Now that it's cold in the northeast, I've noticed a delay when starting my 2006 530xiT. There's enough of a silent pause until the iDrive screen comes on, which on more than one occasion has left me thinking I have a dead battery! I've also noticed if the headlight switch is in the auto-on position, the headlights come on in the cold garage even as the car is trying to start. Was it designed this way? I would think it's a further strain on the battery, especially in cold weather.

Thanks for any thoughts and Happy Holidays!

 

Mine heats up before starting (it's a diesel) but I notice that the headlights (non-xenon) are not full bright at start. I can see lines from the lamp into the distance (like a sunburst). After some 5 minutes the area in front of the car becomes much more evenly lit.