BMW Pandora integration with iDrive: could be better

cfm56d7b · 07-01-2018, 06:28 PM

My vehicle is 2017 BMW 440i GC. While Pandora integration is a very nice feature, the day to day operation has been spotty at best:

- Fails to engage at least every 3-4 days. Have to restart the app.
- No sound. Switch to another station and then switch back. Sound returns.
- No sound at all. Have to restart the app.

What has been your experience?

tsm007 · 07-04-2018, 09:44 AM

Are you using Pandora through Apple Carplay? I've never had any problems with Apple Carplay in BMW. Some Cadillacs had some glitches after updating my iPhone.

cfm56d7b · 07-04-2018, 10:52 AM

My vehicle does not have Apple CarPlay. iDrive features built in support for Pandora.

GeorgeF31 · 07-05-2018, 11:42 PM

Take it to your dealer for an iDrive update. Version is under the navigation section in the settings. I was having issues with Amazon music dropping all the time. They updated me from NBTevo_H16303I to NBTevo_N18092I. Works much better.

They did it under warranty. I made sure to explain that it wasn't the Bluetooth which was working fine for phone use and regular music library use.

I have an iPhone 6 btw.

jerry-t · 11-24-2019, 04:21 PM

Not sure if this is the same issue...

I have a 2016 X3. Have always had problems getting Pandora to work. It will occasionally (sometimes frequently) stop. I notice also that the phone cycles between charging and not charging. I've tried numerous cables - Apple and 3rd party. Nothing seems to work. I occasionally get a message on my iPhone 7 Plus, "Can only connect to one accessory at a time." I've taken it to the dealership. Updated software. Nothing works. I'm wondering if having the phone connected via Bluetooth and USB might be causing the problem.

BMW Genius Line - absolutely no help.

In short, for a great vehicle, BMW tech is pretty poor.

IK6SPEED · 11-24-2019, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jerry-t

Not sure if this is the same issue...

I have a 2016 X3. Have always had problems getting Pandora to work. It will occasionally (sometimes frequently) stop. I notice also that the phone cycles between charging and not charging. I've tried numerous cables - Apple and 3rd party. Nothing seems to work. I occasionally get a message on my iPhone 7 Plus, "Can only connect to one accessory at a time." I've taken it to the dealership. Updated software. Nothing works. I'm wondering if having the phone connected via Bluetooth and USB might be causing the problem.

BMW Genius Line - absolutely no help.

In short, for a great vehicle, BMW tech is pretty poor.

The issue is the large screen iPhone 7 you are using. It wants more amps than USB can provide.

.5 amps doesn't cut it with the higher demands of the phone for power.

This has been discussed many times if you would have searched.

cfm56d7b · 11-25-2019, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jerry-t

Not sure if this is the same issue...

I have a 2016 X3. Have always had problems getting Pandora to work. It will occasionally (sometimes frequently) stop. I notice also that the phone cycles between charging and not charging. I've tried numerous cables - Apple and 3rd party. Nothing seems to work. I occasionally get a message on my iPhone 7 Plus, "Can only connect to one accessory at a time." I've taken it to the dealership. Updated software. Nothing works. I'm wondering if having the phone connected via Bluetooth and USB might be causing the problem.

BMW Genius Line - absolutely no help.

In short, for a great vehicle, BMW tech is pretty poor.

Update on my vehicle's Pandora integration.

Lately, Pandora (via Bluetooth) has been working surprisingly well with iPhone 8, the latest release of IOS 13 software and Pandora app. iDrive software has been upgraded to the latest version due to an unrelated problem.

There were so many changes that it's nearly impossible to isolate the root cause. I suspect it has always been Pandora app itself.

jerry-t · 11-25-2019, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IK6SPEED

Quote:

Originally Posted by jerry-t

Not sure if this is the same issue...

I have a 2016 X3. Have always had problems getting Pandora to work. It will occasionally (sometimes frequently) stop. I notice also that the phone cycles between charging and not charging. I've tried numerous cables - Apple and 3rd party. Nothing seems to work. I occasionally get a message on my iPhone 7 Plus, "Can only connect to one accessory at a time." I've taken it to the dealership. Updated software. Nothing works. I'm wondering if having the phone connected via Bluetooth and USB might be causing the problem.

BMW Genius Line - absolutely no help.

In short, for a great vehicle, BMW tech is pretty poor.

The issue is the large screen iPhone 7 you are using. It wants more amps than USB can provide.

.5 amps doesn't cut it with the higher demands of the phone for power.

This has been discussed many times if you would have searched.

