When your smartphone is Bluetooth-connected to your BMW, you may read incoming texts and calls through your iDrive system in addition to streaming music.
Your iDrive must support the Office feature in order to accomplish this, and it must also be turned on. Go to your iDrive settings and select the mobile devices tab when Bluetooth pairing has been completed between your BMW and smartphone. You should be able to toggle Office functionality on and off from a settings menu. You won’t be able to access text messages on iDrive if the Office option isn’t shown because your car probably doesn’t have the capability.
You may also need to change the settings on your mobile phone before SMS notifications may be seen on the iDrive system. On an iPhone, open the Bluetooth menu, tap the I next to the BMW to which you are now connected, and then turn on the “Show notifications” option. Please refer to your device documentation for further information regarding the specific requirements for Android smartphones to display alerts over Bluetooth.
If your iDrive screen is still not showing text messages, it’s conceivable that your phone doesn’t support iDrive. You can enter your vehicle and mobile device in the Bluetooth compatibility checker on the BMW website to see exactly which capabilities are supported.
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Is iDrive updateable?
Minor software updates for iDrive can be performed by dealers, however switching from an older edition of iDrive to a more modern version frequently necessitates installing a new unit in the dash or making additional hardware improvements. For instance, you might need to add a WiFi antenna if you wish to upgrade an older BMW to Apple CarPlay. Although independent vendors may be willing to perform such iDrive updates, BMW dealers rarely provide the service.
It’s important to understand how iDrive differs from smartphone mirroring programs like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. These bits of software can be added to an existing infotainment system to let you view a portion of your phone’s home screen through the infotainment screen, but iDrive is a broader, more comprehensive system that manages more aspects of the car’s functionality than just phone connectivity.
The technology was first made available by BMW in 2001’s 7 Series limousine. A rotary control wheel next to the gear lever was used to navigate between the functions, settings, and sub-menus. It functions similarly to the systems Audi, Mercedes, and Mazda employ.
When the technology originally debuted, customers weren’t too happy about it because it was distracting and difficult to operate. You had to take your eyes off the road to make any adjustments, and it was dangerously simple to get lost in a sub-menu. Since then, BMW has repeatedly improved and adjusted its iDrive technology to make it simpler to operate. The most recent system features convenient shortcut buttons scattered across the steering wheel, and some models, like the new 3 Series, 5 Series, and X7 SUV, allow voice and even gesture control to add more methods to operate the infotainment system.
Newer models now come with touchscreens, so you can poke the screen if you like, but if you learn how to operate the BMW iDrive system, there shouldn’t be any issues. When brands have moved the climate controls to the screen, rotary controls are now frequently less distracting than touchscreens. Additionally, using the controller prevents fingerprints from being left all over the display.
What operations does iDrive regulate?
There are many traditional buttons gathered around the iDrive control. They enable you to access the areas of the iDrive’s infotainment screen that you use the most, such as the central menu, media, radio, and telephone.
The top of the iDrive scroller also includes an integrated touchpad on more recent models, including as the 3 Series, 5 Series, and 8 Series, allowing you to type letters (like entering a postcode, for example) with your finger. It’s ingenious, but unless you’re left-handed, it’s also a difficult process that you’ll probably get tired of doing once the novelty wears off.
You might be startled to learn that the iDrive center displays on the most recent BMWs are touchscreens after hearing us sing the iDrive system’s praises. These have the aforementioned usability problems, especially since there isn’t a ledge to lean your palm against like in some cars, but the fact is that we are all fairly accustomed to using touchscreens, so familiarity may end up working in your favor.
The touchscreen system used by BMW is one of the best available. You may swipe through the tiles just as you would on your phone to identify functions that belong together, such as media and radio, by grouping them together on tiles.
The display also recognizes pinch gestures, enabling rapid zooming in and out of the car’s navigation system’s map. Generally speaking, all BMW screens are snappy and offer beautiful, vibrant visuals that are crisp, clear, and easy on the eyes.
Modern BMWs also recognize mid-air movements like twiddling your finger clockwise or anticlockwise to switch the volume up or down, proving that you can never have too many methods to manage an infotainment screen. You will undoubtedly look silly.
Naturally, you can also use voice instructions. To do so, either push the microphone button on the steering wheel or set a word as the system’s “activation” word. It’s not as user-friendly or dependable as the smart speaker you already have at home, like most manufacturer’s systems, so you could be tempted to use a strong swear word as the activation phrase.
How do I turn on BMW iDrive?
Make sure Bluetooth is turned on in both the automobile and the mobile device before proceeding. Choose Communication > Manage mobile devices > Connect new device* on the iDrive. The Bluetooth name for your BMW is then displayed* after you have selected the necessary features for the device. Simply locate and choose the BMW Bluetooth name from the phone’s Bluetooth menu, then adhere to the directions on the phone’s display and the vehicle’s display. You will be required to verify that the distinct code displayed in the car display matches the code on the majority of cellphones. Pressing OK causes the features to work. The phone appears in the device list after being linked with the vehicle. Only pairing a phone while the car is still is permitted for your protection.
