Alright MINI Connected owners lets talk about MINI Connected. We are the pioneering owners that opted to take the plunge. Now lets share our experiences, frustrations and advice for the system.


I'll go first with. My two days of "inexperience" with the system have now generated some nagging questions.

1. Who paid for the iPhone snap-in adapter for your armrest? What are your thoughts about the snap-in adapter?

2. I have the snap-in adapter and no matter what I've tried I can't make the MINI Connected system work via the snap-in adapter. The manual does describe using the snap-in adapter with the system. What gives?

3. As best as I can tell the Mission Control and Dynamic Driving Music features are not yet available. Is that correct?


Thanks for your input

 

My parts guy actually told me to save my money and not buy the adapter because it won't work. He said that he's sold and had returned everyone he had and his buddy suggested putting marks on the box to count how many times they cycled out and then returned!

 

That's funny. I just heard from the tech at the dealership who told me the same thing. They are going to try and find tue right one that does work. If you look on MINImotoringgear.com there are like 4 different adapters listed with no real indication which one is the right one. They told I could just keep the one I have and sell it or junk it. I think I'll try to sell it in the market place. It should work for a pre 2011 car I think.

 

There are a number of different cradles for iPhones.

Some will only charge the phone others are for the "Smart Phone Option" (came before mini connected) and will charge and play music. Some for G3/3GS and I beleive another for the 4.

As for one that is used for the "Connected Features" i am not sure if it has been released yet or if the one for "smart phone prep" will work.

What I can say is that MINI/BMW seem to always be at least 6-8 months behind on bringing our cradles that work for new systems.

Now I do not have a "connected" car so if you can tell me what it is you are trying to do with the cradle or what you think it should do for you I will get with my MA/SA/and others I know and find out if there is some help I can give you.

 

Here's what I get:
Charging
Plays music but no sound comes out
No ability to access mini connected
No phone functionality (w bluetooth off)

Here is the info on the part from MINImotoringgear.com
Smartphone snap-in adapter for apple iPhone 3G/3GS (Options MINI Bluetooth Comfort and smartphone preparation are required - 6NE and 6NF)
PN: 84212158683

 

First things first You must have a 3GS or 4 running iOS4.2 if you do not then many things will not work.

A few more questions. They may seem stupid but to help I really need the answers. Then we will get to some answers on your statements

1. Exactly what phone and operating system on the phone are you using?

2. Do you have the MINI Connected App on your phone and is it running?

3. Can you make all the connected functions work by using the y-cable (usb and audio on one end and 30 pin ipod connector on the other) and the USB/AUX jacks in the center stack just below the window switches?

Good that works

Do you mean that from the nav screen or steering wheel you can control the music, or do you have to use the screen on the iPhone.

This could also indicate that the cradle is not the correct one as one one of the cradles does not support or have the wiring for the audio signals.

could be a problem with the phones software if it is not iOS4.2 then it may not work.

Or the software in the car is not corrrect. Do you have the MINI Connected icon on the Screen in the Speedo?


The phone "must" to use Bluetooth to be able to make and receive calls. There is no provision in the iPhone to make it work for calls beyond its own microphone and speaker with out the use of bluetooth.

 

1. iPhone 3GS running 4.2
2. Yes and yes
3. Yes app runs fine using Y cable
4. Yes. When the phone is in the cradle I can access the iPod functions and control the iPod appropriately, I just have no sound. I know the track is playing because it shows me the track time countdown.
5. Yes I do have the Connected icon on the Nav screen.
6. Phone functions do work with BT on.

 

Okay as it works properly with the y-cable then the problem could be in two areas.

Possible Problem 1:
The wrong cradle is being used. listed below are the two possible cradles at this current time. the first will NOT work the second I am not sure about but from everything I have read should work.

1. 84-10-9-182-792 - Only for charging no smart phone integration

2. 84-21-9-164-213 - For Smartphone Integration.

