G31 - GPS Failure, Park Assist Failure, Rear Camera Fail

[March2008]

The G31 (2022 520d) has been perfect for 3 years, the day it goes in for a major service... it starts up and all these issues start happening.

The GPS doesn't work, the car doesn't know where it is. It can't work out what time it is, then the radio doesn't work. No sound. Then CarPlay connects, all OK there, but no sound. All gets odd. Anyway... need to get to the dealer anyway... Then the rear camera doesn't work when I put it into reverse. "Parking Assistance Failure" Message.

The car gets to the dealer, and I'm thinking, well... today is going to be more expensive than it already was going to be...

At the end of the day... they found no faults and the technician couldn't find anything wrong. All working fine.

Has anyone had anything like this? I've had BMWs for 20+ years, and not had this fault before.

They told me the battery was fine, that's all I could think.

Picture... because... I love how the G31 looks

Edited by March2008 on Sunday 30th November 19:43

Edited by March2008 on Sunday 30th November 19:44

[Stillstand]

In short, yes. My 2019 pre-LCI G31 often had occasions where it would fault - multiple systems, for no apparently reason. After leaving it for a while, it would reset and then everything would be fine. It happened multiple times with Adblue errors, once with a fault for the outside temperature sensor failire (very common) which was intermittent for a while and then fully failed. The last one was a wheel speed sensor fault - started out intermittent again, then fully failed - long story short it wasn't even the sensor but the loom itself which needed to be repaired near the bulkhead by the dealer.

Have a look what code are there. Even my 2023 LCI G31 here in Germany that is basically like new, still faults occasionally with FlexRay and signal issues (no EML or anything, but I can see it on codes).

Modules can be very senstive to battery voltage drop, but yours sounds fine..

So many systems all linked to each other just compounds the complexity of modern cars.

[nw942]

Do these cars receive over the air updates or does that have to be done at the dealer?

[March2008]

Thanks, funny isn't it. They can be so sensitive to electrical. Mine is a 2022 LCI 520d.

I think you could be right with the voltage drop, it's been cold-ish, and the car has been stood exposed for a few days. Maybe a sign that the battery wasn't in great shape. Not sure how you really know the condition of a battery. At 3 years old, I'd expect it to be OK though, at least for another year or 2.

I did wonder if there was something in the rear of the car, a connection back there. I'd just folded the seats down and loaded up the rear with some stuff. Which I do quite often. It felt like something relating to the rear of the car, I assume the GPS antenna on the roof, rear camera, and sound all have some kind of control/wiring running through the rear.

Stillstand said:

In short, yes. My 2019 pre-LCI G31 often had occasions where it would fault - multiple systems, for no apparently reason. After leaving it for a while, it would reset and then everything would be fine. It happened multiple times with Adblue errors, once with a fault for the outside temperature sensor failire (very common) which was intermittent for a while and then fully failed. The last one was a wheel speed sensor fault - started out intermittent again, then fully failed - long story short it wasn't even the sensor but the loom itself which needed to be repaired near the bulkhead by the dealer.

Have a look what code are there. Even my 2023 LCI G31 here in Germany that is basically like new, still faults occasionally with FlexRay and signal issues (no EML or anything, but I can see it on codes).

Modules can be very senstive to battery voltage drop, but yours sounds fine..

So many systems all linked to each other just compounds the complexity of modern cars.

[Night Owl]

Never had this with my 540i in 4 years of ownership. That said, the parking sensors go crazy at times, and I have had the emergency braking function go off on more than one occasion when reversing, even though nothing was near the car.