BMW M3 Forum (E90 E92)

BMW Garage BMW Meets Register Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read


Go Back   M3Post - BMW M3 Forum > E90/E92 M3 Technical Topics > Coding / ConnectedDrive / Audio-Video / Electronics / Bluetooth / I-Drive & Nav
 
Post Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
      03-01-2021, 07:34 PM   #1
KanseiDorifto
Enlisted Member
KanseiDorifto's Avatar
United_States
14
Rep
41
Posts

Drives: 2011 JB/FR E90 M3
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Bay Area

iTrader: (0)

Bluetooth audio only occasionally stops working with OEM combox

I've been coming across a weird issue with my new-to-me 2011 E90 M3. My phone has had no problem connecting up to my car's Combox with Bluetooth in the last couple weeks I've had it. But every other day or so, the music playing on my phone stops playing out of the car. A typical day where the issue might occur goes like this:

- Leave home with it working perfectly, make a stop and turn the car off
- Get back in the car and after my phone is connected again, music won't play through my speakers though it says it's playing on my phone
- Arrive at next stop, turn the car off, and it works when I start the car again

It always works again when I completely unpair and pair my phone back up. Calls also always work and I've noticed that when this happens, the CD/Multimedia screen says "Waiting..."

I've tried a few searches for this but most people seem to have issues with all Bluetooth functionality, not just only music playing and only occasionally. For what it's worth, I've tried using all my different music/podcast apps when it stops working and none of them will work, so it's not an app-specific problem.
Appreciate 0
      03-01-2021, 10:09 PM   #2
Davey27
Private
Davey27's Avatar
No_Country
68
Rep
66
Posts

Drives: 2011 E90 M3 ZCP
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Cambridge, MA

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
2011 BMW M3 E90  [0.00]
Subscribed. I'd love to get a straight answer to this as well. Happens to me so frequently that I've given up and resorted to using the USB connection for daily use (bright side is that it's a better audio quality than Bluetooth).

Similar story as you: it works the first handful of times after I pair my phone, then stops. I'll need to forget the device then re-pair it again for it to start working, at which point the cycle continues.

I've tried to research this topic many times in the past and there doesn't seem to be great answers. Popular responses I've seen are either people saying i) to download and update to the latest CIC software from the BMW website or ii) it was/is a flaw in the CIC/bluetooth system from the day it came from the factory - deal with it. Answer i) has not fixed the issue no matter how many times I've tried, which has led me to concede answer ii) may be a reality and I've given up hope...at least momentarily.

Good luck!
Appreciate 0
      03-08-2021, 12:41 PM   #3
KanseiDorifto
Enlisted Member
KanseiDorifto's Avatar
United_States
14
Rep
41
Posts

Drives: 2011 JB/FR E90 M3
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Bay Area

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Davey27 View Post
Popular responses I've seen are either people saying i) to download and update to the latest CIC software from the BMW website or ii) it was/is a flaw in the CIC/bluetooth system from the day it came from the factory - deal with it. Answer i) has not fixed the issue no matter how many times I've tried, which has led me to concede answer ii) may be a reality and I've given up hope...at least momentarily.

Good luck!
Thanks for the info! I ended up updating the Combox with UPD01008 late last week and spent the weekend driving and testing the post-update connectivity.

Hopefully it's not a fluke from just a 2-day test, but the update seems to have actually fixed this. I haven't gotten any of the issues with connectivity since and it actually seems to be pairing and recognizing my phone a tad faster. (Knock on wood)

Sorry to hear it hasn't worked for you. Was your update the latest UPD01008 BIN file from BMW's software update site?
Appreciate 0
      05-03-2021, 06:39 AM   #4
130iguy
I'm Riley, I'm awesome
Australia
29
Rep
696
Posts

Drives: e92 M3 Comp
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Qld, Australia

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by KanseiDorifto View Post
Thanks for the info! I ended up updating the Combox with UPD01008 late last week and spent the weekend driving and testing the post-update connectivity.

Hopefully it's not a fluke from just a 2-day test, but the update seems to have actually fixed this. I haven't gotten any of the issues with connectivity since and it actually seems to be pairing and recognizing my phone a tad faster. (Knock on wood)

Sorry to hear it hasn't worked for you. Was your update the latest UPD01008 BIN file from BMW's software update site?
can you confirm that this has fixed the issue?
__________________
Do it properly the first time.
Appreciate 0
      05-03-2021, 01:55 PM   #5
KanseiDorifto
Enlisted Member
KanseiDorifto's Avatar
United_States
14
Rep
41
Posts

Drives: 2011 JB/FR E90 M3
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Bay Area

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by 130iguy View Post
can you confirm that this has fixed the issue?
Spoke too soon unfortunately. The issue was fixed for a couple weeks but it's back in full force again now. Davey27 mentioned that the update didn't work for him which is the case for me again now.

