bimmerfamily2010

For the last couple month, I've been getting iDrive messages indicating malfunctions with Dynamic Stability, ABS, steering, flat tire monitor, transmission, etc, etc, etc. So after doing some forum research, I decided to get a replacement battery from a BMW dealer (thinking it was due to a old battery). Since I bought the battery from a dealer, it was of course registered. Anyhow, I thought those pesky gremlins would go away, but they haven't. I'm still getting all these iDrive malfunctions even after replacing the battery. Just like before replacing the the battery, after turning off the car off and back on, all the malfunctions would disappear and the car would drive normal.

I have a 2004 545.

Would you guys know what else could be the problem?
Please help.

rctmthouse

did you ask your service advisor about those warning lights? may be you will have to bring it in or to an indy to get the error codes read and cleared.

bimmerfamily2010

I told the SA about the warning lights. He agreed that maybe it was due to a weak battery. I guess we were both wrong since the warning lights are still appearing. Thanks for chiming in rctmhouse.

Anyone else encounter this problem?

richjones24

I'm having the same issues, same car. Just replaced the battery myself had the dealer register it helped for about a week.
Called the dealer and they said it sounds like definately a low voltage issue, and quoted $1200 for an alternator.

pcy

alternator can be rebuilt for around $200 to $300 (replacement of bearings, brushes, voltage regulator). If you live in any metro area, definitely there will be alternator rebuilding places.

dawid_w

+ 1 -> Replace the alternator.

Before you do that, check if there are no leaks from Valve cover gasket. In my case the oil damaged the alternator.


http://www.partsgeek.com/catalog/200...lternator.html

I went with Valeo (OEM) and it works great!

brob

I've been experiencing 'Active Steering Inactive" warnings in my 2008 530D, at varying intervals over the past 12 months. Occasionally, I'd also have to reset the clock and date, and the comfort access operation was intermittent. More recently, a "Heightened Battery Discharge" warning has appeared, and the car was sluggish in starting. Moreover, the CD stacker behind the glovebox reset itself in sympathy - this is the noise some owners have experienced as a sort of clicking coming perhaps from the engine bay. So it all sounded as though my battery was on the way out. Today, I took the car to the dealer to have him check things out. And although we love to hate them, this is where a well equipped, well informed service guy can be worth his weight in, well, batteries! The car electrics were submitted to the full range of tests available via external computer interfacing. Firstly they found that all the auxiliary circuits were functioning normally, and going to sleep properly and repeatedly after "shutdown." The major problem discovered was that my vehicle journeys were too short, and that the battery was simply not being recharged sufficiently between one trip and the next. This was a real surprise to me, as I thought most of my trips were at least 20 km. with occasional shorter and longer ones. Not so. The dealer then recharged the battery, and recommended that I trickle charge the battery overnight about once a month to keep charge levels up. Nothing critical about this either - just a couple of amps at about 14 volts will do, but at the engine bay access point and not at the battery terminals. This avoids upsetting the operation of the intelligent battery sensor fitted to the positive battery terminal. Oh, and all this was done free of charge under warranty.

bimmerfamily2010

Thanks everyone for their input. I'll keep you all posted.

smurf520i

That's a strange one. I have had the same battery since 2004 (about to change it now) with very few (and I mean very few) trips longer than 6 miles. Car has 20k miles on the clock.