iDrive Update (03/2021.50 > 07/2021.85) Worth the update?

elite-fusion · 03-30-2022, 08:36 AM

Hi Everyone,

Been tinkering in the setting menu and found that there is an update which may be available for me to install via mobile phone/app, but not sure if its worth the update or just stick to 03/2021.50 and go by "if it aint broke, dont fix it" route?

I did see another post recently that after updating to 07/2021, the engine wouldnt start, so thats a bit scary...

nZtiZia · 03-30-2022, 12:09 PM

true anomalies after software updates are actually quite rare. they just get clumped in forums like these, so it seems like they occur a lot

Nigel1500 · 04-01-2022, 01:50 AM

My dealer did my yesterday. Android Auto has stopped working. Now, whenever I ask it to do something it reports there's a problem with the connection. Tried it with dealer's own phone. Dealer told me he has the problem in a number of cars.

I would leave it for now. I only had the upgrade done in the hope it would fix some of my other software related problems. I'm back at square -1

elite-fusion · 04-01-2022, 06:18 AM

Thank you both.
Nigel, that totally sucks!

I dont use android auto deapite being an android user, ut never got into android auto or apple car play. But at the same token, i dont want anything to break either.

Did it end up fixing anything else while it broke andeoid auto at least?

walkday · 04-02-2022, 03:59 AM

My dealer did 03/2022.30 on my 45e. No problem so far. Android Auto works great.

jad03060 · 04-02-2022, 04:31 PM

BMW doesn't tell us all of the changes they make in the updates...the release notes are fairly generic. But, the July 2021 update had some significant tweaks to some features you may use regularly, especially if you have the adaptive cruise control. As BMW gets more and more miles on the vehicles, they can find more and more little things that can be improved (and a few errors that need to be fixed), so, IMHO, keeping up to date is generally good. Their OTA practice is to be one sequence old versus what is the latest at the dealership. Even on the same 'sequence', there are multiple iterations as little things are found. I'm on x.51 and people today are getting x.85 or maybe even higher from the July release. With a new release likely very soon, the November 2021 release should be starting OTA soon, if it hasn't already started (may depend on the market).

elite-fusion · 04-02-2022, 04:35 PM

Do i need to go to the 07/2021.85 in order to go to a later one, or can I go directly to a later one from 03/2021.50, once it becomes available of course?

jad03060 · 04-02-2022, 07:23 PM

SOme have said that if you don't take an update once it's offered, you may not get the next OTA update, but at least for now, they do not have to be applied sequentially...IOW, at least the dealer can update you to the latest, regardless of what version you have. That MAY not be true for an OTA update, though.

Note, an OTA update may not change every module, and skipping one may find that a module that was not updated may prevent a different one from working reliably should you update to that version. That may require the dealer updating the whole body of software to ensure everything is compatible.

03-30-2022, 08:36 AM	#1
elite-fusion Captain 161 Rep 608 Posts Drives: 335xi Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: NY iTrader: (0)	iDrive Update (03/2021.50 > 07/2021.85) Worth the update? Hi Everyone, Been tinkering in the setting menu and found that there is an update which may be available for me to install via mobile phone/app, but not sure if its worth the update or just stick to 03/2021.50 and go by "if it aint broke, dont fix it" route? I did see another post recently that after updating to 07/2021, the engine wouldnt start, so thats a bit scary...
	Appreciate 0 Tweet Quote

03-30-2022, 12:09 PM	#2
nZtiZia Major General 4754 Rep 8,873 Posts Drives: eVeRyOnE mAD! Join Date: Dec 2020 Location: neither here nor there... iTrader: (0) Garage List 2021 BMW X5 xDrive 45e [9.88]	true anomalies after software updates are actually quite rare. they just get clumped in forums like these, so it seems like they occur a lot
	Appreciate 0 Quote

04-01-2022, 01:50 AM	#3
Nigel1500 Private 28 Rep 84 Posts Drives: BMW X5 (G05) 30d M-Sport Join Date: Jan 2020 Location: Sydney, Australia iTrader: (0)	My dealer did my yesterday. Android Auto has stopped working. Now, whenever I ask it to do something it reports there's a problem with the connection. Tried it with dealer's own phone. Dealer told me he has the problem in a number of cars. I would leave it for now. I only had the upgrade done in the hope it would fix some of my other software related problems. I'm back at square -1
	Appreciate 0 Quote

04-01-2022, 06:18 AM	#4
elite-fusion Captain 161 Rep 608 Posts Drives: 335xi Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: NY iTrader: (0)	Thank you both. Nigel, that totally sucks! I dont use android auto deapite being an android user, ut never got into android auto or apple car play. But at the same token, i dont want anything to break either. Did it end up fixing anything else while it broke andeoid auto at least?
	Appreciate 0 Quote

04-02-2022, 03:59 AM	#5
walkday Private First Class 98 Rep 173 Posts Drives: BMW X5 xDrive45e Join Date: Jul 2021 Location: United States iTrader: (0)	My dealer did 03/2022.30 on my 45e. No problem so far. Android Auto works great.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

04-02-2022, 04:31 PM	#6
jad03060 Major General 3243 Rep 6,946 Posts Drives: X5 45e Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: NH iTrader: (0)	BMW doesn't tell us all of the changes they make in the updates...the release notes are fairly generic. But, the July 2021 update had some significant tweaks to some features you may use regularly, especially if you have the adaptive cruise control. As BMW gets more and more miles on the vehicles, they can find more and more little things that can be improved (and a few errors that need to be fixed), so, IMHO, keeping up to date is generally good. Their OTA practice is to be one sequence old versus what is the latest at the dealership. Even on the same 'sequence', there are multiple iterations as little things are found. I'm on x.51 and people today are getting x.85 or maybe even higher from the July release. With a new release likely very soon, the November 2021 release should be starting OTA soon, if it hasn't already started (may depend on the market).
	Appreciate 0 Quote

04-02-2022, 04:35 PM	#7
elite-fusion Captain 161 Rep 608 Posts Drives: 335xi Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: NY iTrader: (0)	Do i need to go to the 07/2021.85 in order to go to a later one, or can I go directly to a later one from 03/2021.50, once it becomes available of course?
	Appreciate 0 Quote

04-02-2022, 07:23 PM	#8
jad03060 Major General 3243 Rep 6,946 Posts Drives: X5 45e Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: NH iTrader: (0)	SOme have said that if you don't take an update once it's offered, you may not get the next OTA update, but at least for now, they do not have to be applied sequentially...IOW, at least the dealer can update you to the latest, regardless of what version you have. That MAY not be true for an OTA update, though. Note, an OTA update may not change every module, and skipping one may find that a module that was not updated may prevent a different one from working reliably should you update to that version. That may require the dealer updating the whole body of software to ensure everything is compatible.
	Appreciate 0 Quote