rims), black kidney grill, white accessory lighting (including license and trunk lamps), Angel-eye upgrade, AIB xenon-matched fog lamps, AIB V3's on order, red rear reflectors
This is still sounding like a faulty MPM. But, for giggles, take the TCU out of the loop. If it is faulty, it may be preventing the car from going to sleep. And since it's a device in the MOST bus loop, if it is malfunctioning it may be causing your iDrive errors/problems as well. You could try taking the TCU out of the loop by coupling the fiber lines going in and out of the TCU (you'd have to use the #4 part in this REALOEM diagram: RealOEM.com BMW E60 M5 Repair parts, optical fibre cable
If you are creful and attentive, this should be about 30 minutes or less to do and could eliminate the TCU as being the primary problem.
If you are creful and attentive, this should be about 30 minutes or less to do and could eliminate the TCU as being the primary problem.
03-12-2013 | 01:10 PM
#25
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I read awhile ago that the alternator charged the battery up to like 80-90% or something and disengaged for the sake of fuel economy when on the highway (reduced engine drag). I might've confused it with the part time operation of the electric water pump. I can't find that article now, but its interesting to see that the LCI e60 utilized features that marked the beginnings of BMW's Efficient Dynamics
5 Series Sedan and Touring Facelift - E60/E61 (2007 - 2010 ) - Power unit: the engine
5 Series Sedan and Touring Facelift - E60/E61 (2007 - 2010 ) - Power unit: the engine
03-12-2013 | 02:01 PM
#26
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My Ride: E60 530i
on the OP's vehicle: MY06 550i the alternator runs constantly and I believe the water pump is the same. Each BMW is different from the next. While most use similar electronics and design some parts and the controller software to run them is completely different. The software can be manipulated to make a part do whatever you want but it takes knowledge of how to do something like this. But as far as the OP, alternator runs constantly. With or without the IBS it needs to constantly have battery and a steady output from alternator. If it disengaged this would cause an immediate dip to 12.4v or so. ANYTHING under 13 volts will eventually throw a non stationary vehicle into a panic.
03-14-2013 | 11:25 AM
#27
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From: Tampa (Riverview), Florida
My Ride: Rides: 1992 525i (Sold), 2000 Dodge Dakota Quad Cab (Sold), Everett-Morrison Cobra - built 1998, 2005 Nissan Frontier Pick Up (daily driver)
Update - I had the car put on a flatbed for a trip to the dealership. They had to put a new battery to even move it. I jumped it at home and it started - had to to get it positioned for the flatbed. The iDrive came on - at least the welcome screen did when I jumped it, Unfortunately, I have to take the dealer's word for what happened - but I understand it all may have started from a weakening battery - I do not drive the car a lot
Long story short - the dealer told me the "radio" failed and it killed everything. They are replacing the iDrive unit - he gave me some terms I did not understand but the car will be ready tomorrow - possibly, and I'm on my way to pick up a loaner. The battery is almost 400 bucks and he said the entire repair will be around $1800. I'll have more details when I get it - and it BETTER be a warranty on all this work...
And the battery was not the original - that one started failing and I had it replaced at the 3.5 year mark - so this one is maybe 2.5 years old.
Military discount may save me around 200 bucks.
Oh, and unfortunately, with the stupid iDrive I'd have no way of knowing if my alternator is charging unless the screen is on - I was apparently running on pure battery power - but the tech told me the Alternator is OK... We'll see...
Long story short - the dealer told me the "radio" failed and it killed everything. They are replacing the iDrive unit - he gave me some terms I did not understand but the car will be ready tomorrow - possibly, and I'm on my way to pick up a loaner. The battery is almost 400 bucks and he said the entire repair will be around $1800. I'll have more details when I get it - and it BETTER be a warranty on all this work...
And the battery was not the original - that one started failing and I had it replaced at the 3.5 year mark - so this one is maybe 2.5 years old.
Military discount may save me around 200 bucks.
Oh, and unfortunately, with the stupid iDrive I'd have no way of knowing if my alternator is charging unless the screen is on - I was apparently running on pure battery power - but the tech told me the Alternator is OK... We'll see...
Last edited by santiago fonseca; 03-14-2013 at 11:28 AM.
03-29-2013 | 08:51 AM
#28
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From: Cerritos
My Ride: Jet Black 530i with some mods
Yo Tiny! txt me the name of the indy shop you used. My car is having this same problem now.. I'm debating whether its even worth fixing. Ironically, the car itself is still running really well at 186k miles.
03-29-2013 | 08:16 PM
#29
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From: Tampa (Riverview), Florida
My Ride: Rides: 1992 525i (Sold), 2000 Dodge Dakota Quad Cab (Sold), Everett-Morrison Cobra - built 1998, 2005 Nissan Frontier Pick Up (daily driver)
Update - Fixed by Reeves - $1804.00 total
The "radio" crashed and that took the whole system down. The report says: "Radio head unit is (sic) failed before and after replacement of battery iDrive screen keeps going blank. Radio head unit is not communicating and keeps rebooting at times...:" yada, yada, yada. CCC head unit is faulty, replaced reprogrammed radio head unit. At this time operating as designed."
Of course the new software load wiped my entire address book clean and it wiped my cumulative mileage - it didn't zero the odometer, but it did the trip odometer - no big deal...
It even gave me a DVD error when I tried to enter a new address. I ejected the DVD, inserted it again and it was fine. Two year warranty they tell me...
What I still don't get is a car that "smart" has to be told it's got a new battery and it cost me almost 100 bucks (on top of the high cost of the battery itself) to "register it"
The "radio" crashed and that took the whole system down. The report says: "Radio head unit is (sic) failed before and after replacement of battery iDrive screen keeps going blank. Radio head unit is not communicating and keeps rebooting at times...:" yada, yada, yada. CCC head unit is faulty, replaced reprogrammed radio head unit. At this time operating as designed."
Of course the new software load wiped my entire address book clean and it wiped my cumulative mileage - it didn't zero the odometer, but it did the trip odometer - no big deal...
It even gave me a DVD error when I tried to enter a new address. I ejected the DVD, inserted it again and it was fine. Two year warranty they tell me...
What I still don't get is a car that "smart" has to be told it's got a new battery and it cost me almost 100 bucks (on top of the high cost of the battery itself) to "register it"
04-18-2013 | 02:56 PM
#30
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From: Cerritos
My Ride: Jet Black 530i with some mods
I just replaced my iDrive unit too. got the parts from Tischer BMW(refurb'd unit by BMW) $671.00 + $150 installation + $40 for coding. Paid $861.00 Total.. I guess that's not too bad.