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      08-19-2013, 08:59 AM   #1
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BMW Asssist Keeps Calling me!!!!

I have a 2006 BMW Z4MR. I had 4 years of BMW assist for free when I originally purchased the car, but did not renew. Recently, the BMW assist started automatically attempting to call to the Assist center. When it happens it is very annoying as it gives me a recording telling me that I am currently not subscribed to BMW assist, It then says if it is an emergency to hang up and call 911. It then says I can hang up at any time by saying goodbye. Then it gives me a friggin' commercial for BMW assist. One weekend it tried to call the BMW Assist every couple of minutes for a whole hour as I was driving home form the beach. My wife and I were both shouting GOODBYE! People seeing us must have thought we were nuts as the top was down!

I took it to the dealer and they said they could find nothing wrong with it. I told them to tell the technician to go drive it for 20 minutes or so. They did, he didn't have the problem. They said they reset the TCU anyway just in case.

Now, it didn't happen again for a few drives then Friday night as I was headed to the beach I wasn't to the end of my street when it did it again. I turned around, put it back in the garage and took the 911 instead.

So, I need help. I have searched the forum and can't find anyone else that has had a similar problem. I also paid the 30 dollars for a 1 day BMW TIS subscription to see what technical bulletins may apply, and there is no mention in there of any issues like this with the TCU.

Has anyone else had any similar issues?

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      08-19-2013, 12:33 PM   #2
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So to clarify, is it your car calling BMW assist and not the other way around? If it's not an issue with the TCU, I'd rule out the very simple first. Is the button for assist shorting out? If you don't intend on using assist, you could pull the panel and disconnect the buttons.




Good luck. That sounds super annoying.
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      08-19-2013, 12:41 PM   #3
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One time passenger spilled a drink in my car (first and last time I ever allowed anyone to bring in a beverage). Unfortunately some of it seeped into the buttons, created a short and it kept dialing BMW assist on its own.
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      08-19-2013, 12:59 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DSC_OFF View Post
One time passenger spilled a drink in my car (first and last time I ever allowed anyone to bring in a beverage). Unfortunately some of it seeped into the buttons, created a short and it kept dialing BMW assist on its own.
Did the passenger get to ride anymore after that?

How did you fix it? Did you just disconnect them, repair it or did you have to order a new panel?
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      08-19-2013, 01:13 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by Devious21 View Post
Did the passenger get to ride anymore after that?

How did you fix it? Did you just disconnect them, repair it or did you have to order a new panel?
No, never again.

I took it to the dealership because I couldn't drive more than 2 mins w/o automatic redialing. I later got a call saying they pulled the trim and found "brown liquid" on the module underneath the button. Couldn't play dumb so had to pony up $500 for parts & labor to replace. That was first and last time I ever paid for dealer work.
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      08-19-2013, 01:37 PM   #6
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I agree that the button is a good place to start. There's a good chance something seeped in and is shorting it out.
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      08-19-2013, 02:33 PM   #7
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The message said "hang up and call 911" not "go home and drive 911".

Seriously, though. My previous owner spilled "brown liquid" into the seat memory buttons and the button on the end of the turn signal stalk. Flushed with lots of alcohol, several times, to get them freed up.
Alcohol is a poor solvent for such goo, and you don't want to use water, so it takes several applications.
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      08-19-2013, 04:05 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by StickMon View Post
The message said "hang up and call 911" not "go home and drive 911".

Seriously, though. My previous owner spilled "brown liquid" into the seat memory buttons and the button on the end of the turn signal stalk. Flushed with lots of alcohol, several times, to get them freed up.
Alcohol is a poor solvent for such goo, and you don't want to use water, so it takes several applications.
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      08-19-2013, 04:30 PM   #9
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      08-19-2013, 05:17 PM   #10
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LOL, I love this response. Actually, now everytime it does it I am going to hear Go Home and Drive 911!!!!! That is great.

So, to all of the replies, thanks. To answer the question, yes, it seems that the message implies that I called them, not the other way around. This would really be bad marketing on BMW's part if this is a targeted marketing campaign to get me so annoyed that I buy the overpriced service from them.

And lastly, the dealer also checked all of the obvious things, like the switches and connections to make sure nothing was intermittently loose. Also, no one spilled anything either.

Any other ideas?

