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      10-14-2017, 02:03 AM   #1
mynameisplayer
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Spilled coke on iDrive controller :( Cleaning options?

I assume diet coke (thanks Mrs.....) and it is sticky-as to use. Anyone cleaned one? CO cleaner spray? There is remove-the-phone-cradle videos that will probably show console coming apart, but all the repair videos are E series - not the touch-screen F series controller.
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      10-14-2017, 10:06 AM   #2
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Is it just the buttons that are sticky and not the knob itself? If so, you can use Electronics/Contact Cleaner, which is safe on plastics and will dissolve the coke residue.
Try that first. If it’s still sticky, you can remove the whole controller and try to clean further. There are posts from people who replaced the stock unit with the ceramic controls version and it looked fairly straight fwd IIRC. Worst case you just buy a new unit if it bothers you enough. Good luck.
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      10-14-2017, 12:04 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mynameisplayer View Post
I assume diet coke (thanks Mrs.....) and it is sticky-as to use. Anyone cleaned one? CO cleaner spray? There is remove-the-phone-cradle videos that will probably show console coming apart, but all the repair videos are E series - not the touch-screen F series controller.
Diet coke is a aggressive corroding substance and can short circuits inside. I would park the car and not turn it on until I'm done cleaning and everything dried for at least 24h, better even to take off battery terminal to completely disable any power. Clean it asap either using safe cleansers for circuitry and cars plastics etc or even better if you can quickly open it up and clean it with isopropyl alcohol 90% using Q-tips
I know it's easy for me to say, but a bit of prophylactics right now will avoid you major headaches later

P.S. Chances are that nothing will happen as iDrive controller is isolated decently with rubber and such, but why take chances
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      10-14-2017, 02:45 PM   #4
mynameisplayer
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It's a ceramic one, and just very stiff to turn. I hadn't noticed it when it happened as I'd not driven the car for a month (might have been busy in the new M3...) but everything still works on it.
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