I recently installed a dension 500s in my 2005 545I, I have the cdc and nav system. It doesn't play MP3 cd's so the dension wont play. I went to the BMW dealer to have them code my vehicle, so after and hour and $130 they told me that my vehicle won't play MP3's, is it something there missing or do I need to find another dealership that knows how to code the mp3 setting to the ccc.

 

I have the 500, without a CDC with the bluetooth adpter. From what I read on the 500S is should appear as the CDC. If you plug a device (Ipod, usb stick etc.) into the Dension, is should play if the Dension is configured correctly. You may not get text on the Idrive, but it should play the MP3s correctly.

I have my Iphone connected over the bluetooth and can play anything on Itunes and Pandora just fine. No text on the iDrive, but it all plays just fine.

 

I checked over the connections a few times and they're correct. It powers up ok and switches between active and bypass. it plays the cd changer in the bypass mode but when it goes to active the cd selection is greyed out.

 

Sorry, but there does not appear to be much experience with the 500S. My suggestion would be to pull the power on the CDC. Then try the various switch configuration and remember to pull the power on the Denison unit before changing the switches. What worked for me was 2 and 6 on which I don't see as an option in the 500s directions. The Dension should look like a CDC to the car and if the car is seeing two, you may be confusing things. Maybe pull the CDC out totally by bypassing the optics and power????? You can also reach out to Dension.

As in the past with the Dension, it is a bit of magic getting them to work, with the various levels of code and configurations of the cars its a bit of trial and error. Its far from a plug and play unit!

 

I tried every switch configuration I can, still no luck. The car sees the dension as the cdc but when the cd disc is selected from the menu, it says no supported or readable disc found in either internal or external drive, I'll try taking the cdc out of the circuit and see what happens then.

 

finally got the dension working, after a lot research ended up coding the vehicle with the kmp3 in the vo (vehicle order) myself. the dension works great but they're support was no help. thanks for the help tomstin.

 

Never go to a dealer to code features like this. They have not a clue.

Go to an Autologic shop (if they know how to use that thing) or to a local BMW coding specialist, or do it yourself if you have NCSExpert.

You should not have paid the dealer for that. They failed to code the feature you asked, so you should have walked.

Any CCC computer has the MP3 feature, even if the basic MASK module with no navigation can not play MP3 CD, it still has the MP3 setting so your Dension can work.

 

Why not having text on the iDrive with a Dension 500, that is the main reason why you pay premium for a Dension 500.
Get the car coded for IPOD.
Otherwise you should have gone with a Dension Lite with no text support, 4 times cheaper.