Only applies to automobiles equipped with a professional navigation system. Use the iDrive to select “Add new device” for vehicles equipped with business navigation.
On a BMW, where is the iDrive?
Here is all the information you need to know about BMW’s iDrive infotainment system and control, which was first introduced in the company’s flagship saloon, the BMW 7 Series, in 2001. Since then, it has developed into a completely different creature and is now installed in every BMW model, from the base BMW 1 Series to the flagship BMW 8 Series.
Can BMW have iDrive added?
ECU upgrades are much less frequent than ConnectedDrive software updates, or media software updates. If your BMW has a Combox, you can update your multimedia, Bluetooth, internet connectivity, and mobile compatibility with your iDrive system. This may be quite convenient for you because you can install it yourself. Combox is already included into new NBTs and all current iDrive systems, but that doesn’t mean older models have to be without it. A Combox Retrofit Kit that adds numerous multimedia functions is available from BimmerTech.
Is iDrive BMW available in my vehicle?
The 5 Series E60/E61 was the first production vehicle to have CCC iDrive in 2003. After that, the X5 and X6 were added to additional BMW models until 2009. Throughout its existence, CCC iDrive benefited from two updates, which were released in 2007 and 2008. Some BMWs built in 2009 have the CCC head unit in addition to the new CiC controller (placed on the center console). These vehicles were regarded as “Hybrid” CCC/CiC iDrive systems but are essentially still CCC iDrive vehicles. Display resolution for the 8.8-inch, 640×240-pixel CCC iDrive system.
CCC Between the CCC and the CiC, the iDrive Systems’ antiquated LVDS transmission protocol necessitates an 8 pin, 8 wire link. Your IMI-1000 will be set up to work with the 8-wire LVDS connectors if your system is a CCC system.
If you have any of the following, you can determine if you have CCC iDrive:
1. 2x DVD/CD DRIVES: CCC iDrive Systems use a DVD drive to store and read the satellite navigation map data. If the main head unit has two DVD slots, the iDrive system is a CCC system.
2. The CCC menu system differs from other iDrive systems in that it has a center I and four primary menu items that correlate to the rotary controller’s directional “left, right, up and down” movements.
3. Determine whether you have the NAV option;
The 8.8-inch TFT/LCD display (measured diagonally)
5. Rotary Controller Type – One of the three CCC iDrive rotary controllers are what you will have.
An illustration of the CCC iDrive System, which has a rectangular metal LVDS connector, is seen below.
When was BMW iDrive first released?
BMW introduces the iDrive in 2001. The 2001 BMW 7 Series featured the first BMW iDrive. The BMW iDrive was the brand-new control system that BMW introduced. The amount of buttons on the dashboard were drastically reduced when it was first introduced in the BMW 7 Series.
What is the price of BMW iDRIVE?
It costs nothing to update the software on your BMW through BMW ConnectedDrive. The iDrive software update from BimmerTech starts at $249.
There are three ways to update the software on your BMW iDrive:
- With the iDrive software upgrade from BimmerTech
- through the webpage for BMW ConnectedDrive
- by means of the BMW ConnectedDrive App
By 2022, BMW will have updated its software to version 21-07. The most recent BMW software updates will always appear on your BMW control panel and My BMW App if you wish to stay informed.
How much does a BMW iDrive repair cost?
The CCC, or Car Communication Computer, may be broken and cause the BMW navigation system to malfunction. BMW navigation and iDrive will not function if BMW CCC is unsuccessful. The navigation system may occasionally function erratically. At BMW dealerships, the cost to fix or replace the CCC navigation unit ranges from $1000 to $1600.
How can I upgrade the system in my BMW?
Download any updates that are accessible on a USB drive. Place the USB drive into a USB port on your car. Select “Settings” from the menu on your iDrive device. Follow the instructions that appear on the screen after clicking “Software Update.”
My BMW’s infotainment system can it be upgraded?
If an update is available, you can download it, put it on a USB drive, and then insert the USB drive into the USB port on your car. Then, just navigate to your system’s Settings menu, select the Software Update option, and then follow the on-screen instructions.
Can my automobile have an iDRIVE?
To drastically eliminate throttle lag and let you fine-tune the response from your accelerator pedal, the iDRIVE throttle controller alters the voltage signal coming from the fly-by-wire pedal assembly. The iDRIVE achieves this by giving your vehicle’s throttle mapping fresh points of reference. Although it still operates within the expected bounds, the throttle curve is much steeper. Additionally, it reduces throttle lag/dead zone in the pedal by bringing the throttle in earlier throughout the pedal stroke. The iDRIVE may be configured for both automatic and manual gearboxes and is compatible with the majority of automobiles produced after 2000. The iDRIVE can typically be installed in as little as 5 minutes and plugs straight into your accelerator pedal command module. A lifetime warranty and a 30-day money-back guarantee are also included with the iDRIVE.