Dead battery

[FerRrari]

dealer says battery is dead, they say the car has too few miles (25K) and that the warranty does not apply because of this. Anyone else had this problem? They want $450 for a new battery...

[Shorestyle031]

Thats bs i would check out a different dealer. A defective battery should be covered.

[Caddyshk]

It's 4 years old - why would it be defective? I don't believe batteries are covered by warranty beyond year 1 unless a component failure lead to the battery failure.

[Finnegan]

Originally Posted by FerRrari

dealer says battery is dead, they say the car has too few miles (25K) and that the warranty does not apply because of this. Anyone else had this problem? They want $450 for a new battery...

It's a sealed glass mat battery used in the 7 series hence it costs a bundle. Search on this as many have replaced with a lead/acid--but you'll need a vent kit since the battery is in the car. Other folks have gone down the warranty road to with littlle success IIRC--it's a consumable and how often you drive etc. affect the life. These batteries should last a lot longer than your typical lead-acid type--my dealer confirmed this--but if you don't drive frequently that isn't going to be the case. If you're the second owner of a low-mileage car chances are the battery has not been used in an optimal manner (which is really driving daily some distance).

Are you sure the battery is really "gone"? What if the car is jump started and you drive it 50 or so miles to charge it? I ask because I don't trust folks who sell batteries to provide an honest evaluation....

The wife's 07 Z4M had a dead battery a few weeks back. The tow truck jump started the car and the battery has been fine ever since even though the driver (who sells batteries) said it needed to be replaced.

I just hooked it up to my Christmas gift (CTEK Multi 7002) that among other things tests the battery to determine if it's in need of replacement. No surprise here but it did say the battery was fine. However, it was running a very low level of charge even after a 50 mile trip which was indicative of a deeply discharged battery. The 7002 has a "Recondition" feature that basically fixes deeply discharged batteries. After running through that cycle it now holds a full charge. Knock on wood it won't need to be replaced for several more years. The charger also can deal with sulfurization and correct that and other bad conditions as long as the battery isn't too far gone.

If you don't drive the car frequently something like the CTEK 7002 is highly recommended and cheap relative to a new battery and more importantly the hassle that comes with a dead one at the most inopportune moment.

[ZeD4Mr]

Originally Posted by Finnegan

I just hooked it up to my Christmas gift (CTEK Multi 7002) that among other things tests the battery to determine if it's in need of replacement.

How do you like your CTEK 7002? I picked up CTEK 3300 since it was 40% off during X'mas and didn't get a chance to compare them. I hooked it up over night and my battery was charged fully and love the simplicity of it.

What's difference between the two models? I still have some time to return and upgrade to 7002 if it's necessary.

TIA,

[Finnegan]

Originally Posted by JDN34

How do you like your CTEK 7002? I picked up CTEK 3300 since it was 40% off during X'mas and didn't get a chance to compare them. I hooked it up over night and my battery was charged fully and love the simplicity of it.

What's difference between the two models? I still have some time to return and upgrade to 7002 if it's necessary.

TIA,

Love it! Like I said, it reconditioned the Z's battery which was basically only partially charging after being "dead". I believe the ability to do that, the "is the battery good or failing check", and ability to deal with sulphurization are the main differences. I would have gone the cheaper route with the 3300, but for the difference if the in price (vs. a battery) it was worth using it to check the Z's battery and "fix" it if possible. (Like I said, I don't trust battery sellers to give a good assessment of whether the battery still has some life in it....)

Either model is super-easy to use and a good way to increase the useful life of a battery--especially if you don't drive long distances or drive the car daily....

[Pheonix]

Originally Posted by FerRrari

dealer says battery is dead, they say the car has too few miles (25K) and that the warranty does not apply because of this. Anyone else had this problem? They want $450 for a new battery...

Is your car still under warranty? Mine was replaced for free around 19k miles! I later found out the TCU and center console door were not functioned properly (hence drained the battery). Both were fixed as well. Try to make a habit of locking the car so it will completely shutdown everything (if not, some modules will stay ON for 15 minutes). A battery tender is great idea if the car does not get driven often (or short trips only)

[Rick Hunter]

Battery tenders FTW. I have mine on tender if I don't drive it for a while. Thinking about changing battery at year 5-6 though, just as preventative maintenance...

[wrh3]

I was traveling a lot last year and didn't have time to attempt a warranty claim when mine died. I replaced mine with an AGM battery with the exact same specs from Oreilly Auto Parts (P/N 48AGM @ $154.99).....it even looks the same as the OE battery other than the stickers:

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...3321&ppt=C0005

[KevinC]

$450???!!!! I sincerely hope they include a reach-around at that price. What's list price for the battery, isn't it ~ $200? Wow.

[JPWEraser]

I had a dead battery earlier this year. I am the second owner of a low mileage 2006 car (had 14k on the clock when I bought it). BMW WILL NOT cover the battery if it is not operated at a certain mileage level each year to ensure that the battery is consistently receiving a charge. Not only that, but they also don't cover batteries at all unless the battery failure is caused by a fault in the charging system of the car and they charge a hefty amount just to check that out. I ended up going to AutoZone, spending $130 on an AutoZone gold top battery, and put it in myself in about 15 minutes - problem solved.

