Radio working... but no sound?

[matthiasmilli]

Hi guys

So I was driving along last night in my E89... Dangerzone comes on the CD.. I crank it up a little and the music cuts off. No idea why!
All electrics seem to be fine... the radio unit itself seems to work. I can flick between CD, Tuner, Aux etc in the menus - I can access by phone through bluetooth and dial people, but there is no sound no matter what I do.

It's like i've just muted myself!

I'm getting no errors come through... any idea what it can be? I assume if my fuse had gone, the radio unit wouldn't work

My car is the E89, 2012, 2.0L, 20i, M Sport, Manual (if anyone needs this info!)

 

[AnubisZed]

Are you sure you've not accidentally pressed the volume button by mistake, as pressing it mutes the sound!?

 

[matthiasmilli]

Thats exactly what someone else advised me, but how?! Pressing the volume button turns it on/off?
As far as i can see, there no button on the steering wheel that mutes it... is there even a mute button?!
Even if there was, would me just turning the volume back up on the actual radio unit just turn it back on again?

(Sorry, lots of questions!)

 

[AnubisZed]

If the volume knob on the headunit is pressed then it'll mute all sound. Doesn't then matter if you press the steering wheel buttons up or down or even turn the headunit knob, you would have to press the headunit knob again to un mute it.
EDIT** There is no OFF for that headunit.

If the headunit is working, other than sound, then all fuses are good.
If you can still see and conect to Bluetooth then the MOST fibre optic network is intact and no fuses gone there either.
If you have the external amplifier (2 large subwoofer grills behind the seats) then this must be OK also (fuse not blown) otherwise it would knock out the MOST and the Bluetooth wouldn't work.
So, currently, this points to the volume is on mute via the headunit volume knob.

 

[Mr Tidy]

I had the same problem with my E90 once.

I had inadvertently pressed one of the buttons on the steering wheel next to the + and - ones that muted the stereo for using the phone - can't remember which one it was though!

 

[B21]

On most systems briefly pressing the volume button toggles it between audio on and mute

 

[matthiasmilli]

Oh my, how confusing!
So when it was playing and then suddenly turned off, the first thing I naturally did was turn the unit off, then on again (well, that's me pressing the volume button in, then in again) - but either if its me thinking that I'm turning it on and off, if its actually muting / unmuting - then surely I would get sound at some point either way?
What I mean is, if I'm pressing this button in - either if its unmuting/muting or turning on/off - i'd eventually hear something?!

Press button once - no sound. Turn the knob, no sound. Press is again, no sound. Turn the knob, no sound

(this is the volume button on the left btw)

I mean, when i press it once, i get the options for radio, CD, aux etc (which is me thinking its ON) - then i press it again and i get the clock (which is me thinking its OFF)

Am i missing something here?!

 

[AnubisZed]

Hang on, you've posted two different radio photos. First one, with steering wheel, is iDrive. The volume button on this is also mute.
The second photo is the standard radio. The volume button on this unit is also On/Off and not mute.
This changes everything!

I've just had a look through the Radio Manual but can't find anything. But you're welcome to check it out...
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/r09bdx872tgwtaho7zof8/BMW-Z4-Owners-Manual-for-CD-Radio.pdf?rlkey=dhjjbf7ndpl0b5q0d7sdoiqhj&st=oshj1yav&dl=0

 

[matthiasmilli]

Hmmm. The photos i posted were just to indicate what I see (not from my actual car as it's 11pm and pitch black outside!)
But the photo of the steering wheel is the exact buttons I have on the wheel
And the photo of the radio is identical to the radio I have

I don't have idrive...

 

[AnubisZed]

Hmmm. The photos i posted were just to indicate what I see (not from my actual car as it's 11pm and pitch black outside!)
But the photo of the steering wheel is the exact buttons I have on the wheel
And the photo of the radio is identical to the radio I have

I don't have idrive...

OK, so as I last posted then, no mute! Hmmm :? May have blown the internal amp?

 

[matthiasmilli]

Possibly! I hope not...

I saw this fix... would this work on the E89? Does it have the same connections to be able to do this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xSU876zYgc&t=80s

 

[AnubisZed]

Possibly! I hope not...

I saw this fix... would this work on the E89? Does it have the same connections to be able to do this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xSU876zYgc&t=80s

That's the MOST fibre optic network, if that's not working (ie; a break in the optic line or a plugged in module not working) then the bluetooth wouldn't be working. And also unless you have the external amplifier (the two large subwoofers behind the seats), which would then stop working, then the amp is internal to the headunit, so would still be working OK.

So this has stumped me, my only thoughts are the internal amp.

 

[matthiasmilli]

I am stumped too! Only had the car a few days so still figuring things out (had the E85 previously)

Music was working absolutely fine and just stopped mid drive.

But yes, Bluetooth is working because although I can’t hear anything, my phone does connect to the car if I try and make a call. I just can’t hear the person talking
The buttons on the steering wheel are also working as I can change tracks, or change from CD to radio with those buttons

If the volume button is in fact ON/OFF and not mute/unmute then I’m stumped!

I do have two large speakers behind the seats yes…

 

[Nictrix]

Not sure on the whole configuration on how this works but a few years ago on my last X6 I had somehing similar with no sound at all from the speakers,it was a blown fuse.
I know it's already been said that it's not a fuse but it may be worth checking them all anyway.
When I say there was no sound from the speakers this also meant that the parking sensors didn't beep either, perhaps you could check if those are still sounding to rule out if it's only a problem with the stereo.

 

[Chippie]

When you say you have the speakers behind the seats are they the round ones in the photo below or the ones on the sides below the seat belt mounting.



Also Dave, isn’t it only the 677 system that uses MOST for the amp and the 676 uses normal wiring?

 

[matthiasmilli]

I’ll check the fuses - aren’t they a pain to get to? What fuse would it be that I need to look for?

Searching online, i'm seeing lots of posts and videos on similar issues (radio on but no sound) but rarely am I finding any for the E89. So any videos/posts i'm seeing are showing the amps in different locations! Where is it on the E89?

In regards to the speakers, yes - I have two big round ones behind the seats - same as the photos posted

I wish I could check the parking sensors - I assumed I had them but the car doesn’t have them installed!

 

[B21]

I’ll check the fuses - aren’t they a pain to get to? What fuse would it be that I need to look for?

Searching online, i'm seeing lots of posts and videos on similar issues (radio on but no sound) but rarely am I finding any for the E89. So any videos/posts i'm seeing are showing the amps in different locations! Where is it on the E89?

In regards to the speakers, yes - I have two big round ones behind the seats - same as the photos posted

I wish I could check the parking sensors - I assumed I had them but the car doesn’t have them installed!

Ah..then you have the power amp in the boot..could be the aux or main fuse for the power amp..what model E89 is it ?

 

[matthiasmilli]

My car is the E89, 2012, 2.0L, 20i, M Sport, Manual... no idrive

What fuse would I need to check?!

 

[B21]

My car is the E89, 2012, 2.0L, 20i, M Sport, Manual... no idrive

What fuse would I need to check?!

 

[matthiasmilli]

Thanks - any chance you can show me the location of where i'd find the amplifier/box?

Cheers