No signal after software update

Hi all,

I've broken my car after only owning it a day and really hoping there's a a simple fix.

It's a 2012 F31 320d M Sport. It has Pro Nav. I noticed on the drive home from the dealer that the IDrive computer rebooted a couple of times when using bluetooth to play music from my iphone. I got home, read the manual which indicated I could try a software update.

So I downloaded a file from BMW after entering the last 7 VIN digits and put it on a USB key. Followed the instructions and all *seemed* ok. But instead of rebooting all fresh and new, all I now see is 'No Signal' on the screen.

Have tried rebooting it by holding in the volume button but it always returns to the 'No signal' screen. It seems this update has buggered something.

I'm kicking myself for attempting this (and breaking it) but also think it's supposed to be done (it's in the user manual) and it shouldn't be so fragile.

I might have some sort of warranty as I bought through a BMW specialist but honestly not sure as I kind of broke it. They have advised me to take it to a main dealer and if it gets to the point where they can identify faulty parts then we can discuss. Sounds expensive. Whats the worst case or most likely case for getting this repaired?

Any IDrive guru's out there?

Many thanks,
Paul

 

Welcome to the site Paul.
Sorry can't help but don't worry, someone who can will be along soon!

Kindest Regards
Carl.

 

Thanks, Carl.

I hope so!

 

For what it's worth on my now sold 2012 F31 320d Sport, I had a software problem and went to the dealership in North Oxford and the BMW genius updated the software with a generic USB stick.
He explained that it was not possible to do any damage by using the method used by pol. If the car does not have options the user cannot update them.
The best suggestion is to go back to the dealer to resolve.

 

I'm not sure whether you can still access the iDrive settings? But I think that there is an option for reverting to the previous software version. Worth a try.

In iDrive settings select "software update", "restore software", "previous version", "remove software", "OK" and then just wait for the restore, after switch ignition off.


BTW Welcome to BMW Land.

 

I’d opt for the less honourable option...
Delete your post from social media and call the selling garage and try flanking a legitimate fault

Edit -I’d probably not sleep for months but would benefit from a functional I drive

 

Thanks for the welcome and for all of the help so far. Glad I've now found the proper BMW forum. There's a couple of duds out there.

I've tried the VIN decoder (thanks for the idea) which shows that it did have Pro Navigation from the factory and some other 6xx things:

S609ANavigation system Professional
S612ABMW Assist
S614AInternet, preparations
S615AExpanded BMW Online Information
S616ABMW Online
S698AArea-Code 2 for DVD
S6AAABMW TeleServices
S6ABAControl for Teleservices
S6NLAConnection Bluetooth + USB devices incl.
S6WAAInstrument cluster, expanded equipment

The update I was given from the BMW download website is 'UPD05074.bin' - If that means anything.

Good to know it *shouldn't* be possible to do any damage via USB update. I suspect there was an issue or incompatibility with my Iphone which is why I tried the update in the first place.

And unfortunately I was already too honest with the dealership - But I plan to try and fight that it's a normal bit of user maintenance as it's in the book and in the menu options of the car.

Can't access any menu options now as the screen does nothing apart from say 'NO SIGNAL'. It's a bit broken really.

It'd be great if there was a way to roll back the update without using the screen. Some sort of reset if it existed.

 

Erm...

Couple of things to try, primarily the idrive reset, run engine and depress the volume knob, this should force the idrive reset.... ignore that you’ve tried!
On previous models, you had to hold the eject button and volume knob, so perhaps try both...

Perhaps a hard reset, by removing battery lead waiting circa 16mins then reconnecting maybe enough to reboot the system....

Thereafter, I’d check the fuse box in case something has blown,

However maybe worth checking the boot underfloor for water ingress, as you suggest prior to update the system was resetting...........(on the drive home)

Obvious / likely places of water engress is, fwd bulkhead beneath scuttle, (wet front carpets noting carpets not mats) door vapour membrane (wet carpets noting not mats) rear taillights / boot seal or battery gas vent pipe (wet boot area, remove boot carpet and any tray carpets until you see metal)
I believe though honestly not sure, the modules for the idrive is located in the boot area....

My only other thought is a weak battery has caused interuption to the software update & corrupted the hard drive, was the car running ?? Taking into account the car may have sat on forecourt for sometime, weak battery state is possible, more so as batteries are only good for circa 5years........

 

Yes as others have said you can’t really mess that update up as such, all it updates is the media and Bluetooth compatibility not the operating software of the unit itself.
If it was rebooting on the drive home then it was already faulty. First thing is to get the faults read out by someone with the proper equipment or a main dealer. Realistically that cost needs to be covered by the selling dealer. Hopefully the unit responds to diagnosis although it might not store a fault in it anyway, there should however be faults shown in other control units from when they’ve lost comms with the headunit. I can’t recall whether the display has its own fault memory, of so it will store faults which should show mileage for before you got the car which would help with proving the fault was already present.

 

I did try those resets. Holding the volume knob in for 30 seconds does reboot something but the screen just goes straight back to 'No Signal'.

Actually the engine was not running. There was no mention of this in the instructions until, at the end of the update it said so switch off the engine. But it does not say the engine should be running. Battery seems good otherwise but could be something and as you say it would have been sat on a forecourt.

 

Ok, this all sounds logical.

What are thoughts on arguing this with the dealer? It's obviously something I have touched but it shouldn't have broken and had signs of faults before I attempted the update - that's why I tried it. Could have been a simple fix without a long drive back to the dealer!

Fault codes needed first then.

 

Is it safe to disconnect the battery? Worth a go? If I do, does anything else reset?

 

yes you can disconnect the battery with no problems. Have you told the dealer you attempted the update? if not then don't because you already had the main of the fault before hand, if you have told them then you might need to prove that the fault isn't caused by the update which is where a proper diagnosis would come into play.
Some main dealers will do a discounted first hours initial diagnosis which could be useful.

 

I’ll link the thread following some google research this morning - Fuse 142 -30 Amp
(The things one does whilst stuck on Steal island with no agenda)

http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=957004

Hopefully and certainly worth a try

 

I did tell them about the update already. I thought about not mentioning it but thought it might be obvious later on and I think it should be a normal thing for a user to do.

I'll try disconnecting the battery.

 

Thank you. I did already check that fuse but it appeared to be intact. The only one I haven't checked is #25 which is in the front somewhere. Maybe I'll check them all again.

 

Disconnected battery and reconnected. Same issue. Can't find any blown fuses. Will contact a BMW dealer tomorrow.

 

You mentioned a .bin file?
I don't remember seeing that when i upgraded. Did you download the BMW UPDATE UTILITY and let it take care of the download,and prompt for a USB stick?

 

Yep, I believe that's normal. Just copy the file to USB root is the instructions. Not heard of a BMW Update Utility and there is no mention of it on the BMW download area for my VIN.