iOS 8 and BMW iDrive connectivity issues

I also have a similar issue. Have a 2013 BMW X1 with latest iDrive software and iPhone 6 with iOS 8.1.3. I plug my iPhone into the car's USB with a lightning cable. Problem seems to start after a handsfree call via Bluetooth. Then I can't play music from the phone and car controls don't do anything. Only fix is to reboot the phone. Works again until another Bluetooth call. Never had this issue on my old iPhone 4s running iOS 7. So I have to believe Apple changed something with iOS 8 which is causing the problem.

I have started having a similar problem with the BT connect since the latest iOS update.

Have an iPhone 6+ with iOS 8.1.3 and a late 2014 X5 50i. BT works fine EXCEPT I have lost the ability to select songs using the steering wheel scroll and HUD screen on the car. It shows the songs and I can physically select one on the screen (with a happy little tick) but the song does not change on the iPhone. This was working fine on iOS 8.1.2 and the car has not had a software change or any alterations. Has anyone else had this issue?

Cheers HyperDoc

Yes this is exactly what I have happening HyperbaricDoc with the inability to select and play songs via iDrive, you can see them and click ie put the tick next to a song but it will not play (phone connected via USB).

jbc77 says the issue happens after a phone call via bluetooth. I need to do more testing to confirm this with my car and will report back to share with all.

I also agree that it broke with IOS8.

Hi kent_p,

Strangely the issue wasn't there with iOS 8.1.2 just the latest update has borked the function. I connect with BT and not USB (but will try that). Have done the usual phone off then on, re-paired phone with car etc etc and nothing seems to fix it. Car is only 3 m old so has latest firmware and has only buggered up since iOS 8.1.3 so it is definitely an Apple issue with the car not a car issue per se.

Its a bugger!

Cheers HyperDoc

Hi HyerDoc,

Ok these are exactly the same symptoms I have, however my MY11 320d does not support audio over bluetooth. I have this issue via the USB Y connector.

I also did have the issue in 10.1.2. Updated recently to 10.1.3 in hope if fixing it with no joy.

Sounds like there is something common here. ie the way IOS is interpreting the commands from the car (via USB or bluetooth) has changed in recent updates.

jbc77

Are you playing audio via USB or bluetooth?

Regards,

Kent_p

Hi kent_p,

The only issue with this is that I power cycled my 6+ and now the bloody steering wheel control works again. So obviously the issue is not that the car can't manage the inputs but the phone loses its marbles somewhere during the ongoing link process. I have had other weird things like anonymous tracks turning up (hard to choose a song when all the tracks are called "untitled") and the occasional shows a playlist but then selects what IT wants to hear not what I have selected!

Phone has the wobbles here. Hopefully when the update comes for the traffic conditions here in Australia (they say march but who the **** would know) the car OS might be updated. But knowing BMW and the length of time it takes for them to upgrade their cradles I am not holding my breath!

Thats for the update and I'll send a 'feedback' email to Apple and have a little whinge 🙂

Cheers HyperDoc

So basicly Apple blames BMW and BMW blames Apple, meanwhile the customers are left in the cold by BOTH producers.... nice.

So we'll have to wait on one of the 2 to update something and by accident fix it. Until one of the 2 breaks it again because 'the other is blablabla'.

I'll remember this next time I have to buy either a car or a new phone...

To be fair. I have very similar issues in our Lexus and Toyota Van. I found this thread trying to figure out what version of Bluetooth the latest iDrive uses (New BMW is on order).

You have to think about these problems as if they're a macro based universal remote (like Logitech's Harmony Remote). Everything is fine when both system start talking to each other as they start from a common point. The issue happens when something changes without the other knowing it. This can happen from interference or simply using the Music App connected to another app. The issue is that the specifications don't allow for application specific updating to ensure common ground.

Also BMW has a compatibility site for popular phones. If you open the details for a given function it often has corrective actions; http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Content/Owner/BluetoothTechnology/bluetoothframed in.aspx

For the iPhone via USB the following is given;

"Limited functionality:

It is recommended to operate the mobile device with the vehicle control elements only.

Title information might not be updated if a title is selected on the mobile device or via the speech command on this device."

