New Service Bulletin and Sirius radio problems

daves335i · 01-04-2007, 03:17 PM

I've been having a problem, which it seems that others have had too, that my sirius will just not work when I start the car, none of the 'check marks' appear by any of the preset numbers or the channels in the channel list, no weather channel (184 - the test channel), and the standard "call sirius to activate" message. Sometime later, I would start the car again (usually the next morning if on my way home from work), and it would be just fine, and I could hear Howard and Robin again (thank god!).

Well, my CA told me that BMw just came out with a bulletin (SI B65 48 06) that described the above *exactly*...but also that a credit card symbol appears (never saw that). anyway, the SI said that the problem was the the subscription expired, and that I should call Sirius to re-activiate it. Now, this kinda sounds fishy to me since the *first* thing that sirius tells you to make sure is that you can get in the weather channel 184. Secondly, the subscription is obviously *not* expired since I'm only a month into the 12 month free subscription, and thirdly, it works some time later!

There is only one thing that *may* be different from my Sirius account than others, and that's that I already had a radio in my old car, called sirius to activate the new radio, and turn off the old one. This compared to creating a new account for the BMW radio.

Anyone have thoughts or comments on this anyone?

darkcloud · 01-04-2007, 03:40 PM

My dad's 330i does the exact same thing your explaining. Most of the time it works then for some reason doesn't want to sometimes. I'll call Sirius and they put me through the motions of trying to get it to activate and eventually it comes back on. I'm not sure if it's to do with them or the car just wanted it to work again? My 325i has been fine with Sirius since day one. I've been too lazy to get the 330i in and looked at by service to see if a connection isn't holding somewhere or whatever.

The one thing I'm 95% sure of is that it isn't a Sirius issue. Cuz a few times it happened in the 330 they would make me do everything like holding my driver door open and start/stopping the car and nothing would work. They would say the signal is going out fine and the issue isn't them, so who know until I get the car in. The problem with this is, the next time it happens, I'll call in and make an appointment and it will start working again. Then service won't be able to recreate the problem and they'll say everything is fine.

F32Fleet · 01-04-2007, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daves335i

I've been having a problem, which it seems that others have had too, that my sirius will just not work when I start the car, none of the 'check marks' appear by any of the preset numbers or the channels in the channel list, no weather channel (184 - the test channel), and the standard "call sirius to activate" message. Sometime later, I would start the car again (usually the next morning if on my way home from work), and it would be just fine, and I could hear Howard and Robin again (thank god!).

Well, my CA told me that BMw just came out with a bulletin (SI B65 48 06) that described the above *exactly*...but also that a credit card symbol appears (never saw that). anyway, the SI said that the problem was the the subscription expired, and that I should call Sirius to re-activiate it. Now, this kinda sounds fishy to me since the *first* thing that sirius tells you to make sure is that you can get in the weather channel 184. Secondly, the subscription is obviously *not* expired since I'm only a month into the 12 month free subscription, and thirdly, it works some time later!

There is only one thing that *may* be different from my Sirius account than others, and that's that I already had a radio in my old car, called sirius to activate the new radio, and turn off the old one. This compared to creating a new account for the BMW radio.

Anyone have thoughts or comments on this anyone?

Sirrius told me that they do periodic updates for all their subscribers and some radios (esp new subscriptions) don't always get the new update in a timely manner.

mercury26 · 01-04-2007, 04:36 PM

Sirius and XM do not continually send service authorization messages through the system. It is sent periodically, if your car system misses the authorization then it needs to be resent. The reason they send only send them periodically is that the consume expensive satellite bandwidth. In addition, they expire and are renewed when the bill is paid and/or not past due. You probably missed the first month re-authorization, hence the need to call in.

Cheers,

Chuck

daves335i · 01-04-2007, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mercury26

Sirius and XM do not continually send service authorization messages through the system. It is sent periodically, if your car system misses the authorization then it needs to be resent. The reason they send only send them periodically is that the consume expensive satellite bandwidth. In addition, they expire and are renewed when the bill is paid and/or not past due. You probably missed the first month re-authorization, hence the need to call in.

Cheers,

Chuck

I kinda figured Sirius worked that way, but... I have never had to reactivate, or re-send the activation signal. It would "just start working" again.

