Once upon a time, all that was required for basic maintenance on a car was occasional tire replacements and routine oil changes. There’s more to it, though, if you want to maintain a contemporary BMW with an iDrive operating at its peak.
Maintaining your BMW’s iDrive should be a frequent effort, just like maintaining any other aspect of your car, whether it’s updating your iDrive software or downloading BMW maps to the factory navigation system.
In fact, Bavarians advise performing BMW sat nav updates at least twice annually and preferably more frequently.
Go to your iDrive navigation view, open the settings menu, and scroll down to Navigation system version to check the map version in your BMW. The region, version, and year of your current map are displayed. It’s time to update if it’s older than a year. Do you have a MINI Cooper? Read more on the navigation upgrade for the MINI Cooper.
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HOW TO USE A USB DRIVE TO TRANSFER AND INSTALL THE MAP UPDATE TO YOUR VEHICLE.
You are prepared to get inside the car once you have downloaded the map update or purchased the dealer’s USB disc with the update. Put the USB disk containing the most recent map data into your car’s USB port. The navigation update mode is automatically switched on by the Control Display. Choose “OK” to launch the update. The entire upgrade process could take anything from 30 to 90 minutes. You are not required to wait for the update to be finished. During the upgrade procedure, you can continue use your car and navigation system. Go to your map and press OPTION on the iDrive controller to restart the updating process. Next, choose “Navigation data update.” Please keep the USB disk in place until the update is complete. The navigation system will restart itself after the update has been installed successfully. This ends the updating process. Please navigate to “Navigation,” choose “Settings,” “Position and version,” and then pick “Version information” to view the currently installed map version.
BMW Software Update: Please download the update and use a USB stick to transfer it to your BMW.
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According to the mobile devices, there may be a wide range of compatibility between mobile devices and your BMW’s vehicle interfaces (Bluetooth(r), USB, or WiFi). Your smartphone or tablet’s hardware and software components will determine compatibility.
Industry-wide communications standards serve as the foundation for all BMW features. Lack of support for a standard by your mobile device could result in functional limitations. It might not always be possible to use your smartphone or tablet through the in-car interface. There may be periodic disturbances in exceptional circumstances. The size of the phone book, the SIM card being used, the individual network operator, different rules, or the mobile device’s operating mode are all potential contributing factors.
Please be aware that each country may have a different level of function availability. BMW is unable to bear responsibility for your mobile device’s unrestricted compatibility and functionality with car interfaces.
The Bluetooth SIG, Inc. is the registered owner of the Bluetooth word mark and logos. A license agreement governs all of the BMW Group’s use of the marks in this manner.
A BMW navigation upgrade is possible?
Map updates are available from BMW using either a USB stick that has been certified by BMW or the ConnectedDrive Store. It’s crucial to get the most recent information for the best route for you and your BMW because maps are updated frequently.
How can I get free map updates for my BMW navigation system?
BMW suggests conducting a map update every six months, or at the very least once a year, and typically releases up to three new versions of its products each year.
The head unit and the nation have a significant impact on how frequently new releases occur. For instance, more recent iDrives like the NBT Evo ID5/ID6 can receive two or three updates a year, whereas ENTRYNAV may have to wait up to a year for a new BMW navigation update. Even the more recent navigation systems might have to wait in some areas where new map updates aren’t even issued annually.
By entering your VIN on the BMW map update page, you can quickly verify the most recent update for your BMW sat nav. You will then get a list of regions that are compatible with your iDrive, along with years and numbers that represent the quarter in which the update was released.
How can I verify the version of my BMW map? Navigate to the navigation view on your iDrive, select Settings, and then scroll down to Navigation system version. The region, version, and year of your current map are displayed. It’s time to update if it’s older than a year.
How much does updating a car’s GPS system cost?
The quality of built-in navigation systems has increased recently, and they now provide more functionality for a lower price. (Nowadays, some systems just cost $500.) Factory-installed systems are better integrated into your car’s functioning and controls than portable GPS units are. They effortlessly integrate with the entertainment system, respond to voice commands, and have easy access to the contact list on your smartphone. However, maintaining those maps might be more expensive and time-consuming than updating a portable device or a smartphone.
