Lousy performance with 1st Gen iPod Touch

[turner23]

I have an '08 128, completely stock, without iDrive, with premium sound. Since delivery I have had my 1st Gen iPod Touch plugged in through the BMW Ipod hookup. Up until recently everything worked great. I could search and sort menus through the dash, click random, just a really well designed UI. Recently I updated the software on the iPod Touch to the current iOS 4.0, and ever since I did the performance of the iPod in the car is shitty shitty. I still have access through the dash, but it takes much longer to search through artists, albums, etc....longer as in minutes, not seconds. I'll check the random button and it doesn't play in a random order. I'll select an album to listen to and the readout on the dash was "empty" like there aren't any songs in the folder, and occasionally I'll be listening to a song and the stereo will all of a sudden switch to the tuner (radio), at which point the iPod is no longer selectable, as if the cable was just unplugged from the car (and it wasn't).

Some of the symptoms could point the finger at a bad/worn out cable? But I'm more convinced the new software I put on the iPod (iOS 4.0) is not compatible with the software in the car/stereo.

FWIW, if I unplug the iPod from the car and just use headphones at the office, for instance, everything seems to work fine. Response is still slower than normal when searching through several thousand songs, artists, etc, but nothing like it is when I access it through the car.

Has anyone else experienced anything similar? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. I already did a restore on the iPod trying to undo the software update, but restore only restores factory settings, not revert back to previous software version.


PLEASE HELP...at this point I'm probably looking at selling the iPod Touch and buying a new one as I have read the 1st Gen iPod Touch is sometimes erratic with the new iOS 4.0 software.

Thanks in advance!

Nick

[HondaGoneRogue]

Yes, I have the latest 160gb iPod classic and an 8gb ipod touch. Both of them do the same thing that yours does. It is the cable. I would have it replaced. You can see this because if you leave the audio portion of the plug connected, it will play while being controlled from the ipod itself. Just take it to the dealer and show them the cable when the ipod isn't functioning and have them try a new cable. I will be doing this soon as well. Good luck, keep us updated.

[turner23]

Originally Posted by HondaGoneRogue

Yes, I have the latest 160gb iPod classic and an 8gb ipod touch. Both of them do the same thing that yours does. It is the cable. I would have it replaced. You can see this because if you leave the audio portion of the plug connected, it will play while being controlled from the ipod itself. Just take it to the dealer and show them the cable when the ipod isn't functioning and have them try a new cable. I will be doing this soon as well. Good luck, keep us updated.

Are you sure it's the cable? A bad cable wouldn't explain the 'empty folder' message I get when trying to select certain album folders or why the 'load time' from the time I plug the iPod into the car to the time I can actually access the music has increased, would it?

Thanks for the reply! Let me know if a cable replacement works for you.

[HondaGoneRogue]

Well as far as those issues, I couldn't say because I don't have the updated software. But occasionally I have all of the other symptoms you describe. I only recently got the lagging browsing but it is seconds of delay, not minutes. Have you gotten the cars ECU reprogrammed lately? There are reports of ios4 causing problems on its own but it seems the new bmw software (mainly the fuel pump fix so not sure if it affects 128i's) is causing slight issues with the ipod integration as well. I am dropping my car off tomorrow and I will ask a friend who is a tech there about your situation.

[turner23]

I have read that the 1st Gen iPod Touch may act 'funny' with iOS 4.0 because it is 'so' old. It's a shame technology becomes obsolete so quickly these days. I had my car in for the seatbelt pretensioner recall a couple of weeks ago, I don't think they touched the software on the car.

Unless I can prove the cable is at fault I don't think BMW will replace it, but Amazon.com sells it for around $20 so I may go that route. The cable is pretty flexible, but being routed underneath the arm rest it does get stressed every time you raise/lower the armrest...after 3 years of ownership I supposed the cable could just be worn out.

Thanks for passing my question along to your friend! Much appreciated!!

[TMR013]

I had the same types of problems when I first bought the car and was using an older iPod Nano.
When I upgraded to a newer model iPod most of the issues dissapeared. Except for the random feature that plays the same random songs over and over. But I think that's the iPod not the car

[HondaGoneRogue]

I talked to my friend yesterday and he said that he hasn't seen your problem before. He did give me a new cable for you if you feel that is the problem. Let me know.

[turner23]

Originally Posted by HondaGoneRogue

I talked to my friend yesterday and he said that he hasn't seen your problem before. He did give me a new cable for you if you feel that is the problem. Let me know.

I would like to try a new cable before I blame the ipod or the car's system/software. Thanks for the update!

[HondaGoneRogue]

Just PM your address.