I've seen that explanation before - but as an electrical engineer - and knowing a little something about Ohms Law - I can tell you the "math" does work. Too much calculus to get into here. But thanks for trying!

jerry-t · 11-25-2019, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cfm56d7b

Quote:

Originally Posted by jerry-t

Not sure if this is the same issue...

I have a 2016 X3. Have always had problems getting Pandora to work. It will occasionally (sometimes frequently) stop. I notice also that the phone cycles between charging and not charging. I've tried numerous cables - Apple and 3rd party. Nothing seems to work. I occasionally get a message on my iPhone 7 Plus, "Can only connect to one accessory at a time." I've taken it to the dealership. Updated software. Nothing works. I'm wondering if having the phone connected via Bluetooth and USB might be causing the problem.

BMW Genius Line - absolutely no help.

In short, for a great vehicle, BMW tech is pretty poor.

Update on my vehicle's Pandora integration.

Lately, Pandora (via Bluetooth) has been working surprisingly well with iPhone 8, the latest release of IOS 13 software and Pandora app. iDrive software has been upgraded to the latest version due to an unrelated problem.

There were so many changes that it's nearly impossible to isolate the root cause. I suspect it has always been Pandora app itself.

Thanks for this. I've noticed the same thing on the bluetooth end. I tend to think it's the Pandora app as well. Thanks for the help!

IK6SPEED · 11-25-2019, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jerry-t

Quote:

Originally Posted by IK6SPEED

Quote:

Originally Posted by jerry-t

Not sure if this is the same issue...

I have a 2016 X3. Have always had problems getting Pandora to work. It will occasionally (sometimes frequently) stop. I notice also that the phone cycles between charging and not charging. I've tried numerous cables - Apple and 3rd party. Nothing seems to work. I occasionally get a message on my iPhone 7 Plus, "Can only connect to one accessory at a time." I've taken it to the dealership. Updated software. Nothing works. I'm wondering if having the phone connected via Bluetooth and USB might be causing the problem.

BMW Genius Line - absolutely no help.

In short, for a great vehicle, BMW tech is pretty poor.

The issue is the large screen iPhone 7 you are using. It wants more amps than USB can provide.

.5 amps doesn't cut it with the higher demands of the phone for power.

This has been discussed many times if you would have searched.

I've seen that explanation before - but as an electrical engineer - and knowing a little something about Ohms Law - I can tell you the "math" does work. Too much calculus to get into here. But thanks for trying!

You failed as an electrical engineer then.

It's very simple 3rd grade level multiplication. No Calculus required.

Power = amp x voltage

2.5 watts = .5 amps x 5 vdc

And iPhones, especially large screens, need more than 2.5 Watts.

The Apple USB power adapters are 5 Watts (or 1.0 amp)

But thanks for sharing, err, showing your "true knowledge".

It's not "too much calculus to get into". It's simple math.

And absolutely NOTHING to do with Ohms Law.

jerry-t · 11-25-2019, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IK6SPEED

Quote:

Originally Posted by jerry-t

Quote:

Originally Posted by IK6SPEED

Quote:

Originally Posted by jerry-t

Not sure if this is the same issue...

I have a 2016 X3. Have always had problems getting Pandora to work. It will occasionally (sometimes frequently) stop. I notice also that the phone cycles between charging and not charging. I've tried numerous cables - Apple and 3rd party. Nothing seems to work. I occasionally get a message on my iPhone 7 Plus, "Can only connect to one accessory at a time." I've taken it to the dealership. Updated software. Nothing works. I'm wondering if having the phone connected via Bluetooth and USB might be causing the problem.

BMW Genius Line - absolutely no help.

In short, for a great vehicle, BMW tech is pretty poor.

The issue is the large screen iPhone 7 you are using. It wants more amps than USB can provide.

.5 amps doesn't cut it with the higher demands of the phone for power.

This has been discussed many times if you would have searched.

I've seen that explanation before - but as an electrical engineer - and knowing a little something about Ohms Law - I can tell you the "math" does work. Too much calculus to get into here. But thanks for trying!

You failed as an electrical engineer then.

It's very simple 3rd grade level multiplication. No Calculus required.

Power = amp x voltage

2.5 watts = .5 amps x 5 vdc

And iPhones, especially large screens, need more than 2.5 Watts.

The Apple USB power adapters are 5 Watts (or 1.0 amp)

But thanks for sharing, err, showing your "true knowledge".

It's not "too much calculus to get into". It's simple math.

And absolutely NOTHING to do with Ohms Law.

Wow! Don't know where to begin! Not worth the energy on a such a loser!!

