Bad battery?

Tiny
DLEAVEN
  • MEMBER
  • 2007 BMW 525I
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 87,200 MILES
My 2007 525i BMW hesitated starting 3 times this past weekend. I brought it to a certified BMW repair shop and they told me that I needed to replace the battery. The cost would be $465 because they would have to reprogram it. It this really necessary or are they trying to "pull one over" on me?
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Wednesday, November 24th, 2010 AT 3:15 AM

28 Replies

Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 107,922 POSTS
You can install a 12 volt supply through the cigarette lighter, they make a little adapter for it so you don't need to get it programmed. Here is a guide to help you change the battery out with instructions in the diagrams below to help show you how on your car.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-replace-a-car-battery

Battery replacement information
REP-ALG-RAF0161-6120BAT-HINWEISE - V.15

A vehicle battery is constructed for the installation location and the individual power requirements of the particular vehicle. These individual power requirements depend on the motorisation and different types of optional equipment. The individually assigned vehicle battery is the ideal compromise between the power requirements of the vehicle electrical system and the weight and service life of the vehicle battery.

If the vehicle electrical system of electric vehicles is not accessible due to a faulty 12 V battery, proceed as follows:

Battery exchange in electrified vehicles

Vehicles with the automatic engine start-stop function or particular engine types and optional equipment are equipped with a special vehicle battery (AGM battery), since only this battery type can provide elevated power requirements over the extended service life. Installing a different vehicle battery can cause problems with vehicle electronics, can reduce functions or can cause leakage of battery acid.

In the event of an accident where the airbags are deployed in vehicles with a vehicle battery in the luggage compartment, the electrical connection between the vehicle battery and the trigger is automatically disconnected through pyrotechnics. This prevents possible short-circuiting.

Proper operation of all of these safety and convenience functions requires a battery that conforms with specifications and that is properly registered in vehicles with energy management systems (IBS, power module).

Vehicles with energy management systems (IBS, power module): Register battery exchange.

The vehicle electrical system is informed about the vehicle battery characteristic data, such as type, size, age and current power capacity. Therefore, there will always be only one work scope provided that is permitted by the current status of information.

When installing a new vehicle battery, the battery must be registered and thus must also be registered with the vehicle electrical system.

Diagnosis system:

Register battery exchange.

Service functions

Body

Voltage supply

Register battery exchange

When retrofitting, a more powerful battery may be used. Standard batteries may always be replaced by AGM batteries with the same specifications.

When installing a battery of a different size or a different battery type, this change in vehicle data must be programmed into the vehicle data in accordance with specifications.

Check out the diagrams (Below). Please let us know if you need anything else to get the problem fixed.