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      08-19-2013, 05:27 PM   #11
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Disconnect the switch
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      08-19-2013, 05:54 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ZStig View Post
Disconnect the switch
WHS+1. If it's still making the call then find fuse the TCU and pull that off (should disable the whole thing)
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      08-19-2013, 05:57 PM   #13
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Yes, but won't that also disable my bluetooth? I would still like to use my phone and if I am not mistaken, in the 2006 E85, the TCU and bluetooth are integrated.
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      08-19-2013, 06:09 PM   #14
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Yes, it will also disable your hand free (it is useless anyway). But I think the switch is shorting out so try the switch first.
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      08-19-2013, 06:39 PM   #15
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I don't see the hands free as useless, quite the contrary, I use it and it works well, for me anyway,
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      08-19-2013, 06:50 PM   #16
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I am glad it works well for you. I guess the combinations of Supersprint, Afe and driving at higher RPM doesn't work too well for my hands free. I just got a headset for emergency uses (dont want to be bother while I enjoy driving the car).
One more thing to try before taking the panel apart, press the button and see what happen? Maybe it just intermittently failing.
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      08-19-2013, 07:04 PM   #17
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Unplugging the switch shouldn't disable the bluetooth. Try that first.
Also, to the degree you can get to it, make sure the wiring from the switch to the TCU isn't pinched in some trim.

and no offense, but this just had to be done

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      08-21-2013, 01:14 PM   #18
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Well, I haven't made much progress on this as I have been busy at work and the car has been sitting in the garage. Considering I have only driven it 4K miles in the past 3 years, it may be a while before I figure this out! It sounds like I have a unique problem and unfortunately won't be able to benefit from the collective experience of the forum members. I'll provide and update when (if) I figure it out. Maybe it is just a ghost!
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      08-21-2013, 01:45 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 155MPH View Post
Well, I haven't made much progress on this as I have been busy at work and the car has been sitting in the garage. Considering I have only driven it 4K miles in the past 3 years, it may be a while before I figure this out! It sounds like I have a unique problem and unfortunately won't be able to benefit from the collective experience of the forum members. I'll provide and update when (if) I figure it out. Maybe it is just a ghost!
Hang on a sec. You have multiple people in this thread that have all had a similar issue that would have been resolved by disconnecting the switches and that's what we all recommend you do.

I believe you are discounting this advice because "the dealer checked your switches".

I would disconnect them. You said the dealer wasn't able to replicate the issue and just looked over the switches and found no problems. If you can replicate the issue consistently, disconnect the switches and see if the problem ever happens again.

Most people in this thread are betting it won't.

If you fully disconnect the switches and the car STILL tries to call BMW Assist, THEN we have something to talk about and we can move from forward from there.

If you don't want to do it yourself, go back to the dealer and tell them you're still having the issue from last time and you'd just like the switches completely disconnected. Hopefully you can get them to do it for free since your issue wasn't resolved.

Get those switches disconnected. Good luck!
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      08-21-2013, 02:01 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Devious21 View Post
Hang on a sec. You have multiple people in this thread that have all had a similar issue that would have been resolved by disconnecting the switches and that's what we all recommend you do.

I believe you are discounting this advice because "the dealer checked your switches".

I would disconnect them. You said the dealer wasn't able to replicate the issue and just looked over the switches and found no problems. If you can replicate the issue consistently, disconnect the switches and see if the problem ever happens again.

Most people in this thread are betting it won't.

If you fully disconnect the switches and the car STILL tries to call BMW Assist, THEN we have something to talk about and we can move from forward from there.

If you don't want to do it yourself, go back to the dealer and tell them you're still having the issue from last time and you'd just like the switches completely disconnected. Hopefully you can get them to do it for free since your issue wasn't resolved.

Get those switches disconnected. Good luck!
Agreed.
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      08-22-2013, 08:48 AM   #21
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Hi all, really do appreciate all the advise and am not discounting any of the suggestions. What I say was I haven't had time to do anything more with that advice as I have been busy at work. My point about having a unique problem was that I did not spill anything on the switches and that all switches were checked by the dealer. I haven't had time to try to disconnect them, that was my point. I was only trying to let you know why I haven't gotten back to the forum with an update, it is because I haven't had time to try any of the suggestions. So please don't jump to the conclusion that I have been ignoring your suggestions, I haven't. I do appreciate them.
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      08-22-2013, 09:05 PM   #22
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go disconnect your damn switch, it takes 40 seconds


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