The second one has been proven to work with the 09/10 Smartphone package which has the audio lines to the arm rest as should be the case with the Connect package.

Possible Problem 2:
MINI/BMW have not actually released the cradle for use in the Connected cars. As I have stated before they tend to run 6-8 months (or more in some cases) behind on releasing the cradles.

Possible problem 3:
There is a connector that is not seated properly somewhere in the car. Unofrtunatley I do not have access to the latest WDS (wiring diagram system) so i can not track down the exact connection path.


What is the part number on the cradle you have?

 

 

The part number for the cradle I have is 84212158683

OK Next question. Has anyone figured out how to get a clock on either the Nav display or the tach display WHILE USING THE MINI CONNECTED FEATURES?

 

I found this over on MINI2 and it looks like there is a new adapter for the iPhone to make it work with the connected system.

http://www.mini2.com/forum/3783646-post6.html

So it looks like you need a 84-21-2-186-288

So it sounds as if you need to take back the adapter you have and have it replaced with the correct one.

If you do this and it works please let nicknbecka know so that he can add it to his spreadsheet of working phones, adapters and notes.

 

Any answer to question 3?
"3. As best as I can tell the Mission Control and Dynamic Driving Music features are not yet available. Is that correct?"

I see a USB port in the back of the glove box. No idea what it's for and can't see how to access Mission Control or DDM.

 

USB in the glove box is for software updates.

 

Thank you!!


And the word on mission control?

 

I'll give you seven -- as worthless as teats on a boar.

 

Nothing but annoying. That is if it is anything like the 2010 Camden Edition debut of it.

 

Perhaps...

But I was most interested in the ability to drastically change the sound clips.

Get the car so scream or sound like it's cumming when my grandma drives it or something. Limitless possibilities.

Sooo....does it have it or not??

 

Thanks! I finally made it around and subscribed to the thread. I've heard that iPhone 4 snap-ins were supposed to make it into the parts database this week-ish too.

 

Another known issue: When playing video, sound lags.
Y cable audio cable does not stay well. it gets loose easily.

.....
By the way, I figured out how to have your Non-English character display on the Mini-Connected.

Instead of using multi-media to play the music, go "Mini Connected"/"Plug-in"/"activate(or "Connect") plug in" and play music there. Then, your Mini-connected work as IPOD and it displays every single character on Planet.

-----------
btw, did "dash" done with break in?
"Chili Bomb" is only 100 miles away. YES!!

 

oh one more thing,

OFFICE is not working as it should with your iphone as it only displays the "Contact" for now when it should display your emails, text, calendar as well.

 

There has been no word from MINI that OFFICE should display emails, text or calendar on Connected cars.

Where are people coming up with the thoughts that it is supposed to work?

Connected does not and never has been stated to work that way in any official statements that I have seen.

 

http://http://blogs.insideline.com/s...ideo-demo.html

Getting the idea from what they say.

 

If you drill down to the individual phones in the latest update of the official supported phones list, e-mail isn't part of the supported options:

 

And the article is VERY specific that the "Office" feature is part of BMW's "Connected Drive" and ONLY works with the BlackBerry Torch.

The article then goes on to explain "MINI Connceted" and which IS NOT the same as "ConnectedDrive"

And if you watch the two videos you will see that BMW cars can get "Office" with the "Connected Drive" system, and that the MINI Connected does NOT offer any "Office" functions.

And another thing about it is that MINI Connected ONLY works at this time with the iPhone 3Gs and 4 running iOS4.2 and the BMW Connected Drive ONLY works with the BlackBerry Torch.

 

I guess it was "not good" reference to show you as far as "office function on Mini Connected" goes. However, when you read the manual (2011 with Mini connected) that came with the vehicle, it clearly explain about functionalities of Office in Mini Connected (Calendar, Text, notes, etc) and also tell you how to use those functions.

it is just "Not available" yet. It is NOT wishful thinking nor getting some idea from elsewhere.