I really don't think its anything to do with Sirius, like the post above says (well, at least 95% sure).

larryn · 01-04-2007, 06:22 PM

Same thing happened to me a couple of months ago.. still had 8 months left on subscription. I called Sirius up and they just sent the activation signal again, and all was fine a few minutes later.

About 3 weeks later, same thing happened on my Sirius equipped Audi.. called them again, reactivated, all's been fine since then.

I dont know if it's a radio issue (I have iDrive) Sirius tuner issue, or Sirius.. and I think it would be really hard to figure out.

ky_soldier · 04-18-2007, 11:26 PM

i also still have that issue of it showing "call sirius to activate". it randomly comes and goes, along with the presets programmed.

SkipSauls · 04-23-2007, 04:58 PM

I took my car to the dealer to have the Sirius and rough idle problems looked into. They've put in the latest progman updates, but still haven't resolved the Sirius problem fully. They said that a case has been opened with the BMW engineers and that they would probably ask me to bring the car back in a couple of days for a fix, which might take a while. I'm hoping that this will resolve the Sirius problem once and for all, and will post anything I find out.

Driver72 · 04-23-2007, 05:33 PM

I get the message "call sirius to activate" often, especially when I'm in my garage or parking garage and just start up my car. But once I'm out of the garage the channels come back on, no issues.

Occasionallly, like you all, I only get one channel and my presets are "lost".

It's weird, to me it must be a BMW thing as I have Sirius in my other 3 cars and NEVER have this problem.
Both my brother, my father, and one of my closest friends have Sirius in there cars (not BMW's) and they also have no issues.

I personally think it's the BMW head unit that's the problem.

I just turn my car off then back on once I'm stopped at a light and it solves the problem.
It's only happened a handful of times.

carjon · 05-23-2007, 10:22 AM

I have this problem also. I don't call Sirius but wait until I the next time I drive and it always works. It is almost as if there is some key piece of information (radio EIN?) that is not picked up from some electronic storage area.
Shutting the car down, getting out, locking the doors, unlocking etc. doesn't seem to bring it back but shutting down for > 5 minutes seems to. Maybe the buss gets reset?

Anyway it is a real pain.

Driver72 · 05-23-2007, 09:12 PM

I can tell you with 100% assurance it is NOT an issue with Sirius.
This is a BMW issue.

How do I know...well my 335i sedan did this drop out and then come back on, but I have Sirius in my 3 other cars AND in my house and none of the other receivers have this problem. And both my father and brother also have Sirius in their cars and neither have this problem.

It's only been a problem in the BMW, and it's only in BMW's that I've heard of this problem in the 2.5 years I've had Sirius.

BMW needs to figure out what the issue is in their cars and get it fixed!

MAbbottUSMC · 05-24-2007, 01:37 AM

I had this problem from day 1. Still does it. I've taken in the car when I first got it for this problem and they had no idea about it. They said that they would report the problem to BMW.

daves335i · 05-24-2007, 06:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carjon

I have this problem also. I don't call Sirius but wait until I the next time I drive and it always works. It is almost as if there is some key piece of information (radio EIN?) that is not picked up from some electronic storage area.
Shutting the car down, getting out, locking the doors, unlocking etc. doesn't seem to bring it back but shutting down for > 5 minutes seems to. Maybe the buss gets reset?

Anyway it is a real pain.

I think that's exactly what it is. Something gets in a weird state during 'boot-time', and needs to be shutdown, and 'reboot-ed' from a power-off state to reset it.

Can you tell I program computers for a living?

155MPH · 10-29-2007, 05:40 AM

I have the same problem. Last night I had on Classic Vinyl. I went to change the channel and it wouldn't change. I have the iDrive controller. I selected other stations. THe controller appeared to allow me to select them, but the radio never changed the station. It continued to display and play Classic Vinyl. I turned off the car, took the key out of the slot. Opened and closed the driver door, put the key in the slot and pressed the start button. Same problem, Classic Vinyl only. Then I drove for an hour. I tried every 5 minutes or so to change the channel... still stuck on Classic Vinyl.

I got home...parked the car in the garage. Got out... locked the doors. I walked to the street to put my other car in the driveway. I walked back into the garage, unlocked the door to the car, got in, started the car and the radio then worked fine.

This is in my 2007 328XiT. I have never had this problem in my 2007 328i which does not have iDrive. But I did have a problem in that car where the track button was not working. Again, I turned the car off, locked it and let it sit 5 minutes and it all worked fine the next time I got in and started it up.

