BMW i4 Audio System Randomly Fails and Crackles

Hey there! I had a similar issue with my 2020 BMW iX3. The symptoms you're describing sound exactly like what I experienced, intermittent audio, crackling, and subwoofer problems. During my garage visit, they found that the amplifier unit was defective and had some loose connections. The wiring harness to the subwoofer was also damaged, which caused those unusual bass drops. It wasn't just a simple fix, they had to replace the entire amplifier module and rewire the subwoofer connection. The technician told me this was actually a known issue with some units from that production period. It's definitely worth getting it checked at an authorized dealer since it's a complex electrical system problem, not just a basic audio glitch. The repair took about two days, but it completely resolved the issue. Haven't had any audio problems since then. Given that your i4 is still quite new, this should be covered under warranty. Hope this helps with your decision!

Thanks so much for sharing your experience! Really helpful to know about the amplifier and wiring harness issues, sounds exactly like what I'm dealing with in my i4. Just curious, do you remember roughly how much the repair would've cost without warranty? Also, has everything stayed perfect with the sound system since the fix, or have you noticed any other quirks?

Hey again! Happy to update you! The problem was actually simpler than what I had initially thought. In my case, it turned out to be just a defective bass speaker, not the whole amplifier unit like I originally suspected. Got it fixed last week and it cost me 280 €, much less than what I was worried about paying. The sound system is working absolutely perfectly now, no more crackling, no unusual audio cuts, and the bass is crystal clear. Really pleased with how it turned out. The fix was way more straightforward than the complete amplifier replacement I went through with my previous car. Must say it's quite a relief because I was initially concerned it might be a more complex (and expensive!) electrical issue. Definitely worth getting it checked out at your end, might be something similarly simple to fix. Let me know how you get on with yours!

Thanks for the follow-up! That's really reassuring to hear that your fix was simpler and cheaper than expected. After reading your experience, I finally took my i4 to the mechanic yesterday. Turns out my issue was also pretty straightforward, just a faulty connection in the wiring that was causing all the drama. The mechanic fixed it in about two hours. Total cost came to around 200 bucks, which was way less than I'd been stressing about. The best part? The sound system is working perfectly now, no more unusual cutting out or that annoying crackling noise. The subwoofer's back to pumping out clean bass like it should. Really glad I asked for advice here before assuming the worst. Sometimes these things that seem huge turn out to be pretty simple fixes. Thanks again for sharing your experience, it gave me the push I needed to get it sorted!