Failure of the BMW Professional Head Unit Display (E90-E93, E82, E88). Today we are covering a common failure with our cars, the head system display/radio. My 135i is a 2008, and since I bought it I had noticed the pixel screen on the head unit and radio would fade in and out often. Sometimes it was completely fine, other times you could not construct out a single thing on it, and often it was somewhere in between. Head system pixel display failure is popular on these cars:
- E90, E91, E92, E93 3-series BMW’s.
- E81, E82, E87, E88 1-series BMW’s.
- Model CD73 Radio.
The head unit and radio failure is common on all models, not simply N54’s, but is more common on older cars. Cars which are parked outdoors constantly are more prone to this concern. It is also more common for this to occur to cars that are driven in hot states (such as Texas for me). Thankfully the repair is reasonably simple, and is a lot less costly than changing the whole head system.
How do I know if my BMW Head Unit is Stopping Working?
Well, its pretty simple. Here are different photo of what it looks like on my E82 135i:.
This is how it searches a truly hot day:
This the head system when the temperature is a little more moderate:.
What Triggers the BMW Head Unit Radio Pixels to Fail?
Heat. Extreme heat inside the car triggers the LCD Show to end up being dilapidated and faded. It does not cause any concerns with the performance of the radio or other features, it merely causes the display screen to begin to fade, making it hard to see the time, radio station you are on, etc.
Related: The BMW N54 Tune Comparison: JB4 vs. Cobb vs. MHD
When the within of the car is at its hottest, the display gets more faded. For this reason why it is common in cars that are not garage-kept, and cars that reside in hot and warm states. As the interior temperature of the car cools off, you will see the display getting more clear. If your display does not improve when the temperature reduces, then your whole LCD Display has actually likely stopped working.
What Are My Choices to Fix the Display?
It depends on your individual choice, but you can either fix the display, or simply wait till it completely fails if you do not mind it. If you reside in a cool location for most of the year, you may incline the display getting a little out of whack during the summer months. Because case, simply leave it and don’t replace it until it stops working. For people like me, who reside in an area that gets to 110+ in the summertime, and is still hot in the winters, here are your replacement alternatives:.
Dealership Service warranty!! If you still have factory guarantee, they will change it free of charge. Some individuals have actually even gotten updated HiFi head system’s under service warranty.
The majority of us, like me, who have older cars are out of luck on the service warranty. Here are our options:.
Change it yourself (DO IT YOURSELF): it’s not an excessively complex do it yourself, and it only costs about $130 (examine the product links listed below).
Pay the dealer or someone else to repair it: most likely not worth spending for labor on it, in my viewpoint.
Upgrade your whole head system: there aren’t a lot of aftermarket alternatives, however its a possibility. I will write a guide on this soon and connect it here.