All very strange.

01-04-2007, 03:17 PM	#1
daves335i Private First Class 6 Rep 116 Posts Drives: BMW 335i Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Syracuse, New York iTrader: (1)	New Service Bulletin and Sirius radio problems I've been having a problem, which it seems that others have had too, that my sirius will just not work when I start the car, none of the 'check marks' appear by any of the preset numbers or the channels in the channel list, no weather channel (184 - the test channel), and the standard "call sirius to activate" message. Sometime later, I would start the car again (usually the next morning if on my way home from work), and it would be just fine, and I could hear Howard and Robin again (thank god!). Well, my CA told me that BMw just came out with a bulletin (SI B65 48 06) that described the above exactly...but also that a credit card symbol appears (never saw that). anyway, the SI said that the problem was the the subscription expired, and that I should call Sirius to re-activiate it. Now, this kinda sounds fishy to me since the first thing that sirius tells you to make sure is that you can get in the weather channel 184. Secondly, the subscription is obviously not expired since I'm only a month into the 12 month free subscription, and thirdly, it works some time later! There is only one thing that may be different from my Sirius account than others, and that's that I already had a radio in my old car, called sirius to activate the new radio, and turn off the old one. This compared to creating a new account for the BMW radio. Anyone have thoughts or comments on this anyone?
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01-04-2007, 03:40 PM	#2
darkcloud Colonel 335 Rep 2,385 Posts Drives: 09 VW JSW Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: cleveland, oh iTrader: (2) Garage List 2006 325i [0.00]	My dad's 330i does the exact same thing your explaining. Most of the time it works then for some reason doesn't want to sometimes. I'll call Sirius and they put me through the motions of trying to get it to activate and eventually it comes back on. I'm not sure if it's to do with them or the car just wanted it to work again? My 325i has been fine with Sirius since day one. I've been too lazy to get the 330i in and looked at by service to see if a connection isn't holding somewhere or whatever. The one thing I'm 95% sure of is that it isn't a Sirius issue. Cuz a few times it happened in the 330 they would make me do everything like holding my driver door open and start/stopping the car and nothing would work. They would say the signal is going out fine and the issue isn't them, so who know until I get the car in. The problem with this is, the next time it happens, I'll call in and make an appointment and it will start working again. Then service won't be able to recreate the problem and they'll say everything is fine. __________________ retired 06 E90 325i New: 09 VW Platinum Grey Jetta Sportwagen 2.0T SEL w/DSG, panoramic sunroof and Ipod adapter
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01-04-2007, 04:36 PM	#4
mercury26 Lord of the Rings 86 Rep 470 Posts Drives: 20 Audi SQ5,05 BMW 330i ZHP Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Westminster, Colorado iTrader: (2) Garage List 2021 BMW M2C [0.00] 2020 Audi SQ5 [0.00] 2019 VW Golf Alltrack [0.00] 2018 Ford F150 [0.00] 1977 VW Scirocco [0.00] 2005 BMW 330i ZHP [0.00] 2007 Audi RS4 [0.00]	Sirius and XM do not continually send service authorization messages through the system. It is sent periodically, if your car system misses the authorization then it needs to be resent. The reason they send only send them periodically is that the consume expensive satellite bandwidth. In addition, they expire and are renewed when the bill is paid and/or not past due. You probably missed the first month re-authorization, hence the need to call in. Cheers, Chuck
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01-04-2007, 06:22 PM	#6
larryn Lieutenant General 2146 Rep 10,176 Posts Drives: '97 332ti, '21 X5 45e, '16 GT4 Join Date: May 2005 Location: Seattle iTrader: (2)	Same thing happened to me a couple of months ago.. still had 8 months left on subscription. I called Sirius up and they just sent the activation signal again, and all was fine a few minutes later. About 3 weeks later, same thing happened on my Sirius equipped Audi.. called them again, reactivated, all's been fine since then. I dont know if it's a radio issue (I have iDrive) Sirius tuner issue, or Sirius.. and I think it would be really hard to figure out.
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04-18-2007, 11:26 PM	#7
ky_soldier General of The Universe 50 Rep 418 Posts Drives: 2015 BMW i8 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Prospect, KY iTrader: (0) Garage List 2015 BMW i8 [9.00]	i also still have that issue of it showing "call sirius to activate". it randomly comes and goes, along with the presets programmed. __________________ 2017 Tesla Model X P100D 2017 BMW M2 2015 BMW i8 & i3 1946 Willys CJ-2A 2009 Ferrari 612 Scaglietti OTO