Most built-in systems don’t automatically update themselves over the air with new roads, lanes, interchanges, businesses, or even traffic laws, such speed limits and left-turn prohibitions, unlike Google Maps on your phone. They also don’t provide regular one-click updates like the best navigation applications do.
Updates must instead be bought for a price ranging from $129 to $299 from the automaker, the dealership, or online. Additionally, there can be an additional installation fee. You could purchase a very fine portable GPS device with lifetime traffic and map updates for that amount of money. (See, for instance, the Garmin Nuvi 58LMT.)
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In-car upgrades are becoming obsolete because to the integration of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on smartphones.
TomTom, a manufacturer of navigation systems, estimates that 18% of the roads on maps require upgrading each year. You can be using really outdated maps if you haven’t updated them recently. How can I find my way to a certain location, such a restaurant? Prepare yourself to improvise. According to Navteq, their database might receive more than 230,000 new points of interest each year. Therefore, having the most recent maps on your car is beneficial, and the holidays are a good time to consider getting an upgrade.
We advise visiting Navteq’s website first because it provides links to updates for more than 30 different auto brands. Direct downloads from Navteq can be used to install some updates. Others need you to enter your vehicle’s year and model and may direct you to your car manufacturer’s website, where you may download the necessary software or schedule a map update appointment at a nearby dealer. Depending on what your automobile needs, the updated map software is available on either a DVD or an SD card. Of course, hiring a pro to conduct the installation will increase the cost.
Every 12 to 18 months, according to a Navteq spokeswoman, maps are updated for each automaker. Most drivers find it difficult to justify upgrading maps so frequently when they cost more than $100 each. But it’s wise to budget for at least one, if not two map upgrades during your ownership period if you frequently use a built-in navigator and/or depend on it for occasional trips. We have observed specials being offered on maps from several brands during the holiday season.
You probably don’t want to take a chance by traveling by car for the holidays this year if your map is more than a few years old. Additionally, upgrading maps for a family member can be a thoughtful gift because they might not know how to do it. And if your vehicle’s system cannot be easily updated because it is outdated, you may still suction-cup-mount a new portable GPS device to the touch screen.
Do you have access to free navigation system updates?
The OpenStreetMap project lets you get maps and upload them to your system without spending any money, so you can update your GPS for nothing. A database of free maps that is updated by volunteers makes up this Open Source software. Different navigation systems are compatible with the downloaded maps. For instance, you can install the suggested formats right on your Garmin GPS. OpenStreetMap files can be converted for your TomTom assistant so that your GPS can play them. However, because a plug-in installation is necessary, the process takes longer. Discover the procedures that must be taken to accomplish this in the following two paragraphs.
Do upgrades to the BMW maps cost money?
Several times a year, changes to the maps are released. They are offered in the BMW Shop as a one- or two-year subscription. If you have a current subscription, you can use the BMW Update Manager to obtain the most recent refresh from the BMW Connected Drive portal and update your map data. You’ll need a 64GB FAT-32 formatted USB drive and the methods below to accomplish this.
- First, use the icon in the site top to connect into your My BMW Account. Go to “My Vehicles” by navigating.
- Choose the vehicle for which a map update is desired.
- Go to the “Map update” section. If a new map version is available, a notification will appear.
On my BMW, how can I install Google Maps?
Visit Google Maps in any web browser, log in using your Google userid, and then search for and select the “gear” icon. You may register your BMW with Google there by entering your BMW Assist user name and password.
What mapping software does BMW employ?
2020 saw the release of the BMW Maps navigation system for automobiles using the BMW Operating System 7. By fusing real-time data with predicting models, the cloud-based solution accelerates route calculation and also makes it more dynamic.
What is the cost of a map update from BMW?
Theoretically, the dealer offers one free national map update, but you must insist on getting one because not all BMW dealers are aware of this arrangement. When the three years are up (or earlier if you want a second national map upgrade), updates from the dealer cost about $200.