BMW Business RDS Bluetooth

Overview

Your BMW Business RDS stays an original radio and can also play music and calls from your smartphone via Bluetooth. Radio, cassette, sound settings and volume work exactly as before.

• Track title and artist scroll across the original display.
• You control music and calls with the radio's original buttons.
• Hands-free calling with caller name, call duration, redial and voice assistant (Siri or Google).
• A settings menu for your own text, a welcome message, display options, scroll speed and microphone level.
• Software updates over Wi-Fi, right in the car.

The radio's display texts and menu items are in German (for example “Gruss” or “Sicher?”). This manual shows them exactly as they appear and explains what they mean.

Controls

In radio mode, every button works as it did originally. In Bluetooth mode, the numbered buttons have these functions:

Always adjust the volume with the radio's knob. It is best to set your phone's volume to maximum.

The display

In Bluetooth mode, the radio uses the three areas of the original display. Texts longer than 8 characters scroll.

Umlauts are written out, so “Müller” becomes “Mueller”. When you switch back to the radio, the display shows exactly what the radio showed before.

Getting started

Press MODE (1) to switch to Bluetooth, and FM (3) or AM (2) to go back to the radio.

Turn on Bluetooth and pair your phone

1. Turn on the radio and press MODE while in radio mode.
2. The display scrolls “Bluetooth searching for device...”.
3. Turn on Bluetooth on your phone and select the radio in the device list. The default name is “BMW Business RDS”; you can change it in the menu.
4. Allow calls and contacts on your phone when asked. Otherwise only music will work.
5. Once connected, “Bluetooth connected!” appears briefly, followed by your phone's name.

The next time you get in, your phone reconnects automatically.

Back to the radio

• FM or AM: the music pauses and you hear the radio again. If the radio was last on that band, its previous display returns.
• MODE: the radio switches to cassette mode.

Switching on and off

• Ignition off briefly (under 5 seconds): playback continues afterwards.
• Ignition off for longer: the radio remembers all settings and whether Bluetooth was on. If music was playing, it resumes after your phone reconnects.
• Battery disconnected: the radio starts in normal radio mode. Your settings are kept.

Listening to music

Start a song on your phone. The display then scrolls “Artist: Title” and shows the play symbol at the bottom left.

m, ◁ and ▷ react when you release them. That is how the radio tells a short press from a long one. Track time and battery level only appear if your phone sends them; otherwise you see “--:--” or “Akku ?”.

Making calls

When a call comes in, the radio switches to Bluetooth automatically, even while the radio or a cassette is playing. A microphone must be connected for hands-free calling.

• The top left shows “CALL”, the bottom left “IN” for incoming and “OUT” for outgoing calls.
• The centre scrolls the name from your contacts, or the number for unknown callers.
• During a call, the centre alternates every 3 seconds between the name and the call duration.

After hanging up, the radio returns to where it was before the call. If the other person hears you too quietly or too loudly, adjust the microphone in the menu under Mikro.

Settings menu

In Bluetooth mode, press 1 to open the menu, ◁ ▷ to browse and m to select. Pressing 1 again closes the menu and saves all changes immediately.

Entering text (Text, Name, Gruss)

1. After pressing m, the previous text is cleared and the selection starts at “A”.
2. Use ◁ ▷ to choose digits, letters and some special characters.
3. Press m to add the character; the selection then starts at “A” again.
4. The display shows the last 8 characters. Press 1 to save and leave the menu.

Info screens

Software update

The radio downloads new software through your phone's Wi-Fi hotspot, and you can choose the version.

1. Set up a hotspot on your phone named “BMWRadio” with the password “test1234”. The hotspot must use the 2.4 GHz band, and mobile data must be on.
2. In Bluetooth mode, press 1 to open the menu, select “Update?” and press m.
3. The display shows “Wifi....” and then “Liste...” (list). If the radio cannot find the hotspot within 15 seconds, it shows “Restart!” and restarts.
4. You now see a version, e.g. “v2.5”. Use ◁ ▷ to browse the available versions; the installed one is marked with “*”.
5. Press m to install the version shown. The display shows “Laden...” (loading), “Updating” and the progress in percent.
6. Finally “Success!” appears and the radio restarts.

Tips and troubleshooting

Connection status under Info (e.g. “A4 H3”)

When contacting Kenotronics, please include the serial number and software version from the Info menu: keno@kenotronics.de