Since I took delivery three months ago, RDS has never worked in my 530i. Recently, I used the second key and voila! - RDS works with that key. I can't figure out how to reset I-Drive to enable RDS with the first key. This is not a feature I particularly care about, but I am perplexed. Is this a symptom of the flawed software? Is the second key possessed?

 

I don't think RDS is set up on my car either.

I did have one funny thing happen with my radio. One time, I unlocked the car, and before I put the key in the ignition, the radio was playing. What this an error, or can you program the car to play the radio before you start the car.

 

have you check your radio setting in the idrive ? there is a little box you have to check in order for you to activate rds. two different keys have two different settings. probably the second key has that box checked but not the first key.

 

alohalc;
Where is the little box to check is idrive, I couldn't find it? I have Logic7 if it matters. Many thanks

 

do you know what version s/w you have ? it's in the radio setting screen.

 

RDS used to work with version 11.x of the software, but got disabled with newer software. Other people have reported the strange effect that one key still has RDS, but the other doesn't (the latter probably being the one that was in used in the car when the upgrade was performed). I have a similar issue where one key is set for German language (US spec car, I had them enable that, but it caused problems so they disabled it again), but the other does not allow it. Some things with the key settings are very weird...

 

RDS option is available as of SW V13.2 if you have NAV.

 

alohalc:
I have version 11.2 - old school. Thanks for your help.

 

i didn't have rds before and i think i had 11.2 as well. but after the s/w 13.2 updated, it's there . but mine still shows the radio frequency instead of the station/song names just because the radio stations here don't support that . so i think you need to have s/w update in order for you to get it .

 

i didn't have rds before and i think i had 11.2 as well. but after the s/w 13.2 updated, it's there . but mine still shows the radio frequency instead of the station/song names just because the radio stations here don't support that . so i think you need to have s/w update in order for you to get it .
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Alohac, you do not have NAV. Thats the difference.