Help with satnav please

[exbonneville]

When I picked up my car (2006 e53 3.0d LeMans Blue edition) it did not have a dvd in the satnav drive. The car dealer gave me one today: 08-1 Road Map Europe BMW official dvd. Inserted into drive bur selecting navigation from the menu says wrong dvd/cd inserted (or words to that effect)

Do I need to reboot the satnav, and if so how?

I have seen mention software updates. How do I know what software I have and if necessary how do I update it?

There, that shows how little I know! Can anyone advise please?

Brian

[X5Sport]

The Dealer could have given you a disc for a MOST bus car (later cars than the E53) which won't work in your car as it predates that!  There might be clues on the disc or box.

Firmware versions are identified from the Set function on the head unit.  Numbers at top right corner of display and start SW....  If you can tell us the numbers we'll be able to decide them.  The last official version should say SW 4-1/00.  If the last two digits are higher than 00 then you have a previous version as the 00 is for release 10.

Version 31 was the last release and gives the numbers above, but there are modified versions on line.  These add things like speed camera warnings but mess up the language system - no camera warning on forces language to French!

[marinaman]

lots on Ebay,  genuine and the other sort

[exbonneville]

[quote="X5Sport"]
Firmware versions are identified from the Set function on the head unit.  Numbers at top right corner of display and start SW....  If you can tell us the numbers we'll be able to decide them.  The last official version should say SW 4-1/00.  If the last two digits are higher than 00 then you have a previous version as the 00 is for release 10.
[/quote]

Thank you. My numbers are: 4-1/60

[X5Sport]

Software version 26 which added 'Perspective View' in late 2006.  If you are lucky then a Dealer may let you borrow their V31 disk to bring you up to the last official version.  It only takes 5 mins to update.  The last version added things like dual layer DVD reading (the map database exceeded 4.7GB and dual layer 9.4GB DVDs were released.

If you have the right disc type (as in for the car) then a 2008 map disc is dual layer and a 2006 firmware release can't read it.  Definitely worth asking them to update it then..... 

[exbonneville]

Right, I'm heading off on a tangent here but for good reasons, I hope.

As I mentioned in another post, the intermittent screen was a known fault when I bought the car, but the dealer's offer is to "send it away for repair"! I'm not going to do that. And as the sat nav disc isn't working I am having other thoughts. Your advice, experience, help would be gratefully received:

The X5 is not our primary car, a two year old 4 series Gran Coupe is. The X5 is for my dogs (I know!), my golf clubs and to tow the caravan so I'm not precious about originality. I just want to listen to the radio, plug in my ipod and perhaps make use of a bluetooth phone connection. I can only do one of those at the moment. But I do have a very nice, virtually unused DEH-X8500DAB Pioneer single din that I'd bought for another car. It has all the features I need, especially DAB and a usb connection.

If I am prepared to sacrifice the 6xCD changer and satnav (I have a brand new TomTom caravan satnav) and replace the BMW unit with the Pioneer, will it work? Would I need a special harness. I am prepared to accept the steering wheel controls may not work but I can live with that.

Sorry its a bit long winded, (I am nearly 70!) but what do you think?

Oh, and could I replace the lower section of the double din with a tray?

Thanks

Here it is:

[sleepyfolk]

What sort of tray you thinking of?  )

Just a little present from another caravan talker!

[Upex]

Can't see why not, never met a car that couldn't yet, just depends in how messy it will get and I have no idea unfortunately. You may lose dsp and such stuff but retain steering wheel etc, or keep it all etc. Some folks have retained original unit to keep the obc.

I'd start by looking for an adapter lead, if you can find one of those, it'll likely include details of what functionality is retained, and lost, so you can gague how the end result will be then.

Some av folks will likely chip in later, but least your already on the path to resolution then and if find the connector, it can already be on route etc.

Alternative is to buy a double din unit that gives you everything, ie the nav and CD changer etc, there plenty about, like android stuff, with nice coloured screens and Bluetooth etc. Lots of posts on here about them, just research lots if that's the way you go.