Where and how do I activate this function?

 

What country are you in?

This feature isn't available in the US.

 

Rudy: It was my 2-month anniversary this past weekend. Am I still a 'new' owner?? . Anyway, I completely agree that most all of the 3 BMWs I've owned (all new) have had less than stellar radio reception. I'm not sure if the problem is multipath rejection, low-quality antennas, or what. My only concern was the desert530 made a blanket statement that I didn't think was correct or deserved. There is a fix, to AM only, and, to my understanding, non-NAV, i.e. M-ASK cars only. "Radio is known to be bad on all E60s" is inflamatory, alarmist, vague, and not fair to either BMW or our newer owners. I do listen to AM a lot. Thanks.

Sam

 

Rudy is correct. This feature is not available in the US, since the radio stations have to air this special signal, what tells the radio to pause the CD and switch to FM receiption, and the US stations are not doing that.
If you're not in the US there is a setting for it on your idrive... But I assume you are in the US...!?

 

The problem is very annoying. When you listen the premium sound system that cost $1800 extra you come to the conclusion you have been cheated.

 

I believe this is annoying. But you have not been cheated, because the poor AM receipton is poor on the standard sound system as well as on the logic 7. It's the radio, not the sound system...

 

Sorry Sam, I probably should've omitted the word "other" in my salutation. [Should have read "Sam (and new E60 owners)"] Two months is a relative term -- I wouldn't consider you a "rookie" at that point but others might!

I understood (and agree with) why you originally posted about the risk of making blanket statements which is why I tried to detail the problem many of us have with the radio. From your initial post, I saw that you weren't aware of (or never experienced) the AM reception problem.

I chose to address the post to you and new owners to try to help remove the vagueness of the blanket statement you were talking about but my inclusion of the word "other" implied that you were a new owner as well.

As far as the radio problem -- my E30 and both of my E39's had acceptable AM reception but the E60's is clearly deficient. I'm surprised you haven't experienced it. For me, it actually happens most on a 50,000 (the highest allowable wattage, I think) clear-channel watt station located a few miles away. It's almost as if the radio crackles when the signal is too strong, not too weak!

 

Who makes the radio? I heard something about Alpine from the dealer. Can somebody confirm? My experience with Alpine has been very good and excellent reception in am. However, my am reception is not as good as with an Alpine receiver I had years ago.

 

sj3: You seem to be very upset that I made that statement . I wasn't talking about AM I was talking about the radio reception over all, ans specifically about FM.
I have had my car since January and my radio problem hasn't been fixable yet. I have navigation and I don't see how that is relative (correct me if i'm wrong but I thought navigation could come on both M-ASK and CCC regardless, there might be a difference in pro-NAV)

Anyway, you are telling me BMW has no Radio problems. Go back to earlier posts in this forum and you will find out yourslef and i'm not that only one who is getting poor radio reception.

Any my statement all E60s I didn't bring from no where, I took my car to the dealer and he told me you are not the only one who complained but we will have a look at it. They kept the car with them and compaired the reception to other E60s (Brand new ones in the lot). Their reply to me was "ALL CARS HAD THE SAME RECEPTION"

Local radio stations are no problem, but other stations from near regions are almost gone. In other cars (American - Jappanese) those channels i lost wit hthe E60 are crystal clear. I just don't understand why I paid that much money when I cannot listen to my favorite radio station.

Probably you could search more or propose a solution

Thank you for your concern

 

Desert: We need to be careful about our words since many people come here for information. You indicated that all E60s have bad radios. Saying that all E60's on a Saudi dealer's lot had radios with substandard reception would be much much different and more reflective of your meaning. My AM reception isn't the greatest either; FM seems fine, for me. I'm also well aware of the various reports of reception difficulties. I think you're right about business NAV and no NAV sharing the MASK computer and pro nav using CCC. There was an AM fix in v12 which, I think, applied only to MASK cars.

Another example of the need to take care with language occurs here: "Anyway, you are telling me BMW has no Radio problems." I cetainly did not say that in my post(s) and I even indicated that I had reception problems in the past with new BMWs. You and some others have had radio reception difficulties. My point was only that this is not the same as saying all E60s have 'bad' radios. None of us are perfect but all I'm suggesting is that we take care in how we communicate since we have an audience out there that is counting on us, experienced users, for good information.

I'm also trying to quit smoking, which could possibly have contributed to tone, etc.. My apologies.

Sam