Navigation / Radio Performing Erratically
 

The Navigation Radio in my 2008 X5 4.8i (it has the upgraded radio) has started doing all sorts of funny things. It will freeze, reboot, have disk read errors, (disk is brand new from dealer). The other day, the Nav map was over the top of the main control screen and frozen there (but following the map). No buttons or turning off the car could take away the map. Until I put the car in reverse, then the camera came up and everything was normal. Yesterday, I could not control the volume of the radio...then the system re-booted by itself and everything was fine again.

Any ideas what to look for here?

There is a reset procedure for it, did you:rtfm:

What do you mean it has the upgraded radio? Was the radio replaced and then you have.these problems? How old is the battery? Who installed the battery?

If it is the original CCC unit they are known to have all kind of SW and HW problems. Sounds like a SW problem, if I were you I would try reprogramming first.

What I meant by upgraded is that it has the optional better stereo; all original equipment.

I don't know the age of the battery, or when or if it was replaced. I've only owned the car a few months.

How does one reprogram the radio?

I know when I got the car, I had a friend with an Autologic download and install a number of updates to the car...mostly all drivetrain related. It took quite a while.

While the Autologic showed that there were available updates to the radio/nav system, the folks at Autologic advised him NOT to do the updates to the radio as it often bricks the whole system. I hope that's not what you're referring to when you say to reprogram.

I know for my now departed Cayenne, when I bought a new Nav disk, it came with a new software disk, and it was easy to install the updated software into the PCM via the Nav dvd drive. Is there something like this for the BMW?

I'm not familiar with that. Can you tell me how to do it, or point me to where I can find instructions for that?

If battery is old and weak electrics can do flakey things.

My 2007 4.8l x5 needed a new battery a few months ago. The my 2007 x5 was built.in December 2006. This it's 3rd battery so 2015 - 2007 = 8 so 4 years a battery. Your battery should.due for.replacement

I repair these a lot, I always have a few at home. As a matter of fact, by now 80% of the pre-2006 navigation units need repair.
The main problem is the BGA chips start to develop a cold solders underneath them (figuratively said, BGA have no pins). Pretty much the same problem as the Playstation 3, Xbox, etc. If you try to update/reprogram yours and it has loose connections the update may not go thru and the unit will be completely dead. But if it is a HW problem this is imminent. I can send you a special recovery disks for the CCC if you want to try and can help you with instructions if you want to try to repair your unit.

http://i1362.photobucket.com/albums/...psuymx0pis.jpg