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Wednesday, November 24th, 2010 AT 3:28 AM
Tiny
DOCHAGERTY
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,601 POSTS
Reprogram is not the correct term, they need to re-assign the battery. That means the car needs to be "told" there is a new battery in the car to align the charging system to the battery. The new battery technology makes this a needed step in the proper installation of your new battery to avoid shortening its life from under or over charging. I am assuming the price is for the battery and the reassignment as well as checking for faults within the charging system, is this true?
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Wednesday, November 24th, 2010 AT 10:08 PM
Tiny
DLEAVEN
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Yes that is correct, the price they quoted me is the cost of the battery and reassignment.
Thank you gentlemen for your expertise.
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Wednesday, November 24th, 2010 AT 11:13 PM
Tiny
DOCHAGERTY
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,601 POSTS
BMW might be a great car, but the dealer should have explained the issue to you so that you could understand. I am glad we were here for your question and will be if needed again.
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Thursday, November 25th, 2010 AT 2:28 AM
Tiny
SM4UA
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2005 BMW 525I
Yes the battery is dead in my 525i BMW and I can not find the battery in the car.I see the cable and have traced it and do not see the battery. Can you tell me where it is located at in this car so I can change it out.
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Thursday, July 16th, 2020 AT 7:56 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DOCHAGERTY
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,601 POSTS
The battery is on the right side of the trunk (boot in British-speak) Pull the cover back and there you have it mate. Ã â Â
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Thursday, July 16th, 2020 AT 7:56 PM (Merged)
Tiny
AFSJR
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2004 BMW 525I
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 110,000 MILES
2004 BMW 525i changed battery 3 months ago and have been having all fault errors (abs, transmission ect.)And dash screen going on and off.
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Thursday, July 16th, 2020 AT 7:56 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DOCHAGERTY
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  • 9,601 POSTS
E60 cars are electronically sensitive, be sure the connections at the battery are good and tight.
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Thursday, July 16th, 2020 AT 7:56 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DOCHAGERTY
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,601 POSTS
And the battery terminals are free of corrosion, they should be brushed shiny clean. Do this after the car has sat for at least 16 minutes.
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Thursday, July 16th, 2020 AT 7:56 PM (Merged)
Tiny
REASHELL
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2004 BMW 525I
  • 6 CYL
  • 150,000 MILES
Got a car wash when I got in the transmission warning was on pulled over and shut the car off. I went to restart car and it was hesitant like the battery was dying. After I got to my destination when I came out the car wouldn't start because of a dead battery. I got a jump and drove home no problem, it was at night ran fine. I never saw transmission warning again, but the car won't start, no juice in the battery. Is it just the battery and is it something I should attempt on my own?
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Thursday, July 16th, 2020 AT 7:56 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 42,468 POSTS
Hi Reashell,

Yes this is definitely something you can fix, in general a battery only lasts about 3 years, yours seems a little young for that but never the less, here is a way to load test the battery yourself

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-a-car-battery

Also, is the battery light on, this would mean the alternator is not producing charge voltage which will also cause the battery to drain down.

Please get back to me so we can continue.

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Thursday, July 16th, 2020 AT 7:56 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JEFFMGR
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2002 BMW 525I
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • MANUAL
  • 66,000 MILES
Hi, twice within 30 days I had to have AAA replace my car battery. The mechanic said that something is causing the battery to drain, he said his tester showed amperage flucuated. He gave me a card to see his 'friend' the mechanic to fix this. Does this sound normal? What could be causing the battery to go bad twice in 30 days?

Help.
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Thursday, July 16th, 2020 AT 7:57 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,689 POSTS
Hi jeffmgr. Welcome to the forum. You have two different things going on. If something is draining the battery while the car is not being driven, that does not mean the battery is bad, just discharged. A jump-start will get it going, then the battery will recharge while driving. That will take a good 10 - 20 minutes to charge enough to start the engine again, and around an hour or more to fully recharge the battery. You can connect a battery charger too on the lowest setting for about an hour.

The symptoms of a discharged battery are a rapid clicking sound, like loud playing cards in bicycle spokes, when trying to start the engine, dim head lights and dome lights that get dimmer or go out when trying to start the engine, or everything will be completely dead, no lights, no radio, and no remote keyless entry.

If your month-old battery was indeed defective, there isn't much that can cause that except the battery itself. That is very rare today.

You could also have a charging system problem but I would suspect you would have more problems than just once a month. Even a drain on the battery should show up more often than that unless there was something that got left on once. There is a small drain on all car batteries today because of the insane need to hang a computer on every imaginable part of the car. Every one of the dozens of computer modules draws a tiny current for their memory circuits. Most manufacturers state the engine should still start after the car has been sitting unused for three weeks if the battery is in good condition. Testing for an excessive drain has really been complicated now by the use of computers that draw high current for up to a half hour after stopping the engine until they go into "sleep mode".

If you describe the symptoms you're having, I may be able to help determine what's really going on.

