My understating is the part in front is effectively a remote for the actual radio. With any luck you are just having a coding problem and you need to tell the heat unit that the radio has the digital function. Do you have coding tools?

That would make a lot of sense. I have an odb 2 diagnostic tool that can clear error codes but I am not sure it can do that.

I have a fall back as I managed to track down the ribbon cables that were damaged in my original head unit. I have since put a new lcd screen in that one. So, I will repair that one and put it back in. It will not fix the no sound but I have a replacement dsp amplifier on the way. By the way, can the odb 2 tool tell me if my radio dsp amplifier is working or not? I dont seem to read about that option in other threads with no sound.

Anyway, it is a quick swap. By the way, I did not disconnect the battery when I replaced the head unit. I just turned the ignition off and removed the key.

ok, update. I swapped over the ribbons with the old unit and put it back in. As soon as I connected the connectors it retracted the front screen. All good. Now turned the key on and started engine and I get a complete white screen. Oh, also the power on button doesn't come on when I push the left volume control. Maybe I need to wait for a while for things to adjust. I remember I had a complete white screen before many years ago and fixed it with ejecting the nav CD and putting it back in again. Anyway, I will see what happens.

update: the edge connector of one of the ribbon cables is not making a connection I think. I pulled the head unit out and will look in due time. In the mean time I have the replacement back in and the nav is working fine. Have purchased some diagnostic software (that only bmw had at one stage) and will use that to see if i can program it. Might also help with my other issue of no sound.

How did U go with this?

ribbon board connector
 

So, I was looking at the nav head unit I took out. I managed to purchase some replacement ribbon cables that connect the screen board to the main board. However, when the last two pins of the second cable deteriorated and I was trying to put the original ribbon cables back I damaged the pins on the connector and broke the end off the small part that pushes in to hold the ribbon cable in. I have attached some photos below showing 1) the new ribbon cable less the thin white sticky part that I will put back on the ribbon; 2) the connector that clearly shows damage at the end; and 3) the broken push in locking clip that jams the ribbon against the pins. Now on one side I count 25 pins and on the other 26.

Anyways, I need to reach out and see if anyone knows what type of connector this is?

thanks

Attachment 83550

Attachment 83551

Attachment 83552

Ok, I just may have put the ribbon cables in backwards according to this picture.

Attachment 83553

I will post again soon.

My issue is I keep losing connection to the TV module so about 10% of the time I have a TV listed on the nav screen and then nothing for the remaining........

No idea why?

Is that a replacement head unit where this intermittent is occurring?

So, in other words the head unit is detecting no module at times. Perhaps an intermittent connection/connector or signal not getting back. Program coding can cause odd isdues. I had a right headlight that kept going to low beam warning and the main beam would not come on. Was working on my radio and disconnected the battery for a time. When I reconnected the system had a restart and the headlight now works.