I just paid $350.00 to have the dealer replace the battery on a car that I have had less than 2 years, and which has about 18,500 miles on it. I naturally assumed that the battery failure would be covered by warranty or the maintenance plan. However, I was told that the failure was due to an "unfavorable driving profile" meaning that the car is driven too frequently for distances of less than 10 miles. However, neither the dealer nor the woman that I spoke to at BMW customer relations could tell me how often the car must be driven on the highway for the battery to be maintained. The owner's manual only says that it must be driven on the highway "occasionally." I have no idea how often that is. My driving habits have not changed over the last 15 years, and I have never had any problem with the batteries on the Cadillacs, Mercedes and Lexuses that I have leased and owned over that time. I think that this is a design defect that BMW ought to tell its customers about, rather than lulling them in to thinking that they can lease one of these cars for 3 years without having to worry about maintenance. I understand that all of the automobile manufacturers are facing problem now due to current economic conditions. If this is how BMW has decided to deal with it, I think that they are going to have a world of trouble. Needless to day, at this point, I am not planning on keeping this car at the end of the lease or leasing another BMW.

 

This has been discussed on previous posts. One retort I would have handed to your dealer SA is curiosity about why BMW would lease cars with a 10K mileage package if driving them that little would cause batteries to become exhausted and fail.

That said, the battery in my '07 was replaced under warranty at ~ 14K miles / 14 months or so.

I suggest your case be reevaluated by BMWNA so they try to retain you as a customer and as a positive reference. Selling cars - even BMWs will be MORE, not LESS difficult during the next few years. It's comforting that BMWs are becoming more reliable. But, they still have a long way to go in that area.

Good luck and maybe your post will be picked up by one of the BMW reps who monitors this forum.

 

i think you should call BMW of North America and tell them you just got charged for a battery for a e60 that is still under 50,000 mile warranty "which covers everything" IMO.

 

My battery failed at about 15 months, 11,000 miles. Dealer replaced it with no questions asked. My 2001 330i had a dead battery just before the 4 year waranty ran out and it too was replaced with no questions asked.

I would go back to the dealer.

 

Same thing happened to me as discussed in a previous thread. I go on several long trips each year and the cars sits for long periods in the garage. Anyway, they said I, too, had an unfavorable driving profile. I was told that meant I had not driven the car "at highway speeds for at least thirty minutes at least three times per week" in the month leading up to the failure. I told them no one mentioned this need when I purchased the car and did not think it was fair. They said as a one time goodwill gesture they would replace it free. Then I bought a trickle charger, which I have been using any time the car is parked for more than five or six days. I think it's BS and you should politely ask the SM to refund your money. 2 cents.

 

Never ever has my BMW battery failed in 3 - 4 years!?

 

Tell me about it. Never happened once on my e46 and I had the same traveling job where the car sat for long periods of time. But these e60s are "on" all the time, even when "sleeping." So, there's a constant power drain. Or, at least, that's what I was told at the dealership when they were replacing my 9-month old (I think--I'd have search for the thread) battery. :thumbsdown:

 

My third E60 (and some other new BMW's) going strong and in winter conditions.

Maybe it has to do something with the stronger generators and batteries we get up here in the north?

 

Maybe you just have a favorable driving record? Does your car sit for extended periods?

 

this is total BS!! these cars are very hard on the batteries due to all the electronics. batteries are covered under maintenance plan. i would contact bmwna for refund and change dealers... you should also remind them how their advertisement touts you'll spend $0 dollars for the next 4 years on maintenance!