This battery discharge is driving me mad!
12-03-2009, 12:28 AM
#1
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Just had the AA out to my '05 535d E61 as it wouldn't start this morning. I have had intermittent "increased battery discharge" since I owned the car in 2007 but it seems to have got worse lately and is really struggling to start after standing for 12 hours or more. AA chap managed to get it going with a slave battery.
I've been leaving it on trickle charge when I can and the AA confirms the battery is in very good condition. Something is causing it to drain when it isn't being used.
When it was under warranty it had 2 or 3 trips to the dealer who tried to diagnose a fault. There was the usual reloading of software, making sure everything went to sleep and assurances it was fixed but a week or so later it was back again.
I have a young baby and can't be without the car in order for it to be stripped apart only for it to happen again. To be honest, I don't really want to spend money with the dealer promising to fix it again with no success.
I've tried taking the CD changer carousel out, making sure nothing is left on auto, removing the Sat nav DVD, etc when it isn't in use. If I sit in the car when the engine is off I can still hear something come to life and start whirring in the dash a good while after the electrics are off.
Any ideas what else to check? I have the electronic tailgate and I've heard this can sometimes cause problems.
This has happened after leaving it for 8 hours after a 350 mile drive so I don't think it is down to the driving profile. The car regularly does 100 mile trips a day.
TIA.
I've been leaving it on trickle charge when I can and the AA confirms the battery is in very good condition. Something is causing it to drain when it isn't being used.
When it was under warranty it had 2 or 3 trips to the dealer who tried to diagnose a fault. There was the usual reloading of software, making sure everything went to sleep and assurances it was fixed but a week or so later it was back again.
I have a young baby and can't be without the car in order for it to be stripped apart only for it to happen again. To be honest, I don't really want to spend money with the dealer promising to fix it again with no success.
I've tried taking the CD changer carousel out, making sure nothing is left on auto, removing the Sat nav DVD, etc when it isn't in use. If I sit in the car when the engine is off I can still hear something come to life and start whirring in the dash a good while after the electrics are off.
Any ideas what else to check? I have the electronic tailgate and I've heard this can sometimes cause problems.
This has happened after leaving it for 8 hours after a 350 mile drive so I don't think it is down to the driving profile. The car regularly does 100 mile trips a day.
TIA.
12-03-2009, 12:55 AM
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My Ride: BMW E60 530i , Silver with leather Air Con iDrive 17" Breyton Rims with Dunlop Sp Sport tyres (M-Tech Bodykit and rims WANTED)
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I feel your pain man, i have the similar problem on my car and same as you, even BMW couldnt find out the problem after few visits. 
I am on my 3rd batteries in 4 years time now and dont think the problem will go easily.
I am on my 3rd batteries in 4 years time now and dont think the problem will go easily.
12-03-2009, 01:04 AM
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Do either of you have an aftermarket tow bar fitted ?
If an auto, does the orange light in the 'P' position go out after leaving the car for 30 mins or so ?
If an auto, does the orange light in the 'P' position go out after leaving the car for 30 mins or so ?
12-03-2009, 01:05 AM
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Keith, I sympathise. I am getting so annoyed with this.
One thing I did notice yesterday was that although the car was locked, the red alarm indicator wasn't flashing on the rear view mirror. I had to unlock the car, open a door, shut it and dead lock the car again. It had been like this for about 3 hours. Could this be causing the car not to go into sleep mode and draining the battery? It does this occasionally.
Not a good week for car ownership. I had a screw in as good as new rear tyre on the 5 series that wasn't repairable, my other car is getting work done that may reach 4 figures and my other car is going into the dealer on Monday for a week to get some warranty issues fixed.
One thing I did notice yesterday was that although the car was locked, the red alarm indicator wasn't flashing on the rear view mirror. I had to unlock the car, open a door, shut it and dead lock the car again. It had been like this for about 3 hours. Could this be causing the car not to go into sleep mode and draining the battery? It does this occasionally.
Not a good week for car ownership. I had a screw in as good as new rear tyre on the 5 series that wasn't repairable, my other car is getting work done that may reach 4 figures and my other car is going into the dealer on Monday for a week to get some warranty issues fixed.
12-03-2009, 01:07 AM
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Originally Posted by juliann' post='1066914' date='Dec 3 2009, 10:04 AM
Do either of you have an aftermarket tow bar fitted ?
If an auto, does the orange light in the 'P' position go out after leaving the car for 30 mins or so ?
If an auto, does the orange light in the 'P' position go out after leaving the car for 30 mins or so ?
I have a dealer fitted tow bar but it was added when I bought it as an Approved Used BMW.
Yes, the orange light does go out when in the P position.
12-03-2009, 01:39 AM
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Anzafin,
The key is hung in a cupboard about 20 feet from the car. It isn't usually carried in my pocket. It loses charge at work too when I'm parked 10 floors below my office.
The key is hung in a cupboard about 20 feet from the car. It isn't usually carried in my pocket. It loses charge at work too when I'm parked 10 floors below my office.
12-03-2009, 01:50 AM
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My dealer has previously suggested that tow bar electrics can cause issues. Maybe disconnect for a while (pull fuse) and see if there's any change.
12-03-2009, 01:53 AM
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Ok.
That 20 feet could be close enough for car detecting the key and not getting to sleep, but that 10 floors wouldn't!
Hmmm... Could it be the possibly malfunctioned IBS and the car doesn't charge the battery properly? I know you said the battery is ok, but still...
That 20 feet could be close enough for car detecting the key and not getting to sleep, but that 10 floors wouldn't!
Hmmm... Could it be the possibly malfunctioned IBS and the car doesn't charge the battery properly? I know you said the battery is ok, but still...
12-03-2009, 02:23 AM
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Thx for your replies - appreciate it. Just found the fuse diagram in the battery compartment so will give that a go.
This is the frustrating thing about this problem - lots of "maybes", including from the dealer who will happily take the ?80 an hour or whatever it is now, to tell you this.
Now I think about it, when we went to test drive the car we had the test drive cancelled and had to go back the next day as the battery was flat. Looks like the problem was there before we even got it.
It really sours the ownership of an otherwise brilliant car. Guaranteed it will shut the iDrive down because it has detected an increased battery discharge the moment you want to use the sat nav.
I should be stressing about my 12 month old daughters sleep - not my fecking car!
This is the frustrating thing about this problem - lots of "maybes", including from the dealer who will happily take the ?80 an hour or whatever it is now, to tell you this.
Now I think about it, when we went to test drive the car we had the test drive cancelled and had to go back the next day as the battery was flat. Looks like the problem was there before we even got it.
It really sours the ownership of an otherwise brilliant car. Guaranteed it will shut the iDrive down because it has detected an increased battery discharge the moment you want to use the sat nav.
I should be stressing about my 12 month old daughters sleep - not my fecking car!