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04-23-2007, 04:58 PM	#8
SkipSauls First Lieutenant 40 Rep 361 Posts Drives: E70 X5 35d Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Longmont, CO iTrader: (0) Garage List 2007 E92 335i Coupe [0.00]	I took my car to the dealer to have the Sirius and rough idle problems looked into. They've put in the latest progman updates, but still haven't resolved the Sirius problem fully. They said that a case has been opened with the BMW engineers and that they would probably ask me to bring the car back in a couple of days for a fix, which might take a while. I'm hoping that this will resolve the Sirius problem once and for all, and will post anything I find out.
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04-23-2007, 05:33 PM	#9
Driver72 Brigadier General 327 Rep 4,484 Posts Drives: 335i - to new owners now. Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: California iTrader: (0)	I get the message "call sirius to activate" often, especially when I'm in my garage or parking garage and just start up my car. But once I'm out of the garage the channels come back on, no issues. Occasionallly, like you all, I only get one channel and my presets are "lost". It's weird, to me it must be a BMW thing as I have Sirius in my other 3 cars and NEVER have this problem. Both my brother, my father, and one of my closest friends have Sirius in there cars (not BMW's) and they also have no issues. I personally think it's the BMW head unit that's the problem. I just turn my car off then back on once I'm stopped at a light and it solves the problem. It's only happened a handful of times.
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05-23-2007, 10:22 AM	#10
carjon First Lieutenant 7 Rep 349 Posts Drives: 328xi Sedan Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: CT iTrader: (0)	I have this problem also. I don't call Sirius but wait until I the next time I drive and it always works. It is almost as if there is some key piece of information (radio EIN?) that is not picked up from some electronic storage area. Shutting the car down, getting out, locking the doors, unlocking etc. doesn't seem to bring it back but shutting down for > 5 minutes seems to. Maybe the buss gets reset? Anyway it is a real pain. __________________ 2011 328xi black on black. Nav, connect, apps, Sirius.
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05-23-2007, 09:12 PM	#11
Driver72 Brigadier General 327 Rep 4,484 Posts Drives: 335i - to new owners now. Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: California iTrader: (0)	I can tell you with 100% assurance it is NOT an issue with Sirius. This is a BMW issue. How do I know...well my 335i sedan did this drop out and then come back on, but I have Sirius in my 3 other cars AND in my house and none of the other receivers have this problem. And both my father and brother also have Sirius in their cars and neither have this problem. It's only been a problem in the BMW, and it's only in BMW's that I've heard of this problem in the 2.5 years I've had Sirius. BMW needs to figure out what the issue is in their cars and get it fixed!
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05-24-2007, 01:37 AM	#12
MAbbottUSMC Enlisted Member 0 Rep 32 Posts Drives: '06 BMW 325I Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: San Diego, CA iTrader: (0)	I had this problem from day 1. Still does it. I've taken in the car when I first got it for this problem and they had no idea about it. They said that they would report the problem to BMW.
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10-29-2007, 05:40 AM	#14
155MPH Major 61 Rep 1,379 Posts Drives: E89 Z4 sDrive28i M Performance Join Date: May 2007 Location: South Jersey Shore iTrader: (0) Garage List 2019 BMW xDrive430i ... [0.00] 2014 BMW Z4 sDrive2 ... [5.00]	I have the same problem. Last night I had on Classic Vinyl. I went to change the channel and it wouldn't change. I have the iDrive controller. I selected other stations. THe controller appeared to allow me to select them, but the radio never changed the station. It continued to display and play Classic Vinyl. I turned off the car, took the key out of the slot. Opened and closed the driver door, put the key in the slot and pressed the start button. Same problem, Classic Vinyl only. Then I drove for an hour. I tried every 5 minutes or so to change the channel... still stuck on Classic Vinyl. I got home...parked the car in the garage. Got out... locked the doors. I walked to the street to put my other car in the driveway. I walked back into the garage, unlocked the door to the car, got in, started the car and the radio then worked fine. This is in my 2007 328XiT. I have never had this problem in my 2007 328i which does not have iDrive. But I did have a problem in that car where the track button was not working. Again, I turned the car off, locked it and let it sit 5 minutes and it all worked fine the next time I got in and started it up. All very strange.
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