iDRIVE that don't drive!
bmwALLY
11-05-2004, 01:55 PM
I had my 1998 528i for 6 years, I decided to try the new 04' 545i. I've come upon some problems, and wodnering if anyone else has.
I've got 545i fully loaded. Only missing headsup display.
1. Navigation Menu on iDrive. When you go to destinations and adding state, the knob <mouse as i call it> SHUDDERS when scrolling for different states. Dealership told me this was normal ?!??#?$ I called BMWNA and nothing has been done.
2. Mute button gets stuck. I don't know if it's the steering wheel / power button but the mute icon remains on even after I turn off the engine and restart car.
3. Windows rattle and squeak when I am at slow speeds going over bumps and or unsmooth roads.
4. RDS (radio data streaming) doesn't work. Some other new 5's work. Anyone else have that problem?
These are some of the problems I've had since owning the car for 2 months. Does BMWNA read these forums?
*** CUP holders totally suck! I've had friends who scartched their knees sitting in the car. But I suppose I pick performance and handling over bad cup holders.
I've got 545i fully loaded. Only missing headsup display.
1. Navigation Menu on iDrive. When you go to destinations and adding state, the knob <mouse as i call it> SHUDDERS when scrolling for different states. Dealership told me this was normal ?!??#?$ I called BMWNA and nothing has been done.
2. Mute button gets stuck. I don't know if it's the steering wheel / power button but the mute icon remains on even after I turn off the engine and restart car.
3. Windows rattle and squeak when I am at slow speeds going over bumps and or unsmooth roads.
4. RDS (radio data streaming) doesn't work. Some other new 5's work. Anyone else have that problem?
These are some of the problems I've had since owning the car for 2 months. Does BMWNA read these forums?
*** CUP holders totally suck! I've had friends who scartched their knees sitting in the car. But I suppose I pick performance and handling over bad cup holders.
4-Door Flunky
11-05-2004, 05:55 PM
For the money you paid, you shouldn't have to sacrifice anything...
Flunky
Flunky
bmwALLY
11-07-2004, 08:06 PM
For the money you paid, you shouldn't have to sacrifice anything...
Flunky
************************************************** ****
Finally got my car back from the dealership.
1. Nav issue was never fixed / addressed.
2. windowing squeaking/rattling was fixed. Apparently many new cars have that problem and you have to lubricate the seals?
3. Mute issue, never happens when they have the car (murphy's law).
4. New iDrive software is suppose to come out in about 2 weeks. Supposedly maybe RDS will be turned on. Who knows?
Is there more I can do to contact BMWNA about it? Considering I've already called....
Flunky
************************************************** ****
Finally got my car back from the dealership.
1. Nav issue was never fixed / addressed.
2. windowing squeaking/rattling was fixed. Apparently many new cars have that problem and you have to lubricate the seals?
3. Mute issue, never happens when they have the car (murphy's law).
4. New iDrive software is suppose to come out in about 2 weeks. Supposedly maybe RDS will be turned on. Who knows?
Is there more I can do to contact BMWNA about it? Considering I've already called....
vickers007
11-09-2004, 02:23 PM
My mute has gotten stuck 3 times now. locking and unlocking the car seems to fix it. But this is a real bug. I am in software and the software they have is poor.
Other probs I have:
Does your small nav window radomly change to on board info when you next start the car?
Why doesn't it go back to where you were? Why do you have to traverse the menu tree?
Does yours take 20 seconds to boot?
I am considering finding a way to not have the i drive power down when I shut off the car. Has anyone tried this.
Other probs I have:
Does your small nav window radomly change to on board info when you next start the car?
Why doesn't it go back to where you were? Why do you have to traverse the menu tree?
Does yours take 20 seconds to boot?
I am considering finding a way to not have the i drive power down when I shut off the car. Has anyone tried this.
bmwALLY
11-10-2004, 12:27 PM
My mute has gotten stuck 3 times now. locking and unlocking the car seems to fix it. But this is a real bug. I am in software and the software they have is poor.
