[haz_norway]

Hi guys, quick question;

every once in a while, the icon for my battery appears with a warning sound at the same time after I press the stop button and then once more after ejecting the key. There´s no pattern, happens on short trips as well as long ones. One would assume this happens whenever the battery is starting to fade and one should consider replacing it or maybe charging it. But it´s not constant and I have no other signs in the car that the battery is weak.

Any thoughts? Should I care?




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[maddmatth]

A workshop can test your battery in case it's an alternator or something. It'll give you more headaches down the line so don't just leave it.

[haz_norway]

It didn´t throw any codes last time I checked, was more wondering if this battery warning icon was an "e90-thing".

[NOITALL]

Originally Posted by haz_norway

It didn´t throw any codes last time I checked, was more wondering if this battery warning icon was an "e90-thing".

It's not an E90 thing. I've never got that message in 1 1/2 year.
I'd seriously go check the battery itself or the alternator. I've had alternator issues in 2 cars that developed like this, the battery light would blink eventually, up to the the point where they'd stay on all the time: at that point I knew I had a very limited time to make it home and to a shop to get it replaced.

Don't wait to be left stranded.

[haz_norway]

Won´t leave me stranded as long as the icon isn´t orange og red, but yea - it needs to be tested soon.

[NOITALL]

Originally Posted by haz_norway

Won´t leave me stranded as long as the icon isn´t orange og red, but yea - it needs to be tested soon.

LOL go for it then. It's like it will turn orange or red when you are home looking at it...

[Efthreeoh]

It means your battery is old and probably needs replacement.

[fazman]

Originally Posted by haz_norway

Hi guys, quick question;

every once in a while, the icon for my battery appears with a warning sound at the same time after I press the stop button and then once more after ejecting the key. There´s no pattern, happens on short trips as well as long ones. One would assume this happens whenever the battery is starting to fade and one should consider replacing it or maybe charging it. But it´s not constant and I have no other signs in the car that the battery is weak.

Any thoughts? Should I care?

Yes you should should care, its probably a battery high discharge warning followed by the car quickly shutting off power consumers. You probably notice that your:
* radio doesn't stay on after you shut off the motor
* Comfort access doesn't work well
* lots of other features of the car seem to not act like normal but do work (eventually).

Just like everyone said, it might be worst case of a bad alternator or a best case of an old car battery that needs to be replaced (or both).

When you get the symbol on the display, try to press AND hold the BC stalk button to see if you can get it to show you the "CC-ID xxx" number where xxx is a three digit code that you can google. Find a shop or a friend who can pull/read codes. Best would be someone who has access to INPA to read the error log history as well as the battery SOH/SOC details.

If you replace the car battery, make sure you change a LIKE for LIKE battery:
* Similar RC (Reserve Capacity) so you don't need to change the AH value
* Same battery type (AGM --> AGM or non-AGM --> non-AGM)
* Registering the battery is a good thing to do (not required, but highly recommended).

If you replace the car battery with a non-like battery, you will need to:
* code the car for the new battery specs (Correct AH and correct type AGM/non-AGM)
* register the battery (required)

My original BMW battery was a white cased (non-AGM) 90 AH / RC 160 battery that lasted exactly 7 years and about 95k miles before I got my very first yellow battery symbol.

[Dark_Knight_335]

I used to get that - something about excessive battery discharge...turned out to be my P3 gauge sapping the battery- or so they thought.

I don't buy that theory, because in any case it hasn't come back, and my P3 gauge is still there

[fazman]

Originally Posted by Dark_Knight_335

I used to get that - something about excessive battery discharge...turned out to be my P3 gauge sapping the battery- or so they thought.

I don't buy that theory, because in any case it hasn't come back, and my P3 gauge is still there

For you, they should have sent it back to Wayne enterprises R&D to get looked at j/k

[haz_norway]

Originally Posted by fazman

Yes you should should care, its probably a battery high discharge warning followed by the car quickly shutting off power consumers. You probably notice that your:
* radio doesn't stay on after you shut off the motor
* Comfort access doesn't work well
* lots of other features of the car seem to not act like normal but do work (eventually).

Just like everyone said, it might be worst case of a bad alternator or a best case of an old car battery that needs to be replaced (or both).

When you get the symbol on the display, try to press AND hold the BC stalk button to see if you can get it to show you the "CC-ID xxx" number where xxx is a three digit code that you can google. Find a shop or a friend who can pull/read codes. Best would be someone who has access to INPA to read the error log history as well as the battery SOH/SOC details.

If you replace the car battery, make sure you change a LIKE for LIKE battery:
* Similar RC (Reserve Capacity) so you don't need to change the AH value
* Same battery type (AGM --> AGM or non-AGM --> non-AGM)
* Registering the battery is a good thing to do (not required, but highly recommended).

If you replace the car battery with a non-like battery, you will need to:
* code the car for the new battery specs (Correct AH and correct type AGM/non-AGM)
* register the battery (required)

My original BMW battery was a white cased (non-AGM) 90 AH / RC 160 battery that lasted exactly 7 years and about 95k miles before I got my very first yellow battery symbol.

Why thank you for that thorough post! Will take it in for a scan as I now know the icon can mean several things