Registered
Read an interesting post about this. I want to know what happens if you disconnect the battery because I’m new to iDrive. or disable the iDrive’s control fuse?
I’m not sure, but you might not want to completely disconnect the batteries in a BMW without taking some precautions because I’ve heard that if the car loses all power, it might enter an anti-theft mode. I’m not sure because I don’t work on my autos.
Anyhow, that wasn’t the type of reset the OP was referring about.
When you lock the car and turn it off, iDrive completely shuts off for roughly 12 minutes. In most BMWs, you can restart the computer for the idrive system, navigation, etc. by holding down the volume button for 20 to 25 seconds constantly. The volume is only momentarily turned off when the volume button is pressed; the system is not restarted.
In This Article...
Consider A Hard Reset
You could have a hard reset on your mind now that we have talked about resetting your BMW I3. This entails forcing a reboot, similar to when you depress the power button to reset a computer. Have you tried turning it off and on again? It works wonders for computers, including the one in your electric vehicle!
The iDrive, the car’s little computer, is reset when we hard reset a BMW I3. If the aforementioned approach doesn’t work, it’s time for a hard reboot. You just need to hold the volume button down while doing this. Pushing or removing your finger from the volume button will only turn the volume up and down; a system restart will not result.
Holding the volume button down for 20–25 seconds continuously is necessary for a successful reset. You might wish to use your phone’s timer or count out loud while doing this. After the system has been reset, you should notice a noticeable difference when you turn your car on and off again.
If not, you might want to think about returning your BMW to its default settings. You can do this via the screen in your car, but be aware that doing so will erase all of your saved contacts, data, and driver profile information.
Prior to driving your car to a mechanic, it should be considered a last resort. Consult your user manual to learn how to restore your BMW I3 to factory settings. There, you’ll find all the necessary details and instructions, as well as any guidance you might require.
Online tutorials are another option that you should look into. Visit YouTube to learn how to restore your BMW I3 to factory settings if you like to follow along with visual aids and double-check your work.
Resetting BMW iDrive 8 hard
Over the months of December and January, I test-driven the electric BMW iX. Although I was given the xDrive 40 model, I traveled to Germany in October 2021 to see the xDrive 50’s European introduction. My article on that is available here.
I tried every piece of technology I could throughout my time with the iX. Using Digital Key Plus, I registered my iPhone 13 Pro and Apple Watch Series 6 as automobile keys. Additionally, I connected the My BMW app to the vehicle so I could use several features from a distance. This includes using the hooter, the climate control, the lights, or locking/unlocking the automobile.
Additionally, it gave me access to real-time data on the battery’s condition, range, and other details like when I charge the car. I often receive push alerts when the charge has started, an update if an error occurs, and a final update when the charge is finished.
The car ceased warning me about the charge info, range, and battery health somewhere between December and January. I’m not sure if it was caused by entering the year 2022 or if there was a bug, but I too didn’t receive a record of my charge history despite charging the car frequently up until January 13 when I was able to resolve the problem.
I tried everything, including logging out of the app, removing the car from the phone’s Bluetooth settings, deleting the app, etc., but nothing worked. Since the iX is also the first vehicle to use iDrive 8, BMW’s most recent operating system, a repair was obviously challenging to locate. Another reason is that cars with operating system 7 no longer have a physical power button.
Giving iDrive 8 a hard reset is the solution. Remember that doing this is equivalent to performing a hard reset on your iPhone; it only clears the cache and repairs issues, not any data.
You may already be aware that the infotainment system is still accessible when the car is started without the brake being applied. I used the volume key to try to hard reset it in this manner, but nothing happened.
A short thank you to Stefan at BMW Midrand who assisted me. He was in the product division before, but is now in sales. He informed BMW that the lack of a power button for a hard reset is a problem. He advised me to start the car correctly, with my foot on the brake, and then to perform a hard reset. It succeeded.
How is a BMW manually reset?
The mechanic will reset the computer in your BMW after the service is complete so it can record your mileage and let you know when the car will need maintenance again in the future. However, the techniques listed below can help you if you maintain your own car but are unclear of how to reset the computer system.
- With the engine off, turn the key to the ON position.
- For TEN seconds, press and HOLD the ODOMETER button. It can be found at the Instrument Cluster’s extreme bottom LEFT corner.
- The dash screen will display FGSTNR along with a number. Your chassis number is this.
