BMW M4 Hands-Free System Failure: Audio Issues Exposed

Hi there! I have some experience with cars and actually faced a very similar issue with my 2020 BMW M3 last year. The symptoms were identical, complete failure of the hands-free system. After taking it to my trusted workshop, they diagnosed a defective infotainment control unit. The whole repair, including parts and labor, set me back about 815 Euro, but it fixed the problem completely. I also own a BMW M5, and these systems can be tricky sometimes. Before suggesting anything specific for your case, could you share: Have you noticed any other electrical issues? Does your display show any specific error messages? Did this start suddenly or gradually? This info would help me better understand if you're dealing with the same problem I had.

Thanks for sharing your experience! Last service was just two weeks ago, and I'm at 89646 KM. In my case, there aren't any other electrical issues, and everything else works perfectly fine. The error just popped up suddenly last week, no warning signs before that. The display shows "Hands-free system error" in red, but nothing more specific. What's interesting is that my Bluetooth still connects for music, it's just the call function that's completely dead. Was this the same for you before they replaced the control unit? Just trying to figure out if I'm looking at a similar repair cost or if it might be something simpler. Also, did you try any troubleshooting before taking it to the workshop? Like resetting the system or updating the software?

Hey again! Yes, that does sound exactly like what I experienced with my M3. The Bluetooth audio working but calls being dead was precisely the same symptom I had. My music streaming worked flawlessly while the calling function was completely useless. I actually did try some DIY fixes before taking it to the workshop. First attempted a complete infotainment reset by holding down the power button for about 30 seconds, then tried disconnecting and reconnecting my phone multiple times. Even did a full phone unpair/repair cycle. None of that worked. The control unit replacement was definitely the right fix in my case. Since you're describing identical symptoms, and given that you've got a newer model with similar architecture to my M3, I'd bet you're facing the same issue. The good news is that once it's fixed, it should work perfectly again. Just one heads up though, when they replaced my control unit, they had to reconfigure several settings, so make sure to save any mechanical preferences you've got set up. Would hate for you to lose your carefully tuned settings like I did! Let me know what you end up doing. Really curious if it turns out to be the same problem.

Thanks so much for all that detailed info! It's actually really reassuring to hear that your symptoms matched mine exactly, especially the Bluetooth music still working while calls are dead. I had no idea about saving the settings before replacement, really appreciate that tip! I've just tried the power button reset you mentioned, but no luck there. Guess I'll have to bite the bullet and take it to the service center. At least now I have a better idea of what I might be dealing with and won't be completely shocked by the repair cost. I'll definitely update you once I get it checked out. If it does turn out to be the control unit like yours, at least I know it's a permanent fix rather than just a temporary solution. Really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience, it's made me feel a lot more confident about handling this whole situation!