Radio shuts off on it's own after 20 min./and clock inop.

Consonar · #1 01-03-2015, 10:23 AM

Bought a 2004 X5, 3.0i w/155K. Beautiful car but has issues. I've been correcting one by one.
My issue is the AM/FM radio isn't tied to the ignition key. It's always hot. You have to manually turn on and off.
When on, it will turn off after 20 mins on it's own. If you press the volume/on/off button it will come back on for another 20 mins.
And unable to set the clock on the radio. I had the LED strip replaced.
Also the number 73 or 74 10a fuse in the back (for the radio) seems to have a short. Every time I a new one in it blows the fuse (only took me three to learn something is wrong). Apologies for incorrect post in a different thread. Just finding my way here at Xoutpost.

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Qsilver7 · #2 01-03-2015, 12:05 PM

You are describing normal operation for your BMW new generation radio.

I'm going to assume that you have the MID (multi-informational display) and not the Nav monitor...so if the clock is inoperable...can you set the date? Im going to ask questions in the paragraph below because we have no idea what you are seeing or doing to claim your clock is inoperable. I don't know if you're saying the current time doesn't ever appear or can't be called up...or just doesn't respond to prompts once you initiate a reset.

What happens when you press the button on the right that has the clock face icon on it? Does the hour/min appear in the MID's display? If yes, then when you press the SET button, do the prompts in the dispay change and show HOUR, MIN' and a +/- prompt that allows you to change and select AM/PM/HOUR/MIN? And if you doget this far...do you end the changes by pressing the SET button to save the changes?

(press the clock face icon on the bottom right MID button to bring up the time...then press the SET button)

(you should then see the MID's display chnge to the prompts below...make the changes using the HOUR/MIN/+/- buttons...then save the changes by pressing the SET button)

Consonar · #3 01-03-2015, 08:51 PM

Thanks. Prob 1 solved. Manual on/off. I had LED strip replaced (Bimmeronly). The only thing I see is _ _:__PM. When you press the clock button to the right (says 9 o'clock) nothing happens. There is no set button to select. NO NAV monitor and I'm not sure about MID. My Jeep Gr Cherokee has that. This appears to be only a radio. And the fuse 73 in the back (radio) will burn out every time I replace (Short?). Oh yea it appears to be a CD53. Telephone button doesn't do anything either. Press clock icon button with radio off and _ _:_ _PM appears but still nada. Goes out after 5 secs. If radio had MID control where can I learn what it does and how?

Consonar · #4 01-03-2015, 09:31 PM

Thanks. Prob 1 solved. Manual on/off. I had LED strip replaced (Bimmeronly). The only thing I see is _ _:__PM. When you press the clock button to the right (says 9 o'clock) nothing happens. There is no set button to select. NO NAV monitor and I'm not sure about MID. My Jeep Gr Cherokee has that. This appears to be only a radio. And the fuse 73 in the back (radio) will burn out every time I replace (Short?). Oh yea it appears to be a CD53. Telephone button doesn't do anything either. Press clock icon button with radio off and _ _:_ _PM appears but still nada. Goes out after 5 secs. If radio had MID control where can I learn what it does and how?

Qsilver7 · #5 01-04-2015, 12:40 PM

If you have the in dash CD43...then you have the MID. The MID is the display panel and buttons you press to access the clock, OBC, audio, etc. If you are pressing the clock button to bring up the clock...and don't see the word SET at the far right...something is wrong.

What happens if you press the prompt button below where SET should appear? Perhaps the pixels aren't working...but try the prompt button below it anyway. BTW, make sure the ignition is in at least position 2...although the radio can operate with the ignition off...the clock info comes from the OBC which requires at least KL 15 (ignition position 2).

Below is some info about the MID (for those that don't know)...which many new & old owners confuse as to be the radio...it's not. The radio is actually incorporated into the in-dash CD player or cassette player...or if you have Navigation, the radio unit is located in the back of he vehicle near the other audio components (amp/CD changer/etc):

There's also two different types of MIDs that are used based on which instrument cluster you have. The high cluster has a 20 digit alpha/numeric display where warnings appear as text. The "high" MID for this set-up has the BC icon on the button with the clock face icon. The "low" MID is used with the LOW CLUSTER which uses the graphic display (icon with 4 doors open) that indicate where the warnings are. The low MID doesn't have the BC icon. See the info beow that shows the differences:

Consonar · #6 01-07-2015, 08:07 AM

Thank you Qsilver7 for the very detailed radio explanation and pictures. VERY helpful. I have tried ignition position 1 and 2 while pressing BC button on turn signal to change MID presentation. Although I had pixel strip replaced the radio still turns off after 20 mins (so does the CD if playing a CD) and while trying everything you recommended I cannot set the clock to go to set. The only thing that happens is the : between hours and minutes flashes, but can never get to where I see a "set" light. Suspicious of radio short because fuse 73 or 74 in the back keeps shorting and blowing fuse.

SunnyDaze · #7 10-14-2015, 11:56 AM

I am having the exact same issue.

Have you been able to diagnoise / solve this problem?

Consonar · #8 10-14-2015, 09:58 PM

Not solved as off yet. Radio is designed to work without key. Always hot. Theory is you want to listen to the radio while unloading the car. Should not do this with key on but it does.

SunnyDaze · #9 01-03-2016, 12:31 AM

Correct. I'm aware of how the vehicle should work.

Unfortunately my X5 radio shuts off after 20 minutes whether or not the ignition is on. In addition fuse 73 blows as soon as the radio is turned on whether the ignition is on or not.

I am also unable to set my clock or use bluetooth.

I just wondered if anyone had found a solution to the issue.

Thanks.

Consonar · #10 01-03-2016, 12:57 PM

Mine does the exact same thing. Blows #73 fuse. Still no fix however from everthing I'm reading indicates Ign Sw bad. Less than $50 and easy to fix. I'm going to try this eventually. Will report back. Think of this. It's normal for radio to turn off every 20 min w ign SW off. With shorted Ignition SW the radio can't tell tell that the power is on. I'll let you know.

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