Stereo not playing out of left side speakers?
 

2006 BMW X5 E53 (MarkIV Nav, CD stacker that will allow MP3 with ID3 tagging)

After suffering a flat battery post a firmware update and playing with the Nav system too long with doors open and interior lights on.

"Updated to Nav_SW.v32 (4-1/100) from 4-1/80"

I slow charged the battery and took the 2006 X5 E53 3.0 Diesel for a good long drive to reset the fuel computers, i have noticed the Speakers on the left side of the vehicle no longer work?

After reading i find it common to have a problem with the Radio Module adjacent to the battery.
Considering i removed and refitted the spare wheel yesterday, i thought perhaps i just knocked some wiring about, a plug perhaps.

Today i once again removed the spare wheel and visually checked all wiring and plugs. At this point, i am not under the black plastic cover that houses the TV, Radio Module and GPS, just what you can see at the Spare wheel itself.

Trying the stereo again, i now have the rear left speaker working, but not the front. No matter what the "Balance" or Fadar" are set on.

While listening to the Left/Rear speaker by itself (Balance set 100% to the left), i notice it fades away, then comes back and can even stop altogether.

Turning the ignition off then back to position 1 will once again get this left/rear speaker working.... yet no left/front.

I have read similar posts elsewhere and the problem seems to be pointed at the Radio Module most times....
With either Repair or Replacement being suggested.

1. Was it the flat battery?
2. The charging process?
3. Pulling the spare wheel in and out?
4. Software update to 4-1/100?
5. Loose connection in doors to speaker?

Any ideas?

I found another post here that was somewhat helpful: http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...hat-could.html

I have posted the same question on another popular BMW forum

is it safe to assume that prior to flat battery, you had the left speakers work as designed?

the flat battery is first culprit.
playing around the plugs with your spare tire may have contributed to problem, the radio has a BIG square plug that has smaller plugs as part of the bigger plug - check the individual pins, as they may have dislodged and make a poor contact...

the fact that the sound fades in and out suggest something electronic within the radio module...

check the battery voltage - check using the onboard computer by unlocking the onboard test functions - test #9...

there are plenty of threads on the battery and voltage checking, how to check the voltage cold, how to remove the surface voltage, then check it under load...

when baterry is less than perfect, a lot of STRANGE electronic gremlins come up, like windows roll up/down on their own, one headlight turn on/off, radio go mute, wipers start going off...

check the battery first...

Thanks TerminatorX5

You know what, i can't 100% say that left/front speaker was working prior to the discharged battery, but i can 80% say it was... i know i know, i was asking my partner today, she seems to think there might have already been a problem, i was fairly certain it worked. But as you are not looking for it or listening for it at the time, i really cant say, but yes, i'm pretty sure it worked.

Ok... I did leave the battery on charge for 8 hours and 2amps (i was told to leave it on for 20 hours)
The vehicle started fine and i had a few strange things to contend with;

1. Radio and TV channels were fine, but the Clock needed to be reset (a couple of times)
2. Fuel gauge showed dead empty (i thought, here we go, i've stuffed something in the computer, but after some driving, i see it has righted itself slowly).

This is when i discovered the Speakers on the left hand side didn't work

I am an Electrician and have all the tools and meters to test.... apart from a Battery Load Tester.

I am aware of the hidden menu in the MarkIV Computer, but i wasn't aware there is a voltage check? test #9? any hints on that?
Removing surface voltage? Sorry, i have never heard of such a thing... but willing to learn.

Yes, it is very strange the volume of the left/rear speaker should fluctuate or stop, it does seem to point directly to an electric component board.

I would not all be surprised if a new battery corrected my problems, these BMW X5's sure seem ultra sensitive to voltage and current delivery.

the terminology is from the BMW service manuals, not from me... lol... the tests i am talking about are inside the cluster, you unlock your cluster and get to the voltage test (there are engine temp, fuel in liters, engine speed in RPMs, velocity in kmh, etc, etc..) one of the tests, is voltage, you should see it when car is not running and then, when it is running, to see the alternator output...

There are 21 tests, test #2 is always unlocked, tests the needles of the cluster, the 19 is the lock/unlock test, you use your VINs last 5 digits, say it is LV12345, you add 1+2+3+4+5=15, then you use 15 as unlock key, it unlocks all the other tests...

it is better if you do a search for these hidden cluster tests - i am running off my memory, and might be wrong in some minute detail...

also, do a search for the battery, we had a few very recent posts within last couple of weeks about how to test the battery and what voltage is condered OK and at which level to dump the battery...

Cheers TerminatorX5, thanks heaps for the prompt replies.
I wasn't aware of the "Cluster" tests... i will do a search now.

http://www.xoutpost.com/articles/x5/...us-bmw-x5.html

At this point i measured with my multimeter at the battery terminals;

12.25 Volts Floating Voltage (Vehicle not started key removed from ignition)
14.14 Volts Charging Voltage (Vehicle running at idle)

I will check and concur with "Cluster" test soon

TerminatorX5 gave you a good tip, suggesting you to examine the radio module connector.

On my X, I had that problem of speakers fading, and coming back to life, sometimes there was some crackling in the speaker.
When I removed the radio module plug, I looked inside the female pins, and found light oxydation on them. I sprayed some contact cleaner (shake to remove the excess) re-inserted it / remove / re-insert /remove, re-spray contact cleaner and redo that a couple of times, and no more problems.

You may have to remove the CD changer and the NAV to access it though.

Thank You Turbo_Bimmer, great suggestion.
I took the plastic cover off around the battery yesterday and checked the Radio Module connection there, but you have suggested i may need to remove the CD-Changer and Nav which are in the side pocket..... So am i looking in the wrong location?
Perhaps i have my connections all mixed up?

EDIT: Photos removed, as they did not represent my X5, actual pictures taken and posted further on in this thread.

Yes, in the first picture it is the big rectangular black connector. Mine was a bit stiff to remove. You will have to slide the locking tab sideways and then pull up.
I strongly suggest that you disconnect the negative terminal of the battery before doing this.

I don't see your NAV neither the CD changer, maybe you don't have those?

Yes i have them, i poached those pics from another post.
Thanks for the conformation on the connection, i will check it right now.

My apologies, its seems the photos i poached, are not a representation of my vehicle.
This is what it looks like in my vehicle

http://i45.tinypic.com/2zocbhd.jpg

http://i49.tinypic.com/nmc7mf.jpg

http://i48.tinypic.com/2n0riv9.jpg

http://i47.tinypic.com/2k4jk8.jpg

Just tried using the Stereo System again after having push and pull at the cables that were accessible, the same behaviour occurs
ie: Always the right hand speakers work, the rear left speaker in the door works sometimes, and when it stops, turning the ignition off, locking the car, unlocking it and turning back to postion 1 seems to get it working again for a while.... but eventually (quite shortly) it stops again.