This battery discharge is driving me mad!
07-15-2010, 01:40 AM
#41
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My Ride: 2006 520d Touring - Metalic Black with cream leather interior
Hi...I have an E61 2006 that started exhibiting a similar problem about a year ago. Two BMW UK dealers couldn't find out what the issue was even after performing software updates etc. The third one determined that the tailgate lock switch (the glass panel) was faulty and was for some reason keeping the electrics live and draining the battery. I got the car back 2 weeks ago and it's been great so far.
Cheers
Cheers
09-16-2010, 08:58 AM
#42
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My Ride: BMW E61 530d 2005 M sport, individual, shadow line
Hello Mate,
Did you find out, if the "P" indicator has to go out\ off at all? or it should stay lighted?
thanks in advance.
J.
10-09-2010, 12:12 PM
#43
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My Ride: '06 535D touring with M-Sport paket
Hi guys,
I own a 535D touring, and not any electrical problem so far.
This being said, if I was in such a situation (excess drainage that ruins the battery), I would proceed as follow:
Check if the drainage still happen when the car is unlock (for e.g, let the car in the garage, without locking it with the remote control).
If the drainage does still happen, then I would proceed this way:
take an amp meter (or a multimeter, on the ampere measurement function), and check the electrical consumption of every circuit, in the fuse box.
And for this, you need to be inside the car (or the trunk), car without alarm and doors locked, and all roof lights off.
To check the circuit, simply remove the fuse, and insert the 2 pins of the multimeter (on amp measure - highest current), and read the value. Do it one by one, methodically.
An ampmeter can go up to 10 amperes. so it should do. You should be able to find what circuit (fuse) is consuming power. It might be that some circuits are consuming a bit under normal conditions, but this consumption should be low then.
Normally, when leaving an lamp on like "parking lights", it corresponds to a power of +/-10watts; The battery should be able to stand a power of 10 watts the whole night without issue. And it this particular case, we're speaking about +/- 1 ampere under 12volts.
The tracked leak must be over an ampere or so, otherwise, the battery would stand it, and the car should be able to start in the morning.
So make the list of all fuses that are letting current through. Then check what circuit is the fuse in relation with. Some circuit obviously should not consume power when the car is stopped and turned off (for e.g, the cigarette lighter circuit..)
Then try, during a night time, to let one of these critical fuses out during one night; and see if something changed in the morning. And do this with all consuming fuses...
Hope this helps
I own a 535D touring, and not any electrical problem so far.
This being said, if I was in such a situation (excess drainage that ruins the battery), I would proceed as follow:
Check if the drainage still happen when the car is unlock (for e.g, let the car in the garage, without locking it with the remote control).
If the drainage does still happen, then I would proceed this way:
take an amp meter (or a multimeter, on the ampere measurement function), and check the electrical consumption of every circuit, in the fuse box.
And for this, you need to be inside the car (or the trunk), car without alarm and doors locked, and all roof lights off.
To check the circuit, simply remove the fuse, and insert the 2 pins of the multimeter (on amp measure - highest current), and read the value. Do it one by one, methodically.
An ampmeter can go up to 10 amperes. so it should do. You should be able to find what circuit (fuse) is consuming power. It might be that some circuits are consuming a bit under normal conditions, but this consumption should be low then.
Normally, when leaving an lamp on like "parking lights", it corresponds to a power of +/-10watts; The battery should be able to stand a power of 10 watts the whole night without issue. And it this particular case, we're speaking about +/- 1 ampere under 12volts.
The tracked leak must be over an ampere or so, otherwise, the battery would stand it, and the car should be able to start in the morning.
So make the list of all fuses that are letting current through. Then check what circuit is the fuse in relation with. Some circuit obviously should not consume power when the car is stopped and turned off (for e.g, the cigarette lighter circuit..)
Then try, during a night time, to let one of these critical fuses out during one night; and see if something changed in the morning. And do this with all consuming fuses...
Hope this helps
10-11-2010, 02:19 AM
#44
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Hi
I have a 2006 E60 530 D sport which has this intermittent problem. It has only meant getting BMW breakdown out to it once when there seemed to be insufficent power to start it. It has been back to my dealers once who could find no problem. A few weeks ago I found that the battery was labouring to start the car and the dreaded excess electrical discharge warning came up. The car is booked in for a look and guess what? The excess discharge warning has gone away. I have started to turn off the radio before I turn off the ignition. What I cannot understand is why this is intermittent.
I have a 2006 E60 530 D sport which has this intermittent problem. It has only meant getting BMW breakdown out to it once when there seemed to be insufficent power to start it. It has been back to my dealers once who could find no problem. A few weeks ago I found that the battery was labouring to start the car and the dreaded excess electrical discharge warning came up. The car is booked in for a look and guess what? The excess discharge warning has gone away. I have started to turn off the radio before I turn off the ignition. What I cannot understand is why this is intermittent.
10-11-2010, 07:38 AM
#45
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My Ride: 07 E61 530d M-Sport.
It was always intermittent on my car. Its because the faulty module would shut down properly sometimes and not draw power but when it didn't shut down that when it would keep drawing from the battery.
Turning the radio off will make little difference to the power the car draws on start up. The computers will still all be booting and in effect all your doing is muting the radio it will still be on.