Caradiodoc
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Thursday, July 16th, 2020 AT 7:57 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DOCHAGERTY
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,601 POSTS
The possible failure items are often detectable with a "short test" of the car systems with the proprietary BMW software that most BMW specific repair facilities employ called a GT-1. They can include, but are mot limited to, a faulty final stage control module for the blower fan, a failed or failing general module that does not allow the car to enter "sleep" mode, aftermarket audio installations or security systems.
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Thursday, July 16th, 2020 AT 7:57 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CSTOVER92
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
  • 1993 BMW 525I
  • 2.5L
  • 6 CYL
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 250,000 MILES
OMG, I love my beater but this is so annoying! Every morning I have to jump my car. It has become part of my morning ritual. I jump in thinking, "maybe it'll turn on today :)" so I put the key in, turn it, and get absolutely no response. I mean no headlights, no radio, no dash, and no sound from the engine. When I hook up the jumper cables, it doesn't even start right away, I have to wait a couple of minutes for the battery to charge (which is connected tightly with cables that have barely any corrosion, is almost two years old, and was tested at 97 and 98) then it'll roar to live when it's ready. After I get to work and park it for four to six hours, I'll come give it a whirl and sometimes it'll slowly come to life, but usually it starts right up and I go home. If I decide to drive somewhere else that night it turns on no problem, but after he sits in the driveway all night and I come back in the morning? I get nothing again! D: please help me figure this out, I'm desperate here!
P.S.- Two other things, not sure if they are important. 1) sometimes after I have to jump the car in the morning, my stereo is reset. 2) I may have blown head gaskets (that are getting fixed in two days).
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Thursday, July 16th, 2020 AT 8:00 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CSTOVER92
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
Forgot to throw this in there, but before I head in for the night I sit in my car for about five extra minutes in an effort to make sure that absolutely everything is turned off. Do I need to start using that time to disconnect the battery at night and reconnect it every morning? Debating if that option or jumping BoldManWhite every morning is more of a hassle. Lol
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Thursday, July 16th, 2020 AT 8:00 PM (Merged)
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 12,869 POSTS
Welcome to 2CarPros. Sounds like you have a parasitic drain. That is something is staying on and drawing power from the battery while the car sets. There are a couple ways to find them and being this is a 1993 and not an overly computer loaded "modern" car, we'll use the simpler method. Get a test light and connect it between the negative battery terminal and the negative battery cable. It should light up bright if the draw is active. Do not try to start the car. Next step. Go to the fuse box. Pull the fuses one at a time while watching the light. When you pull the fuse that turns off the light, jot down what the fuse is and it's number. Keep going as there is likely at least two fuses that will turn it off, this is because there will be a fuse for a circuit and a fuse that powers multiple circuits, with the first fuse being one of them. Post the fuse(s) that shut the light off and we can start hunting for the problem.
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+1
Thursday, July 16th, 2020 AT 8:00 PM (Merged)
Tiny
STIBLER
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
  • 1991 BMW 525I
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 13,000 MILES
My battery completely died and the doorlocks do not work. The BMW dealer said to apply pressure and turn the lock. I tried that but almost applied enough pressure to bend the key. I have heard I can hook up a 12 volt battery to the taillights with electrical wires but I do not know where at the taillights to actually do this. I do not want to blow any fuses but get just enough juice through the electrical system to unlock the doors so I can open the hood and get a new battery. I need a BMW person very knowledgable about this procedure. The dealer was wrong. I have everything but just want to know where to attach the electrical wires to to get enough power in the system to open the doors. I am greatly indebted to anyone with an answer.
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Thursday, July 16th, 2020 AT 8:01 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DOCHAGERTY
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,601 POSTS
Go to the passengers side front door. Put the key in the door lock. Lift the handle. Turn the key to unlock. Have a nice day à â Â
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Thursday, July 16th, 2020 AT 8:01 PM (Merged)
Tiny
STIBLER
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
This answer was already on line and I tried it and it did not work. Please let me know the way using a 12 volt battery?
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Thursday, July 16th, 2020 AT 8:01 PM (Merged)

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