[Alberta]

Hi guys,

I need your help with keeping my car battery charged.

I'm using a BMW charger for about 2 years (made by CTEK), also designed for Lithium batteries.

When I plug the charger into the vehicle it reaches stage 2 and then starts flashing (see my video below).

I've encountered this problem once before.
I was able to solve it by driving the vehicle for a few kilometers and on my way back home, I plugged in the charger and it worked perfectly since then.

At the moment, even after driving the car for about 15 minutes, the charger still behaves the same way, all lights flashing.

I have the impression that the charger is not responsible for the problem, but rather that it comes from the car.
The user manual indicates that UVP (under voltage protection) could prevent the battery from being recharged.

Do you have any idea how to get the charger to do its job again and keep my battery charged?

Thank you all!

[AHall]

Originally Posted by Alberta

Hi guys,

I need your help with keeping my car battery charged.

I'm using a BMW charger for about 2 years (made by CTEK), also designed for Lithium batteries.

When I plug the charger into the vehicle it reaches stage 2 and then starts flashing (see my video below).

I've encountered this problem once before.
I was able to solve it by driving the vehicle for a few kilometers and on my way back home, I plugged in the charger and it worked perfectly since then.

At the moment, even after driving the car for about 15 minutes, the charger still behaves the same way, all lights flashing.

I have the impression that the charger is not responsible for the problem, but rather that it comes from the car.
The user manual indicates that UVP (under voltage protection) could prevent the battery from being recharged.

Do you have any idea how to get the charger to do its job again and keep my battery charged?

Thank you all!

https://youtu.be/eKe2mWXesSY

Have you tried the charger on a different car to see if the charger behaves the same?

[lankymidget]

I had similar issues with my CTEK charger and found it was the CTEK cables, as the same thing happened on both my M5 and the X5M. I replaced them (my packaging had a long and shorter set of cables), and it worked without issue and has continued to work.
In my case I think I messed up the cable when closing partway and having the cables run out. I think they got crimped or damaged.
As others have said. Try your CTEK on another vehicle, if you can, or try another CTEK charger or charging cables if you know someone with one... or maybe a local mechanic friend or dealer who is willing to let you test?

[JakeW1990]

On my CTEK lithium, the manual stated if it gets to stage 2 and fails, it means the battery has a locked cell due to excessive amperage or whatever and that the battery has a fail safe. Mine has a reset button that it says to hold for 10 seconds or to “reset” the battery’s fail safe to allow proper charging.

[Alberta]

Originally Posted by AHall

Have you tried the charger on a different car to see if the charger behaves the same?

I did try it right now on another car (using AGM battery), and it behaved the same way.

Could be that the charger itself has an issue.

[Alberta]

Originally Posted by lankymidget

I had similar issues with my CTEK charger and found it was the CTEK cables, as the same thing happened on both my M5 and the X5M. I replaced them (my packaging had a long and shorter set of cables), and it worked without issue and has continued to work.
In my case I think I messed up the cable when closing partway and having the cables run out. I think they got crimped or damaged.
As others have said. Try your CTEK on another vehicle, if you can, or try another CTEK charger or charging cables if you know someone with one... or maybe a local mechanic friend or dealer who is willing to let you test?

On my M5, I had my dealer install a cable with the quick-connect cable.

I tried to connect the charger with the clamps right to the positive and negative terminals, but didn't get much success.

Tried on another vehicle and it didn't work either.

[Alberta]

Originally Posted by JakeW1990

On my CTEK lithium, the manual stated if it gets to stage 2 and fails, it means the battery has a locked cell due to excessive amperage or whatever and that the battery has a fail safe. Mine has a reset button that it says to hold for 10 seconds or to “reset” the battery’s fail safe to allow proper charging.

I read the same thing.

I tried a few times to reset the charger for UVP to open itself, but it didn't work.

I guess the charger is probably dead...

[Alberta]

This is the quick-connect I had my dealer install at the time :

(it shows if the battery is charged, discharged, or dead, and after checking, it blinks green on charged).

[JakeW1990]

I’m out of guesses then. New to the lithium ion game. 😢 I hope it’s your charger and not the battery!

[Alberta]

Originally Posted by JakeW1990

I’m out of guesses then. New to the lithium ion game. 😢 I hope it’s your charger and not the battery!

I hope so too...

I think that a battery is about 2.5k, pretty annoying stuff.

[JakeW1990]

Originally Posted by Alberta

I hope so too...

I think that a battery is about 2.5k, pretty annoying stuff.

I was looking on BMWpartsdirect.com last week when I was investigating mine and they had it for like $1,540 or so. Made my gut drop! I’d rather be 20lbs heavier and a standard AGM battery!

[Aronis]

Originally Posted by Alberta

I hope so too...

I think that a battery is about 2.5k, pretty annoying stuff.

and in very short supply.....

