Radio display goes bad when it is hot out - normal?

[Lee123]

I live in Phoenix and enjoy warm weather, so I leave the top down on my 135 convertible on some pretty warm days, particularly if there are clouds to break up the direct sun. After all, it's a dry heat. When the temperature is in the mid 80's or up, the radio display gets blank spots in it even when the sun does not hit it. This morning it was about 95 with almost complete cloud cover and the display was almost unreadable when I got home after driving an hour or so.

Is this just the nature of the display on the factory radio, or is mine faulty? I want to avoid taking it to the dealer if they are just all this way.

[TheBingoBalls]

Happens to my display as well. I think it's normal but if it isn't, I don't really mind as it only happens when it's hot and you could still read what's being displayed.

[pinmagic]

Never had a problem.

[Xearo]

That happens to mine as well. It wouldn't be so bad except its hot out EVERY day here. (consistently 100*+) It goes away as it cools off. Usually fine after i blast the A/C for a bit to cool the car off.

Seriously considering taking it to the dealer.

[Lee123]

Thanks for the replies. Sounds like it's pretty common. I guess I'll just put up with it unless it gets worse since I hate to have them tear the dash apart and replace the radio with another one that might well do the same thing.

[Xearo]

im thinking its a bad connection for the back light bulb. My car is still under the original 50k warranty so i would think something like this would be covered. ill try taking it to the dealer sometime and see what they say. Just have to find time to remove the JB4 and such.

[Lee123]

Originally Posted by Xearo

im thinking its a bad connection for the back light bulb. My car is still under the original 50k warranty so i would think something like this would be covered. ill try taking it to the dealer sometime and see what they say. Just have to find time to remove the JB4 and such.

I hope that you are right, but I suspect it is a problem with the LCD display itself being overly sensitive to heat. On mine parts of the display remain bright and other parts are out. It's very scattered with pieces of most characters on the display missing, making it nearly unreadable when at its worst. In any case, the only repair a dealer could likely make would be to replace the unit which would be covered by the warranty. Before they do that I'd like to be sure that the replacement would be different. I'll talk to them when I take it in for an oil change next month.

[MikeinAlexandria]

That happens to my car if I leave it out in the blazing sun (which is not very often)

Have you tried throwing a light colored towel over the dash, or using one of those wind screen covers?

[Lee123]

Originally Posted by MikeinAlexandria

That happens to my car if I leave it out in the blazing sun (which is not very often)

Have you tried throwing a light colored towel over the dash, or using one of those wind screen covers?

I do need to buy one of those wind screen reflector things. We left the car out for about 3 hours yesterday while we were at a movie and the steering wheel and gearshift were nearly hot enough to burn. I don't think it will be much help with the radio, though. That problem is a result of the temperature in the interior, not necessarily from direct sunlight on the radio. The radio display was almost entirely gone yesterday after the movie, while the air conditioner display directly below it was fine and the sun couldn't hit either unit. If it is in the 90's the radio display goes bad even with the top up protecting it from direct sun. It's something goofy about the radio. I haven't had this problem with any other factory or aftermarket radio that I've had here in Phoenix.

[Greenkirby21]

I am taking my car to the dealership soon for this very reason. My car sits outside in 100 degree weather in texas, because we only have 2 garages and 4 cars. Anytime past noon and before dark, the screen becomes almost unbearable to read. It is so pixelated. I took some pictures that I am going to send soon to my SA. From searching, I believe some people say they reprogram your radio and it goes away, if not they replace your radio

[Greenkirby21]

Here is the picture I took today. Reading was 108 degrees when car was turned on. Notice the quality of the LCD at the top(radio) vs the air temp (small LCD)

[Lee123]

Originally Posted by Greenkirby21

Here is the picture I took today. Reading was 108 degrees when car was turned on. Notice the quality of the LCD at the top(radio) vs the air temp (small LCD)

That is exactly how mine looks. I'll be taking mine in for an oil change in the next couple of weeks and will talk to them then. It sounds like you might get there first. Let me know how it goes. I don't want them taking the car part and replacing the radio if the new one will have the same problem.

Good idea about the picture. I was wondering how I would show them the problem since I usually get a morning appointment and it's not that hot at 8:00am.

[dcho]

i experience the same problem too. after parking my car out in the sun (100F) for a few hours, the letters and numbers on the radio display are more pixelated and faint. in fact, my performance steering wheel display wouldn't even light up until after the interior cooled down.