For Audio playback the following is given;

"Limited functionality:

At times, audio playback may not be heard. In this case please switch to a different audio source (i.e. radio) and back."

This one is also relevant to this thread from under iDrive control;

"Limited functionality:

Title information might not be updated if a title is selected on the mobile device or via the speech command on this device."

So while it's easy to blame BMW and Apple, it's also not realistic to expect these companies to develop their technologies simultaneously and in constant communication. They can only execute the specifications to the best of their ability. If you must place blame, blame the specifications set by the industry.

Nope. Doesn't work. After a while, same problem. I've contacten BMW Belgium and they called me to tell me that indeed there were problems with the integration BUT that I needed to update my iDrive system wince the last update solved those issues. I haven't had time to update it yet but I'll do it soon.

What version of i-drive do you have or what model year vehicle? Mine is a 2013 F30. They changed the i-drive system on 2014 models and there has not been an update to the firmware now in over a year.

I installed iOS 9.1 Beta on my iPhone 5S and it appears that all the problems have been resolved. I connected via BlueTooth and my address book now fully loads. I did search of address book and that works. I placed phone calls. I played music. I then connected USB and for full music interface.

I have a BMW 535.

iOS 9.1 Beta doesn't seem to help when trying to stream over USB. Bluetooth is a bit better; but still buggy. ...at least in my case with an iPhone 6 Plus and a 2015 X1. Something went wrong with iOS 8; maybe 8.1.4, where streaming started working on/off. iOS 9 completely broke things and 9.1 doesn't seem very promising. I've been able to resolve the issue by using an old BMW 30 pin to thunderbolt adapter that has an AUX input as well - luckily I kept it from a 2006 330Xi I used to have.

I don't know what Apple did to break things; but I know for sure the issue is not my 6 Plus (hardware) - I've tried cables from Apple, Amazon Basics, and Belkin. I've also been able to try connecting the phone to 3 BMWs, ranging from 2013 to 2015 models. Hopefully Apple will fix things soon or I might as well get a Samsung Note 5 with a LevelLink (assuming they decide to break my ancient BMW Y dongle fix also).

I have the same problem in a 2011 BMW 535d that I bought a week ago. I'm trying to play music via USB from an iPhone 6 Plus running iOS 9.2.1. To begin with all was fine (although I never managed to get music playing over Bluetooth). With the iPhone plugged into the USB socket in the arm rest via a lightning cable I was able to search, browse and play all the music on my phone. Then about 3 days ago it just wouldn't play ball any more. I can browse the music on my phone, and the music catalogue all shows up in the list (albums, artists, tracks, playlists) but if I select anything an choose 'Playback' I just get the playback screen saying 'Unknown Artist', 'Unknown Album'. Interestingly it does have the track number at the bottom (e.g. 1/13) which does change if I choose the next or previous track functions, but nothing actually plays.

I thought I was going mad so am somewhat relieved to find I'm not alone. However, it's pretty frustrating! I can't really confirm or deny whether it was taking a bluetooth call or using the steering controls that caused it to stop working (but I'll bear that in mind when testing to see if I can reliably recreated the problem). Will try the hard reset on the phone, and also updating the firmware in the car (although I suspect it may already be up to date as I bought it through a BMW approved used dealer and I imagine that they update it as part of their used car check). Will let you know how I get on.

Quick update - it's now working (at least temporarily). I made the classic mistake of updating two things at the same time so I'm not sure which one fixed it. Here's what I did:

1. Updated the software version in the car to the latest one from bmw.com/update. I'm now running

MX-003.005.004 (was previously MX-003.004.031)

TX-003.005.008 (was previously TX-003.004.031)

2. Rebooted the iPhone

I'm also updating the phone to iOS 9.2.1 just for good measure, although the problem is fixed even without that update so that's irrelevant!

Suspect I haven't found a silver bullet here and the problem may return, but hoping this might help someone else.

Hi, my son had the same issue which we fixed today free of charge. Go to BMW.co.uk and look for software update. Enter the last 7 digits of your chassis number and download the update onto a blank USB. Go to settings in the car and remove you phone from the idrive. Remove the car from your phones settings. Plug the USB into the car and go to settings and software update, The car will update its software. Once this is done, pair your phone with he car as a new device. Problem solved in 5 minutes.