Idrive issues. PLEASE HELP

JamesT335I · 01-13-2024, 06:08 PM

Hey everyone,
I am having an issue with my Idrive, the car is a 2009 E92, 168xxx miles (I know it's a lot, but I maintain the car like any other obsessed M driver). My idrive will change sources randomly while I'm driving. I'll be playing music through the aux input, but it will randomly change back and forth between aux and radio, changing randomly and rapidly, until it settles down between one of the two. I've checked my alternator, it's charging as usual, the battery is showing discharge warnings recently, but besides that, the car is running fine. I have recently changed the subs for SWS8s, but no other changes to the audio. The issue was happening prior to the speaker change and discharge warnings. Any help is greatly appreciated

OmairK · 01-13-2024, 06:31 PM

Change the battery, program the car for the new battery, and get back to us.

drwankel · 01-13-2024, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OmairK

Change the battery, program the car for the new battery, and get back to us.

This- these cars do weird things when the battery gets old even if it can still start the car.

If the date code on the battery is more than 5 years old, you should replace it.

JamesT335I · 04-11-2024, 11:25 AM

Replaced battery, gotta recode the AH to 95 vs the 90 it's currently at. Issue continues. I did use my foxwell to tell the car it is a new battery AND have it trickle charging to make up for the 5AH difference. The issue occurs right around the 25 minute mark of driving. Flips between aux/cd and the radio, usually 3 to 5 skips.

PACarGuy · 04-12-2024, 10:40 AM

Sounds like maybe a head unit issue or a cable connection issue. Have you pulled the H/U and checked all the connections to the quad lock, etc.? If those are fine, then might try sourcing a used H/U on eBay and swapping it in.

JamesT335I · 04-12-2024, 08:41 PM

I was thinking about doing that this weekend 🙏

pbinmich · 04-13-2024, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesT335I

Hey everyone,
I am having an issue with my Idrive, the car is a 2009 E92, 168xxx miles (I know it's a lot, but I maintain the car like any other obsessed M driver). My idrive will change sources randomly while I'm driving. I'll be playing music through the aux input, but it will randomly change back and forth between aux and radio, changing randomly and rapidly, until it settles down between one of the two. I've checked my alternator, it's charging as usual, the battery is showing discharge warnings recently, but besides that, the car is running fine. I have recently changed the subs for SWS8s, but no other changes to the audio. The issue was happening prior to the speaker change and discharge warnings. Any help is greatly appreciated

Try disconnecting the rotary haptic control unit. The headunit is receiving signals from something, if power is good (battery/alternator), it's possible one of the input devices has failed. There's also the dash/steering wheel but the haptic device is probably the most complex.

Bmwdeven · 04-13-2024, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesT335I

I was thinking about doing that this weekend 🙏

I’ve got an audio shop here in Los Angeles. Just so happen to have a 4x4 shop Canada e92 head unit in stock. Let me know if you need one.

JamesT335I · 04-13-2024, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pbinmich

Try disconnecting the rotary haptic control unit. The headunit is receiving signals from something, if power is good (battery/alternator), it's possible one of the input devices has failed. There's also the dash/steering wheel but the haptic device is probably the most complex.

What do you mean by rotary haptic device? Do you mean the Idrive controller? I've disassembled and cleaned the entire controller with IPA 91% and it didn't do anything to clear the issue

JamesT335I · 04-13-2024, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bmwdeven

I’ve got an audio shop here in Los Angeles. Just so happen to have a 4x4 shop Canada e92 head unit in stock. Let me know if you need one.

I really appreciate the offer, fortunately, I owned a pair of 335s before and one got totalled out and I gutted it for everything useful and have a spare head. If that doesn't fix it or I have issues with that head, I'll be sure to keep you in mind 🙏🙌

Bmwdeven · 04-13-2024, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesT335I

I really appreciate the offer, fortunately, I owned a pair of 335s before and one got totalled out and I gutted it for everything useful and have a spare head. If that doesn't fix it or I have issues with that head, I'll be sure to keep you in mind 🙏🙌

Sure thing 👍

pbinmich · 04-14-2024, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesT335I

What do you mean by rotary haptic device? Do you mean the Idrive controller? I've disassembled and cleaned the entire controller with IPA 91% and it didn't do anything to clear the issue

Yes, I mean the rotary haptic device/idrive controller. Have you tried just leaving it disconnected and monitor if the issue is gone?

These aren't analog signals - they're packets of digital data (likely on a CAN bus), so if the head unit is doing this it must be getting a command from something...anything you control that can do this is suspect. My guess would be the idrive controller has failed. It's sending commands on CAN because it thinks the user is doing something.

JamesT335I · 04-14-2024, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pbinmich

Yes, I mean the rotary haptic device/idrive controller. Have you tried just leaving it disconnected and monitor if the issue is gone?

These aren't analog signals - they're packets of digital data (likely on a CAN bus), so if the head unit is doing this it must be getting a command from something...anything you control that can do this is suspect. My guess would be the idrive controller has failed. It's sending commands on CAN because it thinks the user is doing something.

