Blue tooth

[Beamer]

Ok, love it, love it, love it. Picked it up today.

One problem is when I pair the Bluetooth I can receive calls but not make them !!!! Says please wait on the screencandidate has not down loaded the contents of my phone.
I cannot make calls other than typing it on my phone. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaa what a pain.
Please help.

[X5Sport]

Not all phones are fully compatible.  What have you got?  Many do work though, albeit with functionality restrictions

Depending upon your phone and what older versions of Bluetooth it supports, you may be limited on what you can do.  BMW were very bad at keeping current back then - there are 14 different modules, all different and all produced as they tried to keep pace.  I think one year something like 6-9 variants were released.  The Bluetooth version in use on current generation phones is V4.2 - three full generations beyond the E53.

The car will only support contact lists/address books compatible with Contacts firmware V1.1 and that also support Bluetooth V1.2.

There is no audio streaming support either.

[Beamer]

Sorry I should have said it's a Samsung s 7 mobile phone. It's strange I can receive calls but not make one. It pairs up but that's it.

[X5Sport]

I had an HTC that did that....it went back within 24hours.  Other than seeing if you can source a very late TCU phone unit in the car itself (see Realoem for all part numbers and use the last 7 characters of your VIN in the Serial Number box) then I don't think there is much you can do.  I think yours is an 06 which means it may well have the last issued variant.  It might be faulty, but try another phone type if you gave a friend who can try to help locally?

You could also try deleting all pairings (in case old ones still remain) and start again.  The phone system manual tells you how.

[Beamer]

I think it's a software issue and I don't know if it can be updated. I don't even know if rh bluetooth unit can be updated and if it can how in the Lord can I do it. I have read that the software can be updated using the USB slot in the car but when you don't have one I can't do it.

[CondorX5]

Software updates via USB are for E70 and beyond, not E53. I think you will need to actually physically exchange the bluetooth unit for a new one.    My 2005 4.8is had a BT issue not long after I purchased it some 6 years back now, around 2010, and a new one was fitted under warranty which has been fine ever since but I use iphones which have not been a problem.  I also used an old Sony Ericcson permanently in the car years ago which used to pick up text messages as well.  Newer phones don't allow for that anymore as BT has evolved.  Best bet is to completely clear the BT memory of all pairings and try again, or failing that, look for the most recent BT unit to replace it.    Some have given up and just fitted Parrot kits but not being OEM it doesn't entirely integrate.

[Beamer]

Phoned a guy tonight and he said the old phones may still be in the Bluetooth memory and that he can plug it in to his reader and clear them off the system. Mind you he did say it may not work. I will ask about a new Bluetooth module and I am sure it wont be cheap.

[x6edge]

Had an iphone 4 that paired instantly. Cannot get my LG G3 to stay paired at all

[Colin]

yes my old iphone 4 connected ok  but when i changed to the 6    no way , old tech meets new tech ..

[CondorX5]

You can clear the old pairings yourself, just check the manual or search on here - can't remember the exact steps needed, but its not difficult.  Don't need a coding device.  As a temporary solution you could pair up an old nokia or other phone the BT "likes" .  The modules are silly prices new from BMW and if buying used, be careful of provenance as the modules can and do become faulty and crooks on ebay and said milar places offload them onto buyers.   

[Beamer]

Well went today to the tech guy. Told me the software is way out of date as I think someone had already said. Now poses the question can the software for these things be up dated ?

[X5Sport]

Within the physical TCU (Telephone unit in the car) no, or not without chipset changes.  It's not just the firmware that needs doing, and I don't think BMW built in an upgradable capability to the overall module - a lesson learned for the E70 onwards - so electronics changes need making and that needs specialist work and tools.

No new/updated driver files have been released by BMW either.

Simplest option is find a Nokia 6310i as they were perfect, or buy an older smart phone, or wear a BT headset.  You could buy a Parrot too (without feathers!)

[Beamer]

I suppose an updated head unit would be the answer ?

[CondorX5]

Only if you are thinking Dynavin or similar non OEM kit.    The BMW "headunit" isn't one really, its a screen, with the modules mostly in the boot - radio, BT, TV etc.