BMW 3 Hybrid's Dead Infotainment: MOST Bus Mystery

I had the exact same issue with my 2016 BMW 530e Hybrid last month. The MOST bus failure completely shut down my iDrive system, no audio, no navigation, totally blank screens. My problem turned out to be a faulty MOST amplifier control unit. These units are part of the fiber optic ring network, and when one component fails, it can take down the entire system. After diagnostic tests, they found the amplifier unit was corrupting the signal in the MOST bus loop. The repair was quite involved since they had to replace the entire amplifier unit and reprogram the system. It was definitely a serious issue that required specialized BMW diagnostic equipment. The car was in the shop for three days, but it's been working flawlessly since the repair. If you're seeing similar symptoms with stored MOST bus error codes, it's likely the same problem. I'd recommend finding a certified BMW shop with experience in MOST network diagnostics, as it's not something every mechanic can handle properly. Hope this helps!

Thanks so much for sharing your experience, it sounds exactly like what I'm dealing with! Glad to hear yours got sorted out. I'll definitely look for a certified shop that knows their way around MOST systems. Just curious, would you mind sharing what the total repair cost was? Also, has everything been running smoothly since the fix, or have you noticed any other quirks pop up?

Quick update, yes, everything has been running perfectly since I got it fixed! Had to bite the bullet and pay 1000 € to replace the defective control unit in the MOST bus, but honestly, it was worth every penny. The certified BMW shop I went to diagnosed it correctly right away, and they really knew what they were doing with these complex fiber optic systems. Since the repair last month, my infotainment system has been working like new, crystal clear sound, navigation's spot on, and no more blank screens or system crashes. It's such a relief to have everything back to normal. Haven't noticed a single quirk or issue since then. If you're seeing the same symptoms I had, I'd say go for it with a certified shop. These MOST bus issues can be tricky, but once they're properly fixed, they tend to stay fixed. Let me know how it goes!

Thanks for the detailed follow-up! Just wanted to let you know I took your advice and finally got my car fixed. After my nightmare experience with the last mechanic, I found a certified BMW specialist who actually knew what they were talking about. Pretty much the same diagnosis as yours, faulty MOST amplifier unit. Mine ended up costing a bit more, around 1200 €, but honestly, what a difference! The whole system's working perfectly now. The funny part is, while I was at the shop, they showed me the old unit and explained how these things tend to fail. Was actually quite interesting seeing the inner workings. Really appreciate you sharing your experience, saved me from going back to that first mechanic who would've probably just made things worse. Car's running like new now!