How to Clean Your idrive?

[Three Stents]

Previous owner spilled something and some of the buttons on the console are kinda sticky. Dealer wants $1600 to install a new one. Any tips on how to remove it and clean, on a 2023 X5?

[afadeev]

Originally Posted by Three Stents

Previous owner spilled something and some of the buttons on the console are kinda sticky. Dealer wants $1600 to install a new one. Any tips on how to remove it and clean, on a 2023 X5?

Do the buttons still work?
If so, remove the button cluster from the dash, and spray it with electrical contact cleaner while holding it upside down (so the crud washes off the buttons, not flooding back into them).

HTH,
a

[Three Stents]

Originally Posted by afadeev

Do the buttons still work?
If so, remove the button cluster from the dash, and spray it with electrical contact cleaner while holding it upside down (so the crud washes off the buttons, not flooding back into them).

HTH,
a

when you say, "dash", are you referring to the console?

[afadeev]

Originally Posted by Three Stents

when you say, "dash", are you referring to the console?

I mean pop iDrive module from the console (and take it out of the car) so that you can flip it upside down for contact wash.

a

[Three Stents]

Originally Posted by afadeev

I mean pop iDrive module from the console (and take it out of the car) so that you can flip it upside down for contact wash.

a

this is what I'm leery about...popping it off without breaking something, then putting it back on and find out something does not work

[scubajim]

I pulled mine off recently to polish the scratches. It was pretty easy to do. Look for a few videos to give you initial guidance.

[afadeev]

Originally Posted by Three Stents

this is what I'm leery about...popping it off without breaking something, then putting it back on and find out something does not work

Unless you are a dentist and can get to all the nooks and crannies through tiny spaces between the buttons ... I don't see any other way to get this done!

HTH,
a

[Three Stents]

took the rig to the dealer on Monday and here it is, Wednesday. Service guy has no answer yet for me.

[gdor]

Honestly, I’m not sure how isopropyl alcohol reacts with plastics, but when it comes to cleaning electronics, it works perfectly. Since it’s non-conductive, it’s totally safe and ideal for that purpose.

[Three Stents]

Picking it up today,,,sounds like they replaced the idrive controller, cleaned the other buttons and programmed....It sounds like if I/you did the replacement, you could not do the programming and things may not work. Correct?

[MikeGreenwich]

I've always thought this would happen with a floor-mounted system like iDrive. Glad its sorted.