- The LAST FOUR numerals are added. Ex: 3+4+5+6= 18 Your UNLOCK CODE is going to be 18.
- Press and hold the ODOMETER button one more until the FGSTNR clearing area appears.
- Press the odometer button until the upper Menu area (entering code menu) reaches 19 after the bottom area has cleared; When you do, the text will appear at the bottom: Press the odometer button to enter your unlock code after turning the lock on. This is seen in the bottom portion.
- The screen will appear as in the image above after a little period, at which point the menu will once again appear at the top. To access the number 21 menu, press the odometer button.
- On the screen’s bottom, it will say: RESET? To complete the reset, press the odometer button.
Your BMW’s computer has been restarted! The existing settings must now be added again, or new ones must be added.
**NOTE: Slowly repeat the procedures if you are unable to reset the BMW computer on your first attempt. If you’re still having trouble, ask the dealership for help or refer to your car’s owner’s manual.
How can I reset the engine in my BMW?
Yesterday when I took my automobile to the mechanic, his new employee handled the most of the work. He did an excellent job, but neglected to turn off my service light. How can I turn off the BMW’s service engine warning?
In less than two minutes, find out if your auto insurance is being overcharged.
Our cars’ service lights frequently stay on because the mechanic forgot to reset them. But occasionally, it can be necessary to address a root problem. Make sure your automobile is in good shape before you reset a BMW service engine light.
By following these procedures, you can turn off the service engine light on your BMW if you’re satisfied it doesn’t require any other repairs:
- Start the ignition, but do not drive. Press the START button if your BMW has one without depressing the brake pedal.
- Hold down the tiny odometer button until a maintenance warning light comes on.
- Press it once more until a reset prompt appears.
- Once more, press and hold it until the message appears. Reset effective.
- To confirm that it was successful, start the car again and again.
You may drive more at ease knowing that your automobile is in top shape now that the service engine light has been reset. Your auto insurance, meanwhile, can be a different matter. There is no warning light that will let you know if you are significantly overpaying or underinsured. To find out for sure and to save hundreds, check out the Jerry app.
Even once Jerry finds you fantastic insurance at a low cost, the discounts keep coming. You will receive fresh, competitive quotations prior to each policy renewal period, ensuring that you always have the finest coverage at the lowest cost. It’s okay if you wish to change policies! Jerry can assist in terminating your old coverage.
How can I reset my BMW now that the battery has been changed?
One of the vehicles with the most advanced intelligent operating system in the world is the BMV. Therefore, the first thing you must do after every hit or replacement of an object in the car is to restart the entire vehicle.
This setup enables the computer to anticipate your next replacement requirement and alert you to it. After changing the battery, resetting the BMW computer is a quick and easy process.
- First, turn on the controller again.
- Step 2: Press “Trip” to activate it and make it light.
- Step 3: Hold down the “trip” button while continuing to press and hold it until the “Reset” button shows up on the screen.
- Reset in Step 4
Why won’t my BMW screen work?
Since you are still covered by the warranty, take it to the dealership. Check to check if the computer on your automobile reboots after 20 minutes of sleep. The blank screen is a frequent issue, and it usually goes away after restarting the car. Since you are still covered by warranty, bring it to the dealer.
How can I evaluate my BMW iDrive?
The iDrive system’s navigation is a crucial component that makes getting from A to B simple. But since roads and sites of interest constantly change, it’s critical to maintain your BMW’s GPS maps updated if you want to get the most out of your iDrive.
Many of the most recent BMW models include over-the-air (OTA) map updates, which use the vehicle’s integrated SIM card to automatically download the most recent map data. The procedure in these automobiles is comparable to updating your smartphone to the most recent iOS or Android version; all you have to do is restart your car after your iDrive has downloaded the data.
For vehicles that do not allow OTA updates, a manual upgrade is necessary. Previously, updating BMW navigation maps required changing a DVD holding the map data. More newer vehicles include built-in hard drives that hold the data, allowing you to update your map by overwriting the hard drive’s contents. You can accomplish this with BMW by connecting a USB stick with the updated map data to the USB port in your vehicle.
It’s a good idea to determine which map version you need, which relies on your iDrive system, before purchasing a new BMW map. Use the settings menu when your iDrive navigation is open to navigate to “Navigation system version,” where you can see the region, version, and year of your current GPS data.