[SoYank]

Today I started my car at the post office and everything was working fine for the first minute or so other than the stereo had reverted from CD to AM. Then, the iDrive display dimmed to about half intensity and the radio stopped. Then came a yellow display between the dials of the instrument cluster that looked like an inverted anchor. It is really the letters SOS with a slash through it and a telephone symbol in the upper right. There is also an amber triangle with exclamation mark in the upper right corner of the small display that shows fuel range, average mpg, or average speed.

Stopping and restarting the car doesn't reset it although I've only left it stopped for up to twenty minutes. It may spontaneously reset by tomorrow. But I have an appointment to take it in tomorrow evening to have the service department take a look. They probably know more of the cause than I could ever find out myself.

[BK]

First report I've seen of this problem and odd symbol. Did you try the iDrive reboot procedure? CD eject, DVD eject, and radio power, if I remember correctly. Or maybe that just reboots the nav?

[Ninjaneer]

Originally Posted by BK

First report I've seen of this problem and odd symbol. Did you try the iDrive reboot procedure? CD eject, DVD eject, and radio power, if I remember correctly. Or maybe that just reboots the nav?

That should reboot iDrive.

[SoYank]

No, I didn't try rebooting. I'd heard of the ability but didn't know the BMW three-finger-salute. But, since the car is less than a year old I though I'd let BMW figure it out on their dime or, 5-pence.

[juanccgg]

I don't have idrive but I got the same symbol about two months ago. I immediately pressed the SOS button to call BMW assist, thinking that the problem was the assist feature. But they responded and told me that everything was fine and they could even tell my location. I was told to take it in for service but the next day the message was gone and everything seemed to be fine.

[tomswift]

I had a lockup on my iDrive in 2007 335i coupe.. one time. Called service and they told me to wait 45 minutes and it would reset itself. When I left work that day it had reset and the problem was gone. I later tried the reboot and it did actually reboot.


Tom

[SoYank]

I left mine at home all last night and all day today. I then took it over to the dealership and it hadn't reset itself by then. I figure if I'm taking it to BMW then I shouldn't reset it beforehand.

[SoYank]

Got my car back this evening. The only thing they did was reboot the iDrive. So, next time it happens I'll try the three finger salute.

[SoYank]

Twenty-three hours (this evening) after picking up my car, the display blanked out again. I tried the BMW three-finger salute (reboot) but got nothing. Took it back to the dealership and have an appointment Monday for service.
When I was driving home I noticed the following:

• The iDrive knob spins. Tuesday it wouldn't.
• The red ambience lights around the various knobs and buttons on the CD and DVD drives weren't lit. A couple of pushes of the CD eject button and the lights appeared but blinked off soon after.
• When pushing the eject button for the CD nothing happens.
• Pushing the eject button for the DVD nothing happens.
• Several tries at the reboot produced the BMW screen for about five seconds before fading out. Still, with light from the car behind me showed the BMW letters but nothing else.
• There is a noise like a fan audible even with the car shut off and the key removed.

It's too quiet in my car.

[BK]

Doesn't sound good. Actually, I suppose it could be simple, like a loose power wire or faulty fuse or something.

[SoYank]

Got my car back from service tonight. They need to order a part and need 2 days to reboot the iDrive. The service advisor indicated that this would be a software update. Find out more tomorrow. If so, maybe my windows will go up and down with the remote. That would be cool.

[SoYank]

Took the car in on Monday and picked it up tonight. Unfortunately, there was a problem with the part so the service department couldn't fix it. They said they should have the replacement part, the iDrive controller, by middle of next week. Fortunately, it's under warranty as it cost £455. In the meantime my car is awfully quiet.

[txusa03]

look like your idrive got stabbed with a sword and now the idrive is attempting to call bmw assist to report a fatal stabbing. Hence you see sos and a sword.

take to dealer and good luck.

[SoYank]

The service department has had my vehicle since Tuesday night. This afternoon they left a message stating the car was ready. An hour later they called again to report that when they went to move the vehicle the iDrive was, again, kaput. I think it is as frustrating to them as it is to me. I may not have my car back until after Christmas and Tuesdays Boxing Day so it won't be ready then either.

[SoYank]

I got the car back yesterday. On the phone they said the iDrive still wasn't working and that the parts were on order, basically replacing everything pertaining to the iDrive. When I arrived to pick up the car they reported that it was, in fact, working at that time, which it was. However, they didn't remove the Nav disc and CD from the original drives and I didn't notice this until I nearly got home. A quick phone call and they will try to power up the drives and eject the discs. If they can't do it here, they will send the drives back to Germany for retrieval. Unfortunately, I don't recall the album that was in the CD but the Nav disc is 2006-1.

[rrandyy]

Glad to hear its working again. The least they can do is give you a 2007 nav for your troubles if they cant get your nav+cd out.

[SoYank]

Originally Posted by rrandyy

Glad to hear its working again. The least they can do is give you a 2007 nav for your troubles if they cant get your nav+cd out.

Agree. I'm wondering if they will lend me a disc until they determine whether mine can be retrieved. I need to drive into London next week and having Luna tell me how to get there is better than fiddling with a road atlas in that traffic.

[poiney]

Originally Posted by SoYank

No, I didn't try rebooting. I'd heard of the ability but didn't know the BMW three-finger-salute. But, since the car is less than a year old I though I'd let BMW figure it out on their dime or, 5-pence.

Is the 3-finger salute anything more than turning the car off and on, or is there some other variant to reset my I-drive when it malfuctions?

[BK]

Originally Posted by poiney

Is the 3-finger salute anything more than turning the car off and on, or is there some other variant to reset my I-drive when it malfuctions?

Read the whole thread.

[BK]

This thread is a year old, but I just got this same warning light and a locked up iDrive tonight. Started the car, the main iDrive screen came up, nothing played through the stereo, and the controller just spun with no resistance. I rebooted iDrive (CD eject + DVD eject + mute) and it worked fine without restarting the car. This is my first iDrive lock-up I've ever had. Afterwards, the "check control messages" didn't show any active warnings. I have Progman v25.

SoYank - did they tell you what was wrong? It sounds like they replaced your whole iDrive.

In the meantime, I'll hope it was a fluke and doesn't happen again.

[SoYank]

They fixed it last December by replacing everything -- and I mean EVERYTHING -- pertaining to the iDrive system. I haven't seen the SOS anchor light in the past year (touch wood) but have had intermittent iDrive problems until September. Then they upgraded the software as remedy for one of four unrelated problems (most serious was the ELV).

Best of luck with your system, BK. Let us know how it goes.

[BK]

Originally Posted by SoYank

Best of luck with your system, BK. Let us know how it goes.

Thanks. I don't want to jinx myself, but I hope it was just a fluke occurrence. No problems today. If it happens again, I'll ask for it to be looked at.

Also, I'm glad to hears yours was completely fixed.