Radio Problem - power, but no sound

FLi GLi · #1 02-12-2010, 09:21 PM

I posted this in the BSW forum, but maybe that wasn't the best place to post it. Trying here as this is an X5 specific issue. Possibly more visibility here. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Greetings.

I purchased my 2002 X5 with factory Nav and DSP used in Dec of 2009. At the time I bought it, there is no sound coming from the radio. The radio turns on. It will lock into a station. The RDS works. Just no sound.

When I purchased the car, the PO told me that he had the Nav drive out for a while while looking for a replacement. He also disconnected the battery a day or two prior to my purchasing the car in an attempt to "reboot" the system. Following these two events (whether they are important or not, I don't know) the radio stopped putting out sound.

Any ideas on possible causes before I spend 3 bills on a used DSP amp on eBay? Does the amp need to be recoded at the dealer, possibly? I've disconnected the 3 connectors going to the amp and sprayed them will electrical contact cleaner/enhancer. Did not solve the problem. I checked the radio fuse in the fuse panel in the right side of the cargo area and it is fine.

Any ideas or assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,

FLi

m5james · #2 02-12-2010, 09:26 PM

Start checking all the fuses in the glovebox. There is a flipdown panel on the top. I'd pull literally every fuse one at a time and put them back in...you might just have a bad connection. My friends 750iL had an intermittent heater blower, and after we checked the fuses, one was simply corroded but not blown.

FLi GLi · #3 02-12-2010, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m5james

Start checking all the fuses in the glovebox. There is a flipdown panel on the top. I'd pull literally every fuse one at a time and put them back in...you might just have a bad connection. My friends 750iL had an intermittent heater blower, and after we checked the fuses, one was simply corroded but not blown.

Thank you. I will give that a try.

FLi

lion · #4 02-12-2010, 10:52 PM

Mine stopped working last month and the dealer told me it is a BMW and that happens sometime. He showed me his the other day and it stopped too. Hence the solution like the OP m5james said pull the fuses pertaining only to the nav and radio and leave them out for 30 seconds to a minute and put them back in. It should work and may stop working again and repeat the process. I have had no problem since they claim that happens from time to time .

m5james · #5 02-13-2010, 12:54 AM

I'd pull them all, it'll maybe take 10 minutes total between front and rear. Use needle nose pliers, they're much easier than that little fuse puller.

FLi GLi · #6 02-13-2010, 01:29 AM

I will definitely give the fuse pulling a try.

Sounds like pulling them all (radio and all the others) is the way to go.

Thanks!

FLi

FLi GLi · #7 03-30-2010, 10:58 AM

For all of you following along at home, the problem was a dead amp. Apparently it didn't like the bath the PO gave it.

Got a used one off Ebay and installed it last night. Works great.

Cheers,

FLi