03 E85 radio/navigation screen/ipod problem

[russw]

hi all, owner of 2003 E85 3litre. It came with the standard BMW radio/cd player with the in dash navigation screen and the multi CD player between the seats. Some time ago i wired in an ipod adaptor which sent a cable through from the back of the CD player to the cabin so i can plug the ipod in and play through the system. About a year ago the screen failed (doesnt go up! oo err) which i'm led to believe is a motor issue and therefore needs replacing. Unfortunatly the selection of the ipod over the radio and the bluetooth phone connection is /was done via the screen so when about 2 weeks ago when the ipod lost connection i'm now unable to select it as the whole thing is done "blind" as it were. I'm led to believe also that the replacement of the BMW system (CD player head unit and all) for just a standard radio with jack input is an expensive job (£500). Does this sound correct or are there any alternatives? Replacement screens seem to be thin on the ground or is there a method of "hacking" into the connection between the radio and whats left of the screen? Or does anyone have reccomendations for BMW radio/electronics sepecialists in the SE/ home counties /west london area.
All help and reccomendations recieved with thanks.

 

[bladeowner]

Why not just manually tilt the screen up?

 

[MACK]

Why not just get a second hand part to replace your motorised screen that has failed. Or have yours repaired, I'm sure someone on here did a DIY fix a while back. Failing that the likes of bba reman or ecu testing etc may be able to help.

 

[srhutch]

Why not just manually tilt the screen up?

Although you can flip the screen by hand it won’t switch on.

A few people have repaired their screens. Iirc they cleaned up the steeper motor.

Replacing the head unit isn’t costly, will just make the dvd and screen defunct.

 

[bladeowner]

Why not just manually tilt the screen up?

Although you can flip the screen by hand it won’t switch on.

A few people have repaired their screens. Iirc they cleaned up the steeper motor.

Replacing the head unit isn’t costly, will just make the dvd and screen defunct.

Mine does. Mind you my motor is fine but if it is down and I manually move it up it turns on.

 

[Rich8]

Before you go to too much expense - how old is your battery?

My monitor decide to stop flipping up one day. Had 2 places “apparently” look at it and claim it was dead. Looked into sourcing a second hand monitor but the bother and cost made me just abandon that plan and reluctantly get an aftermarket flip out screen head unit instead. Left the dead monitor redundant where it was as no easy way to remove and fill the gap - took a while for that to stop annoying me having it there not working - still does annoy me a bit - but eventually come to terms with it, helped by the fact that the new head unit has Bluetooth etc which I didn’t have before.

Anyways, 3 or 4 months later battery gives up the ghost and I put a new one in.
F***ing monitor pops up and says hello and now works fine! :headbang:

Not going back now as gotten used to the new one (and can always fish the old head unit out the loft and shove it back in if I want to go back - was going on eBay but will keep it now in case people prefer OEM when I come to sell it on,... which I may never do).

I have selflessly conducted this expensive and convoluted diagnosis at my own cost so you may not need to . Worth just buying a new battery and seeing what happens if yours is a good few years old. Can still have the power to start the car fine but still throw up odd electrical problems if not in good health.

 

[srhutch]

Why not just manually tilt the screen up?

Although you can flip the screen by hand it won’t switch on.

A few people have repaired their screens. Iirc they cleaned up the steeper motor.

Replacing the head unit isn’t costly, will just make the dvd and screen defunct.

Mine does. Mind you my motor is fine but if it is down and I manually move it up it turns on.

That’s probably why yours works as you say. The issue is the motor, so if that fails it doesn’t know what position it’s in so won’t switch on when turning by hand.

 

[russw]

Hi all thanks for the responces. The battery is about six months old, and although you can manually move the screen up it's totally dead. I've also seen precious few screens around either on ebay or general googling. As i mentioned Cartronics just quoted £500 to replace the radio unit for even a basic one! Not fussed about loosing the sat nav or CD usage ...... just want me ipod back!
Sorry who are "bba reman or ecu testing"? Thanks again