Nav system radio spontaneously wacko
 

My wife drives our 2004 X5 4.4i and is experiencing odd electrical issues w/ the nav system and radio. Shuts off / turns on.. radio won't turn off / on. :dunno::dunno:Any clue what I should check out? The battery is barely a year old.

Thx.

still, the battery could be a problem...

did she report any correlation to any event, like she makes a left turn, and the radio dies, or she floors it and the nav comes on?... or whatever else the case might be?

was any electrical work done on the car recently? was any work done in the trunk?

no correlation
 

She says there appears to be no correlation of events. One time the car just shut off after lights on dash flashed. Other times radio just shut off.

Alternator or battery. Click the link in my sig, and start monitoring your voltage. Once you unlock obc, it stays unlocked, and gstting into test 9 takes 10 seconds.

Hey.. I really appreciate it.. didn't have a chance to post back til now. I will give it a shot.

Thx.

...........
 

Forgot to ask earlier.. do you have to "register" new battery like you do on newer BMW's?

no, no registration on E53

Voltage came in around 11.. guessing not good.

I had a similar issue with mine. The screen just went all sort of staticy and garbled. Replaced the battery and good as new!

Yup there you go. Either battery or alternator. If you are not between 13 - 14v while running with load, one of the two failed. What voltage are you getting off the jump terminals under hood with car off? Also how old is your battery.