Voice Command and Phone buttons

richjamison · 06-02-2010, 11:35 PM

Ok, so I just bought my first bimmer, a 2007 328i. It's got these cool buttons on the steering wheel that look like a phone and a talking head. I have read through the user manual on these features yet the buttons seem to do nothing. The menu structure that the owner manual outlines doesn't seem to exist in my car to utilize these buttons either. There is a phone button located on the left side of my stereo also, which also does nothing.

My question is: would these buttons be present in my car if the respective features weren't included? The specs sheet seems to indicate that these are standard equipment.

This is what my interior looks like.

Much Thanks,

Rich

tj9 · 06-03-2010, 03:59 AM

Does your car have the bluetooth option?

MrDummy · 06-03-2010, 05:49 AM

I know mine the salesmen said it did have it, but my 2 buttons do nothing as well, so I think he lied, and I dont have the original manual for the vehicle.

So I just left mine alone.

Nr!qUe · 06-03-2010, 06:09 AM

I have these, they're dummy buttons. I wish i could rewire them to change the track so that its on my left side and i dont have to take my hand away from the shifter when i want to change a song.

VTECaddict · 06-03-2010, 10:39 AM

They all have them, and they do nothing unless you have Bluetooth or iDrive.

carve · 06-03-2010, 10:42 AM

If you have blutooth, when you push the head button, it'll prompt you by saying "Please say a command". The button with a phone answers the phone, hangs up, or dials the last number you called. The voice controls without iDrive suck anyway though. It doesn't read your phonebook, so you have to save each phone number to the car manually by saying the numbers. The manual doesn't even tell you how to do it right, either (it says you have to say "Save name" instead of "store name" or vice versa). It takes about 8 attempts to store a phone number because the voice recognition is so bad. The voice recognition on my old Motorola Razr was 10x as good.

I think premium package is required for bluetooth.

cotmfk · 06-03-2010, 10:43 AM

Sorry brosef!

richjamison · 06-03-2010, 05:26 PM

so i am assuming that i can add these options at a later date otherwise it's pointless for the car to even have the buttons.

carve · 06-03-2010, 06:22 PM

You probably could with plenty of effort, but I think the point of the buttons in your car is to fill the hole.

tim818 · 06-03-2010, 06:26 PM

Unless you have BMW Assist option (standard with ZPP, optional a la carte), you do not have Bluetooth built-in. Those buttons will do nothing other than exercising thumb muscle. That said, you can retrofit the BT and/or BMW Assist, but be prepared to shell out some serious money.

Tim

dreamingat30fps · 06-03-2010, 07:00 PM

Yeah they just use the same wheel for many cars some with some without. My 335 has them working however the 128 has the same exact steering wheel, but those buttons don't do anything. BMW is not alone in this I've had several VWs with phone buttons on the wheel when they didnt even offer a bluetooth option on the car.

ShopVac · 06-03-2010, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dreamingat30fps

Yeah they just use the same wheel for many cars some with some without. My 335 has them working however the 128 has the same exact steering wheel, but those buttons don't do anything. BMW is not alone in this I've had several VWs with phone buttons on the wheel when they didnt even offer a bluetooth option on the car.

Yep...they are dead buttons in my MINI too. Sh!t a brick when I heard the cost of adding it. Figured it was best just not to take my phone in the car.

Thing is...it sounds really nice in the BMW.

richjamison · 06-03-2010, 09:28 PM

ok, well... i'm not too disappointed. i was just looking for as many gadgets to play with as i could. i love the car anyway. thanks everyone.

Oulixes · 06-03-2010, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richjamison

Ok, so I just bought my first bimmer, a 2007 328i. It's got these cool buttons on the steering wheel that look like a phone and a talking head. I have read through the user manual on these features yet the buttons seem to do nothing. The menu structure that the owner manual outlines doesn't seem to exist in my car to utilize these buttons either. There is a phone button located on the left side of my stereo also, which also does nothing.

My question is: would these buttons be present in my car if the respective features weren't included? The specs sheet seems to indicate that these are standard equipment.

Much Thanks,

Rich

I am not sure of MY2007 cars, but MY2006 330(x)i without Bluetooth had the same steering wheel as the cars that had Bluetooth - the pushbuttons in these Bluetooth-less cars did not function.

