dm47rust

What are the signs that its time to get a new battery for the E60? Do you hear it in the crank when starting the engine? Lately, I've been getting more warning lights coming on. The latest is the Power Window Anti Trap Light. There's very little documentation on it in the manual. I read that it could be related to a dying battery. Does anyone have experience with this?

healthservices

take a look at the battery itself I believe it has a clear window with color indicator on it.

tsaros

If the indicator mentioned above is not green then it´s time for a new one, or at least it´s time for a good charging.
Also as you say random warninglights that come and go could be a tell tale sign.
How old is your current battery?

BossHog

Do your tailights come on when you unlock the car? If not, that's a sign that the car is trying to conserve power. That was one of several signs for me anyway...

vascool

would charging the battery help when you see those signs or is it time for a new one? Whould any type of charger work? Approximattely how much do dealers charge for a new one+work?

hurst01

Let's talk about this a bit. Times are not like they used to be, when if the starter was getting a bit sluggish the battery needed changing. These cars with the more sophisticated electronics require more "reserve" power to operate them. They may still have enough power to start the vehicle but the reserve power is not enough to operate the system before and during starting. Just because the starter turns it doesn't mean it has the power to operate the electronics as it should.
Case in point: I live in Southern Indiana and my Son lives in Chicago. Living in Chicago, he doesn't use his car as much as it should be used. He has a 2007 BMW 335i with 17,000 miles on it. Most of this mileage is accumulated driving home what time he is able to make the trip. Lately, he has been getting warnings about all four tires being flat, Transmission not changing, CAUTION! BATTERY AT 50% CAPACITY, and other lights indicating all kinds of warnings. The car still started and drove fine. He came home for Christmas and while home decided to have his car serviced while it was still under warranty. Even though it has only 17,000 miles, the warranty will expire because of time in February. They changed oil, flushed the brakes and made a few other software upgrades and adjustments. They called and said the battery checked weak, even after charging. Now, this is where the kicker comes in. Would you think the battery would be covered under warranty? Guess again.
I have been in the automotive repair business for many years. Problem is, since I had to retire several years ago, I have no equipment to do diagnoses on his car. I am still listed as a repair facility at the dealership for buying parts. My Son gave the OK to change the battery, simply because they told him that the car required a special battery and had to be re-programmed after the installation of the battery, which is true. The battery and installation was a bit over $350 but they discounted it to be $252 after my discount.
But, any battery of the same recommendation and amperage requirements would have worked and a good repair facility with up-to-date equipment would be able to reprogram what it needed. Getting back to what we were talking about. Yes, a weak battery will give all kinds of warning lights that are not necessarily there. Take your car to a repair facility, or someplace like Auto Zon, Advance or other parts place and have the alternator and battery checked. I say alternator because it may not have enough output to keep the battery as hot as it should be.
I hope I have answered your question somewhat. Others might chime and and add more.

Ed

dm47rust

Tail lights work fine. No prob there. Has anyone had the "Anti Trap" Power Window Warning light come on? I had heard it could be related to a battery issue, but maybe not.

dm47rust

Silly question but, where do you find the battery? I see the terminals under the hood but not the actual battery.

jm545i

Underneath panel in trunk on right (passenger side) rear, alonside the spare tire well.

nomis_nehc

I don't know how accurate the color indicator is though. I have never seen a battery that indicated green, even on a customer's car that he just replaced the battery a few months ago.