[winona78]

Hi Guys,

I just purchased a 2019 BMW 330i Xdrive which marks my first BMW. I was thrilled about the app as I live in Wisconsin so it was great for auto-start. The problem, I have not had one day where it has properly worked.

I have updated the apps, removed and re-added my car, uninstalled and re-installed the app, as well as updated to the newest software (which for some reason is from 2020) and my car never shows an updated status unless I either use the remote for auto start or drive it. It's pretty much a useless app.

Any other tips/tricks to get this thing to work properly?

Thanks!

[k4sh_90]

Might be worth having the dealership take a look. May be some issue with the telematics communication.

[Radhaz75]

I have a 2019 330i as well and the MyBMW app behavior you're experiencing is normal to me. Aside from the tire pressure (which is new to the app), nothing on the car status that's displayed in the app should change unless the car wakes up due to an interaction. Therefore, I don't expect the last updated status and timestamp to update unless I actually interact with the car (key fob, start, use one of the remote commands in the MyBMW app) or one of those statuses somehow changes otherwise. I would welcome someone else to chime in if you think I'm wrong (and thus my services broken as well).

Your issue regarding iDrive not getting remote software updates seems pretty common. When I bought mine a year ago it seemed like it had never received an iDrive software update (I don't remember the version it was on but it didn't have Android Auto which it definitely should have if it was getting updates). I had the dealer update it then (which brought it to 03/2021). I'm still waiting for 07/2021 which it seems like most others have gotten already. It seems to me that our cars are not getting software updates due to either a bug in their current version (I can see this if my car eventually does get the 07/2021 update) or something is is configured wrong on the BMW side not broadcasting it to the car.

[winona78]

I appreciate the responses. Rad, with you having similar problems to me, it seems like either an incredibly poor app or a flawed design. If the app (or car) is not communicating with BMW, then the majority of features are just useless and I might as well walk up to my car and use the fob to start it in the morning.

I will be reaching out to my local BMW dealership to discuss and hopefully get my software updated as well.

Thanks!

[G22b58]

I don't understand what "majority of features are just useless". I thought your problem was that Remote Start don't consistently work. I had a few times an obviously wrong status reported (unlocked, open door), but not in general faulty.
Is your problem that the wrong status is being reported?

[Misterted]

I had a 2020 330 and had similar issues with the app. Something changed after owning the car for about 15 months and the dealership tried but couldn't help.
Car is gone now, I have a 2021 and the app works perfectly on it. Makes no sense.

[Radhaz75]

I confirmed with a genius that the app only ever updates the status when something is done with the car like a mentioned in my original post. My car has almost always responded to the app including remote starts and remote locking.

So if your car isn't remote starting with the app it's probably one of 2 things:
- you forgot to check the box in the iDrive menu under the climate control section to allow it. If you don't check it, the app still lets you try to remote start it and never gives a failure
- the car is parked in a place where it has poor cell service

Finally since I'm already writing a post here, I'll add that my car just got the iDrive update notification today. First one I've had since I bought the car a year ago. So it does seem to work for the most part, just not on a timetable I want it to.

[winona78]

@G22 The problem was that the keyfob was my only solution to remotely unlock/lock/start my car. The app would continuously give me an error of it not being sent to my car. The only time the app would work, is if I used my keyfob to start my car because it seemed like my car would then re-connect to the app/network.

@Mister/Rad I think I may have just gotten really unlucky with the software that was on the car. I also got the app notification of the new software and it is now installed on my car. I have had 3 successful requests sent to my car from the app. Maybe that was the issue all along.

I will report back when I try it out a few more times!

[oreoOozZz]

My app was working great when i got the car then a few months later just stopped working and i tried everything under the sun. The only thing that fixed it was a software update which i wasnt trying to do since i was tuned so i waited until the bench unlock became available for that specific update and voila. App has been working fine ever since, maybe a failed command every now and then but thats probably just connection issues.

Also just to clarify, im on a mission performance tune which to my knowledge is the only tune that still has a working remote start as long as you keep the keycard in its allocated spot.

[winona78]

Here is my update to this post. The new software that I installed on my car has fixed all of the issues with the app not working. Nearly every signal from the app now goes through.

[G30M]

is this the 03.2022 software?

[TikiTourer]

If it was built in 2019, it likely has a bug in the Telematics Unit that causes Connected Drive services going missing for extended period of time
There is a Service Bulletin out for the problem...it affects most BMW models built before 1st December 2019. So request your dealer to check that your car has the update applied.
The SIB number is 84 01 20..
I used to have a screenshot of it but cannot locate it
If you Google the SIB number, you should find it.