Common issues & diagnosis
iDrive Controller Issues
Controllers will all wear cosmetically and mechanically. There and some earlier types that are particularly problematic (E90 and E70) due to electrical issues and the resistance in the dials failing.
Display Screen Issues
All BMW screens are subject to failure. The E70, E90 and F25 in-dash displays were a problem, as are the newer looking F20, F30 and F15 units. Some of the newer units (F and G-Generation) are also prone to delamination from extreme/frequent sun exposure.
Professional and Business Radio Issues
The Professional and Business units are prone to internal faults, but the main problem is the dead pixel issue with the in-built display.
MASK, CIC and CCC Unit Issues
The CIC and CCC units were massive problems with the internal components and circuit boards, MASK units less so. We’ve nearly depleted our stock of CIC and CCC, but if you are hard pressed, most faults with these units are repairable—you will just need to find an audio/module technician who can complete the repairs.
NBT Issues
The NBT and NBT EVO units are starting to become a common problem too. The main symptom of a failing NBT is that the navigation will get stuck on loading and never open. Typically this is a hardware issue and the unit needs to be replaced.
Amplifiers and Active Sound Modules
Most amplifiers and active sound modules are killed now because water has gotten into the car. This is a massive issue with F33 4 Series convertibles. We have also seen some top HiFi and Harman Kardon amps in F25s and F15s fail without water damage, but this has been rare.
Video and Radio Modules
These units are typically killed by water damage as they sit in the rear wells of E-generation cars.
How to determine fitment compatibility
Some infotainment components (such as the controllers) don’t require coding. Whereas other components like NBT head units need to unlocked/programmed to your VIN.
It is not straight forward determining fitment compatibility of infotainment components—we’d recommend getting in touch with our team before arriving at any conclusions.
Interchangeability between models
When BMW develops an infotainment system, they will typically use it across multiple models in their range. These systems will can also span different generations (some later F-Generation and early G-Generation vehicles share the same NBT EVO system.)
BMW’s NBT EVO system is a good example, as it was used across almost all vehicles in their F-Generation line-up. Most of the components in the NBT EVO system are interchangeable between models.
It is worth noting that within any BMW infotainment system there will still be different hardware versions/levels to accomodate for options like DAB (though hardware has become much more homogeneous across the G-Generation line-up.)