[XMetal]

Originally Posted by wrh3

I was traveling a lot last year and didn't have time to attempt a warranty claim when mine died. I replaced mine with an AGM battery with the exact same specs from Oreilly Auto Parts (P/N 48AGM @ $154.99).....it even looks the same as the OE battery other than the stickers:

What's the RC/AH rating on the O'reilly replacement battery?

[chickdr]

Originally Posted by XMetal

What's the RC/AH rating on the O'reilly replacement battery?

According to the web site the O-Reilly battery is as follows:

# Cold Cranking Amps: 760
# Cranking Amps: 875
# Reserve Capacity: 120

No listing for AH. It seems to be identical. That is where I will be going when I need a new battery. The warranty is good too: 72 Month P/R & 2yr Free Replacement

[JPWEraser]

Some info on the AutoZone battery in case anyone wanted to consider going that route:

Part Number:

H5-DLG

Warranty: 8 YR
Notes: *** 650 cold cranking Amps (N/A cranking Amps) *** 60 Ah reserve capacity. -> 3 year free replacement <- Battery is vented to outside of vehicle. Installation may take up to 30 minutes. Located in trunk.

Price: $124.99
Core: $12.00
Total: $136.99

[Finnegan]

Originally Posted by wrh3

I was traveling a lot last year and didn't have time to attempt a warranty claim when mine died. I replaced mine with an AGM battery with the exact same specs from Oreilly Auto Parts (P/N 48AGM @ $154.99).....it even looks the same as the OE battery other than the stickers:

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...3321&ppt=C0005

Great to know! Seems like an exact replacement--but w/o the price tag. Apparently putting three letters on it is worth 300.

[pokeybritches]

My M's battery was replaced under warranty about 6 months ago, although there was no question as to whether or not I had driven the car enough

I have CPO and the maintenance package, and I'm not sure which one covered it.

[FerRrari]

The car is under warranty until Dec 2011, now I question whether or not to get an extended warranty. The car was jump started back in September and has been daily driven since, however I frequently lose my clock settings or the DSC or TPMS lights come on. The dealer says it's because the battery is dead. I've used a charger though not in AGM mode and didn't change anything.

Is buying a TK the only way to figure out if the battery is dead?
Dealer says that using a non BMW battery will void the warranty on the electrical system. I'm currently in NYC on vacation so this sucks trying to figure out if the dealer is trying yo screw me over long distance.

[Huz-Z]

This battery failure stuff simply blows me away.

In addition to our 2009 Accord, we have a 2001 Accord that my wife drives and it is still using the original ten year old battery. The thing would turn over a battleship engine, even on a cold Atlantic Canada winter morning.

Prior to that, we had a 1997 Accord from 1997 to 2001. Its battery (and the entire car actually) were 100% failure free for the four years we had the car. I had not a single complaint or repair required for that period. Not even so much as a burnt out light bulb or squeak anywhere.

And prior to that, I had an '89 VW Golf Wolfsburg for eight years from 1989 to 1997. The battery never failed in that entire period. And those things were built in Mexico.

So.

WTF is up with BMW batteries? Its my view that in a premium brand car like a BMW, let alone a specialty car like a Z4, customer driving habits and infrequent use should have been part of the electrical system design and that as a result, battery failures should not be occuring. And if they are, it should be warranty.

[FerRrari]

You're comparing a car with plenty of sensors to one without any...

[Pheonix]

Originally Posted by FerRrari

The car is under warranty until Dec 2011, now I question whether or not to get an extended warranty. The car was jump started back in September and has been daily driven since, however I frequently lose my clock settings or the DSC or TPMS lights come on. The dealer says it's because the battery is dead. I've used a charger though not in AGM mode and didn't change anything.

Is buying a TK the only way to figure out if the battery is dead?
Dealer says that using a non BMW battery will void the warranty on the electrical system. I'm currently in NYC on vacation so this sucks trying to figure out if the dealer is trying yo screw me over long distance.

You should get the battery replace under warranty! Try to talk to the Service Manager or go to another dealer. There might be some other modules draining the battery as well. PM me and i will send you my service records. No matter what anyone said, a battery should last more than that (unless it was constantly cycling). My appeared to be the TCU (Tele Communication Unit) which wake up every 15 minutes (to search for something, maybe Bluetooth device). It was draining 2A of current. Good luck and let us know how it turns out

[Huz-Z]

Originally Posted by FerRrari

You're comparing a car with plenty of sensors to one without any...

Perhaps. But the number of sensors is simply one aspect of the load on the electrical system. A properly designed electrical and charging system should accommodate the specific load for the model of car and the resulting charging and battery system should not be prone to failures like these.

And more to the point, its just not acceptable in a BMW.

[Pheonix]

Originally Posted by Huz-Z

Perhaps. But the number of sensors is simply one aspect of the load on the electrical system. A properly designed electrical and charging system should accommodate the specific load for the model of car and the resulting charging and battery system should not be prone to failures like these.

And more to the point, its just not acceptable in a BMW.

I totally agreed! I also doubt that a 2007 BMW has anymore sensors than a 2009 Honda Accord. It is definitely some kind of flaw in the design. Furthermore, German's cars are not know for great electrical design and/or reliable. Have you ever noticed many BMW, Audi/VW with no lights on ONE side.