Airbag Recall - and issues after repair - head unit going bad says BMW...

[captpilly]

So I had the X35D in the shop last week for both airbag recall work to be completed. Got the car back the following morning and after about 15-20 minutes of driving, I started getting a noise out of the air vents in the center console. I took the car back immediately to the shop. Shop foreman listens to the noise and says the dash needs to come back off.

The following day I get the text saying the car is ready and pick it up. From the paperwork it says that a CAN wire was loose and it was secured. It's Friday and I am busy so I drive the car home while talking on the phone and the car sits over the weekend. Didn't drive the car until Monday as we were out of town.

Monday morning, take it for a drive and the same issue. Just talked to service adviser who says that the shop foreman thinks that the head unit might be "going bad". He has it removed and the car is not making noise. They are going to keep it over night and drive it again in the AM to see if the noise comes back.

I asked that they put external power to the head unit to see if it makes noise outside of the vehicle and they were checking to see if they can do that.

Anyone had this issue before? I am still confirming which head unit it is as there looks to be two. And they are both very expensive.

RealOEM.com - Online BMW Parts Catalog

Thoughts on the battle to ensue with BMW?

[ard]

how does a 'head unit' make noise 'out of the air vents'????????????????????

[giaka]

Originally Posted by ard

how does a 'head unit' make noise 'out of the air vents'????????????????????

A wire and two tin cans.

This OP is why I am shying away from the airbag replacement.

[captpilly]

To be more specific, ARD..

There is a hum / noise - similar to that when an electronic device is malfunctioning coming from behind the air vents. It happens even when the car is turned completely off.

[captpilly]

So got the car back from BMW late on Wednesday and 15 minutes after driving away the sound was back. Drove back to take the tech with me but he was already gone for the day. Following morning, drove for an hour but couldn't get the sound to replicate.

After more research and listening closer, I am thinking that the HDD is starting to fail.

DIY Upgrade Navigation CIC Hard Drive to SSD Solid State Drive - Bimmerfest - BMW Forums

The swap from HDD to SSD doesn't seem to tough and I've gone ahead and ordered the required parts. New SSD and USB connector needed are less than 100 bucks.

If I can replicate the sound, I'll bring it back to BMW for the tech to hear it and get it documented. If I can't, I'll just clone and replace.

[ard]

Originally Posted by captpilly

So got the car back from BMW late on Wednesday and 15 minutes after driving away the sound was back. Drove back to take the tech with me but he was already gone for the day. Following morning, drove for an hour but couldn't get the sound to replicate.



.

You SHOULD have insisted that ANYONE at the dealership witness the noise and document it in handwritten notes on the receipt....

Easy to say now, I know.

GL!

[captpilly]

I actually do have 2 different notes where the tech heard the noise and it's in the paperwork.

[CLS70]

I have my car scheduled for the recall(s) (2 Airbags), I assume there is a risk that 'something' else breaks or gets damaged when removing parts. Do they need to remove the whole dash? seems scary....what was the outcome of your issue? will be that considered as pre-existing issue (=you pay?) or was that a side-effect that the dealer will cover?

[captpilly]

I am sort of kicking myself for doing the airbag recall because I have read about a number of other folks having issues and then I had an issues. It's taken 3 weeks and 3 loaners for them to figure it out.

Another update, yesterday was driving after being gone for the weekend, the noise came back and I got back to BMW and had the shop foreman ride with me.

After telling me again that it was the head unit (and telling me I would need to pay for it...) he came back and said it was the fan in the IHKA panel. There is a small fan that sucks air in the cabin to test the temperature and control HVAC. BMW mis-diagnosed this 3 times now with prices ranging from over $3k, then $1.8k and now $1.4k all with different parts. What a joke...

BMW is pulling their normal BS about it being incidental and blah blah. I pushed back after the service manager contradicted himself several times about what parts are removed for the airbag recall. I ask for the procedure several times (which they did not what to provide) and then he went to talk to his manager after that. They are going to the area manager about replacing the IHKA which is $1100 bucks plus some coding time. I have heard they have to "remove the dash" but I don't know what parts of the dash. Other people have been dealing with various rattles, GPS not being hooked up, cords loose, etc

On eBay, the part ranges from $65 to $300 and from YouTube it takes about 15 minutes to install. You may or may not have to code the part but I have software so shouldn't be an issue. I'll see what the area manager says and decide what to do. I'm traveling next week for a couple months so running out of time to deal with this issue.

Here's a link for a different model but same concept.

Repairing buzzing noise from HVAC

[CLS70]

Thanks, I remember having a similar issue on my e60 - also it led to overheating of the unit, ended up buying a damaged radio on eBay and replacing the fan, it was not complex but a lot of small parts / screws to get to it...

I'm getting nervous on the Airbag recall but not sure what is going on as I keep getting letters telling me that parts are available, etc etc. seems I'm on th outstanding cars list.....

Hope you get your stuff fixed....

Thx