BMW iX Sunblind System Frozen, Solutions & Repair Tips

Hey! Had the exact same issue with my 2021 BMW i4 (also had an i7 before). I'd say I have some experience with EVs and basic maintenance. I totally feel your pain, my sunblind got stuck last summer. Brought it to my regular workshop, and they diagnosed a faulty motor in the sunblind mechanism. The repair took about 3 hours, and I ended up paying 330 Euro for parts and labor. They had to replace the entire motor unit. Before you head to a shop though, what's the exact behavior when you try to operate it? Does it make any noise? Also, which trim level is your iX? This could help narrow down if we're dealing with the same system.

Thanks for sharing your experience! My iX just hit 186506 KM this week after the latest service, and I'm hoping for a simpler fix. When I try to operate the sunblind, there's actually no noise at all, just complete silence and zero movement. It's totally unresponsive, which makes me wonder if it might be an electrical connection issue rather than a mechanical problem. Mine's the xDrive50 trim, so it's got all the bells and whistles. Did your motor give any warning signs before it completely failed?

Hey again! Yes, my i4 had a similar situation when it died, complete silence, no movement, just like yours. Mine also didn't show any warning signs beforehand, it just stopped working one day. Interesting that you mention the electrical connection, my mechanic initially thought the same thing because of the total silence, but after checking the wiring, they discovered the motor itself had failed. Since you've got quite a few miles on yours (mine had about 150k when it happened), it could definitely be the same motor issue. The lack of noise is actually a typical sign of motor failure in these models, when the electrical connections are loose, you sometimes still hear a faint clicking or humming. Here's what I'd suggest based on my experience: have them check the motor first rather than spending time on the wiring diagnostics. Could save you some labor costs. My total repair bill might've been lower if I hadn't let them chase the electrical theory first. When they finally replaced the motor unit, everything worked perfectly again. Just to add, if it is the motor, make sure they check the tracks while they're in there. Mine had some debris that could've caused issues down the line if they hadn't cleaned it out during the repair.

I really appreciate your detailed response and advice! That's super helpful to know about the silence being a telltale sign of motor failure rather than an electrical issue. Makes total sense about checking the motor first, definitely don't want to waste time and money going down the wrong diagnostic path. What you're saying about the debris in the tracks is particularly interesting since I've had the sunblind for quite a while now. I'll definitely mention that to my mechanic when I take it in. Would hate to have to deal with this issue again because of something that could've been prevented during the repair. I'm actually relieved to hear your fix was straightforward once they identified the real problem. Even though 330 Euro isn't cheap, it's way better than what I was imagining it might cost. I'll schedule an appointment this week and make sure to ask them to inspect the motor first. Thanks again for sharing your experience, it's given me a much clearer idea of what to expect and what to ask for at the repair shop!