selbycy

Today I had very strange experience.

I was driving for around 1 and a half hours in the mountains.

All of sudden a transmission failure message appeared and my iDrive screen and the time/temp screen on the dash started flickering on and off.
From what I could read on the iDrive it was sayin to drive moderately.
As I slowed down to pull over an ABS warning appeared, a stabiliser failure appeared but as the iDrive was flickering I couldn't read it well, the it said battery very low and died.

I tried to start the car but it said transmission failure and that the car may not be engaged in a gear?
As I was very far from town it took around 2 hours for the recovery truck to arrive, in this time I left the car and didn't try to start it again.

When I tried to start it after 2 hours the transmission message appeared again. I tried again and it disappeared and the car started normally, no problems at all, no messages except that I needed to reset the time and date.

I drove the car the home, around 100 km and didn't have any issues.

I will take it to my mechanic for a full checkup tomorrow.

Has anybody had a similar problem? I used the search function and saw a few similar issues.

My car is an early 05 model.

Theo

Your battery is probably shot. While having it replaced you should ask for your alternator to be checked as well, just to be sure.

As for the intermittent faults, as opposed to the battery completely and permanently dieing as you'd expect, the batteries tend to display this erratic behavior for some time. It's very well possible that you won't see this for another six months or so, wouldn't risk it though...

Good luck!

selbycy

From other topics I believe that if the battery is low it starts to shut down various systems 1 by 1.

I am hoping it is just a simple new battery rather than a bigger gearbox issue.

Theo

I guarantee it isn't a gearbox issue, it is definately electrical, systems that will go first when the battery can't handle it:

- Transmission failure - drive slowly or another variation
- Dynamic Drive
- ABS
- Active Front steering

Also the flickering (and eventually dying) iDrive screen is a dead giveaway.

So don't worry about the transmission.

selbycy

Cheers, will get it checked first thing in the morning.

Howitzer

BATTERY SIR.

selbycy

After my initial panic, I vaguely remembered a thread on here with something similar so wasn't too worried after the first hour

carfucious

my vote is alternator. If battery was shot it shouldn't have started later.

inktoxicated

this is what u call to much electronics packed into a fcuking car

hangout

100% agree

the Germany have big hands so that can't handle the tiny wires..