Please Help

[Dee2]

One week ago, I was bringing groceries home and a gallon of milk spilled in the trunk. Location.... Left rear ! I cleaned the milk out. But never took the panel off where the nav, cd changer and amp are located. When it first happened, the car would not start for 30 minutes and the radio shut completely off. Well 30 mins past and the car started, & the radio came on. Whew.. all was well; I thought. Some days later, the radio had a delayed start, once I started the car and then it went all the way out. The Nav lady would not talk, but the nav still gave directions. With the radio totally gone, I could not turn it on. Today Friday, I hit a bump and the nav lady is back. The radio, I can control again, BUT..... no sound. If I turn the dial, it keeps running and then stops where it wants. When it stops on the station it wants, there's still no sound. 20 mins later, I was now able to change the presets from wheel but the presets are all the same station. I tried to turn the sound up from the steering, it wasn't happening, turned the knob, not a chance. The nav lay, when she speaks, I hear the speakers pop, before she begins to speak.

Being that the Nav lady now speaks, can I X out an amp problem, like I initially thought, when everything was out?

Last thing, before I got any type of audio back, I vacumed the area where the nav, amp, and cd changer is located. The next day, which is today6, I had something. Please..help! I am ready to pull this thing apart myself.

2003 X5 4.4 - Navigation - 6 CD Changer - NON-DSP

[ZsX5o3]

Originally Posted by Dee2

Today Friday, I hit a bump and the nav lady is back.

If you have experience with it I would pull it apart. If it's under warranty I wouldn't touch it.

[Dee2]

I just got it a month ago, and the non BMW dealer, I bought the X from, told me the electrical is not under waranty. I have a 90 day dealer waranty, and a 3yr parts waranty from a waranty company. I have an appointment to go in to the non BMW dealer on monday;based on the the phone conversation we had, he told me to search ebay for an amp . I would go to the REAL dealer, where I have my 328I serviced, but I just shelled out $22,500 out right for the X, and I want the non BMW dealer to fix my X out of HIS pocket.

So I'd like to take the trunk apart and attempt a self fix or at least see what is what before the try and pull a fast one. Based on my issues is this an Amp problem? Can I do unplug replug type of thing?

[CGSTL]

Same thing happened to me 2 years ago. If you don't do the things I'm going to suggest you'll have the smell of curdled milk to deal with also .

The milk has drained down into the spare tire well in the center of the trunk area. Right now your radio equipment, some of which is UNDER the spare tire, is sitting in a pool of milk. .

1. Prop up the cargo carpet/cover
2. Remove the spare tire.
3. Remove the battery and audio equipment and let it dry for a period of time.
4. Wipe up all remnants of milk from that area and spray it with a disinfectant so it doesn't smell later.
5. Reinstall all equipment after drying and if it doesn't work, it simply failed on its own and you may be able to get it replaced under warranty.

It'll take 4 hours or so but it sure beats having your cool X5 smelling like stale yogurt!

[Dee2]

Oh my... I am a woman and if you are a man I can kiss you; if you are a woman I'll give you a really big hug Thank you so much, I have so much faith that this will work; I will do everything you said today. THANK YOU! You have truly made my day, my X means so much to me. Will keep you posted.

Oh yeah one more thing, what type of disinfectant can I spray down there?

[CGSTL]

Hey, not a problem on the advice. Glad to help. And if you have a man around he may be able to help with unbolting and pulling the spare tire for you. If you get in there and don't find any milk in the battery/audio amp area, hmmm.... I guess you get to take back your kiss coupon.

I just mopped up the milk with rags and used lots of the clorox wipes to wipe everything down. For the rear carpet I used my little Hoover steamvac to re-wet and suck up all the liquid that was stored in the carpet area. If you know you spilled it on the carpeted area of the back storage area, you may find you'll need to use your steamvac (or rent/borrow one) to get the smell out.

Another thing you can do once you get in there and start pulling things out is to use your digital camera if you get stuck. Take a quick pic (small size picture is better) and post it on here. I'm anticipating a picture of a plug going into an amp with the question, "How do I get this stupid thing unplugged???" If you're stuck - someone here will help.

Good luck!

[ZsX5o3]

Another good thing would be to check out one of those rubberized cargo liners. They're really great.

[carlgo]

I once had some raw milk spill under the seat of my Fiat (!). I cleaned it up, but later saw giant gross worms, like alien milk monsters.

I don't know if pasteurized dairy products harbor such creatures, but that was the end of that little experiment in health.

Oh, and I am not making this up, we bought this from a lady named Elsie who had gigantic boobs.

So, like they said, clean it up good!

[Dee2]

Thanks so much CG...

I did find milk and went into the left rear cargo underneath the CD changer where the amp is located and there was milk there too.... ARGH! My radio when I opened it looked just fine, but the bottom of it looked kind of charred, perhaps some sparks was happening down there. There is caked on cheese ( can't believe cheese was growing my baby ) in the crevices of the radio. Such a freaking' disaster; MILK, caused all this damage.

I purchased a new radio from ebay Germany, and awaiting it's delivery. My hopes, is that, when I plug in the new one, all will be right in the cockpit of my X again. Without you, I would have been taken by the $tealer or a shifty mechanic.

I also followed the advice ZsX50o3 and bought some rubberized mats for the cargo. I, feel so much more secure with the mats, knowing that this won't happen again. So I thank you too Zsx5o3...

[CGSTL]

Dee, nice job digging into your X!

Originally Posted by Dee2

Thanks so much CG...

I did find milk and went into the left rear cargo underneath the CD changer where the amp is located and there was milk there too.... ARGH! My radio when I opened it looked just fine, but the bottom of it looked kind of charred, perhaps some sparks was happening down there. There is caked on cheese ( can't believe cheese was growing my baby ) in the crevices of the radio. Such a freaking' disaster; MILK, caused all this damage.

I purchased a new radio from ebay Germany, and awaiting it's delivery. My hopes, is that, when I plug in the new one, all will be right in the cockpit of my X again. Without you, I would have been taken by the $tealer or a shifty mechanic.

I also followed the advice ZsX50o3 and bought some rubberized mats for the cargo. I, feel so much more secure with the mats, knowing that this won't happen again. So I thank you too Zsx5o3...