I'm starting to think that it's an inherent problem with the older Combox and modern Bluetooth, especially BL 5.0 and higher that most phones after 2016 typically have. I might just go the USB route or even a Bluetooth adapter to plug into my center console instead at this point.
Appreciate 0
      05-03-2021, 02:11 PM   #6
Davey27
Private
Davey27's Avatar
No_Country
68
Rep
66
Posts

Drives: 2011 E90 M3 ZCP
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Cambridge, MA

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
2011 BMW M3 E90  [0.00]
Quote:
Originally Posted by KanseiDorifto View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by 130iguy View Post
can you confirm that this has fixed the issue?
Spoke too soon unfortunately. The issue was fixed for a couple weeks but it's back in full force again now. Davey27 mentioned that the update didn't work for him which is the case for me again now.

I'm starting to think that it's an inherent problem with the older Combox and modern Bluetooth, especially BL 5.0 and higher that most phones after 2016 typically have. I might just go the USB route or even a Bluetooth adapter to plug into my center console instead at this point.
Yep...I've resorted to the USB cable. Sorry to hear it didn't fix it! Good news is it's a better audio quality than Bluetooth.
Appreciate 0
      05-08-2021, 10:02 AM   #7
CarAbuser
Lieutenant Colonel
CarAbuser's Avatar
United Kingdom
468
Rep
1,535
Posts

Drives: Z4 35i DCT / E92 335i DCT
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: United Kingdom

iTrader: (0)

KanseiDorifto Davey27

Try changing the "Bluetooth AVRCP version" under developer options in Android. I went down to AVRCP 1.4 and this fixed my bluetooth issues with the CIC.
Appreciate 1
Davey2767.50
      05-10-2021, 11:19 AM   #8
Davey27
Private
Davey27's Avatar
No_Country
68
Rep
66
Posts

Drives: 2011 E90 M3 ZCP
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Cambridge, MA

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
2011 BMW M3 E90  [0.00]
Quote:
Originally Posted by CarAbuser View Post
KanseiDorifto Davey27

Try changing the "Bluetooth AVRCP version" under developer options in Android. I went down to AVRCP 1.4 and this fixed my bluetooth issues with the CIC.
Long shot...any idea how to do that with an iPhone?
Appreciate 0
      05-10-2021, 02:06 PM   #9
derbo
Derbo Tuning
derbo's Avatar
3592
Rep
3,012
Posts

Drives: BMW M3
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Bay Area, CA

iTrader: (2)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Davey27 View Post
Long shot...any idea how to do that with an iPhone?
Pretty sure this doesn't exist. Walled Garden life.
__________________
IG:ruhrohz_m3
Journal: Link
E9x ZCP Suspension Info: Link
Track Chat Discord: https://discord.gg/VsKbTyqBVj
SF Bay Area: DM For coding services
Appreciate 1
Davey2767.50
      05-11-2021, 06:23 AM   #10
CarAbuser
Lieutenant Colonel
CarAbuser's Avatar
United Kingdom
468
Rep
1,535
Posts

Drives: Z4 35i DCT / E92 335i DCT
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: United Kingdom

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Davey27 View Post
Long shot...any idea how to do that with an iPhone?
Yeh doesn't work in iPhone. Probably not your issue there, it's only Android that keep messing with stuff like that every update.
Appreciate 0
      05-18-2021, 02:08 PM   #11
KanseiDorifto
Enlisted Member
KanseiDorifto's Avatar
United_States
14
Rep
41
Posts

Drives: 2011 JB/FR E90 M3
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Bay Area

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by CarAbuser View Post
KanseiDorifto Davey27

Try changing the "Bluetooth AVRCP version" under developer options in Android. I went down to AVRCP 1.4 and this fixed my bluetooth issues with the CIC.
Thanks for the tip! Weirdly it doesn't seem to work for me. Luckily I do have Android but mine was already set to AVRCP 1.4 as default. I tried going down to AVRCP 1.3 this weekend and it seems to work more often, but there's still at least once a trip where it doesn't
Appreciate 0
      07-27-2021, 01:54 AM   #12
Scrippy
Lord Scrip
Scrippy's Avatar
United_States
1802
Rep
3,006
Posts

Drives: 2011 M3 Coupe
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: LA,Ca

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
  [0.00]
2007 BMW 335i  [0.00]
Delete the phone sync from the car and re sync the phone. I have an iPhone 11 and there are no problems. The only reason I stated the last part is to express new hardware (phone wise) is not the issue. Persistent issue would be on the side of the cars hardware.
__________________
Appreciate 0
Post Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:32 AM.




m3post
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
1Addicts.com, BIMMERPOST.com, E90Post.com, F30Post.com, M3Post.com, ZPost.com, 5Post.com, 6Post.com, 7Post.com, XBimmers.com logo and trademark are properties of BIMMERPOST