Cheapest way to replace the battery

[jphughan]

Originally Posted by e92zero

hmm, I just want to learn more about the battery. Fsarc indicated that the Deka battery is exactly the same but the ah rate of the Deka is at 95 with a cca of 850. Isn't the oem battery at 90ah and 900 cca? Does that mean we have to register 'and' recode the car if we get the Deka battery?

You're correct on the OEM battery specs. Those aftermarket values may be close enough that you can escape coding (but not registration) if you truly feel the need to buy an aftermarket battery. I can't remember the exact details and I don't have them in front of me, but I believe there are only about 4 possible values for amp-hour coding, and I think those are 60, 70, 90, and 110. Of course not all cars should be run on all of those types of batteries; that's just what BMW's software that they use across their entire product line supports.

[af908]

Can someone explain to me what happens if the battery is NOT registered?

I talked to a couple guys i know at the BMW dealership, including the shop Foreman, and they all said registration is not necessary. They did however, say that it only becomes an issue when changing the specs on the battery, where the car has to be recoded to charge the new battery.

[jphughan]

Originally Posted by af908

Can someone explain to me what happens if the battery is NOT registered?

I talked to a couple guys i know at the BMW dealership, including the shop Foreman, and they all said registration is not necessary. They did however, say that it only becomes an issue when changing the specs on the battery, where the car has to be recoded to charge the new battery.

The dealer techs were wrong that registration only needs to be done when changing specs (first time a dealer tech has been wrong, I know); it's in their own service guide that registration needs to be performed whenever installing a new battery. Coding needs to be done ON TOP OF that if changing specs. As for an explanation, there are 3 threads going about this, so here's just a copy/paste of what I've already posted in the other 2:

"Registering" is the process of informing the computer that a new battery has been installed, and while failing to do that won't prevent the new battery from working, it IS good to do and CAN make a difference in how the car manages the new battery and how long the new battery lasts. Dealers will definitely overcharge on labor for registration, because if you have a coding cable and the right software the process takes all of 60 seconds. There are DIY threads on this forum showing how to do this.

As for what exactly registering a battery does, the link I added at the bottom of the post shows a description of the process. Registering basically allows the computer to pull the proper amount of current from the battery and manage it properly, which it might not do if it thinks it's still dealing with an old battery.

I had first-hand experience with what happens when you don't register a battery recently with my wife's car. Her Mini Cooper S's moonroof would only close completely while the engine was running; when only the ignition was on, it would come forward but wouldn't pull itself all the way down to make the seal, and it moved much more slowly overall. I suspected the battery wasn't providing enough power, so we got a new one. The indy shop didn't have access to the computer they normally used to register batteries that day, so I told them to give me the car with just the battery and I'd DIY it. I tested the moonroof with the new battery BEFORE registering, and the problem remained, which I suspected was because the computer didn't know it could now pull more current from the battery. Registered the new battery, problem solved immediately.

Screenshot that describes battery registration: http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...2&postcount=18

[af908]

Originally Posted by jphughan

The dealer techs were wrong that registration only needs to be done when changing specs (first time a dealer tech has been wrong, I know); it's in their own service guide that registration needs to be performed whenever installing a new battery. Coding needs to be done ON TOP OF that if changing specs. As for an explanation, there are 3 threads going about this, so here's just a copy/paste of what I've already posted in the other 2:

"Registering" is the process of informing the computer that a new battery has been installed, and while failing to do that won't prevent the new battery from working, it IS good to do and CAN make a difference in how the car manages the new battery and how long the new battery lasts. Dealers will definitely overcharge on labor for registration, because if you have a coding cable and the right software the process takes all of 60 seconds. There are DIY threads on this forum showing how to do this.

As for what exactly registering a battery does, the link I added at the bottom of the post shows a description of the process. Registering basically allows the computer to pull the proper amount of current from the battery and manage it properly, which it might not do if it thinks it's still dealing with an old battery.

I had first-hand experience with what happens when you don't register a battery recently with my wife's car. Her Mini Cooper S's moonroof would only close completely while the engine was running; when only the ignition was on, it would come forward but wouldn't pull itself all the way down to make the seal, and it moved much more slowly overall. I suspected the battery wasn't providing enough power, so we got a new one. The indy shop didn't have access to the computer they normally used to register batteries that day, so I told them to give me the car with just the battery and I'd DIY it. I tested the moonroof with the new battery BEFORE registering, and the problem remained, which I suspected was because the computer didn't know it could now pull more current from the battery. Registered the new battery, problem solved immediately.

Screenshot that describes battery registration: http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...2&postcount=18

This post was EXTREMELY helpful to me. Thank you for taking the time.

Plan is to go to Napa and get the battery and install. Then take it to the dealer. Hopefully they wont whack me too hard for just a registration.

[Amri215]

Originally Posted by af908

Can someone explain to me what happens if the battery is NOT registered?

I talked to a couple guys i know at the BMW dealership, including the shop Foreman, and they all said registration is not necessary. They did however, say that it only becomes an issue when changing the specs on the battery, where the car has to be recoded to charge the new battery.

Registration is absolutely necessary..It configures the alternator of the car to charge the battery optimally. if you dont register the battery it could shorten the battery's life

[Amri215]

Originally Posted by af908

This post was EXTREMELY helpful to me. Thank you for taking the time.

Plan is to go to Napa and get the battery and install. Then take it to the dealer. Hopefully they wont whack me too hard for just a registration.

There alot of scan tools that will do the registration I believe the bavarian technic cable does it. Dealer will probably charge you something ridculous.

[af908]

Will putting the NAPA battery in myself and then driving the car to the dealer to get it registered be ok? Or will that cause damage?

[M3PO]

Can this be done with the tuning cables? Like Evolve and ESS? Probably not right...

[jphughan]

Originally Posted by af908

Will putting the NAPA battery in myself and then driving the car to the dealer to get it registered be ok? Or will that cause damage?

It'll be fine, just don't delay too long.

Originally Posted by M3PO

Can this be done with the tuning cables? Like Evolve and ESS? Probably not right...

They may actually work as long as you find the software (same package that's used for coding), but I can't say for sure. Definitely worth a shot before pulling the trigger on another cable though; it'll either work fine or the software won't detect your car at all.

[BPMSport]

Originally Posted by jphughan

It'll be fine, just don't delay too long.



They may actually work as long as you find the software (same package that's used for coding), but I can't say for sure. Definitely worth a shot before pulling the trigger on another cable though; it'll either work fine or the software won't detect your car at all.

It will not work with any of the tuning cables. The next generation of cables will support it.

[af908]

Just a follow up for anyone reading this.

So far the NAPA battery is fine. Put it in and went to BMW to have it registered. They may give you a hard time when registering the battery since its not OEM and they may say that the car will not allow them to register it. That is false and there is an option for them to select "other - non oem" during the registration process.

Total cost for the battery 115$

[nbennettksu]

Originally Posted by Amri215

Registration is absolutely necessary..It configures the alternator of the car to charge the battery optimally. if you dont register the battery it could shorten the battery's life

not to mention getting a airbag light and/ or trans fault light.

[pbonsalb]

No.

[W///]

My dealer quoted me $195 to reset battery. Dumb Stealerships.

Time to find a Plan B

[MSteve5036]

My battery died shortly after I bought mine. I wish I had seen this thread. I ended up buying an interstate battery with same specs (or very close) and got it registered at the dealership. I wish I know more about coding because I would have just bought a tool to do some coding and registered the battery at the same time