[BMWZ4]

Originally Posted by Joe240

My 2017 m240i had this happen twice in the past 10 months I've had it. Wasn't too hot outside, but I had the audio up when it happened.

That's what I think is happening as well, just an overloaded amp. Every time the mid-bass "subs" shutdown, I can attribute it to playing it pretty loud and the so-called tone settings were WAY UP there....

[omega145]

Except its happened to me both when the musics been turned up and when the cars been sitting at work all day.

[Joe240]

Originally Posted by omega145

Except its happened to me both when the musics been turned up and when the cars been sitting at work all day.

With the volume up, it pulls more current and gets hot. When it's sitting at work in the sun all day, it's still getting hot and now add a current draw and it heats up more.

[omega145]

Originally Posted by Joe240

With the volume up, it pulls more current and gets hot. When it's sitting at work in the sun all day, it's still getting hot and now add a current draw and it heats up more.

Not sure I agree with this because it's inconsistent and has also happened in the winter. Either way, I've rarely heard this happen in any other car including aftermarket systems with amps that have a much higher output and ran hotter. It seems pretty consistent to occur in our models. BMW should address this if its a known issue which it seems like it is. The question is, how do we find a way to have BMW address it if at all possible?

[Joe240]

Originally Posted by omega145

Not sure I agree with this because it's inconsistent and has also happened in the winter. Either way, I've rarely heard this happen in any other car including aftermarket systems with amps that have a much higher output and ran hotter. It seems pretty consistent to occur in our models. BMW should address this if its a known issue which it seems like it is. The question is, how do we find a way to have BMW address it if at all possible?

I agree, this isn't typically an issue in most cars, specially factory systems. However, lower quality parts will have these kinds of issues. Aftermarket amps will do this as well if you go with a lower quality amp. I had a Pyle amp years ago and it fit the specs: wattage, ohms, channels, everything. It would constantly overheat on me and shut off, making me lose my subs (high school phase). Switched to a Pioneer monoblock and never had the issue once. Learned quickly that with car audio that you get what you pay for.

Yes, BMW should address the issue with these amps in our cars, but they can't replicate the issue consistently so they won't do anything about it. I suppose one way would be to get enough owners who have experienced this issue to file a single class action lawsuit against BMW NA to fix the issue. It's a similar situation to the Z06s having overheating issues when tracked. It's a track car that can't track because it always overheats. Currently a class action lawsuit against GM because of it. We purchased a Harmon Kardon, upgraded sound system looking for better audio quality consistently and we are not able to get it all the time like we should be able too.

[Viffermike]

Originally Posted by Joe240

Yes, BMW should address the issue with these amps in our cars, but they can't replicate the issue consistently so they won't do anything about it. I suppose one way would be to get enough owners who have experienced this issue to file a single class action lawsuit against BMW NA to fix the issue. It's a similar situation to the Z06s having overheating issues when tracked. It's a track car that can't track because it always overheats. Currently a class action lawsuit against GM because of it. We purchased a Harmon Kardon, upgraded sound system looking for better audio quality consistently and we are not able to get it all the time like we should be able too.

BMW's already been through a class-action suit once over the 2 Series' HK system. Back in 2014, it was forced to refund about half the cost of the HK option to owners because it misrepresented the HK as being a Logic7-based system in literature and on sales material. But what truly sucks about that is that since then, BMW has not discounted the option. The price of it has effectively never changed.

That's part of the reason I say that BMW is aware of the sub issue -- thing is, it probably can do little about it because of a pre-existing agreement with Harman International to manufacture a set number of parts over xx years for the 2 Series audio systems. It's Harman's amp, Harman's HU, Harman's speakers, etc. -- and Harman has a horrible, decades-long reputation of cutting corners to fatten profit. It's basically a laughingstock in the audio world (though, hopefully now that Samsung has purchased HI, that will change a bit).

Trust me: BMW AG is acutely aware of 2 Series audio shortcomings, including the HK sub issue. But beyond BMW itself threatening or suing Harman for delivering faulty product -- and most of it isn't faulty; it's just, well, cheap -- nothing will be done because BMW's deal with Harman likely prevents such action for a relatively low-volume car as the 2 Series.

To wit, anecdotally: The USB-Aux In jack in our cars has a very high defective rate that stretches back at least to 2012, when issues with them first appeared in MINIs. (Yes, the same part is used.) BMW has never redesigned or fixed the part. It would rather replace defective ones with another. That tells you something , doesn't it?

[selmeralto]

Originally Posted by Viffermike

... and Harman has a horrible, decades-long reputation of cutting corners to fatten profit.

And that's a sad shame since back in the day HK had a reputation for providing relatively high end innovative products at a reasonable price. I remember having a nice HK stereo receiver, a Citation series amp, and even an "extended headroom ultrawideband linear phase" cassette deck when that technology was a big deal.

It was the memories of those products that encouraged me to opt for the HK system in the BMW without really listening to it on my test drive.

[BEM-S4]

Originally Posted by Viffermike

Trust me: BMW AG is acutely aware of 2 Series audio shortcomings, including the HK sub issue. But beyond BMW itself threatening or suing Harman for delivering faulty product -- and most of it isn't faulty; it's just, well, cheap -- nothing will be done because BMW's deal with Harman likely prevents such action for a relatively low-volume car as the 2 Series.

The other issue that you didn't address is the time and expense to spec out a new system. The audio gear isn't killing anybody, it just sucks. The design-in process for any sort of component going into a vehicle is LONG. The 2-series has what, 3 years left before an all new one is released? If BMW decided to replace HK today it would take more than half of that time to get up and running with another vendor. The only hope would have been if it had been part of LCI.

If a change is coming it's going to happen with the new 2-series due out in what 2020 or 2021?

[Westway]

I've been experiencing this with my 2016 m235i since I got it. Don't believe its an outside temp issue. The first few times it occurred, like alot of you, I lost complete sound on the left side. The last few times, the bass is cut. Immediately shutting the car down and starting back up would never fix.

Does anyone know if BMW will fix the issue under warranty? Or is stuff like this not typically covered.

[DailySleeper]

2018 MY and it just happened to me last night. Reset itself after sitting for ~30 minutes.

[orangeglim]

This has happened to me a few times, but interestingly, hasn't happened in a long, long while. Maybe it was swapping out the speakers/subs with Bavsound, or maybe the Technic ASD harness, maybe both? Who knows.

[frenchfry675]

Originally Posted by Westway

I've been experiencing this with my 2016 m235i since I got it. Don't believe its an outside temp issue. The first few times it occurred, like alot of you, I lost complete sound on the left side. The last few times, the bass is cut. Immediately shutting the car down and starting back up would never fix.

Does anyone know if BMW will fix the issue under warranty? Or is stuff like this not typically covered.

It would definitely be covered the problem is replicating it for them. I did a video of it when the bass went out and went into the tone settings to prove the bass was on. Then when the bass worked again I did another video the same way. Last time they said my bass was all the way down which was bs. I haven’t had it happen for a long time so I haven’t shown them the videos. I don’t even think they have a fix for it. It’s been a problem for a long time.