BMW 8 Infotainment Nightmare: Radio and Audio Dead

Hey there! I faced a similar issue with my 2020 BMW 5 Series diesel last month. The infotainment system started acting weird, and I got those frustrating "Antenna defective" messages. DAB radio was completely dead, just like yours. Turned out the antenna amplifier module was faulty, and water had gotten into the shark fin antenna housing. The technician had to replace both components and update the system software. It wasn't a quick fix, took them almost a full day to sort everything out. It's definitely not something you want to ignore, as it can lead to other electrical issues if left unchecked. These antenna problems are known to occur in several BMW models from our generation. My advice: get it checked at a reputable BMW specialist who can properly diagnose the system. The antenna module replacement solved all my issues, and everything's working perfectly now. Best of luck with the repair.

Hey! Thanks for sharing your experience! I'm totally relieved to hear I'm not the only one who's had this headache. Your solution with the antenna amplifier module definitely sounds like it could be what I'm dealing with too, especially since the symptoms are so similar. Do you remember roughly how much you ended up paying for the whole repair job? Also, has everything stayed working properly since the fix, or have you noticed any other quirks popping up? Cheers!

Hey again! Happy to give you an update! So after getting it fixed at the mechanic, I can finally say goodbye to those annoying reception issues. The total bill came to 255 €, that covered replacing the faulty antenna and labor costs. Honestly, it was worth every penny because the system's been working flawlessly since then. It's been three months now, and I haven't had a single problem with the radio or any other part of the infotainment system. The sound quality is crystal clear again, and those frustrating error messages are completely gone. It's such a relief not having to deal with that anymore! Trust me, once you get it sorted, you'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner. The fix was pretty straightforward for them, and now my morning commutes are back to normal with proper radio reception. Let me know how it goes with yours! Take care!

Hey there! Just wanted to give you all a final update on my BMW radio situation. I took your advice and finally got it checked out at a specialist garage yesterday. You were spot on, it was indeed the antenna amplifier causing all the trouble! The mechanic found some water damage in there too, just like you mentioned. The whole repair took about 6 hours, and I paid around 300 € for everything, parts and labor included. A bit more than what you paid, but still reasonable considering how much better everything works now. The radio's crystal clear, no more error messages popping up, and the whole infotainment system is running smoothly again. Really glad I asked here first, saved me from going back to my old mechanic who probably would've charged double and taken ages to figure it out. Thanks again for sharing your experience, it really helped point me in the right direction! Catch you later!

I read the vehicle's control unit with Carly, and an antenna error occurred. Afterwards, I took it to the authorized BMW service center, and they also read the control unit, but no error occurred. I don't understand this?

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It's possible that the error was intermittent or cleared itself before you took it to the service center. Sometimes, temporary issues can trigger an error code that doesn't persist. I recommend monitoring the situation to see if the problem reoccurs. If it does, try to note any specific conditions when the error appears, such as weather or driving conditions, and share this information with the service center. If you have any further questions, feel free to ask!