Stereo woes!

[Humek]

Hi guys!

I'm hoping the experience on here can help with my issues. 

Recently bought the other half an X5, it was made clear at the time of the sale that the radio "just didn't work", but I thought it would be a simple fix or at worst a new head unit. 

So basically, the screen in the front is blank, all the time.  It does come on, as it goes black on ignition start and some of the dead pixels become more prominent. 

I have some spare connectors in the boot and suspect there may be a module missing. 

Thanks in advance for anything you can share!

Kev

[X5-D-Sport]

There are a few threads on this issue, recently too... bo back a few pages & you will find it.
The ribbon cable to/from the tilting screen can some times need a clean & re-fitting.
The LCD display its self can fail, but replacements are not too expensive.

[Humek]

Thanks for the reply.

I've read every BMW screen thread on the internet the past couple of weeks. 

I got a second unit which I've been assured is working, and has the exact same symptoms when they're swapped over.  Nevertheless I've opened up the original unit and cleaned & retired the ribbon cables.  Still the same. 

I've also read the old "the one in the front is just a screen, your gps is duff" threads and changed out the satnav units in the boot.  Still the same symptoms. 

Those spare connectors again as it didn't seem to work in the first post.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/17u2gt87etlz2 ... 8.jpg?dl=0


Kev

[CondorX5]

Just a thought and it wasn't clear so apologies if its not the case, but the BM54 unit in the boot might be faulty or just not there...... its the radio plus amp and should be in the boot around the dome shaped compressor cover. Well known for going faulty but can be repaired and upgraded if you look for Baris (search on here). The satnav can also cause issues if faulty but sounds like you have ruled that out.

[sleepyfolk]

They do look like the plugs for the BM54 don't they? Shouldn't be too hard to grab one off eBay if it is missing, can't seem to upload a phot for some reason today - do a google image search and you can see where it is and what it looks like

[Humek]

Thanks for all your input guys! 

Been looking up BM54 units on eBay, but can't see 1 which will fit my plug! 

Also worth noting that my loom seems to have been cut and remade (badly) some time in the past.

I've asked a few people breaking X5s if they could supply a BM54 and a few inches of loom! 

The plot thickens.....

[sleepyfolk]

I've read that in the past on x5s with the DSP folk fitting aftermarket stereos and amps chopped into the loom here and there to make it all work, has yours got/had DSP? I think you can see if you stick your VIN into a VIN decoder to see what options it was built with, sounds like a bit of a nightmare!

[henrym3]

Having originally fitted a Eonon and now a Dynavin and having DSP I didn't need to chop any of the original wires. It is therefore worrying that a PO has chopped things that didn't need chopping. Should have been a member of this excellent forum and asked for advice. Interestingly I was asked a few days ago to look at a similar problem and after looking in the boot I'm afraid to say I walked away from it. It was an X just waiting to catch fire, someone had created 30/40 hours work in two minutes with a set of wire cutters.

[sleepyfolk]

This was the sort of fiasco I saw before deciding to get the dynavin, I was hoping it wouldn't be this hard to fit a new stereo, just out of interest can anyone else see the photo I've uploaded - tried doing it through imgur?

[Alan Gunn]

[quote="sleepyfolk"]
This was the sort of fiasco I saw before deciding to get the dynavin, I was hoping it wouldn't be this hard to fit a new stereo, just out of interest can anyone else see the photo I've uploaded - tried doing it through imgur?


[/quote]
Yes picture is showing.
imgur is good i think used it for some years now.

[lezmtaylor]

Why not do ''How to'' on this Imgur, I had a look at how to upload pictures and it would not show.

Lez

[Alan Gunn]

Sign up with imgur.  http://imgur.com
Put your pointer over your name top right and click "images"
You will then see a green tab saying "add images" then upload your photos.
After you have uploaded pictures under your name click images then pick the one you want and the list of "copy links" appear on the right.
Not very good at how too's sorry

[sleepyfolk]

There is a choice of links you can copy in the drop down menu, I used the one called BBCODE. - it started and finished with [img]

[Upex]

[quote="sleepyfolk"]
This was the sort of fiasco I saw before deciding to get the dynavin, I was hoping it wouldn't be this hard to fit a new stereo, just out of interest can anyone else see the photo I've uploaded - tried doing it through imgur?


[/quote]

Can't quiet see, but is that a botch instal?

If so, at least they kept it very neat and tidy, could be far worse lol.

Well done with pics!