Audio-Problem E46 330 ci

> Questions:
> a) Does anyone own the same model and has possibly the same problem?
> b) Any Ideas what else I could do legally? (Warranty still valid
> several months)
> c) Does anyone have an idea how to solve the problem technologically,
> if B fails, without changing the entire sound-system?`
>
> Thanks in Advance
> Holger from Germany

Hi Holger,

I am sorry to learn about your problems and can sympathise also.

I bought a new 530D and added some £500 (700 Euros) of extra audio enhancement
options and it too has been the worst investment with the car, giving the worst
audio of all the cars I have owned. This on a car that has cost me the MOST -
some 50,000 Euros.

The dealer said it was NORMAL, and BMW UK did not even respond to my
correspondences. It is now some 40 months old and I am just about to change the
car - my next one will NOT be a BMW. This experience will have cost BMW at
least 3 cars to my knowledge, maybe more, and the solution for them would have
cost them nothing - so it is my opinion that BMW customer service has failed
badly, they should take note and not be so arrogant in their handling of
customer concerns.

Nick

"Holger Hirschfeld" > wrote in message
...
> Hi
>
> in April this year I bought a 2003er (new Model) 330 Ci with
> navi-System and HarmanKardon Hifisystem. Included is the ability to
> lock a MobilePhone via Bluetooth and use the system to telephone
> "Hands free".

If the BMW don"t make any progress with that, and your problem stay , i
believe ( in all regards to H&K, i have receivers at home, and my friend in
E36, and i still believe that they are in TOP 10 , of all high fidelity
receivers or speakers. ) that the replacment of receiver or another part
would be a reasonoble solution. Or , just take it to the nearest dealer for
car - audio who has service, and to see if any solution can be done.
Best luck with that.


--
First man , then machine ...........Honda Type R

Hi Holger,

I have the same car as you. with sat nav and HarmanKardon Hifi system. I have a Nokia BT car kit with an 8910i phone. I do not have any white noise problems. (I also have high expectations and am very fussy) In fact this is the first car that I have NOT felt the need to change the sound system. Sure you can always buy more powerful systems, but it's enough power for me (I am 38). the clarity is very good and it's not worth loosing the integration.

I can't say for sure that your problem is not normal as I don't have a BMW BT phone kit (but I still also have the original BMW phone kit installed). BUT it doesn't sound right.

As for fixing it. Have they disconnected the phone unit to isolate the problem (because we know that the sat nav and hifi system works). If it is the BT phone unit, then you can buy a nokia unit like mine. It works very well.

BTW. I assume that you have ruled out the climate control interior fan (it sucks air into the sensor) which makes the same noise when the fan unit is faulty.

I hope some of this is helpful

Tuan



"Holger Hirschfeld" > wrote in message ...
> Hi
>
> in April this year I bought a 2003er (new Model) 330 Ci with
> navi-System and HarmanKardon Hifisystem. Included is the ability to
> lock a MobilePhone via Bluetooth and use the system to telephone
> "Hands free".
>
> It is surely a fine car, but has one problem that annoys me. When I
> turn the ignition-Key so that the Audio is activated - there is a
> constant "White Noise". The noise is also at a constant volume of
> about 47-50 db(a), which is slighly above normal outdoor silence
> (Measured at around 40 db (A). THe disturbing Noice continues even
> when I turn the Radio off.
>
> I have bought the car with the hifi-System because I have high
> expectations concerning audio Quality - so I can´t accept this.
> Especially not in a car costing 50.000 Euros with A Hifi-Add-On für
> 700 Euros. I am driving Cars since 1987, and this is by far the most
> expensive model I ever owned, and it has the worst sound quality of
> all the 7 cars I had before.
>
> As the car has still several months of manufacturer-Warranty, I
> visited my local BMW-Dealer, who congratulated my to my excellent
> hearing capabilities (i am 35!), but told me there is nothing he could
> do. (He tried, at least, to solve the problem by changing every single
> COmponent without success.)
>
> Later he contacted BMW, who sent an "Expert" to take a look at the
> problem. He told me that this noise is normal and a result of the many
> Audio-Signalsources (Navi, Radio, CD, Phone...) and so there is
> nothing he can do.
>
> I wrote to bmw myself, but they too told me that this is normal.
>
> My Car-Hifi-Expert told me that this is not true but a result of a
> suboptimal Justage between the components. But as the System is a
> BMW-BRANDED Version of HArman Kardon, the option to adjust the systems
> is not given. (The normal Harman Kardon has this option!)
>
> Questions:
> a) Does anyone own the same model and has possibly the same problem?
> b) Any Ideas what else I could do legally? (Warranty still valid
> several months)
> c) Does anyone have an idea how to solve the problem technologically,
> if B fails, without changing the entire sound-system?`
>
> Thanks in Advance
> Holger from Germany
>
>

"Holger Hirschfeld" > wrote in message
...
> Hi
>
> in April this year I bought a 2003er (new Model) 330 Ci with
> navi-System and HarmanKardon Hifisystem. Included is the ability to
> lock a MobilePhone via Bluetooth and use the system to telephone
> "Hands free".
>
> It is surely a fine car, but has one problem that annoys me. When I
> turn the ignition-Key so that the Audio is activated - there is a
> constant "White Noise". The noise is also at a constant volume of
> about 47-50 db(a), which is slighly above normal outdoor silence
> (Measured at around 40 db (A). THe disturbing Noice continues even
> when I turn the Radio off.
>
> I have bought the car with the hifi-System because I have high
> expectations concerning audio Quality - so I can´t accept this.
> Especially not in a car costing 50.000 Euros with A Hifi-Add-On für
> 700 Euros. I am driving Cars since 1987, and this is by far the most
> expensive model I ever owned, and it has the worst sound quality of
> all the 7 cars I had before.
>
> As the car has still several months of manufacturer-Warranty, I
> visited my local BMW-Dealer, who congratulated my to my excellent
> hearing capabilities (i am 35!), but told me there is nothing he could
> do. (He tried, at least, to solve the problem by changing every single
> COmponent without success.)
>
> Later he contacted BMW, who sent an "Expert" to take a look at the
> problem. He told me that this noise is normal and a result of the many
> Audio-Signalsources (Navi, Radio, CD, Phone...) and so there is
> nothing he can do.
>
> I wrote to bmw myself, but they too told me that this is normal.
>
> My Car-Hifi-Expert told me that this is not true but a result of a
> suboptimal Justage between the components. But as the System is a
> BMW-BRANDED Version of HArman Kardon, the option to adjust the systems
> is not given. (The normal Harman Kardon has this option!)
>
> Questions:
> a) Does anyone own the same model and has possibly the same problem?
> b) Any Ideas what else I could do legally? (Warranty still valid
> several months)
> c) Does anyone have an idea how to solve the problem technologically,
> if B fails, without changing the entire sound-system?`
>
> Thanks in Advance
> Holger from Germany
>
>

Hi Holger,

Did you perhaps try to compare with other 330i with same setup ?
Surely it would not be that difficult to find similar car in Germany.
Then I would compare the noise levels, if they're the same I doubt
that anything can be done, however if the other car is "quiet" you
take it back to the dealer, they must fix it. This reminds me of problem
I had with E38 7 series, intermittent audio problem. I had new amplifier,
new radio, some cables replaced etc. After many visits they picked
up a fault - on the TV module.

I have E60 with BT - absolutely no noise whatsoever.

Regards,
Alex