2012 CM with the standard stereo + OEM Bluetooth/iPod connector connected to IPhone 4S.

My stereo occasionally & automatically changes modes to the Tuner when I'm listening to music on my iPhone. When I push the mode button, it no longer gives me the iPod option and instead I see the USB and Aux options. When I select Aux, the sound is notably inferior to normal (and I can't control the songs thru the stereo or steering wheel).

The only way I've found to resolve it is to unplug and replug the USB connector to the car.

It's happening more frequently and is getting annoying. Has anyone had this problem? If so, how did you resolve it?

 

Try a different wire.

 

Doubt the problem is the car. Mine does that once in a while. I use my old gen 1 iPhone as my iPod in my car. I would reset the phone and see if it keeps happening. (Hold both buttons for 10 seconds and the phone will turn off and back on.) Before you do that, close all the apps also.

 

The plugs (USB and mini) on the console are extremely cost sourced. Loose connections with the cable just happen. I switched over to Bluetooth to solve the problem. Not as convenient, but effective.

 

You mean you stream music via Bluetooth? I'm not aware this could be done. Is there a thread on this?

 

Yes, you can. Matter of fact, if I can anyone can. Hundreds of posts and threads if you do a search of the forum. Here's a couple.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ing-setup.html

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...connected.html

 

My understanding is that you can only stream over bluetooth if you have connected. I think he only has the standard radio w/o connected.

 

Thank god I'm not the only one. (2012, standard head unit, HK sound, iPhone 5) For this reason alone I regret not getting the Mini Connected. Could last 10 minutes, could last 30 minutes, but it's almost guaranteed I won't make a drive anywhere without it flopping over to FM. I'd thought it was the 30-pin to Lightning converter, but if you're having the same issue, I doubt it's the adapter.
I've tried putting the phone in the cupholders, in the rail, in a holder, on the seat, and nothing changes. Always loses the connectivity.
Not to mention, the volume drops by at LEAST 50%. So now I don't have the steering wheel control AND have to turn it way up. And, pulling the USB doesn't always work...sometimes I have to leave it out of the USB port for a minute or two before reinserting.

 

r3wind, sounds like my symptoms.

For this reason, I picked up a 16gb thumb drive and am using that full-time. The Y-cable has been exiled to the glove box.

I prefer the thumb drive setup--I don't have to constantly plug/unplug my iPhone when I'm running errands. And it's definitely more reliable than the Y-cable was.

It might very well be fixed with a new cable, but I've no interest in paying MINI $70 for a new cable that might last <1 year AND need to be replaced/adapted when I upgrade to the iPhone 5.

 

Very same thing happens to me! Quite annoying. Ive resorted to using the USB Key method which is easier. Ebay for my cable i think!

 

It's covered under warranty. Mine was only paying on one side (can't remember if it was left or right) and it was resolved the same day. Just take it in.

 

Well, took it into my dealership today.
And I was told that it's a "compatibility issue", nothing can be done. That they've been told the iPhone 5 is "problematic" and "this is going to happen" as "there's so many different iPhones now".

I'm pretty disappointed...I guess I wait for a Lightning adapter version of the y-cable.

 

^Don't hold your breathe for that one. I've been waiting for a few months now and last time I checked with the dealership, the guy at the accessories counter said that BMW had been working on it for at least 6 months with no solution in sight.

I just use a $5 aux port-to-headphone jack cable and crank up the volumes. It's not ideal, but it's a lot less maddening than my first solution, which was to keep my old iPhone 4 w/shattered screen permanently assigned to the car, only to have it cut out just as described earlier in this thread.

 

To be very blunt: They gave you a ******** answer.

I had the same problem with the iPhone 5 in my Clubman. The BMW cable worked fine (usually) with an iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPod Nano — anything with a 30-pin port on it. (By usually I mean sometimes charging went out, and sometimes it spit out a "this device is not compatible" message. Not too often, but when it happened, the only way to fix it was to turn off the car and start over.)

Anyway: once I added the 30-pin to Lightning adapter to the 4 year old BMW cable, reliability and charging both went out the window. Charging never worked, and audio/controls only sometimes worked. Sometimes audio would continue but the controls would drop out.

On a hunch, I ordered a new Y-cable from Amazon. And it works fine with the iPhone 5.

I tossed out the old BMW cable.

Try ordering a new one. Go with an Amazon cheapie, it'll work fine. (Well, probably. But as you experience yourself, that's no guarantee that an expensive BMW Y-cable will work either.)

Good luck. And f--- the dealer for not being truthful with you.

 

But remember to check the ring count on the mini plug. You want 4 contacts, not the standard three contacts. Compare the BMW unit to the new unit before you buy.

 

If you know which Amazon cable you got, I'd be forever grateful. There's a lot on there...and they range in price wildly. I'm to that point of taking chances.

And yeah, really disappointed in the service manager. Especially since we only have one Mini dealership. Just came across as a BS answer to not deal with it.

 

I got this one:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004E5J61G/ref=ya_aw_oh_pit

I saw one Countryman owner review say it did not work with their Mini Connected system, but lots of positive reports too. Good luck–let us know how you make out!