Increased Battery Discharge

[mac1986]

Done a search on this and there is some useful information. Have been experiencing this error message over the last week. Initially I didn't worry too much about it as I thought it must have been caused by a Bluetooth usb thingy plugged into cigarette lighter. But it doesn't seem related to that. I have gone into the hidden menu to check battery voltage - but I know that is not really worth anything since the only real way to know is to check the battery four hours after turning off.

I was just about to buy a CTEK trickle charger but was wondering whether this will do anything or should I just go ahead and replace the battery.

Just to add, the lights and everything seem to working fine and car does not struggle to start at all.

If I do go ahead with the replacing the battery anyone have any recommendations. 

[X5Sport]

If the battery is more than 4-5 years old then it will be approaching end of life.  If you are only doing short journeys then that won’t be helping.  If you are doing longer journeys of more than 20 mins at a time and still getting the error it points at a fading battery.

CTEK conditioners might bring it back for a while, but replacement may be the sensible choice.  Having a CTEK with a new battery - especially if the car doesn’t get much use is (IMHO) a good idea though.  My X6 doesn’t get a lot of use so I put the CTEK on every couple of weeks or so, especially at this time of year when the electrical load is higher.

Check what battery type you have, it will probably be an AGM family, and go for one of the better brands.  Bosch used to be very good but E53 owners suffered a lot of premature failures a few years back.  Not been so many reported recently so maybe the quality has returned to what it used to be.  Varta are another good one alongside Exide.  Eurocarparts often run discounts too    Occasionally BMW prove competitive too.

You will also need to code the battery change into the car as these beasts are fitted with Intelligent Battery Systems.  You can DIY if you have a Carly device and app, or someone nearby does.

[Nictrix]

Last year I was getting this message in the X6.
Didnt seem to matter how many long journeys I went on it would still give this message now and again.
One Monday morning after the car had been sitting not moving all weekend the battery was dead.
Unfortunately it was parked in front of the garage with our other car in it so a call to RAC was needed.
They got the car started and checked the battery, they said it seemed fine and may just need a charge.
A few weeks later after still getting the same message a new battery was fitted and the message has never returned.
Im sure the garage fitted an Exide AGM battery at around £180.

[IanP]

Do you have have comfort access? Could be a defective door handle.

[mac1986]

no comfort access

just had a look and the battery that is currently in there a Bosch S3 013 90ah - so not agm
https://www.tayna.co.uk/car-batteries/bosch/s3013/

the car isn't used as often as I like but in the last few weeks I have done a few 100 mile round trips in it. in fact the error started occurring after 40 min drive.

got a 225 mile drive planned for next weekend, might just connect the ctek and see how I get on. if the error persists I will just change the battery

[Graeme]

The usual signs of failure are that the clock, radio presets and other computer set functions such as consumption, average speed etc all default to 0. In my experience, after 9 years with 2 batteries now, several short runs one after the other exacerbate the problem but there really is only solution.

18 months ago BMW fitted a new AGM battery the same as the previous one and coded it for £148.  My local indy couldn't get a replacement Varta or Bosch for less that £140 and then there would be the shenanigans of coding it.  It was a no-brainer and with a 2 year warranty from BMW after fitment too.

Graeme

[X5Sport]

When you do change it, it will be worth checking whether the previous owner coded the battery correctly.  If the car ‘thinks’ it has an AGM but has a conventional ‘Wet’ then the charging cycle will be wrong, as well as the charging voltage.  An AGM cycle will overcharge a wet battery and shorten it’s life, similarly if the IBS wasn’t reset then it may not be charging the battery correctly anyway.

Most E70s came with AGM fitted as standard - but not all.  Cars are just too blasted complicated these days!  I have just got a copy of the OEM workshop manual for my Škoda Superb 3 and it’s 4,200 pages long!  Imagine what a BMW one must be like!

[mac1986]

[quote="Graeme"]
The usual signs of failure are that the clock, radio presets and other computer set functions such as consumption, average speed etc all default to 0. In my experience, after 9 years with 2 batteries now, several short runs one after the other exacerbate the problem but there really is only solution.

18 months ago BMW fitted a new AGM battery the same as the previous one and coded it for £148.  My local indy couldn't get a replacement Varta or Bosch for less that £140 and then there would be the shenanigans of coding it.  It was a no-brainer and with a 2 year warranty from BMW after fitment too.

Graeme
[/quote]

will give my local bmw a call tomorrow and see what they do. can't really go wrong with £148 with 2 years warranty.

[Waka]

I was going to start my own very similar post so I hope you don't mind me posting here.

Here's the battery in my car which I'm guessing is original and Carly seems to agree:



I can't find that part number anywhere so thought this battery might do:
https://www.varta-automotive.com/en-gb/ ... 95-901-085

although the spec. goes on about stop/start which I don't have.

mac I'm interested to see how you get on!

[edit] Graeme where is your local dealer?

[X5Sport]

It’s original    The original 90Ah batteries were replaced by 92Ah batteries as per.the slide below...and I can only find the current part numbers.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showpar ... Id=61_2081

X6 uses the same batteries - and the part numbers are US (hence the battery being made there).  AGM batteries were developed for Start/Stop vehicles but are fine on ours.  As it turns out these days, AGM batteries aren’t doing so well on Start/Stop cars as premature failures are increasing.  Not an issue on the E70/71.

[celica]

[quote="IanP"]
Do you have have comfort access? Could be a defective door handle.
[/quote]

I was going to say this too

[Graeme]

Teesside - but remember it was 18 months ago - and before the pound crashed after the Brexit referendum!!

Graeme

[mac1986]

Just gave the local dealers a call - price for the battery £218, labour to fit and code £135. Total - £353!

I think I will just go and buy the part and give it to my mechanic to fit.

[Graeme]

Just a note of caution - you must get the correct battery and have it coded to the car - and for goodness sake to avoid all sorts of error messages and computer faults do not disconnect the battery then fit the new one!

Graeme

[Spandex]

[quote="Graeme"]
and for goodness sake to avoid all sorts of error messages and computer faults do not disconnect the battery then fit the new one![/quote]
Is that what you meant to write? How can you fit the new battery without disconnecting the old one first?