Turning the radio off will make little difference to the power the car draws on start up. The computers will still all be booting and in effect all your doing is muting the radio it will still be on.
10-23-2010, 03:11 AM
#46
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My Ride: BMW E61 530d 2005 M sport, individual, shadow line
I have checked, made a test, my 'P' position go out after leaving the car after 17 minutes.
My battery jst died recently, and it was fast, died in 2 days. I bought new one, the strongest one 110Ah, Varta, being using it for 2 weeks now, but still notice that after having leaving the car for 2-3 days, it strats with noticably less power from battery. So i am afraid i might have a problem too. Will do another test leaving the car for a week or more, and see the difference...
10-23-2010, 09:10 AM
#47
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My Ride: 2007 530xiT: CPO purchase in 2008, used by a BMW exec previously, and like-new when I got it. Compared to my other cars, at first I thought it felt heavy and steering was too heavy. Now, I really enjoy driving it in town and on the freeway. On my
... take an amp meter (or a multimeter, on the ampere measurement function), and check the electrical consumption of every circuit, in the fuse box.
... To check the circuit, simply remove the fuse, and insert the 2 pins of the multimeter (on amp measure - highest current), and read the value. Do it one by one, methodically.
... So make the list of all fuses that are letting current through. Then check what circuit is the fuse in relation with. Some circuit obviously should not consume power when the car is stopped and turned off (for e.g, the cigarette lighter circuit..)
Then try, during a night time, to let one of these critical fuses out during one night; and see if something changed in the morning. And do this with all consuming fuses...
... To check the circuit, simply remove the fuse, and insert the 2 pins of the multimeter (on amp measure - highest current), and read the value. Do it one by one, methodically.
... So make the list of all fuses that are letting current through. Then check what circuit is the fuse in relation with. Some circuit obviously should not consume power when the car is stopped and turned off (for e.g, the cigarette lighter circuit..)
Then try, during a night time, to let one of these critical fuses out during one night; and see if something changed in the morning. And do this with all consuming fuses...
10-26-2010, 10:12 AM
#48
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My Ride: 06' 530xi E61 Saphire Black / Dakota Black - aluminum
11' A4 Avant 2.0T Brilliant Black / Black - aluminum
Hello all,
Might not be related but figured I'd share anyhow. Our '06 530 had the high drain battery message (don't remember the exact error message sorry). Brought the car in at BMW dealership, still under CPO warranty and they tried 3 different things (reprogram the car, changed driver side door module, then gateway to said driver side door module) all of this for no reason as it did not resolve the problem, love these guys!!! All of this about 4 weeks ago.
Back to the problem in June our key fobs stopped working, brought the car in and was told the area where the antenna is located was corroded (known problem) so they changed it and problem was resolved. When the drain code came on and them not being able to find to source I asked is it possible that the problem with the antenna might be the source of this error code. I doubt it was the reponse, after 3 more days there guess what they found more corroded wires and cut wires (wiring loom) in the tailgate section near the antenna. Replaced the wires and no problem since.
If any of you have had issues with the keyfob/antenna and the battery drain code it might be related. In my case it was.
Good luck btw in finding the cause not an easy task!
Might not be related but figured I'd share anyhow. Our '06 530 had the high drain battery message (don't remember the exact error message sorry). Brought the car in at BMW dealership, still under CPO warranty and they tried 3 different things (reprogram the car, changed driver side door module, then gateway to said driver side door module) all of this for no reason as it did not resolve the problem, love these guys!!! All of this about 4 weeks ago.
Back to the problem in June our key fobs stopped working, brought the car in and was told the area where the antenna is located was corroded (known problem) so they changed it and problem was resolved. When the drain code came on and them not being able to find to source I asked is it possible that the problem with the antenna might be the source of this error code. I doubt it was the reponse, after 3 more days there guess what they found more corroded wires and cut wires (wiring loom) in the tailgate section near the antenna. Replaced the wires and no problem since.
If any of you have had issues with the keyfob/antenna and the battery drain code it might be related. In my case it was.
Good luck btw in finding the cause not an easy task!
10-27-2010, 11:54 PM
#49
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My Ride: 535d M Sport Touring
Looks like there is a number of issues that could be causing this message, it's trying to find out what one affects you that is the hard part!
For me, replacing the battery and the starter motor did the job, though if I leave it for a few days the iDrive screen on startup is noticably dimmer than normal. I sometimes get the battery discharge message when I haven't used the car for a week or so or I have been in and out of boot when maybe packing the car for a trip away.
For me, replacing the battery and the starter motor did the job, though if I leave it for a few days the iDrive screen on startup is noticably dimmer than normal. I sometimes get the battery discharge message when I haven't used the car for a week or so or I have been in and out of boot when maybe packing the car for a trip away.
12-02-2010, 07:23 AM
#50
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spartan 335 is spot on
i had the same problem with my 550 and, after months of searching, they found it to be caused by corrosion in the antenna area, located in the winddeflector above the rearwindow.
replaced it --> problem solved!
i had the same problem with my 550 and, after months of searching, they found it to be caused by corrosion in the antenna area, located in the winddeflector above the rearwindow.
replaced it --> problem solved!