Electrical Chaos: BMW Z4 Systems Going Dark

Hey there! I can relate, had a similar electrical nightmare with my 2012 BMW M3 last spring. Navigation system went dark, unusual warning lights, the works. Turned out my battery was on its last legs and wasn't providing stable voltage to the electrical systems. The alternator was also struggling to keep up, which made everything worse. After replacing both parts, all those weird electrical gremlins disappeared. With those symptoms in your Z4, I'd definitely get the battery and charging system tested first. The Transport Mode issue could be a red herring, these electrical problems often trace back to power supply issues. Mine was pretty serious because I waited too long and it started affecting the ECU. Best bet would be to have a diagnostic scan done specifically focusing on the electrical system. Could save you a lot of troubleshooting time.

Thanks for sharing your experience! That's really helpful. The battery/alternator combo fix sounds like it could be exactly what I need. Mine's showing pretty much the same symptoms you described. Just curious, do you remember roughly how much the repairs set you back? And has everything been running smoothly since the fix, or have you noticed any other electrical quirks pop up?

Hey again! Glad I could help! Just wanted to update you, since I mentioned those electrical issues with my M3, I actually took it to my mechanic and they found the Transport Mode was definitely part of the problem. Theyaged to fix it right away, and since it's still under warranty, it didn't cost me anything. Talk about lucky timing! Everything's been running perfectly since then, no more electrical gremlins whatsoever. The navigation system's back to normal, and all those unusual warning lights have disappeared. It's like having a completely different car now. Just make sure you get it checked out soon though, electrical issues can be tricky and sometimes lead to bigger problems if left unchecked. In your case, it might be worth having them look at both the battery/alternator and that Transport Mode issue. Better safe than sorry with these things! Did you manage to find a new mechanic yet? Keep us posted on what they find!

After getting some great advice here, I wanted to share how everything turned out. Took my Z4 to a new mechanic last week and you all were spot on! The battery was completely shot and the alternator wasn't doing much better. The mechanic also fixed the Transport Mode issue while they were at it. The repairs cost me around €800 total, not cheap, but definitely worth it. The car's running like new now! All those annoying electrical problems are gone, navigation's working perfectly, no more warning lights, and everything's back to normal. Really glad I asked for advice here instead of going back to my old mechanic. The new guy was fantastic, explained everything clearly and got the job done right the first time. Thanks again everyone for pointing me in the right direction! Sometimes the simple fixes are the best ones.