I've tried everything and can't get any audio from the radio. It shows the info on the screen and my phone shows a MINI/Pandora/Spotify logo, but I cannot get any audio. What am I doing wrong?

 

Anyone?

 

If you do a site search you will find that this subject has been discussed to death....

 

I have searched...

 

Make sure you are using the MINI Y-cable - it will not work properly without it. Just a USB cable will not work.

If you are using the Y-cable, make sure you are using the correct one - there are two: one for MINIs with the base radio and one for MINIs with MINI Connected.

If you are using a Y-cable with a 30-pin to Lightning connector, make sure you are using the APPLE adapter and not a 3rd party adapter - they are very hit or miss.

 

I was only using the usb cable. I found the y-cable, but it has the 30 pin connector. I'll pick up the adapter this weekend. BTW, how do I know if I have the correct y-cable? My car has MINI Connected.

 

If it's the cable that came with the car, chances are it's the correct one, but sometimes dealers screw up.

The cable for Connected will have three rings around the headphone jack instead of the normal two.

There is a iPhone 5/6 version of the Y-cable you can get, but it's ~$80...easier just to get the adapter.

 

Cool. I'll check it when I get home. Thanks!

 

Since you claimed to have looked but couldn't find, here are some of the other threads on this subject:

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

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

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

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d-y-cable.html

Or you can continue looking for these threads in the Navigation/Audio section.

 

personally my experience is the y cable audio was just horrid. if you have mini connected I suspect you'll find a digital connection through bluetooth sounds much better. But your mileage may vary.

 

I stopped using my MINI USB Y-cable when I got an iPhone 5 and MINI failed to support the Lightning connector in a timely manner.

Switched up to Bluetooth and was fairly content, but I really wish the MINI+Connect software supported iTunes better. It stopped showing album art and now I can't even do simple things that I used to do like choosing a playlist.

Maybe I'll look into using the USB cable again, but the Y is ridiculously expensive and the factory USB ports don't carry enough juice to charge an iPhone while using a nav app.

 

Could you not just use a Lightning adapter with the Y-cable? Works great for me (though, to be honest...I typically use BT audio instead...it's just easier...)

 

I bought a Y cable off eBay for about $15 , works just fine with my 6

 

Using an adapter or buying a new Lightning Y-cable is useless to me because the built-in USB ports don't push enough amps (probably a weak 500mA) to keep my iPhone charged. Just one power-intensive app like Waze and it'll drain the entire time it's plugged in. I bought a dual-socket 10 Watt 2.1A USB car adapter to counter the effect -- it'll even charge an iPad -- but I lose the direct data connection.

 

Honestly the answers to this question from other threads are just confusing. Search becomes pretty useless as there isn't really consensus. Some of them are so old and apply to the 2011 Countryman and old iPhones.

The MINI dealer made it sound like I just plug in my standard USB to Lightning cable and go. My car is on order so I can't really investigate myself. I tried it on the car on the lot but the sales manager said it needed a software update to the MINI system to work with iOS 8 and the iPhone 6.

Has anyone used a car kit like the one Belkin offers or even the iClever® Himbox HB01 Bluetooth 4.0 Hands-Free Car Kit recommended on Wirecutter? It seems a little frustrating that this isn't just standard on the MINI when cheaper cars just offer the Bluetooth with A2DP along with the hands-free calling.

 

The problem is the iPhone. If you plug in thunderbolt to usb you won't get audio. You will need a headphone out to plug into the mini connected. Mini connected is not "digital" so the y adapter converts either the 30 pin (iPhone 4s and below) or thunderbolt (iPhone 5 and up) to analog. Bluetooth works fine but you loose playlist functionality. Thunderbolt doesn't do video analog out so you loose the iPod interface. It is what it is.