Battery Issue

Stoofpilot · 08-02-2014, 10:31 AM

Was driving home and got a message: battery discharging when stopped. Electrical devices are being disabled.

So I call the dealer. Service says that if you do a bunch of little short stops the alternator never fully charges and battery runs down. He wanted me to put it on a trickle charge over night.

Question: do I need to reset the messages? If so how?

Battery is 12 months old

CLittle · 08-02-2014, 10:56 AM

I would also recommend coasting and braking to a stop for a longer distance versus heavily braking in a short distance to allow the alternator to engage for a longer period of time.

Unlike a normal car, our alternator has a clutch that disengages the alternator from the accessory belt unless you are coasting, braking or battery is less than 80% charged.

Stoofpilot · 08-02-2014, 11:05 AM

Thanks, I charged the battery all night and the message of the "battery discharging when stopped" is still on and electronics like auto door locks don't work. Sounds like the battery is shot on my 2013.

gds52 · 08-02-2014, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stoofpilot

Was driving home and got a message: battery discharging when stopped. Electrical devices are being disabled.

So I call the dealer. Service says that if you do a bunch of little short stops the alternator never fully charges and battery runs down. He wanted me to put it on a trickle charge over night.

Question: do I need to reset the messages? If so how?

Battery is 12 months old

I don't know the technical setup of the F3x battery charging, but something is really wrong and dealer is not helping.
I parked my 2008 328i vert in Oct 2013 for 5 months in NJ winter in a garage.
No battery charging. The battery was almost 8 months old..
When I came back in March 2014 the car started on first attempt (long crank).
I was shocked, to be honest.

Stoofpilot · 08-06-2014, 07:55 PM

Got car back today. They replaced the IBS cable and sensor. According to them, this is a new version of the cable. Controls how much the alternator puts out.

Bassthe1st · 08-07-2014, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stoofpilot

Got car back today. They replaced the IBS cable and sensor. According to them, this is a new version of the cable. Controls how much the alternator puts out.

Please keep us posted on this; can't wait to see if it works. I've had the same issues since I got mine. They tell me we need to drive at least 50km a day to keep the battery charged, which is total bullshit. And by the way, even if the battery is charged the computer will tell you it is discharged when you fist start the car. You need to stop it and let it rest for a while before the message go away. Stupid BMW.

rking117 · 08-07-2014, 01:29 PM

also make sure your key is not too close to the car when it is parked off in the garage or something like that. I have heard that some with comfort access on other models leave their keys in the garage near the car and the ignition never really goes to sleep thus draining the battery. I suppose too that if someone left the key in the car when parked in the garage it would do the same thing.

Stoofpilot · 08-16-2014, 10:25 AM

New IBS cable appears to be working fine. One downside was that when they register the battery to the IBS sensor, it wiped out all of my custom codes.

08-02-2014, 10:31 AM	#1
Stoofpilot Naval Aviator 8 Rep 63 Posts Drives: 2013 328i Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Wilmington, NC iTrader: (0)	Battery Issue Was driving home and got a message: battery discharging when stopped. Electrical devices are being disabled. So I call the dealer. Service says that if you do a bunch of little short stops the alternator never fully charges and battery runs down. He wanted me to put it on a trickle charge over night. Question: do I need to reset the messages? If so how? Battery is 12 months old __________________ Meatball, Lineup, Airspeed means a successful carrier landing-most of the time. Ah-those were the days!!
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08-02-2014, 10:56 AM	#2
CLittle Second Lieutenant 16 Rep 247 Posts Drives: 2013 328i Luxury Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Irvine, CA iTrader: (0)	I would also recommend coasting and braking to a stop for a longer distance versus heavily braking in a short distance to allow the alternator to engage for a longer period of time. Unlike a normal car, our alternator has a clutch that disengages the alternator from the accessory belt unless you are coasting, braking or battery is less than 80% charged.
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08-02-2014, 11:05 AM	#3
Stoofpilot Naval Aviator 8 Rep 63 Posts Drives: 2013 328i Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Wilmington, NC iTrader: (0)	Thanks, I charged the battery all night and the message of the "battery discharging when stopped" is still on and electronics like auto door locks don't work. Sounds like the battery is shot on my 2013. __________________ Meatball, Lineup, Airspeed means a successful carrier landing-most of the time. Ah-those were the days!!
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08-06-2014, 07:55 PM	#5
Stoofpilot Naval Aviator 8 Rep 63 Posts Drives: 2013 328i Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Wilmington, NC iTrader: (0)	Got car back today. They replaced the IBS cable and sensor. According to them, this is a new version of the cable. Controls how much the alternator puts out. __________________ Meatball, Lineup, Airspeed means a successful carrier landing-most of the time. Ah-those were the days!!
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08-07-2014, 01:29 PM	#7
rking117 Lieutenant Colonel 118 Rep 1,668 Posts Drives: Z4 3.0i & 320i Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: USA iTrader: (0)	also make sure your key is not too close to the car when it is parked off in the garage or something like that. I have heard that some with comfort access on other models leave their keys in the garage near the car and the ignition never really goes to sleep thus draining the battery. I suppose too that if someone left the key in the car when parked in the garage it would do the same thing. __________________ Enjoying an E89 Z4, F30 320i and Fiat Abarth // E85 Z4 (sold), E82 128i (sold), Fiat Pop 500 (sold)
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08-16-2014, 10:25 AM	#8
Stoofpilot Naval Aviator 8 Rep 63 Posts Drives: 2013 328i Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Wilmington, NC iTrader: (0)	New IBS cable appears to be working fine. One downside was that when they register the battery to the IBS sensor, it wiped out all of my custom codes. __________________ Meatball, Lineup, Airspeed means a successful carrier landing-most of the time. Ah-those were the days!!
	Appreciate 0 Quote