Failed device on the iBus

[sierrarot328]

Haven't posted here in quite some time, but I just wanted to provide some helpful info that I learned this week.

I started up my car the other day and discovered that my seatbelt light did not go out when I buckled in. Then I noticed that my aftermarket XM radio (XM Commander installed via CD changer) was not working. It was picking up satellites, but the music wasn't playing over the speakers. On the drive home, I soon found that my dashboard illumination did not come on when I turned on the headlights, and the turn signal indicators on the dash did not light up either. Also, the clock display on the instrument panel was OK, but I could not get the radio display to switch to clock mode. My cruise control buttons on the steering wheel worked, but the radio buttons on the steering wheel did not work. Once I got home, I played around with a few more things and discovered that my convertible top would not go up or down either.

I called a local mechanic and he said to replace the battery first. So I did that and things only got worse. Once I reconnected the new battery, my radio only displayed "-DISABLE-" and my power windows ceased to function.

I spent hours and hours Googling the internet for answers, and found this tidbit on another BMW user group website:

Electrical systems going whack?
There are two problems that affect all of your electrical systems. Symptoms include steering wheel buttons not working, turn signals or gauges not working, radio not turning on, etc.

The most common cause is a failed device on the iBus: try unplugging your cd changer, ipod adapter, satellite radio, etc.

The second most common cause is simply a bad battery.

Since I had already tried the battery, I tried unplugging my XM radio from the CD changer port. This did not help. I had one more option. Two years ago, I bought one of those iTop modules from Bavarian Auto (module built by TVonNAV, which has since gone out of business). It died during this past summer, I suppose 2 Texas summers was too much to ask from it, but I just left it in anyway. What harm could it cause, right? Well, I took it out and all my electrical problems went away. Car is as good as new.

I hope that this can help someone else in the future. God knows that this forum has helped me a lot over the past 4 years.

[@ goody4]

...when a catastrophic failure comes. I've often wondered what affect piggybacking would do to this car's other electronics.

So far, hardwiring my radar detector and hooking up a detector interface into the K-bus splice box hasn't caused any problems in my M3. However, when I removed this same interface from my '03 M5, the intermittent rain sensor feature on the windshield wipers stopped working.

On other forums, every other post seems to be about failed ICE (I-pod integration) hookups, or how the addition of headlight "angel eyes" has now made the all of the lights, inside and out, short out.

BMWs have quirky electronics to begin with, so adding more stress is probably just asking for trouble down the road.

It's not enough reason for to give up any of the cool aftermarket gadgets, though.


Hubble


'06 M3 Coupe 04/2006-build

Mystic Blue/ M Cloth

Power Seats
Xenon Headlights
Harman Kardon Stereo
Power Rear Sunshade
Cold Weather Package
Park Distance Control

Add-ons:

Universal Transmitter
Valentine One
Stealth One
OEM Sirius
OEM fire extinguisher
ZHP shift knob and alcantara boot
OEM First aid box
OEM European fist aid kit
OEM Bracketed warning triangle
Höen Xenonmatch foglight bulbs

[Max]

Exact same problems here....Looks like this mini jack input that hooked via the cd changer interface died and I had the same problems. Thanks for posting, hopefully this will help someone else

[gregwminmmoregon]

That could be really frustrating.******>
Greg Lake Oswego, Oregon

---

2001 M3 Coupe - Titanium/Cinnamon
Prem. Pkg., Xenon, CWP, adj. seat width, HK, Matte Chrome trim; RAC Monolite RG4 forged wheels (19x9, 10), Michelin PS2s 245/275, CSL/ZCP rotors, Stoptech sst lines, GC custom Koni/Eibach coilovers/camber plates, Larini sst exhaust, ACS SSK w/ Z8 shift knob, ACS pedal covers/handbrake, UUC Big Boy clutch stop, CDV delete, OEM strut tower brace, '04 LEDs/trunk lights, V1 w/ hardwire & in-cluster remote display, euro front bumper cover, euro first aid kit & warning triangle, space saver spare, painted foglight rings, PIAA Xtreme Plus fogs, SilverVision front turns.
2006 Mercedes-Benz ML350 Pewter/Charcoal Alcantara/Aluminum
*******>

[SuwaneeM3]

Sirius went wacky and took most of the non-essential electricals down. A simple unplug and replug got everything back to normal.

[Adrian]

I'm having a ton of problems just as you describe with my '02 M3. I would like to try to troubleshoot this myself, but the one catch is that I'm a total M3 (and iBus) noob. I just purchased my car used from an auto broker so I don't have it's exact history as far as potential iBus mods go.

If anyone has the time and inclination to help me troubleshoot I'd really appreciate it. -How do I reset my iBus? How do I tell if someone has piggybacked a device on it in the past? etc.

In the meantime I'll be out Googling info on my iBus.

Many thanks to anyone who can offer advice.

[Bigline29]

Hello...I'm also having electrical problems and advice was given about the K-bus. I was wondering if someone responded with answers to help?
Thanks

[94583]

Looks like you have a typical k-bus issue. There are a few common issues that we see within our dealership. Most of time its aftermarket FM modulators for I-pod adapters, aux inputs, aftermarket cd changers etc. Disconnect any of those items and the k-bus should come back.