Other probs I have:
Does your small nav window radomly change to on board info when you next start the car?
Why doesn't it go back to where you were? Why do you have to traverse the menu tree?
Does yours take 20 seconds to boot?
I am considering finding a way to not have the i drive power down when I shut off the car. Has anyone tried this.
Seems a couple people get the mute button stuck. I use to get the CD# problem, where I'd be on disc #4 but it would show disc#5. It was after they updated the software on the CD issue, did I start having mute button issues. Sometimes my whole iDrive menu would just freeze now. There has been two software updates since I've had my car June 2004.
I don't have the small nav window problem <the one on the right, i usually leave in the car position area, ie... alt, long, lat...> try leaving it there and see if it still pops other place, or do you normally leave it off?
Wondering if you get the knob shuddering problem? Dealership told me it happens on the OTHER bmw's they had there. If you have time, could you try this? Go to Navigation, Enter Destination, scroll to STATE and select, then start scrolling through all the different states. If it shudders when you go to the "next page" of states, you've got the same problem I have. They tell me it's normal, I'm telling them it's not.
I learned most of the time, you need to just press the menu button. I think it'd be too hard for them to actually make it traverse in every part of the menu. I also have a 2004 X5 and the nav on it is totally different. It was actually easier to use. But you get use to the whole iDrive concept. Mine does take a while to boot. I don't know if it has to do with the fact after I start the car, I go reverse immediately (and I have PDC) so the car picture goes on, cd is on. Maybe too many things going on at once, it freaks out the iDrive. I tried to ask them what platform the software was written but no answers.
OH, also, I try using the voice command. I don't know if yours flukes, but mine does it all the time. So I just don't bother.
Let me know if you get any other issues.
Other probs I have:
Does your small nav window radomly change to on board info when you next start the car?
Why doesn't it go back to where you were? Why do you have to traverse the menu tree?
Does yours take 20 seconds to boot?
I am considering finding a way to not have the i drive power down when I shut off the car. Has anyone tried this.
Seems a couple people get the mute button stuck. I use to get the CD# problem, where I'd be on disc #4 but it would show disc#5. It was after they updated the software on the CD issue, did I start having mute button issues. Sometimes my whole iDrive menu would just freeze now. There has been two software updates since I've had my car June 2004.
I don't have the small nav window problem <the one on the right, i usually leave in the car position area, ie... alt, long, lat...> try leaving it there and see if it still pops other place, or do you normally leave it off?
Wondering if you get the knob shuddering problem? Dealership told me it happens on the OTHER bmw's they had there. If you have time, could you try this? Go to Navigation, Enter Destination, scroll to STATE and select, then start scrolling through all the different states. If it shudders when you go to the "next page" of states, you've got the same problem I have. They tell me it's normal, I'm telling them it's not.
I learned most of the time, you need to just press the menu button. I think it'd be too hard for them to actually make it traverse in every part of the menu. I also have a 2004 X5 and the nav on it is totally different. It was actually easier to use. But you get use to the whole iDrive concept. Mine does take a while to boot. I don't know if it has to do with the fact after I start the car, I go reverse immediately (and I have PDC) so the car picture goes on, cd is on. Maybe too many things going on at once, it freaks out the iDrive. I tried to ask them what platform the software was written but no answers.
OH, also, I try using the voice command. I don't know if yours flukes, but mine does it all the time. So I just don't bother.
Let me know if you get any other issues.
vickers007
11-17-2004, 11:29 AM
Yes mine shudders when doing some things in Navigation like putting in the state.
The little window on the right doesn't switch to onboard info if I leave it in location display. But it does radomly switch to onboard info when you turn on the ignition if you had the nav window up when you turned the car off.
I am going to get the lateset software release to see if that helps.