IK6SPEED · 11-25-2019, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jerry-t

Quote:

Originally Posted by IK6SPEED

Quote:

Originally Posted by jerry-t

Quote:

Originally Posted by IK6SPEED

Quote:

Originally Posted by jerry-t

Not sure if this is the same issue...

I have a 2016 X3. Have always had problems getting Pandora to work. It will occasionally (sometimes frequently) stop. I notice also that the phone cycles between charging and not charging. I've tried numerous cables - Apple and 3rd party. Nothing seems to work. I occasionally get a message on my iPhone 7 Plus, "Can only connect to one accessory at a time." I've taken it to the dealership. Updated software. Nothing works. I'm wondering if having the phone connected via Bluetooth and USB might be causing the problem.

BMW Genius Line - absolutely no help.

In short, for a great vehicle, BMW tech is pretty poor.

The issue is the large screen iPhone 7 you are using. It wants more amps than USB can provide.

.5 amps doesn't cut it with the higher demands of the phone for power.

This has been discussed many times if you would have searched.

I've seen that explanation before - but as an electrical engineer - and knowing a little something about Ohms Law - I can tell you the "math" does work. Too much calculus to get into here. But thanks for trying!

You failed as an electrical engineer then.

It's very simple 3rd grade level multiplication. No Calculus required.

Power = amp x voltage

2.5 watts = .5 amps x 5 vdc

And iPhones, especially large screens, need more than 2.5 Watts.

The Apple USB power adapters are 5 Watts (or 1.0 amp)

But thanks for sharing, err, showing your "true knowledge".

It's not "too much calculus to get into". It's simple math.

And absolutely NOTHING to do with Ohms Law.

Wow! Don't know where to begin! Not worth the energy on a such a loser!!

If I am a loser, yet I know more about your chosen field than you, a field I do not specialize in, what does that say about you?

So very sad you do not understand the most basic electronics formulas and power requirements.

07-01-2018, 06:28 PM	#1
cfm56d7b Lieutenant General 5886 Rep 10,256 Posts Drives: 2017 440i Gran Coupe & 2015 X5 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Orange County, CA iTrader: (2)	BMW Pandora integration with iDrive: could be better My vehicle is 2017 BMW 440i GC. While Pandora integration is a very nice feature, the day to day operation has been spotty at best: - Fails to engage at least every 3-4 days. Have to restart the app. - No sound. Switch to another station and then switch back. Sound returns. - No sound at all. Have to restart the app. What has been your experience?
	Appreciate 0 Tweet Quote

07-04-2018, 09:44 AM	#2
tsm007 Private First Class 65 Rep 157 Posts Drives: 2016 BMW 328i Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Florida iTrader: (0) Garage List 2016 BMW 328i [0.00] 2008 BMW 328xi [10.00] 2003 Honda CBR954RR [0.00]	Are you using Pandora through Apple Carplay? I've never had any problems with Apple Carplay in BMW. Some Cadillacs had some glitches after updating my iPhone. __________________ Instagram: TSM_007
	Appreciate 0 Quote

07-04-2018, 10:52 AM	#3
cfm56d7b Lieutenant General 5886 Rep 10,256 Posts Drives: 2017 440i Gran Coupe & 2015 X5 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Orange County, CA iTrader: (2)	My vehicle does not have Apple CarPlay. iDrive features built in support for Pandora.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

07-05-2018, 11:42 PM	#4
GeorgeF31 Private 47 Rep 89 Posts Drives: 2017 330i xDrive M Sport Wagon Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Richmond, VA iTrader: (0)	Take it to your dealer for an iDrive update. Version is under the navigation section in the settings. I was having issues with Amazon music dropping all the time. They updated me from NBTevo_H16303I to NBTevo_N18092I. Works much better. They did it under warranty. I made sure to explain that it wasn't the Bluetooth which was working fine for phone use and regular music library use. I have an iPhone 6 btw.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

11-24-2019, 04:21 PM	#5
jerry-t Registered 0 Rep 4 Posts Drives: 2016 X3; 2010 X3 Join Date: Mar 2019 Location: New Jersey iTrader: (0)	Pandora App - Very Intermittent Not sure if this is the same issue... I have a 2016 X3. Have always had problems getting Pandora to work. It will occasionally (sometimes frequently) stop. I notice also that the phone cycles between charging and not charging. I've tried numerous cables - Apple and 3rd party. Nothing seems to work. I occasionally get a message on my iPhone 7 Plus, "Can only connect to one accessory at a time." I've taken it to the dealership. Updated software. Nothing works. I'm wondering if having the phone connected via Bluetooth and USB might be causing the problem. BMW Genius Line - absolutely no help. In short, for a great vehicle, BMW tech is pretty poor.
	Appreciate 0 Quote