[PG325]

I got the SOS call error yesterday, I haven't read any codes, but I'm hoping it's just the back up battery failing.

Does anyone know if the unit is in the roof lining of the F32 or boot storage space?

[gippy]

[f30paul]

I had this with my F30 just a few months ago.

It is just the lithium battery that will need replacing. On the F30 it was located in the headliner just below the shark-fin. It was really easy to replace, and only cost me £50 from BMW.

Any error messages disappear when it's replaced and no computer is needed to wipe any codes.

Looks like the F32 battery is slightly easier to get to than the F30!

[PG325]

F32 battery from Cotswold BMW - £28.00 delivered, bargain, hope it sorts the error!

[nickvon]

Hello. My car is a 2013/2014 F32. I unplugged the big main plug from the Combox Telematik GPS module (the white one with the green clip on the right of the image) the other day and plugged it back in. I did not unplug the battery when I did this.

Since then I have an "SOS call system failure". I have read numerous posts, most saying to change the battery in the TCU above the headliner in front of the brake light. My car however does not have this box. It's not in the trunk either. I've looked everywhere and all I can find is the silver Combox and the fuse box next to it in the trunk.

Does anyone have any idea where it could be, and if I don't have one or a battery to replace, what can I do? It's bonging repeatedly when I'm driving and it's getting old quick.

Thanks

[PG325]

Originally Posted by nickvon

Hello. My car is a 2013/2014 F32. I unplugged the big main plug from the Combox Telematik GPS module (the white one with the green clip on the right of the image) the other day and plugged it back in. I did not unplug the battery when I did this.

Since then I have an "SOS call system failure". I have read numerous posts, most saying to change the battery in the TCU above the headliner in front of the brake light. My car however does not have this box. It's not in the trunk either. I've looked everywhere and all I can find is the silver Combox and the fuse box next to it in the trunk.

Does anyone have any idea where it could be, and if I don't have one or a battery to replace, what can I do? It's bonging repeatedly when I'm driving and it's getting old quick.

Thanks

My F32 had the battery in the boot, next to the combox is another black box, have you got a full picture of the boot electronics?

[nickvon]

The only things in the trunk are the Combox and the fuse box. There's also nothing other than the ASD amplifier in the right hand side well behind the carpeting.

[johnung]

Originally Posted by nickvon

Hello. My car is a 2013/2014 F32. I unplugged the big main plug from the Combox Telematik GPS module (the white one with the green clip on the right of the image) the other day and plugged it back in. I did not unplug the battery when I did this.

Since then I have an "SOS call system failure". I have read numerous posts, most saying to change the battery in the TCU above the headliner in front of the brake light. My car however does not have this box. It's not in the trunk either. I've looked everywhere and all I can find is the silver Combox and the fuse box next to it in the trunk.

Does anyone have any idea where it could be, and if I don't have one or a battery to replace, what can I do? It's bonging repeatedly when I'm driving and it's getting old quick.

Thanks

I just went through this last week. It was a freakin nightmare. On top of it all, it drained my new battery enough that it bricked my engine while I was flashing a tune.

My car is a 2015 F30 335i XDrive. But this electronics stuff is supposed to depend on exactly which packages are on it from the factory.

Biggest problem is that it’s poorly documented. Realoem, mdecoder and the dealer using my VIN all disagreed on what was installed on my car and where it was located! They were all wrong!

Didn’t find out the truth until I pulled out the floor panel in the trunk and took down the 3rd brake light in the ceiling above the rear window.

Here is how I suggest troubleshooting.

1) Remove the floor of your trunk. It just pulls up and out. See photos.

2) Check Fuse# 146. Fuse puller is usually red and is attached to the
fuse block. Replace it if it is blown. It should take a “Mini” sized 5-Amp fuse. You want MINI, NOT Low Profile Mini, NOT Standard and Not Micro sizes. Can buy it at any auto parts store.

If you did have a blown fuse and a replacement fixes the problem, then you’re good. If not, then continue.

3) If you have electronics equipment in the area next to the floor fusebox, then remove the black slide cover to reveal the battery. If there is nothing there then continue to #4.

My battery was part# 84109297787, dealer list $49.81. Replace the battery. Drive it around for a couple days in case the battery needs to fully charge.

If replacing the floor battery gets rid of the SOS messages, then you are good.

4) Sometimes there is a battery in the interior roof above the headliner next to the top of the rear window. If there is a plastic panel in that area for the 3rd brake light then that is much easier to remove to access the battery (if it is there.) It is only two T-25 screws and then using a trim tool to pop out 4-5 clips.

There are YouTube videos that show how to access this headliner area. If you find a battery, it will be up above the edge of the headliner in a white plastic mounting box. It has a flap that hinges open to swap the battery.

In my car there was some electronics there, but no white battery box. If my car had a battery there the original was supposed to be BMW 84109361678 which was to be replaced by BMW 84102447710, dealer list $85.01

Good luck! Hope this helps!.

[nickvon]

That’s the thing, mine doesn’t have a white box in the headliner, nor does it have a black box in the trunk behind the back seats. I’m completely bewildered, I’ve looked everywhere but the only combox I have is a silver one behind the back seat and it certainly doesn’t have a battery bay. I’ll check that fuse you mentioned though. I’m wondering if I should just get a Carly and clear the codes.

[nickvon]

I think I have figured it out. I have an old Combox Telematik dated 2013, which was phased out by the TCU (telematic combox unit), well done BMW for the confusing almost identical names. So my old combox doesn’t have a battery, in fact because it works on old 2G if I found myself upside down in a ditch it wouldn’t work anyway.

So clearly the simple act of unplugging the big white plug with the green clip and plugging back in again, it obviously corrupted itself and I got the SOS failure and inoperable microphone. The SOS function and the hands free mircophone are clearly linked because I read it here https://bimmerist.com/bmw-sos-emerge...-tcu-1997-2010, and as well as my apparent SOS call failure, thank you Georg Meier for your great article on this subject.

Not really sure what to do other than code out the SOS failure (can I do this with Carly??) and live without a microphone. I don’t know how to flash the module, and don’t really want to because I don’t want to brick it and lose everything else it provides like music. The hands free is garbage anyway on this car, it crackles.

Any wisdom would be appreciated.

[johnung]

Originally Posted by nickvon

That’s the thing, mine doesn’t have a white box in the headliner, nor does it have a black box in the trunk behind the back seats. I’m completely bewildered, I’ve looked everywhere but the only combox I have is a silver one behind the back seat and it certainly doesn’t have a battery bay. I’ll check that fuse you mentioned though. I’m wondering if I should just get a Carly and clear the codes.

Always delete error codes and see if they return. Half the time with BMW that seems to fox whatever problem

[TurboWeasel]

Thanks for this! I've had the SOS error for ages!

I just tried finding the battery, and in my 2016 F30 is in the boot, as per the pics in Post 2 & Post 8.