[scottakamidnight]

Was recently ecstatic to purchase my 6th consecutive BMW, a new 2011 X5. Unfortunately the iPod connection had a defect - I thought no big deal could get fixed. However, after over a year of trying to get it fixed, official BMW response is - yes we confirmed your BMW is defective, but we can't fix it so live with it.

I've taken it to 3 dealers now on 4 occasions, and it has spend over 2 weeks having this issue diagnosed. All 4 times it was taken in, dealer tech told me they saw this issue and have never seen it before and didn't know how to handle - and said contact customer service. When I called BMW customer service they just said go to my dealer to resolve. One dealer finally called Germany to speak to high level and response was - no, it should not do that, it is a defect, customer will have to live with the defect because we don't think it can be fixed. Then I was told customer service would do nothing else like offer a rebate towards another car or anything.

I attached a video showing problem (you can see first/last 20 seconds for short version). Basically, you go through ordeal of selecting artist/album whatever, and that takes a minute. And every time you start car up, the list resets (thus going back to "all songs" instead of current song). It is beyond annoying as it renders using iPod useless.

Probably going to sell the car and go with a Lexus problem is so annoying. Thought I was a BMW driver for life, but when you're told on car with $60k+ sticker to "live with it" when it has a major defect, I was pretty upset to say the least. Sorry for venting but felt compelled, this issue is so annoying - anybody that knows what a pain it is to select artist/album ext sure can relate.

[sandman0615]

^ that sucks but theres gotta be easier alternatives then ditching your car. auxiliary cable is def the quickest route. maybe some DICE ipod solution?

the problem is odd but probably software related. maybe its your ipod. i'm certainly no bmw tech but i would assume reinstalling or updating idrive software would help

[sandman0615]

is this through usb connection or bluetooth? im not too familiar with the usb setup cuz i just have aux and its more than fine

[scottakamidnight]

Originally Posted by sandman0615

is this through usb connection or bluetooth? im not too familiar with the usb setup cuz i just have aux and its more than fine

USB. Used with multiple iPods, cables, and iPhones. I also used iPods of friends tied to other iPod playlists. Every time it does the exact same thing.

About 6+ dealer techs at 3 dealers including master techs with over 20 years experience at BMW could not figure out. It has latest software/firmware as that was first thing they looked at.

The issue of selling the bimmer is only partially based on fact iPod interface is useless. The other issue is that I feel burned supporting bimmer since 1999 and buying 6 in a row (and another for my wife), and they tell me to 'live with it'.

[scottakamidnight]

pic 1: when playlist with 50 songs is selected, when you turn off car and then restart just a minute later, you can see it resets and then lists all songs on ipod in alpha order.

pic 2: this is other glitch, select artist with 52 songs (metallica), when you restart car the songs disappear.

whichever of these occur, every time you start the car the selection resets so it is worthless to make any selections.

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[HoustonBMWClub]

Wait a minute, so your Ipod isn't has an integration bug so you're going to sell your car? Not wanting to use the AUX cable w/ a playlist on the ipod?

Sounds like a legit reason to me. Lexus is definitely the right brand of car for you.



p.s. I know it's more about the service but it just sounds like you're looking for an excuse to get rid of the car.

[scottakamidnight]

Originally Posted by HoustonBMWClub

Wait a minute, so your Ipod isn't has an integration bug so you're going to sell your car? Not wanting to use the AUX cable w/ a playlist on the ipod?

Sounds like a legit reason to me. Lexus is definitely the right brand of car for you.

p.s. I know it's more about the service but it just sounds like you're looking for an excuse to get rid of the car.

Unless you like listening to your first song on your iPod that begins with "A" thousands of times, you may find this somewhat annoying too.

I have 3800+ songs on my iPod. Every single time I start the car - it starts listing the first song that begins with A. Does it not make sense this would get old after over a year???


And not using AUX cable? That's what I am using. Did you even read thread?

[scottakamidnight]

Originally Posted by HoustonBMWClub

Lexus is definitely the right brand of car for you.

my last 6 cars:

2011 X5
2007 M5
2004 545i
2003 530i
2001 530i
1999 528i


yeah, i was dying for issue to buy another brand. i know, i guess i am petty when i am told my car is indeed a defect, they can not or will not fix it, and just accept it. no, you are not a blind BMW homer.

[cheungms]

Is it REALLY a defect? It's like choosing a song in iTunes to listen to on your computer, shutting it down (turning off the ignition) and complaining it doesn't remember the exact song you were listening to on the previous startup. I think you need to reconsider that this isn't a glitch but really a user preference that isn't being fulfilled

[scottakamidnight]

Originally Posted by cheungms

Is it REALLY a defect? It's like choosing a song in iTunes to listen to on your computer, shutting it down (turning off the ignition) and complaining it doesn't remember the exact song you were listening to on the previous startup. I think you need to reconsider that this isn't a glitch but really a user preference that isn't being fulfilled

BMW engineering (and several dealers) have confirmed it should not do this, it is indeed a defect, an it is unique to this car. No dealer/tech saw another vehicle with this problem - ever, in servicing countless cars.

Your iTunes analogy doesn't make sense. To pick a song on iTunes or narrow to artist is takes about 3 seconds. To pick an artist and album on this interface takes about 30 seconds.

If it was just bad design and everybody else dealt with same issue - then I would accept. But this is unique to my vehicle.

[scottakamidnight]

the most experience technician that looked at, a master tech at BMW for over 20 years, said he thought the com box needed to be replaced and that would likely fix the issue. he said it was an expensive repair and he needed BMW approval.

he called me later to apologize b/c BMW would not approve because they could not confirm 100% this would resolve issue. he said they did acknowledge this was rare defect but said their response was customer should live with defect. in summary they did not want to pay for expensive repair.

that same tech told me their dealership never saw this issue before. he also noted he drove 4 different 2011 X5 loaner cars all the time over the past year and always used his iPod with and it never reset selections a single time. he also noted previous tech that looked at it tried to replicate the issue with several new 2011 X5's on the lot and could not get any to do same issue with my ipod.

[bald eagle]

That sucks!!!!!

I use my iPod with my X5 every day (2011 as well), and it never resets to all songs or shows any of those defects like yours. You definitely have a defective one on your hands.

That sucks BMW will not do anything. You would expect more from them. I love my X5 but would be pissed if they did that to me.

[Mark16q]

ipod adaptor in 2010 135i not so great either, and not optimistic that they'll be able to get it working right. If I have it on random, it doesn't lock up but will never select a song over 500 in the list. So I get to listen to anything that starts with H or less. If I go to select and artist or album, it locks up, I unplug the ipod, and then I can select an artist. I've tried this on 4 different ipods and same behavior every time. From my research, it seems the bmw/ipod software is crap and lots of people have unresolved problems with it. I'm using it thru the idrive usb connection, as it sounds better than the aux port and it should work as designed. Next time in I'll complain but expected to hear that they've never heard of this...

[Vigilante375]

Couldn't you Lemon Law the car or is that for mechanical problems only?

[sandman0615]

that def sucks. if it were me i'd just use an auxiliary cable and be done with it. the ipod will remain on the last song every time it just sucks to not be able to use idrive which looks pretty (although is probaby alot clunkier to navigate than the ipod anyways). sucks to hear bmw say "live with it" but if you are going to switch to a lexus why not just switch to another x5?

[USC2000]

Originally Posted by Vigilante375

Couldn't you Lemon Law the car or is that for mechanical problems only?

+1

[Losco]

so BMW acknowledges defect, but refuses to fix it. Doesn't that mean they're not honoring warranty = not abiding the law?