Glad it's fixed, and now you have a nice new big nav screen to boot!

 

RIGHT !! and the wife is happy. She has to take a trip to St. Louis in 8 days, and wanted to take the 5. now she can !!

Of course I get the E36 Convertible for a while !!

Thanks again !!

 

E39 Radio Problem

Hi. I just stumbled across this thread and wondered if you ever got your radio problem fixed. I have an identical problem with my 1998 E39 540. I also have the C23 radio unit in the trunk along with CD, DSP, and Navigation. In my case, the DSP disappears from the menu whenever the radio is out. Sometimes it will come back on and the DSP menu item then reappears. I thought the DSP amp might be at fault so I swapped it out with a loaner but no luck. Now I am focusing on the radio itself as the culprit but haven't come across a replacement to buy or borrow for testing. I would like to think it is something simple but I suspect it radio is dying. I would consider a radio upgrade but I hate to spend several hundred dollars and find out the radio is not the problem. Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

Now I see it is fixed.

I now realize this old thread had more posts than I first thought. By paging further along I see the problem was fixed. I will try his solution tomorrow on my radio and hope for the best.

 

I am also interested in finding out the fix. I have a 2003 530i Touring with the widescreen Nav unit, which I believe is the MKIII. The radio is now not functioning even though the Nav is working. I've checked all the fuses and they are OK.

Where abouts is this Radio Module? I am guessing it's got to be somewhere in the cargo area, near where the spare tyre is. But which one is it?

Help!

Lawrance
Melbourne, Australia

 

OK, I've fixed it! I've reseated the connector that goes into the radio module, and voila, the sound works again!

So it must just be just the connector that needed to be reseated. :thumbup:

Thanks for reading!

 

Hi, Glad you've fixed it.
Just to clarify your symptoms.........was the SAT NAV operational but no sound and the radio didn't work with no orange light on the on/off button. (None of the buttonsto the left of the screen functioning)

Many Thanks

 

Just an update for anybody thats interested:

I've been haveing the same problem with the radio not operating yet the SAT NAV display is OK.........(none of the left buttons where working and no orange light when the on/off switch was depressed)
I disconnected the battery and left it for 5 or 10 minutes and then repowered everything and everything is ok

Thanks to everybody else on here writing what they have done, it must have saved loads of time and money for that matter.

 

same problem

I had the same exact problem a year ago. Had the radio replaced at the dealer for almost $700. Yesterday it went out again. Same thing sat/nav work, board computer works. But no radio, no orange light. Just pulled my receipt from my files...was replaced 14 months ago to the day of failure. We'll see if the dealer will be any help without charging me too much. I really don't want to replace this stupid thing every year! Anybody know any good after market replacement options?

 

HI, maybe this will help, I just had the same problem. A guy in my area fixed it for me (charged me $175). He said that because I had been setting the air on to low a temp that moisture was collecting on the connectors on the back side of the display (up front). He changed some connectors he said were corroded and installed some shrink material on mine and told me to set the air higher. Hope this helps.

 

I fully simpathise with your frustration. After travelling a similar & silent path to you, I found a single DIN bezel kit, ripped out all the BMW junk and put in an Alpine unit.
I believe that double DIN units exist which would get you your sat nav.
Now I have a top quality unit, Ipod, bluetooth, etc, which will work forever (made in Japan) & sounds a hoot, for a fraction of the cost of the BMW junk. Might not be original, but the cost of the whole radio exercise could come up to 25% the car's value (and I still have the glowing ABS lights to resolve)

 

Same problem. Advice Please!

NewYou:

I just bought a 2002 530 and am having the same exact problem you described in your 528. I have the nav radio and the whole system functions except for the buttons on the left of the nav radio, and of course, I get no sound or orange light next to the radio power on/off and volume knob.

Seems that you did a lot of work to resolve your problem, and I'm wondering what the ultimate resolution to the proble was. If you wouldn't mind letting me know, that would be great and I would appreciate it.

Thank you in advance.

 

P.s.

I read your solution above, and forgive me here, but I couldn't make sense of it. Was hoping you might be able to walk me through it. Thanks.

 

Same Problem

I also am having the same problem, I just a week ago looked into buying a 1998 BMW 528i, went and test drove it. Clicked the radio on, display came on, stations and everything but no sound. Turned the volume knob all the way up nothing. Got back to the dealership and the guy says the radio stopped working a few days before, we offer him an amount he gives an amount and says if its something minor he'll give it to us for that. But it could be the amp which he'd charge us $300 dollars more. He so called "gets it checked out" 2 days later and he says the whole radio needs rewiring so instead of sending it to BMW to have them do it he says he's gonna send it to his audio guy to have them put in a JVC radio. Calls me yesterday 3 days after the JVC idea and the guys at his "audio place" didn't touch the car. Now he's saying he'll give it to me for $200 cheaper than what I originally offered but I do the radio myself. What should i do? What could it be? Is it worth it to just find out what the problem is myself and do it myself cause if it is the amp i've found some cheap used ones on Ebay. Throw me a line!

P.S. Cassette in the dash, 6 Cd changer in Trunk.

-CJ

 

Solved

I had the same problem as other people and have fixed it. Nothing was happening when I pressed the radio on button, no orange light came on. Sat Nav, computer etc were working fine (except no sound from Sat nav).

I disconnected the battery for 10 minutes, reconnected, and now the radio works. Amazing.

This might not work for everybody but please try this first as it is quick and simple. Thanks to everyone who contributed to this topic. I was sceptical that disconnecting and reconnecting the battery would work but it has, so put your doubts aside and have a go as you may get lucky and find it works for you too. Good luck.

 

My opinion

I have done some work myself to my 02 BMW 540i. My project I'm working on now is installing a 1/2" indash dvd player behind the nav screen and it is a chanledge some easy and some diffulcult. Your problem sounds like the amp is out, it has to be.

 

Same Problem. Radio Not working

I seem to have the same problem. Purchased a 2001 E39 Japan spec from a friend of mine. It has the Radio with the Nav. Nav and TV work (right side) but not the left side(No orange light, no sound). Reset the battery...Nothing. Opened the display on the Dash and checked the wires. They were all good. No burnt fuses on the console or the trunk. All connections by the amp, changer and nav unit seem intact. Mine is alittle different as the Nav changer is in the center of the trunk and not the side where the amp is. But still, no sound, Please help.. i'm running out of options. ....

 

Do you have anything else out of the ordinary, like dash turn signal/fog light indicators not working?

 

No Problems what's so ever. All indicators are working. No warning lights.

 

OK... otherwise it could have been your LCM.

 

I have a 2003 530i with a standard BMW radio. Three days ago, the wife tried to start the car but not enough charge to turn it over. Hooked up the charge for a while and viola, it started right up. Next day, dead again. Charged again . . . nothing. Jumped it from my truck, drove to parts store, tested battery . . . no charge. Purchased and installed a new Duralast battery. Driving home, the radio quit and its display blanked. Pulled into another parts store on my way home, turned the ignition off, restarted the car and the radio played but no display. After a few seconds, the radio quit playing. I checked the fuses, but none blown. Any suggestions on where to start?

 

Hi Dark1973

Perhaps see if you can find a local E39 owner with the same head unit as your's which is working, swap over and test? if that one works in your car, you know you have a failed unit. If yours then works in the other car, it'll confiirm you have something wrong with the electrics in your car. From there, you can try to trace the loom and wiring etc, or perhaps get an auto electrician to test etc. If you can' tfind anyone to do this, then perhaps take the risk and purchase the correct and same unit off a breaker to test.

Cheers, Dennis!