battery picture on my dash?

[GregW / Oregon]

My battery voltage has been dropping a volt a day or more when undriven, enough that the clock setting is lost after a couple days. Took it into the dealer yesterday and they determined the battery is bad.

They were out of the M batteries, but new shipment in today. Service guy mentioned they've seen an unusual number of failures with these absorbed glass mat batteries. That's unusal since AGMs are known for their durability, freeze-resistance and low self-discharge rate (1-3% per month). They are also "deep cycle" and can be almost full recharged after being dead for 30 days or more.

[JCtx]

Originally Posted by AwesomeM3

It was meant as "said in agreement"

Word:
1) well said
2) said in agreement

Thanks a lot buddy. The smiley's face seem to mean otherwise .

Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon

Took it into the dealer yesterday and they determined the battery is bad.

At least you got a new battery. I wanted a new one after sat for a year before I bought it, but dealer refused. I've been diligently keeping it charged when not used, but I wonder if I'm extending its life enough for it to crap out right after warranty. No lights though. Didn't know it was AGM, which I think they're a bit less prone to sulfation. I'm probably going to remove it one of these days and check electrolyte level (yes, AGM is still considered a 'wet' battery ). The good news is in the trunk, they never get hot, so if level is correct, it should never get low, like under the hood. Take care.

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by elp_jc

I'm probably going to remove it one of these days and check electrolyte level (yes, AGM is still considered a 'wet' battery ). The good news is in the trunk, they never get hot, so if level is correct, it should never get low, like under the hood. Take care.

"Nearly all AGM batteries are "recombinant" - what that means is that the Oxygen and Hydrogen recombine INSIDE the battery. These use gas phase transfer of oxygen to the negative plates to recombine them back into water while charging and prevent the loss of water through electrolysis. The recombining is typically 99+% efficient, so almost no water is lost.

[TTBear]

Originally Posted by elp_jc

Hey, what the heck does that smiley mean? Can't quite figure out that one. But doesn't look nice .

[JCtx]

Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon

"Nearly all AGM batteries are "recombinant" - what that means is that the Oxygen and Hydrogen recombine INSIDE the battery. These use gas phase transfer of oxygen to the negative plates to recombine them back into water while charging and prevent the loss of water through electrolysis. The recombining is typically 99+% efficient, so almost no water is lost.

Aren't you confusing them with the gel ones??? The battery in our trunk has VENTED caps on top, plus a DRAIN TUBE, just like all motorcycle 'wet' batteries. Or maybe you're right about AGM, but our battery is NOT AGM? Thanks for your reply man.

Originally Posted by TTBear

.

Trying to be funny? Always a clown on every board. Ignored.

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by elp_jc

Aren't you confusing them with the gel ones??? The battery in our trunk has VENTED caps on top, plus a DRAIN TUBE, just like all motorcycle 'wet' batteries. Or maybe you're right about AGM, but our battery is NOT AGM? Thanks for your reply man.

My replacement battery, same as my original, says "Sealed Battery - Do Not Open!" No vent caps in sight.

[GregW / Oregon]

Got my battery replaced, fully paid, under goodwill warranty today. Interesting how much information they can pull from the computer on the history of your battery! Invoice:

98 MISC REPAIR

1 61-21-7-594-976 BATTERY, EAST PENN
(WARRANTY: 612010 (N/C)
21207 TECH 5065- P1: TESTED BATTERY USING MIDTRONICS TESTER AND BETTERY TESTED "GOOD, RECHARGE". P2: PERFORM SHORT TEST AND NO FAULTS ARE STORED, PERFORMED CLOSED-CIRCUIT CURRENT DRAW TEST PLAN, NO PROBLEMS FOUND, CLOSED-CIRCUIT CURRENT EVALUATION IS OK. CURRENT BATTERY CHARGE STATUS IS 40.63%. CHECKED CHARGE HISTOGRAM AND FOUND THAT THE BATTERY CHARGE STATUS WAS MOSTLY BETWEEN 40-80%, WITH 131 HOURS AT 20-40% AND 43 HOURS BETWEEN 80-100%. P3: CHARGED BATTERY THEN TESTED. BATTERY AGAIN TESTED "GOOD, RECHARGE". CHECKED BATTERY CHARGE STATUS WITH ISIS AND IT CURRENTLY READS 42.97%. P4: REPLACED BATTERY, GOODWILL REPAIR. REGISTERED BATTERY REPLACEMENT.

[TTBear]

Originally Posted by elp_jc

Trying to be funny? Always a clown on every board. Ignored.

Ummmmmmm, 'scuse me?

I was just trying to answer the question that YOU had posed! To refresh your memory, you asked what the smiley meant.

The pic I posted was simply to illustrate, graphically, what this smiley means. That's all. No disrespect intended.

"Word" (or "Werd" in the case of the picture), in conjunction with "Dawg", loosely translates to "I agree with you, my friend", but is VERY colloquial, obviously.

Don't get your knickers in a twist.

[Lotus99]

Originally Posted by tom @ eas

All e9x vehicles are equipped with an Intelligent Battery Sensor (IBS) on the negative terminal which turns off (as commanded by the DME) within 1-2 hours after engine shutdown.

If you do use the trickle charger, make sure it is directly on the battery terminals (in the trunk) rather than underneath the hood.

I believe this is incorrect / at least not what BMW says is acceptable. Perhaps it's because of the IBS hooked up at the battery?

Not only does my E60 manual say to only use the engine terminals, so does my E90 one:

Charging battery - Only charge the battery in the vehicle via the terminals in the engine compartment with the engine switched off.

[Endless619]

My X5 battery died today in the -15 degree weather. M3 still kicking strong like nothing happened. So replacing it tomorrow.

The extreme cold really puts a strain on these batteries.