I have a well engineered German car with very frustrating iDrive issues which started shortly after I took delivery in Feb. 09. It's wiped out my Bluetooth phone settings too many times to count, causing me to re-pair my BMW-approved phone, and wiped out my radio presets once. About half of the time it doesn't recognize my iPod. Sometimes when I click on the iDrive button to change my iPod songs nothing happens and I have to change the song using my steering wheel control. I'm getting extremely annoyed. Has anyone experienced these issues? I will be taking it to the dealer shortly, but wanted some feedback first.
Not to be a Smart Azz, but nope. No iDrive uDrive, whatever Drive over here. My phone and iPod work just fine in my BMWs all by themselves. No need to connect them.
Software anyone? I agree. It may be as simple as a software issue. Everytime something gets changed, upgraded, or starts functioning strangely a software flash should be considered. I have owned a 2007 335i. I added an Ipod adapter to it 6 months after purchase. It would not function properly. After two trips to the dealer and a software flash on the 2nd visit- everything worked. I have a 2006 330i- the A/c panel needed to be replaced. It too needed a software flash. For these cars, it may all just lie in the software. Yes, cars are well engineered but the software is kind of like windows. Make sure you have downloaded the service pack.
We've had intermittent iDrive lock-up issues that were mostly cured by the replacement of the "telephone control module" on the bus. Apparently these things are made by two different suppliers, and one of them is more problematic than that other (from what I was told). That said, we've had 3 lockups in the past 5 months since the module was replaced -- lot better than 1 per day. BTW, we get the "no SOS" warning in the dash display when iDrive locks up too. Looks like this: and iDrive looks like this when locked up (i.e. no date/time display, etc): When this happens, there is no control over the iDrive, radio, etc.
I would re-check the approved phone list and make sure your software version is compatible as well as the phone. Just because you have an approved model does not mean it has the approved software level loaded onto it.
