COVID-19 and my car battery

W12x · 04-12-2020, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by storM3trooper

My indie gave me this when I said my car sits an entire week sometimes more if I don't get a chance to drive it weekends. Guess now is a good time to use it.

I have a larger genius charger, great stuff and priced reasonably too IMO

PirelliCondoms · 04-20-2020, 05:58 PM

Not trying to hijack this thread.... but my 09' E90 M3 recently has been in a terrible downward spiral of electrical issues. First a srs code about the front seat occupancy sensor, then yesterday an ABS, TC, and Brake light. Today the EDC! i feel like this is all battery related. About a year ago I replaced the battery and alternator but I was at a racing event and never got the battery registered. Could that cause these issues? Had the battery tested at 985cca and 12.7V, 14.5V while it was on. help?

jvictormp · 04-20-2020, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PirelliCondoms

Not trying to hijack this thread.... but my 09' E90 M3 recently has been in a terrible downward spiral of electrical issues. First a srs code about the front seat occupancy sensor, then yesterday an ABS, TC, and Brake light. Today the EDC! i feel like this is all battery related. About a year ago I replaced the battery and alternator but I was at a racing event and never got the battery registered. Could that cause these issues? Had the battery tested at 985cca and 12.7V, 14.5V while it was on. help?

I have that too.

SRS, ABS, TC, EDC. Brake Light not.

My battery is 1 year old, AGM. I don't have a clue.

Flying Ace · 04-23-2020, 01:25 AM

So long as your battery stay isolated and wash its hands before it eats it should be fine

georgebmwM3 · 05-19-2020, 08:31 PM

I have a CTEK. Battery is original on a 2008 M3 with 2865 miles. I don't know how much longer it's got, but its still holding a charge as of today.

TX · 05-20-2020, 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by georgebmwM3

I have a CTEK. Battery is original on a 2008 M3 with 2865 miles. I don't know how much longer it's got, but its still holding a charge as of today.

Please tell me that car has been driven more miles than 2,865. Shame!!!!
So also, if you're sitting on a 12 year old battery, please tell me you changed the oil in the last 12 years?

akkando · 05-20-2020, 12:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TX

Quote:

Originally Posted by georgebmwM3

I have a CTEK. Battery is original on a 2008 M3 with 2865 miles. I don't know how much longer it's got, but its still holding a charge as of today.

Please tell me that car has been driven more miles than 2,865. Shame!!!!
So also, if you're sitting on a 12 year old battery, please tell me you changed the oil in the last 12 years?

BMW says 15k miles so he should be good at 2800 miles. /s

georgebmwM3 · 05-20-2020, 07:25 PM

This is my 2nd M3 and one of a long series of BMWs I've driven since 1985. Started with an E30. This one is special though. Oil and all services are done by the dealer as recommended, each year.

anselmw · 05-31-2020, 08:25 PM

I just had the same thing happen to my m3. Had not driven it for three weeks and forgot to put on tender. It is the original battery so 9 years old now so was going to get a new battery but said why not try the Schumacher battery charger. Pretty sure a tender would have taken too long. After a few hours. Battery is back to normal voltage. Now need to drive it more or remember to put on the tender.

Grip Addict · 06-05-2020, 10:21 PM

redvitesse · 06-10-2020, 02:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Quote:

Originally Posted by mvolps22

With all the quarantining going on I haven't been driving much, and in the last 4 or 5 weeks I've gotten the low battery alert with a reset of my clock and tripometer three times. My battery is 6.75 years old, is it worth spending $100 on a CTEK trickle charger at that age to see how long the battery will last or just spend the $200 on a replacement battery? I guess option 3 is when i start driving regularly could the battery charge back up? I read a little bit that AGM batteries act a little differently and if you're getting discharge errors driving and charging with the alternator may not make a real difference.

Mate .Buy the CTEK . I have mine already 8 years and my car is a garage queen !

Quote:

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Quote:

Originally Posted by mvolps22

With all the quarantining going on I haven't been driving much, and in the last 4 or 5 weeks I've gotten the low battery alert with a reset of my clock and tripometer three times. My battery is 6.75 years old, is it worth spending $100 on a CTEK trickle charger at that age to see how long the battery will last or just spend the $200 on a replacement battery? I guess option 3 is when i start driving regularly could the battery charge back up? I read a little bit that AGM batteries act a little differently and if you're getting discharge errors driving and charging with the alternator may not make a real difference.