[Greenkirby21]

My appointment is next week, but just sent SA e-mail letting him know the issues I have with my car xD.

[quality_sound]

That's absolutely normal for LCD screens. VW had issues with that going all the way back to 1998. It's one of the reasons they use an LED setup now.

[Lee123]

Originally Posted by quality_sound

That's absolutely normal for LCD screens. VW had issues with that going all the way back to 1998. It's one of the reasons they use an LED setup now.

Might be normal for some, but it is not normal for all LCD displays. The LCD on the AC directly below the radio is not effected at all by heat. Between my wife and I we've owned 7 cars since moving to Arizona, plus I've changed the head units in 3 or 4 of those. None of those have had any kind of display problem at all. I'd say that makes this BMW unit somewhat unique.

The problem is certainly something I can live with and since it sounds decent I have no intentions of changing it for an aftermarket unit. I do believe that a radio in a $50,000 car should be free of problems and that there is no reason the display in the radio shouldn't be as good as the one in the AC. I was hoping I just got a bad one and that a replacement from the dealer would fix it. That's starting to sound less likely.

[Greenkirby21]

Originally Posted by Lee123

Might be normal for some, but it is not normal for all LCD displays. The LCD on the AC directly below the radio is not effected at all by heat. Between my wife and I we've owned 7 cars since moving to Arizona, plus I've changed the head units in 3 or 4 of those. None of those have had any kind of display problem at all. I'd say that makes this BMW unit somewhat unique.

The problem is certainly something I can live with and since it sounds decent I have no intentions of changing it for an aftermarket unit. I do believe that a radio in a $50,000 car should be free of problems and that there is no reason the display in the radio shouldn't be as good as the one in the AC. I was hoping I just got a bad one and that a replacement from the dealer would fix it. That's starting to sound less likely.

this. been living in texas my whole life. I've had 3 other cars, none have had this issue. One was a vw : ).

Update from dealer: I took in my car today, got an e-mail about 2 hours ago saying they are replacing my radio.

[Lee123]

Originally Posted by Greenkirby21

this. been living in texas my whole life. I've had 3 other cars, none have had this issue. One was a vw : ).

Update from dealer: I took in my car today, got an e-mail about 2 hours ago saying they are replacing my radio.

Good luck with your new radio. Please let me know if it corrects the problem.

I'm taking mine in for an oil change Wednesday and will talk to them about the radio.

[Greenkirby21]

Ya I'll let you know. I went for oil change as well but they are also changing my engine lifters to fix a ticking noise.

[quality_sound]

It IS normal for LCDs to do with heat. LCDs manufuctured for car use are supposed to be made to tolerate the temps seen in a car but to blanketly say it's not normal for LCDs to do this with heat is flat out wrong. ALL LCDs will dim with heat and slow down in the cold. It's just the way they are. If you have one that dims the ONLY fix is replacement as the LCDs in your display were either not chosed correctly or manufactured poorly.

It happens.

[Greenkirby21]

btw, someone from the 3 series forums went for the same issues. he had an 08. He said he got the upgraded HD radio because now the BMWs come standard with HD radio, and its all they had.

hopefully that happens to me

[Lee123]

Originally Posted by Greenkirby21

btw, someone from the 3 series forums went for the same issues. he had an 08. He said he got the upgraded HD radio because now the BMWs come standard with HD radio, and its all they had.

hopefully that happens to me

Good luck with that. Please do let me know if the replacement works better. I had mine in for an oil change yesterday and attempted to discuss this with my service adviser. I showed him the picture posted in this thread and told him mine was a lot worse. He said "they're all like that when it gets hot." When I tried to explain that it seems strange that the radios in a variety of other less expensive cars (and even a $100 aftermarket radio I put in my wife's car) worked fine in the heat and that BMW should be able to supply a radio that works in the heat, he said "I didn't design the radio."
I think this guy should look into another job that doesn't involve customer service, but perhaps that type answer is acceptable now. I'm expecting to hear "It's not my fault. I didn't build the car." from him if I ever have a breakdown.

Sorry for the log story, but the bottom line appears to be that nothing will be done with mine, UNLESS you get yours replaced and it fixes the problem. If it does, please send the part number of the replacement. He told me there was no new part number so the replacement would be the same. Of course, he didn't check to see before saying that!

Thanks for your help with this.