[bimmerfreak]

Hi guys, I have a 2007 e92 335i without an iDrive and I have a problem with my CD player hoping to see if anyone has encountered the problem before, or knows a solution.

This problem constantly happens when I'm playing a CD in my car. After driving, I turn off my car while in the middle of a track, when I turn it back on the track doesn't continue from where it left off, but rather resets. The CD doesn't restart, but the selected track starts from the beginning. I have owned 3 BMW's before this one, and my entire family drives beemers this is the only car I have seen this problem with.

IMPORTANT NOTE*: this only happens if I leave the car off for over 30 minutes. If I turn off the vehicle in the middle of a track to go do something quickly (say pull money from an ATM) and come back in under 30 minutes, the track will resume normally from where it left off. puzzling.

I listen to a lot of DJ sets, which are each 1:30-2:00 hr long tracks, so this is a constant issue when I have to hear the intro over and over. any replies is appreciated.

[mike3000fl]

this is with the headunit or cd changer or both?

[queensfield]

Two possibilities come to mind-
1. Your battery is near the end of its life. The DME is programmed to cut out any drain on the battery to ensure starting the car. IBS on the battery monitors the battery and passes the info on battery health to DME. If you have heated mirrors or heated seats, they will be the first to be cut out and then the power management goes through a list to cut other current-drawing equipment out. If your battery is original from 07, it might be prudent to change it now or perform a load test to determine its condition.
2. Your CD player is drawing too much current even when the car is turned off. It should go into dormant mode while keeping track of the position on CD, but for some reason it isn't. DME detects this drain on the battery via IBS due to the CD player fault, and shuts it down.

[bimmerfreak]

Originally Posted by mike3000fl

this is with the headunit or cd changer or both?

head-unit, car doesn't have a CD changer

Originally Posted by queensfield

Two possibilities come to mind-
1. Your battery is near the end of its life. The DME is programmed to cut out any drain on the battery to ensure starting the car. IBS on the battery monitors the battery and passes the info on battery health to DME. If you have heated mirrors or heated seats, they will be the first to be cut out and then the power management goes through a list to cut other current-drawing equipment out. If your battery is original from 07, it might be prudent to change it now or perform a load test to determine its condition.
2. Your CD player is drawing too much current even when the car is turned off. It should go into dormant mode while keeping track of the position on CD, but for some reason it isn't. DME detects this drain on the battery via IBS due to the CD player fault, and shuts it down.

thanks for the info queensfield, I have had the battery health checked at BMW and they said its normal. Is there a way I can check if the CD player is entering dormant mode or not?

[queensfield]

Hey bimmerfreak- one way might be to use the BT cable, if you have one. You might be able to monitor individual electrical loads- including what the CD player is doing and even starting and stopping the CD player while also monitoring the battery. You can call Bavarian Technic to make sure that BT cable can do that for your car model, if you decide to buy one. BTW, it is very useful for other things as well- e.g. registering the battery and reading shadow faults that do not trigger any lights on the dash panel.

[fdriller9]

Are you burning the CDs as audio discs? Or MP3 CDs?

Because an MP3 CD will lose it's memory after the car fully goes to sleep.

[bimmerfreak]

Originally Posted by *********

Are you burning the CDs as audio discs? Or MP3 CDs?

Because an MP3 CD will lose it's memory after the car fully goes to sleep.

I was not aware of that, but I have the problem with both Audio and MP3.

Originally Posted by queensfield

Hey bimmerfreak- one way might be to use the BT cable, if you have one. You might be able to monitor individual electrical loads- including what the CD player is doing and even starting and stopping the CD player while also monitoring the battery. You can call Bavarian Technic to make sure that BT cable can do that for your car model, if you decide to buy one. BTW, it is very useful for other things as well- e.g. registering the battery and reading shadow faults that do not trigger any lights on the dash panel.

thanks queensfield, question.. is it possible that the problem may not be battery related? I brought up the problem with a BMW technician and he was clueless. after checking the battery he told me my only other option is to conduct a head-unit software update, which costs over $1000+ and does not guarantee a fix.

[raj55]

my 2009 e91 always starts from the beginning of the same song after shutting off. If I have listened to half the song, then it will start from the beginning of the same song. This was not the case with my other non BMW cars before. They started from where it was stopped earlier. I do not know why that is the case.

[queensfield]

While it is possible that the problem is software related and not at all battery or CD hardware related, head unit software update for $1000 sounds like a scam to me. The only way for software to do this funny thing is if it somehow got corrupted. If you have idrive, you can probably the check the software version and then ask a SA at a dealer the version that should be used.

[bimmerfreak]

Originally Posted by raj55

my 2009 e91 always starts from the beginning of the same song after shutting off. If I have listened to half the song, then it will start from the beginning of the same song. This was not the case with my other non BMW cars before. They started from where it was stopped earlier. I do not know why that is the case.

you are the first person I know who has the same problem! can you tell me something? If you connect a phone charger or something to the car outlet and turn the vehicle completely off, will the outlet continue to charge?

I am trying to narrow down the problem. In my car (also something that only happens with this vehicle) the outlet received no power when the car is fully off, meaning I cant charge my phone unless the car is on. I think all arrows are pointing at battery issues.

[bsamoul]

Originally Posted by *********

Are you burning the CDs as audio discs? Or MP3 CDs?

Because an MP3 CD will lose it's memory after the car fully goes to sleep.

Mine doesn't do this?

[bimmerfreak]

Originally Posted by queensfield

While it is possible that the problem is software related and not at all battery or CD hardware related, head unit software update for $1000 sounds like a scam to me. The only way for software to do this funny thing is if it somehow got corrupted. If you have idrive, you can probably the check the software version and then ask a SA at a dealer the version that should be used.

that's exactly what I said! $1000 for an update that is not even guaranteed to fix the problem? this is why I hate going to BMW for technical service once your warranty runs out. and I don't have an iDrive, standard head-unit.

[fdriller9]

Originally Posted by bsamoul

Mine doesn't do this?

Maybe I'm misremembering. I know most MP3 CDs will lose their last place when the device is completely off. I may be confusing it with another car. I've had so many head units....

[fdriller9]

Originally Posted by bimmerfreak

you are the first person I know who has the same problem! can you tell me something? If you connect a phone charger or something to the car outlet and turn the vehicle completely off, will the outlet continue to charge?

I am trying to narrow down the problem. In my car (also something that only happens with this vehicle) the outlet received no power when the car is fully off, meaning I cant charge my phone unless the car is on. I think all arrows are pointing at battery issues.

The cigg lighter shutting off with the car is normal. I KNOW that for a fact. It's a switched source.

I may have been wrong with the MP3 CD thing. I'm probably confusing it with some other HUs.