06-02-2010, 11:35 PM	#1
richjamison New Member Drives: 2007 328i Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Moore, Oklahoma Posts: 26 iTrader: (0)	Voice Command and Phone buttons Ok, so I just bought my first bimmer, a 2007 328i. It's got these cool buttons on the steering wheel that look like a phone and a talking head. I have read through the user manual on these features yet the buttons seem to do nothing. The menu structure that the owner manual outlines doesn't seem to exist in my car to utilize these buttons either. There is a phone button located on the left side of my stereo also, which also does nothing. My question is: would these buttons be present in my car if the respective features weren't included? The specs sheet seems to indicate that these are standard equipment. This is what my interior looks like. Much Thanks, Rich
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06-03-2010, 05:49 AM	#3
MrDummy →сяuisiиg iи му вмш← Drives: 2010 Space Gray 328i Join Date: May 2009 Location: The Unemployment Capitol of America Posts: 1,643 iTrader: (1) Garage List 2010 BMW 328i [0.00]	I know mine the salesmen said it did have it, but my 2 buttons do nothing as well, so I think he lied, and I dont have the original manual for the vehicle. So I just left mine alone. __________________ SuPerMoD @ MassMonsterz.com A "Happy" Owner of a Metallic Space Gray 2010 BMW 328i ProGaMeR on the XboX 360
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06-03-2010, 06:09 AM	#4
Nr!qUe Captain Drives: 2009 E90 LCI 328i 6MT Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 967 iTrader: (3)	I have these, they're dummy buttons. I wish i could rewire them to change the track so that its on my left side and i dont have to take my hand away from the shifter when i want to change a song. __________________ 2009 BMW E90 328i \| Xenons \| MT \| Space Gray \| Beige-ette \| CF Fabric Trim \| iPod/USB \| 20% Tints \| Euro-Plate \| Rear Fog Switch Lego Mod \| Painted Reflectors \| Performance Short-shift Kit \| Style 197 Wheels \| OEM Sport Suspension \| OEM Trunk Spoiler \| Pioneer AVH4400BH -DVD
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06-03-2010, 10:39 AM	#5
VTECaddict Where'd my VTEC go? Drives: 06 330i 6MT Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: West LA, CA Posts: 4,512 iTrader: (4)	They all have them, and they do nothing unless you have Bluetooth or iDrive. __________________ AW/Terra \| ZSP \| ZPP \| ZCW \| iDrive \| CA Mods: BC BR \| OEM Blacklines \| M-tech rear \| custom dual exhaust \| M3 steering wheel \| BMW SSK \| ZHP shift knob \| BMW Performance rep spoiler Varrstoen ES1 19x9.5+20 Front, 19x11+25 rear
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06-03-2010, 10:43 AM	#7
cotmfk Brigadier General Drives: 2007 335i Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: DC, MD, VA Posts: 3,281 iTrader: (11)	Sorry brosef! __________________
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06-03-2010, 03:59 AM	#2
tj9 Private Drives: E90 LeMans Blue Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Perth, WA Posts: 69 iTrader: (1)	Does your car have the bluetooth option?
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06-03-2010, 10:42 AM	#6
carve Major Drives: 335i Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: usa Posts: 1,095 iTrader: (0)	If you have blutooth, when you push the head button, it'll prompt you by saying "Please say a command". The button with a phone answers the phone, hangs up, or dials the last number you called. The voice controls without iDrive suck anyway though. It doesn't read your phonebook, so you have to save each phone number to the car manually by saying the numbers. The manual doesn't even tell you how to do it right, either (it says you have to say "Save name" instead of "store name" or vice versa). It takes about 8 attempts to store a phone number because the voice recognition is so bad. The voice recognition on my old Motorola Razr was 10x as good. I think premium package is required for bluetooth.
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06-03-2010, 05:26 PM	#8
richjamison New Member Drives: 2007 328i Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Moore, Oklahoma Posts: 26 iTrader: (0)	so i am assuming that i can add these options at a later date otherwise it's pointless for the car to even have the buttons.
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06-03-2010, 06:22 PM	#9
carve Major Drives: 335i Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: usa Posts: 1,095 iTrader: (0)	You probably could with plenty of effort, but I think the point of the buttons in your car is to fill the hole.
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06-03-2010, 06:26 PM	#10
tim818 Private Drives: way too fast Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 91 iTrader: (0)	Unless you have BMW Assist option (standard with ZPP, optional a la carte), you do not have Bluetooth built-in. Those buttons will do nothing other than exercising thumb muscle. That said, you can retrofit the BT and/or BMW Assist, but be prepared to shell out some serious money. Tim
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06-03-2010, 07:00 PM	#11
dreamingat30fps Captain Drives: 2009 335i (RIP) - 2006 Z4MR Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Boynton Beach Posts: 863 iTrader: (1)	Yeah they just use the same wheel for many cars some with some without. My 335 has them working however the 128 has the same exact steering wheel, but those buttons don't do anything. BMW is not alone in this I've had several VWs with phone buttons on the wheel when they didnt even offer a bluetooth option on the car.
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06-03-2010, 09:28 PM	#13
richjamison New Member Drives: 2007 328i Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Moore, Oklahoma Posts: 26 iTrader: (0)	ok, well... i'm not too disappointed. i was just looking for as many gadgets to play with as i could. i love the car anyway. thanks everyone.
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