[farquy]

Like it says on the tin.

I was travelling from Rotterdam to Hull on the over night ferry. I used my mk4 nav to get me from Germany to the ferry port in Rotterdam, with no faults what so ever. Parked up on the ferry and went to my cabin. On arrival to the UK the next morning I got in the car and drove off the ferry. Tried to program in my destination and got the

"Please wait a moment"

followed by the message

"Error in reading map CD/DVD
Please check CD/DVD"

I have had this drive for over a year with no problems at all. It is running the v29 software with the latest DVD purchased from BMW 3 months ago.

Things I have tried to rectify the problem

I ejected the DVD and reinserted it. I got the same message.
I drove to BMW and tried a brand new, sealed DVD. Still the same thing.
I have unplugged the drive and refitted it. Still the same message.
I have unplugged the drive for 24 and took the car for a drive before refitting the drive. But nothing.
I have even used one of these lens cleaning cd's on it and it still doesn't read the DVD.

The red power light on the drive is lit and flashed, it sounds like the drive isn't spinning the disk up to speed properly.

Has anyone here had the same thing happen, literally over night or not, or know what is wrong and whether its possible to fix, or do I have to bite the bullet and buy a new drive. BMW did offer to do a diagnostics on my car to find the problem, at a 50% reduction labour rate because the beast is over 5 years old. I was almost going to do that until they said labour was £140 per hour ($280) I was damned if I was going to pay even at the reduced £70 rate. This was the BMW garage in Leeds (U.K.) which isn't my regular dealer.

Hope somebody can help,
Thanks in advance.

Farquy.

 

[DouglasABaker]

Hi Farquy,

Unfortunately, unless you are an electronics technician, there rally isn't anything in the MK4 (or any others) that is user serviceable except the trimble unit (gps receiver).

In your case, the issue has nothing to do with the trimble, but rather the guts of the unit.

Were you me (or I you, I suppose ), I would take the drive (which is useless, anyway, right?) to a computer shop that performs DVD drive repairs. Because in all reality, what you have is either a broken drive motor or a broken read head. Neither is complicated to fix, but neither is user-serviceable either.

Just my 2 cents - sorry

d-

 

[jclyman]

I had the very same thing happen to me ... twice.

The first time I tried ejecting and reserting the DVD at least 5 times. No help. Since I was beginning a long trip, and I needed it ... well, I actually didn't "need" it ... I stopped at my first gas stop and ejected the DVD and leaned down and blew as hard as I could into the opening. FIXED.

About 6 months later it happened again ... This time I borrowed a can of camera lens cleaner from my son (where I was when it happened), and aimed it into the empty slot and pushed the trigger.

I has been fine ever since. (That was at least a year and a half ago.)

However, since you can't seem to hear anything turning, it may be your motor. I would just recommend you try a can of lens cleaner first.

 

[ard]

Happened to me, twice. Replaced the Nav under warranty..twice.

Agree with Douglas- nothing to be lost by opening it up at this point. It has been reported that dirty optics on the laser can lead to 'disc read issues'... but I suspect those would be intermittant first- at least an occasional issue- prior to a final hard failure.

Mine failed due to overheat- summer temps over 105F with a FULL TRUNK lead to 'cooked nav'.

A

 

[g9s8r]

Interesting. I'd like to know the final results on this. Mine has been acting up similarly. However, I haven't done anything to remedy this problem. My unit will just stop navigating and freeze. If I play with it to get it back, the music cuts out. Sometimes, it will just reboot on its own to remedy the problem. Usually with the end result as can't read disc. I think I will try the Jclyman method. :M5thumbs:
Please keep us posted on the final results. :byee55amg

 

[DouglasABaker]

Interesting. I'd like to know the final results on this. Mine has been acting up similarly. However, I haven't done anything to remedy this problem. My unit will just stop navigating and freeze. If I play with it to get it back, the music cuts out. Sometimes, it will just reboot on its own to remedy the problem. Usually with the end result as can't read disc. I think I will try the Jclyman method. :M5thumbs:
Please keep us posted on the final results. :byee55amg

You have larger issues if playing with the nav system causes your stereo to stop playing. I'd double-check to make sure all of your harnesses are securely seated...

d-

 

[g9s8r]

I was thinking my mk4 went out. I still think there might be a problem with it. However, I have had this for about 2 months with no problems. The music wont stop unless i try to mess with the nav to get it to come back on. If I dont touch it, it works fine. I dunno. I hate having problems where I have no clue. Gets expensive that way. :cheers:

 

[ard]

I'll add this tidbit-

When my unit would overheat, I'd stop the car, turn off the key, go to the trunk and unplug the nav unit- bring it up to the car. Start up the car and continue on my way, but hold the nav unit so the center AC ducts were blowing cold air into it. After a while, 10-15 miles, stop and replace it- worked fine.


