Hi all! My first post here and I regret it has to be for something wrong since there is so much I love about the Mini. At least it's not something detrimental. Well here goes..

I came out one morning and I could hear the radio playing inside before I even unlocked the Mini. Trying to turn the radio off by pushing the volume **** and no dice (with or without key in). The radio will only turn off either on its own randomly or when I rotate the volume **** down rapidly. It will also randomly turn on and off and when I rotate the volume **** up slowly it will turn off. Again, pushing the volume **** does nothing.

I have done a quick search here as well as on Google to see who else may be having the same issue. It seems there is one post here with same exact issue, but no resolution and another on google with some advice to just buy a used stock radio. I am a technically saavy guy, so I would like to fix this issue if I can. I also have an idea of what might be wrong so follow me here..

I believe this to be an issue solely with the volume ****. Steering wheel volume controls work fine and don't shut the radio down. Only time the radio turns off or on is randomly or when volume is adjusted on radio. What I don't quite understand is why it's doing this without key in ignition, unless the volume **** is controlling that circuit within the radio.

I'm not afraid to crack open the radio to clean some contacts. With some seasoned Mini techys here advice or hopefully someone who's experienced this issue and resolved it, what would be the best way to troubleshoot and fix this radio?

Thanks and happy holidays!

 

Greetings

First thing I would do is spray around the **** with contact cleaner, MAKING sure the radio is off when I spray.

Next I would disconnect the battery and short the cables together, for a few minutes.
Which brings up a Question I’ve wanted to ask the forum?

This is our 3rd BMW, the first and maybe the second required a code to reactivate the radio after a battery change.
Will usafdrew and I (both 05’s) need a radio code if/when we disconnect the battery?

Thanks
ab

 

Abjb, while my Mini has had only one battery change (done by Mini), I have had the battery disconnected before when I replaced fuel filter. This was for a few hours and required no code upon reconnect.

UPDATE: Mini radio now does not shut off randomly or shut down/turn back on with vol **** rotation. However I can still play radio without key in ignition. I'm going to wait it out another week and see what happens then attempt to clean the contacts.

 

Same issue though mine quit all together, and it didnt play with the car off, it would just randomly turn itself on and off and it now hasn't worked for 9 months.

 

Well it looks like where I'm at with this issue now is that radio works fine again. One of those 'fixed itself' things that took about a month. I hate that kind of outcome, but am releived that I didn't need a new radio. My guess is there was some issue with the volume **** contacts.