Does anybody know if there is anyplace that provides release notes about what has been addressed with a new release?
The little window on the right doesn't switch to onboard info if I leave it in location display. But it does radomly switch to onboard info when you turn on the ignition if you had the nav window up when you turned the car off.
I am going to get the lateset software release to see if that helps.
Does anybody know if there is anyplace that provides release notes about what has been addressed with a new release?
Rone in SJ
11-19-2004, 11:29 PM
sounds like i am having similar issues with the iDrive. i have an almost fully loaded 530 and many of the probs seem like they are from having so many things hooked up through the iDrive system (parking sensor, nav, upgraded stereo, etc)
the iDrive locks up prob 1 out of 30 times. i usually have to pull over, turn off the car and wait a couple of seconds then start the car - most of the time that works.
takes a long time to boot!
small nav window works for now
mute button doesn't stick!
i, too think that some of the problems are with the reverse sensor - PDC. yesterday the beeping that the sensor produces got locked on and i actually drove the damn car to the dealership 15 miles away with the annoying beeping coming out of the driver speaker - to see what they would say. with the beeping locked on, the sound from the stereo could not be adjusted - it's all integrated, and not well-integrated.
of course - the guys at the dealership will never admit that the car is having these types of problems - although i did overhear the guy at the dealership say to an assistant "not again - this system is driving me nuts". of course, later when i asked him about if other cars are having similar problems - he avoided the question like the plague.
states in nav mode are difficult to select - that is a software problem
voice recognition is pretty weak
sun roof makes loud noise when lowering from the "up" position.
done for now. 1.5 months and 2500 miles. thank goodness that the performance of the car is great.
the iDrive locks up prob 1 out of 30 times. i usually have to pull over, turn off the car and wait a couple of seconds then start the car - most of the time that works.
takes a long time to boot!
small nav window works for now
mute button doesn't stick!
i, too think that some of the problems are with the reverse sensor - PDC. yesterday the beeping that the sensor produces got locked on and i actually drove the damn car to the dealership 15 miles away with the annoying beeping coming out of the driver speaker - to see what they would say. with the beeping locked on, the sound from the stereo could not be adjusted - it's all integrated, and not well-integrated.
of course - the guys at the dealership will never admit that the car is having these types of problems - although i did overhear the guy at the dealership say to an assistant "not again - this system is driving me nuts". of course, later when i asked him about if other cars are having similar problems - he avoided the question like the plague.
states in nav mode are difficult to select - that is a software problem
voice recognition is pretty weak
sun roof makes loud noise when lowering from the "up" position.
done for now. 1.5 months and 2500 miles. thank goodness that the performance of the car is great.
bmwALLY
11-23-2004, 03:27 AM
Thanks for all your replies. I see I'm not the only one pulling over on the side of the freeway, turning the engine off, and restarting.
The other day, I was driving, and out of nowhere, my whole dashboard went out. Literally, it was showing 0 miles, 0 RPM, and the whole electronics were dark. Interestingly enough, the iDrive was WORKING! I called BMW Roadside and Service and had the data sent through. I'll learn more when I drop off the car for a week (that's how long they'll need it) and hope it gets fixed.
Keep us posted!
BTW, sometimes the PDC gets stuck when the sensors are dirty (after the rains) or if the beeping sound stays on, you need a new sensor module (I've had mine replaced before).
The other day, I was driving, and out of nowhere, my whole dashboard went out. Literally, it was showing 0 miles, 0 RPM, and the whole electronics were dark. Interestingly enough, the iDrive was WORKING! I called BMW Roadside and Service and had the data sent through. I'll learn more when I drop off the car for a week (that's how long they'll need it) and hope it gets fixed.
Keep us posted!
BTW, sometimes the PDC gets stuck when the sensors are dirty (after the rains) or if the beeping sound stays on, you need a new sensor module (I've had mine replaced before).
Automotive Network, Inc., Copyright ©2025