bmw ipod integration nightmare

Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=111739
Printed Date: September 14, 2025 at 4:15 PM

Topic: bmw ipod integration nightmare

Posted By: scinstaller
Subject: bmw ipod integration nightmare
Date Posted: February 18, 2009 at 8:43 PM

What up everybody? I have been working on a 2001 5 series BMW and I installed an Ipod adapter. Everything was working great when the car left. The next day my customer comes back and all the buttons on his radio had stopped working. I unplugged the battery for a few minutes to reset the radio but no luck, so then I took out the ipod adapter and unplugged the battery for a few minutes again and still no luck. If anyone has any idea on what the problem is please help BMW radios are kinda expensive.:(

Replies:

Posted By: i am an idiot
Date Posted: February 18, 2009 at 9:29 PM

Press every button on the radio and make sure they all feel the same. If one button is stuck in the depressed position, the other buttons will not work. Did you have to take the radio apart to modify something inside for the integration plug?

FYI BMW = Nightmare.

Posted By: scinstaller
Date Posted: February 18, 2009 at 9:40 PM

Yeah I checked to make sure that there wasnt any buttons stuck and I didnt even take the radio out of the dash. I did forget to metion that the steering wheel controls still work. And YES 100% BMW=Nightmare. posted_image

Posted By: scinstaller
Date Posted: February 20, 2009 at 1:06 PM

I also want to add that we used a peripheral ISBW71 ipod adapter that plugs into the changer cables that were prewired in the trunk. The radio was never removed. We can't even remove the radio because the small release screw behind the volume knob is either stripped out or not there (hard to tell). The steering wheel controls work sometimes and not others. It seems to me that the ipod adapter has glitched the radio somehow. We have tried to disconnect the battery and pull all 4 radio fuses and it still holds the station presets! So we can't even reset the radio! Plz help if you know anything including how to get the radio out of the dash when the screw is broke or missing.

Posted By: scinstaller
Date Posted: February 20, 2009 at 1:07 PM

the correct part number is an ISBM71 sorry.

Posted By: joch1314
Date Posted: February 20, 2009 at 4:19 PM

Where's howie to help on this one?! Howie's the MAN when it comes to european vehicles! He'll get you squared away! you might try pm'ing him at HOWIE II, if memory serves me right.

-------------
...half of the truth can be worse than a lie. <----Roger Russell said that..

Posted By: i am an idiot
Date Posted: February 20, 2009 at 7:24 PM

The screws on the side of the radio are 2MM allen screws. Have you tried unplugging the Peripheral adaptor to see if the problem clears up.

Since you can't figure out which fuse is powering the radio, you could always disconnect the battery for a few minutes. Only thing is, it may reset the processor and not come on anymore.

Posted By: scinstaller
Date Posted: February 22, 2009 at 6:36 PM

We have tried to disconnect the battery and the iPod adapted but no luck either way. My main concern right now is gettinghis radio back to normal. I will give him his money back for that adapter if I have to. I also need to know if there is away to get the radio out of the dash with that screw behind the volume knob being missing or broken.