norrad

I am a new E60/E61 owner. I have previous BMW experience with an E21 and an E39 Touring. I now have a 2007 E61 530xi 6MT.

My E61 has Logic 7 and came with a CD changer. The SAT radio option is greyed out on the CCC and not selectable.


The CD changer was functional after I sourced a magazine tray.

Finding an IPOD a better experience I ordered a used BMW IPOD adapter module from Ebay and replaced the CD changer and gave an old 30G Ipod Classic a new purpose. Everything worked easily enough.


Examining the SAT module in the rear showed that the fiber/power plug was unplugged and a fiber jumper/loop was plugged in to allow the audio system to produce sound for the rest of the system.

The SAT module itself is a 2.5 Gen and showed visible rust/contamination on the chassis and circuit board.


I first tried cleaning up the unit with electrical contact cleaner and an old tooth brush. After letting it dry and re-installing it I was of course met with the SOS Malfunction alarm and no audio output from any source. The SAT option through CCC was still greyed out also.

After confirming that the fuse for the power wire was good and that the connector plugging into the SAT module did have +12VDC and Ground, I wrote the original module off as dead and ordered a replacement from Ebay.


The ebay unit is also a 2.5 Gen module, with a few months later build date than my original module, and was "tested/guaranteed good" by the seller.

I plugged it in, and you guessed it, same results as with my original module. The SAT option in CCC remained grey and un-selectable, and the SOS Malfunction alarm returned and all audio output from any source ceased.


I did note that the CD Changer, IPOD Adapter, and SAT module all share the same Power/Fiber plug. Also, all data, control, and audio obviously must obviously be shared over the fiber ring. So I grabbed the known working CD Changer and plugged it in at the rear SAT module location. No response, no power up, it would not even eject the magazine.


I again verified that power and ground exist at the connecter to the SAT module, and since a fiber looping plug clears the SOS Malfunction alarm and allows all other source audio to function I figure the fiber lines to and from the connector are not damaged.


So my questions are:

Should I just presume the Ebay SAT module is buggered and return it to the seller?

Is there anything else that comes to mind that I can check with what I have on-hand?

Any ideas why I got absolutely no response or even indication of a power-on state from a known good CD changer and a "guaranteed working" SAT module?


Thanks for your time,

Darron

seanjordan20

When you have the known good one plugged up do you see the module in INPA. If so you need to code it to the car and then program it (VIN then options. For the SOS to go away you will need to clear it once the module has been programmed.

norrad

Unfortunately, I do not know if I truly have a known good one.
I am also not familiar with INPA, which I really to change.

The car came with SAT radio and was programmed for it, hence the SAT option is visible in CCC / i-drive. However it has always been grayed out and not selectable.

I guess I really need a crash course in INPA.

kd7iwp

Those satellite radio units have an extremely high failure rate. When I got my car the unit wasn't working and it was grayed out in iDrive as well. I don't use satellite radio so I just removed the unit and got a MOST loop to plug into its place. My satellite radio unit had a blackish color around the casing, not sure if that's why it fried or if it was like that for another reason.

seanjordan20

I don't know if the SAT module is a lone module or it's shared. Either way it needs to be coded with VIN and programmed. What you're seeing in your iDrive is it being programmed for it hence the reason why if the module is removed you still have the SAT option greyed out. The options are not programmed in the SAT module because it's an add on. The options are programmed to the CCC. For you to know if it is even being seen by the car you must have INPA to see the list of modules physically installed

norrad

Thank you very much for explaining the difference.

I will start my learning curve with INPA asap.

seanjordan20

Not a problem. A lot of people think you can just swap modules but there is more to it. There are only a few modules that are plug and play. The rest must be VIN coded and/or programmed for it to actually work with the car and hope an fsc is not needed also. That adds another step to the process.