BMW X7's Entertainment System Dead, MOST Bus Issue?

Hey there! I've got some experience with cars and had a similar issue with my 2019 BMW X5. The entertainment system completely died, just like yours. My X5 showed similar symptoms, no audio, nav was dead, the whole deal. I ended up taking it to a workshop since I wasn't comfortable messing with the electronics myself. Turns out one of the control units in the MOST bus system was faulty. The repair wasn't cheap, cost me about 1000 Euro for the replacement and programming of the new unit, but it solved the problem completely. Before I can share more specific details, could you tell us: How long has this been happening? Did it die suddenly or gradually? Are you seeing any warning lights on the dash? Have you tried disconnecting the battery for a reset? By the way, the BMW 7 Series from that generation had similar architecture, and they sometimes had these issues too. Let me know those details, and I might be able to help further!

Thanks for sharing your experience! Mine just hit 68682 KM and had its last service about a month ago. The system actually died suddenly yesterday while I was driving, no warning signs or anything before that. No warning lights on the dash either. I did try the battery disconnect trick for about 30 minutes, but no luck there. It's frustrating since everything was working perfectly fine before this. Think I'll probably have to bite the bullet and take it to the shop like you did. Just hoping it won't cost me an arm and a leg to fix! Did your warranty cover any of the repair costs?

Hey again! Yeah, your situation sounds exactly like what happened with my X5, that sudden death of the system without warning is pretty typical for a MOST bus failure. Unfortunately, my warranty had just expired when it happened (typical timing, right?), so I had to cover all the costs myself. But since your X7 is a 2021 model, you might still be under warranty, definitely worth checking! The standard BMW warranty should cover these kinds of electrical issues. When my system died, I also tried all sorts of resets before taking it to the shop. The battery disconnect, hard reset of the iDrive, you name it, nothing worked. It's actually a bit reassuring that yours is showing the same behavior because it really points to that faulty control unit I mentioned earlier. One thing I learned from my experience, don't wait too long to get it checked out. When mine failed, I drove around for a couple of weeks hoping it would magically fix itself (spoiler: it didn't). Just made things more frustrating since I couldn't use any of the entertainment features. Let me know what the shop says when you take it in. I'm curious if they find the same issue as mine. These things can be a pain, but at least they're fixable!

Thanks everyone for your input! Just wanted to update you all, I've decided to take my X7 to the shop tomorrow morning. After hearing about your experience with the MOST bus issue, I'm pretty convinced it might be the same problem, especially since all the symptoms match up perfectly. Really hoping my warranty will cover it since I'm still within the coverage period. That would definitely be a relief compared to the 1000 euro repair cost you mentioned! Will definitely check the warranty paperwork tonight before heading to the shop. I appreciate all the advice, particularly about not waiting too long to get it checked out. You're right, there's no point driving around without any entertainment system, hoping for a miracle fix. I'll post an update once I get the diagnosis from the shop. Thanks again for taking the time to help out a fellow BMW owner. It's always reassuring to know others have dealt with similar issues and got them resolved!