Why do I keep having to reset the clock on the radio. It typically goes blank after washing and drying the car…but not always! It can sit idle for weeks and work fine, Then, after a trip tp the store and back, it goes blank and has to be reset!
Quite annoying, any ideas?
Check for loose connections, starting with the battery. I’d also post this on a BMW forum, it might be a known problem.
How old is your battery? This is sometimes a sign of a battery on the way out, so a battery and charging system test would be a logical first step, assuming you don’t have any loose or corroded connections.
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The clock memory power is somehow getting interrupted. That power usually comes from a fused circuit from the panel under the hood. There may be a faulty connector connection. It would be wise to check and clean your battery connections. Make sure they are snug tight but not over tightened. Use a soft wire brush to clean the contact surfaces of the battery connections. If you still have trouble then try moving wire harnesses around or tap on suspected areas with a screwdriver handle to see if you can catch the problem that way.
The battery was replaced last summer. The connections check out OK. There are absolutely no other electrical issues other than the clock and trip info going blank with no apparent pattern or reason. I will try to locate the fuse for this circuit and check for a loose connection. The local BMW dealer is baffled. I will also try to find a BMW
bulletin board to post on. Thanks for your help!
One odd thing that can happen is the fuse’s contacts can get a bit corroded and fail to connect. I’d find the fuse for that system and replace it with a new one, just as a cheap guess.
I think the washing/drying of the car is a red herring, it’s just the starting of the car afterwards or anytime that does it.
I would be checking all body and chassis/motor grounds for loose or dirty connections.
If the OP is playing the car radio while doing this, it might not be a red herring.
Was the clock going blank and having to be reset before you replaced the battery last summer? If not, I would suspect the battery. I once bought a new battery that only lasted a day.
I had the same problem on a Ford Aerostar with the clock. I just ignored the problem until one time I stopped for gas and there wasn’t any power in the battery to crank the engine. The van wouldn’t even start with a jump. AAA towed the van to my house and I went out with our other vehicle and bought a new battery which solved the problem.
I think you may want to have the battery load tested. Even though it is less than a year old, it may be defective.
Does the radio remember the preset stations?
If so, the clock in the radio is going bad.
Tester
This problem began about 2 years ago. The battery replacement last summer seemed to help. For about 6 months I didn’t have any problems at all. Now the bug is back. I don’t lose any of the radio presets. The only 2 issues are the clock blanks out and the trip mileage is lost. The dealer wants $900 for a new radio. The fuse and battery connections are good…guess I need to bite the bullet and buy a new radio!
Thanks for the input!
If it were my vehicle?
As long as I still have tunes, I’d live with it.
Tester
How about one of those little round stick on clocks somewhere on dash ?
Where do you find them I have been looking for one for a few years now as my clock in my radio has to have a button held in to see it.
Wally World sells them.
Tester
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Thank you I will have to check wally world again as I have not checked in a while.