Audio Systems: BMW Radio install not working, bmw radio, radio antenna

Question
My radio just stop working all of a sudden, now I though it was the radio so I change it. Same problem continued, both radios turn on but you hear no sound, or static, just nothing from the speakers, I even tried cutting the speaker wire that come right out the back of the radio too check if it was the wiring through the car..I still received nothing..I later tried both radios on a different car and they worked, keep in mind the radios both work just not in my bmw. Now my question is to you what do you think it could be? please answer ASAP...Thank you

Answer
OK, slow down...  I know these sorts of things can be really frustrating!  I think with a little patience and good methodology you should be able to get up and running.


Are we just talking about the "radio", as in no FM or AM reception, or are you saying that the "head unit" (the whole thing that's in the dash - Radio/CD player) is not working?

If you just can't receive any radio stations then the hook-up to the radio antenna is not connected or has gone bad.

If the whole head unit powers up but can not operate or put out sound then you may have a bad wiring harness, low voltage, no "control voltage" to signal the radio to power-up, or some other electrical complication typical of a BMW.

If the head unit won't even power up then you either have a bad power connection, bad ground, or bad "control signal" to power up the unit.  There are a few other possibilities with a BMW, especially one that was originally purchased with a special audio package - such as outboard amplifiers or other audio components that were not actually a part of the original head unit in your car.

If you give me a little more information (about your make/model/year of head unit, make/model/year of car) and calmly/carefully explain a little more about the problem (does the unit power up?  is it just the radio?) I would be happy to try and help.   You may also want to query Kelly Spongberg, another expert here who probably has more experience with BMW soundsystem retrofits - technically I'm a scientist, not a car expert.