BMW M4 Audio Failure: Common Issues & Solutions Revealed

Hey there! I had a pretty similar issue with my 2013 BMW M3 last year. I'm fairly comfortable with basic car maintenance but audio systems aren't really my thing (low experience). Noticed the same symptoms, crackling sounds and the bass cutting out out of nowhere. After dealing with it for a couple weeks, I took it to my regular workshop. Turned out the bass speaker was shot and needed replacement. The whole thing, including installation, set me back about 280 Euro, but it fixed the problem completely. Before you get it checked out, could you tell me if you've got the standard BMW audio system or one of the upgraded packages? Also, does the issue happen more when you're playing music at higher volumes? This info would help narrow down if we're dealing with the same problem. If it is a similar issue, better get it checked soon, these problems usually don't fix themselves and could get worse over time.

Thanks for sharing your experience! I've also got the standard BMW audio setup in my M4. Mine's been serviced recently (58697 KM) and everything else runs perfectly, so this audio issue is really bugging me. The weird thing is, the volume doesn't seem to matter, it happens out of nowhere whether I'm playing music quietly or blasting it. Sometimes it works fine for hours, then suddenly starts acting up. Think I'll take your advice and get it checked out rather than hoping it fixes itself. The sound system was one of the reasons I went for this car in the first place, so having it work properly is pretty important to me. Did you notice any warning signs before your speaker completely failed?

Hey again! Glad to help further with your audio troubles. About those warning signs, yeah, looking back there were definitely some red flags I noticed before my speaker totally gave up. In my M3, it started with really subtle stuff, like the bass would sound a bit 'muddy' or less punchy than usual, especially on songs I knew well. Then it got progressively worse over about two weeks. The unusual cutting out that you're experiencing was exactly what happened to mine just before it completely died. The fact that yours is acting up regardless of volume is actually pretty similar to what I experienced. I initially thought it might be related to how loud I was playing music, but nope, it would act up even at low volumes. Since you mentioned yours is serviced at 58697 KM, it's probably not an issue with the head unit or wiring (mine wasn't). Based on how similar your symptoms are to what I dealt with, I'm pretty confident it's the speaker itself. These stock BMW speakers typically last quite a while, but they can definitely fail. Quick tip from my experience, when you get it checked out, make sure they test all the speakers individually. When mine was acting up, it turned out there was actually a small issue with one of the door speakers too that I hadn't even noticed. Might as well get everything sorted while they're in there.

Really appreciate all the detailed info! That's super helpful about the 'muddy' bass being an early warning sign, now that you mention it, I've definitely noticed that too over the past few weeks but didn't think much of it at the time. Just thought maybe I was being too picky about the sound quality. I'll definitely get all the speakers tested like you suggested. Better to catch any other potential issues now rather than dealing with multiple repair visits. Makes total sense about checking the door speakers too, might explain some of the weird balance issues I've been hearing occasionally. Think I'll book it in for next week. You've pretty much convinced me it's probably the same issue you had. Thanks again for sharing your experience, really helped me understand what I might be dealing with here. I'll make sure to get it sorted before it gets any worse!