Mike

[Alberta]

Car is going in Monday for a battery test.

[Aronis]

Originally Posted by Alberta

Car is going in Monday for a battery test.

Good move, since those tool bags cannot test the battery OUT of the car, I took my dead battery to the dealer and they said they could do nothing without the car. Doh;

Mike

[Alberta]

Originally Posted by Aronis

Good move, since those tool bags cannot test the battery OUT of the car, I took my dead battery to the dealer and they said they could do nothing without the car. Doh;

Mike

I spoke with the workshop manager who is very knowledgeable and he told me that they had a way of knowing precisely the state of the battery and the variations day by day.

The battery shows no signs of weakness, so I'm curious about the test results.

[Aronis]

Originally Posted by Alberta

I spoke with the workshop manager who is very knowledgeable and he told me that they had a way of knowing precisely the state of the battery and the variations day by day.

The battery shows no signs of weakness, so I'm curious about the test results.

It's a pretty deep dive they do, hopefully you do have a knowledgeable tech or at least one who is willing to make a call the Germany for help.

My battery died, they never tested it fully to find out why. I have seen a video of a Russian dude who takes one apart. There are 4 separate cells. If any one goes bad the entire battery fails. But the cells can be individually replaced and it's not ROCKET SCIENCE, but the dealer will never do such a thing.

My dad's battery was working but the scan showed an error with the safety cut out circuit (cuts MECHANICALLY) the connection to the outside of the battery if the charge gets below the 'will kill the LI battery level'. He got a new battery for just 10 percent co pay. I got taken for $2200.

Mike

[Alberta]

I have the battery test results.

The battery is in a pretty good shape for an over 5 year old car.

Apparently, the charger failed.

I'm getting another charger and hope it will hold longer than the one that failed.

[fun2drv]

I recently switched from a 2019 to a new 2023. I’m going to be out of town and wanted to keep the battery charged. I hooked up the CTEK Lithium charger this afternoon. It quickly went to two lights on, but a few hours later, I checked the status and no progress at all. The charger was very hot, so I decided to unplug it. I have had this charger for several years and have used it without any issues in my old M4 and the 2019 M5. I’m not sure if it is the charger or if BMW changed something that doesn’t allow us to use a charger anymore…

Kind of frustrating.

[AHall]

Originally Posted by fun2drv

I recently switched from a 2019 to a new 2023. I’m going to be out of town and wanted to keep the battery charged. I hooked up the CTEK Lithium charger this afternoon. It quickly went to two lights on, but a few hours later, I checked the status and no progress at all. The charger was very hot, so I decided to unplug it. I have had this charger for several years and have used it without any issues in my old M4 and the 2019 M5. I’m not sure if it is the charger or if BMW changed something that doesn’t allow us to use a charger anymore…

Kind of frustrating.

Do you have the lithium battery option? I think mine usually moves up to stage 5 or 6 and then it takes a long time to complete 7 and move to 8.

[Alberta]

Originally Posted by fun2drv

I recently switched from a 2019 to a new 2023. I’m going to be out of town and wanted to keep the battery charged. I hooked up the CTEK Lithium charger this afternoon. It quickly went to two lights on, but a few hours later, I checked the status and no progress at all. The charger was very hot, so I decided to unplug it. I have had this charger for several years and have used it without any issues in my old M4 and the 2019 M5. I’m not sure if it is the charger or if BMW changed something that doesn’t allow us to use a charger anymore…

Kind of frustrating.

Did you try to reset the charger by holding the RESET (or MODE) button for 10 seconds ? This will help open the UVP.

While the charger is going from stage 2 to stage 4, the charger may get hot because it charges the battery (look at the screenshot below).

I got mine on Saturday, plugged-it in and it stayed for a few hours on stage 2 then slowly went up gradually to stage 7 and it's sitting there at the moment.

[fun2drv]

Originally Posted by AHall

Do you have the lithium battery option? I think mine usually moves up to stage 5 or 6 and then it takes a long time to complete 7 and move to 8.

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I have the correct charger. I have used it with no issues in my two previous BMWs with lithium batteries. It was stuck at numer two for several hours. I may have to give it another try.

[fun2drv]

Originally Posted by Alberta

Did you try to reset the charger by holding the RESET (or MODE) button for 10 seconds ? This will help open the UVP.

While the charger is going from stage 2 to stage 4, the charger may get hot because it charges the battery (look at the screenshot below).

I got mine on Saturday, plugged-it in and it stayed for a few hours on stage 2 then slowly went up gradually to stage 7 and it's sitting there at the moment.

Thanks for your reply. I did do a reset of the charger, but that was when I noticed how hot the charger was and I decided to “pull the plug” on the whole thing. I was not going to be home and didn’t feel comfortable leaving it like that unattended. I may have to try the whole process again when I can monitor the progress better.