Just a tidbit

A

 

[farquy]

Thanks guys for all the inputs.

I had the drive apart today, quite simple to do with the correct size star drive bits. I blew the whole thing with a can of air duster obtained from work which my avionic counterparts use on this type of equipment. Reassembled the drive but with no avail.

It's not that the drive doesn't motor the DVD at all, just sounds like its motoring in jerks (if that makes any sense?)

@Douglas. I might well try your idea, shouldn't imagine there is much difference between a computer DVD drive and the NAV DVD drive after all they do the same job. And like you say, I have nothing to loose, only to gain. (with the exception of a few quid that is )

I will keep you posted as to my progress as it unfolds, would be comforting to know that your local computer shop can repair you DVD Nav drive.

As for your sound problems g9s8r, I have no idea, sorry. My fault has no implications on my stereo. Good luck in finding a solution with that.

Farquy

 

[DouglasABaker]

"jerky" drive sounds like the drive controller - I have no idea which pcb in there is the controller, but I'm sure one of them is

Sorry I don't have any more good ideas for you - looks like a new MK4 might be in order...

d-

 

[farquy]

I have just won an ebay auction for a new mk4, but I am still going for the computer shop option as well, just to see what the say and or do... may be able to recover some of the cost as a brucy bonus

 

[g9s8r]

Does it sound like it is running back and forth trying to position itself? I hear that from mine. My friends home dvd player makes that noise when it stops working. HAHA. I also hear cd players make the same when its trying to read a disc and cant. Or maybe I am just rambling. Cause this doesnt help at all. Only helps me out in my mind if someone relates. HAHA. ouich

 

[Hawkwind]

Does it sound like it is running back and forth trying to position itself? I hear that from mine. My friends home dvd player makes that noise when it stops working. HAHA. I also hear cd players make the same when its trying to read a disc and cant. Or maybe I am just rambling. Cause this doesnt help at all. Only helps me out in my mind if someone relates. HAHA. ouich

Actually I think you are right - it sounds jerky because it's trying to read and can't, and the head keeps repositioning trying to read. Or it is successfully reading from various parts of the disk, and it sounds jerky when it moves.

 

[farquy]

Update

I know some of you guys were interested as to what I found.

I took Douglas' advice and went to a local computer shop, I know the guy there through a friend and he is quite knowledgeable by all accounts.

He took the DVD Nav drive for a day, his findings were that the laser in the drive is a dual one, apparently its quite common in the computing world. One laser to read CD's and one to read the DVD's (but both in the same unit)

He said that the DVD one was broken but not the CD one. As for parts, there are none that he could replace them with except from the makers of the drive, but he doubted that they'd even sell bits like that, rather you replace the whole drive 'of course'

I tested his dual laser theory, and it worked. I plugged the drive back into my car, and inserted new map DVD, got the same message as before. I ejected the DVD and inserted the latest software CD, which loaded and installed the new software.

I guess i'll just sell the old drive on ebay as 'spares or repairs' and see what i get.

 

[DouglasABaker]

I know some of you guys were interested as to what I found.

I took Douglas' advice and went to a local computer shop, I know the guy there through a friend and he is quite knowledgeable by all accounts.

He took the DVD Nav drive for a day, his findings were that the laser in the drive is a dual one, apparently its quite common in the computing world. One laser to read CD's and one to read the DVD's (but both in the same unit)

He said that the DVD one was broken but not the CD one. As for parts, there are none that he could replace them with except from the makers of the drive, but he doubted that they'd even sell bits like that, rather you replace the whole drive 'of course'

I tested his dual laser theory, and it worked. I plugged the drive back into my car, and inserted new map DVD, got the same message as before. I ejected the DVD and inserted the latest software CD, which loaded and installed the new software.

I guess i'll just sell the old drive on ebay as 'spares or repairs' and see what i get.

MK4's can also run off CD map discs. It may be a pain to change the discs while traveling, but it will save you the cost of a new drive...

d-

 

[farquy]

Thanks but I already have a new drive, the amount of international driving I do it was a needed item.

Got it from Ebay for £290 ish i think