Ahhh ok, I may swap the controller from my 535 to see if that fixes it 🤔

amrazM · 04-15-2024, 05:08 AM

unplug the controller if that doesnt fix it then unplug the cic faceplate.

JamesT335I · 04-17-2024, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amrazM

unplug the controller if that doesnt fix it then unplug the cic faceplate.

I think you might be on to something. Unplugged the controller, went to work, only did the skip once, rather than 5 or 6 skips in quick succession. I'll see if it does it again on the drive home from work. For the CIC face plate, are you referring to the screen?

amrazM · 04-18-2024, 05:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesT335I

I think you might be on to something. Unplugged the controller, went to work, only did the skip once, rather than 5 or 6 skips in quick succession. I'll see if it does it again on the drive home from work. For the CIC face plate, are you referring to the screen?

the cic faceplate is the cover for the idrive unit, the cd drive with the buttons. theres a ribbon cable, sometimes when these go bad it causes volume spikes, so its def a localized issue to one of these idrive components.

JamesT335I · 04-18-2024, 07:04 AM

Ahhh I'll give that a shot. Thanks boss!!!

JamesT335I · Today, 09:07 AM

So I think it's the head itself. Had it do the skips again and it wouldn't swap nor volume down from any of the control inputs, including the volume knob on the radio, even pushing to mute. Is there anything I need to know before I swap the head? I.e. coding the radio to the car. Thanks again for all your help guys, very much appreciated

01-13-2024, 06:08 PM	#1
JamesT335I Second Lieutenant 26 Rep 289 Posts Drives: M3 2009 E92 Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: King george, VA iTrader: (1)	Idrive issues. PLEASE HELP Hey everyone, I am having an issue with my Idrive, the car is a 2009 E92, 168xxx miles (I know it's a lot, but I maintain the car like any other obsessed M driver). My idrive will change sources randomly while I'm driving. I'll be playing music through the aux input, but it will randomly change back and forth between aux and radio, changing randomly and rapidly, until it settles down between one of the two. I've checked my alternator, it's charging as usual, the battery is showing discharge warnings recently, but besides that, the car is running fine. I have recently changed the subs for SWS8s, but no other changes to the audio. The issue was happening prior to the speaker change and discharge warnings. Any help is greatly appreciated
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01-13-2024, 06:31 PM	#2
OmairK Engineer 51 Rep 171 Posts Drives: 1995 M3 - 2011 E90 M3 6M ZCP Join Date: Apr 2019 Location: NY iTrader: (0)	Change the battery, program the car for the new battery, and get back to us.
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04-11-2024, 11:25 AM	#4
JamesT335I Second Lieutenant 26 Rep 289 Posts Drives: M3 2009 E92 Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: King george, VA iTrader: (1)	Replaced battery, gotta recode the AH to 95 vs the 90 it's currently at. Issue continues. I did use my foxwell to tell the car it is a new battery AND have it trickle charging to make up for the 5AH difference. The issue occurs right around the 25 minute mark of driving. Flips between aux/cd and the radio, usually 3 to 5 skips.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

04-12-2024, 10:40 AM	#5
PACarGuy Captain 679 Rep 973 Posts Drives: 2012 E92 M3 DCT ZCP Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Philly burbs, PA iTrader: (1) Garage List 2012 E92 M3 [8.33] 2019 G01 X3 (wife's) [0.00]	Sounds like maybe a head unit issue or a cable connection issue. Have you pulled the H/U and checked all the connections to the quad lock, etc.? If those are fine, then might try sourcing a used H/U on eBay and swapping it in. __________________ 2012 E92 M3 \| ZCP \| DCT \| Space Grey Metallic \| Black Novillo \| BE/ARP \| MPE V2 \| AA green filter \|BMW CF Rear Spoiler, RW Carbon Diffuser, CF Front Splitters \| DTEC 160W Angel Eyes
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04-12-2024, 08:41 PM	#6
JamesT335I Second Lieutenant 26 Rep 289 Posts Drives: M3 2009 E92 Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: King george, VA iTrader: (1)	I was thinking about doing that this weekend 🙏
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04-15-2024, 05:08 AM	#14
amrazM mTekMods 2142 Rep 2,901 Posts Drives: like a granny. Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Manhatan iTrader: (1)	unplug the controller if that doesnt fix it then unplug the cic faceplate. __________________ 2011 Frozen Black/Fox Red E90 M3 650+WHP G-Power Supercharged First DCT to Manual Conversion Worldwide KW CS, BBS RI-A, BW Headers, Snow 2.5
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04-18-2024, 07:04 AM	#17
JamesT335I Second Lieutenant 26 Rep 289 Posts Drives: M3 2009 E92 Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: King george, VA iTrader: (1)	Ahhh I'll give that a shot. Thanks boss!!!
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Today, 09:07 AM	#18
JamesT335I Second Lieutenant 26 Rep 289 Posts Drives: M3 2009 E92 Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: King george, VA iTrader: (1)	So I think it's the head itself. Had it do the skips again and it wouldn't swap nor volume down from any of the control inputs, including the volume knob on the radio, even pushing to mute. Is there anything I need to know before I swap the head? I.e. coding the radio to the car. Thanks again for all your help guys, very much appreciated
	Appreciate 0 Quote