Mate .Buy the CTEK . I have mine already 8 years and my car is a garage queen !

Add to it that you can run recondition program with the C tech once a year no brainer. 2011 32k mile garage queen here with the original battery. My Autel shows battery status of charge consistently over 85% after the 1st week of use out of winter slumber.

redvitesse · 06-10-2020, 02:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jvictormp

Quote:

Originally Posted by PirelliCondoms

Not trying to hijack this thread.... but my 09' E90 M3 recently has been in a terrible downward spiral of electrical issues. First a srs code about the front seat occupancy sensor, then yesterday an ABS, TC, and Brake light. Today the EDC! i feel like this is all battery related. About a year ago I replaced the battery and alternator but I was at a racing event and never got the battery registered. Could that cause these issues? Had the battery tested at 985cca and 12.7V, 14.5V while it was on. help?

I have that too.

SRS, ABS, TC, EDC. Brake Light not.

My battery is 1 year old, AGM. I don't have a clue.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Quote:

Originally Posted by mvolps22

With all the quarantining going on I haven't been driving much, and in the last 4 or 5 weeks I've gotten the low battery alert with a reset of my clock and tripometer three times. My battery is 6.75 years old, is it worth spending $100 on a CTEK trickle charger at that age to see how long the battery will last or just spend the $200 on a replacement battery? I guess option 3 is when i start driving regularly could the battery charge back up? I read a little bit that AGM batteries act a little differently and if you're getting discharge errors driving and charging with the alternator may not make a real difference.

Mate .Buy the CTEK . I have mine already 8 years and my car is a garage queen !

Quote:

Originally Posted by PirelliCondoms

Not trying to hijack this thread.... but my 09' E90 M3 recently has been in a terrible downward spiral of electrical issues. First a srs code about the front seat occupancy sensor, then yesterday an ABS, TC, and Brake light. Today the EDC! i feel like this is all battery related. About a year ago I replaced the battery and alternator but I was at a racing event and never got the battery registered. Could that cause these issues? Had the battery tested at 985cca and 12.7V, 14.5V while it was on. help?

Short answer...yes. You should have someone with a good diagnostic system check battery condition and register the battery since the on-board battery management system will show last new battery registration and current state of the battery along with adjusting how the system charges the battery. While not a definitive, your symptoms are often attributed to an un registered new battery.

georgebmwM3 · 08-16-2020, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redvitesse

Add to it that you can run recondition program with the C tech once a year no brainer. 2011 32k mile garage queen here with the original battery. My Autel shows battery status of charge consistently over 85% after the 1st week of use out of winter slumber.

At 12 years old, I finally broke down and got a new one yesterday. I guess I could have tried it longer but after reading these forums, I decided it was too risky to cause electrical issues. I used CTEK as a charger over these years and will continue with the new one.

04-20-2020, 05:58 PM	#24
PirelliCondoms New Member 0 Rep 9 Posts Drives: 2x E46 M3, E90 M3, G07 40i Join Date: Apr 2020 Location: VA iTrader: (0)	Not trying to hijack this thread.... but my 09' E90 M3 recently has been in a terrible downward spiral of electrical issues. First a srs code about the front seat occupancy sensor, then yesterday an ABS, TC, and Brake light. Today the EDC! i feel like this is all battery related. About a year ago I replaced the battery and alternator but I was at a racing event and never got the battery registered. Could that cause these issues? Had the battery tested at 985cca and 12.7V, 14.5V while it was on. help?
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04-23-2020, 01:25 AM	#26
Flying Ace Lieutenant General 4985 Rep 11,891 Posts Drives: G05 45e, 997.1 & 991.1 GT3s Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: SF, CA iTrader: (5)	So long as your battery stay isolated and wash its hands before it eats it should be fine __________________ 22 Phytonic/Coffee X5 45e (CoVID-free) 08 Speed Yellow 911 GT3 Sharkwerks 12 AW/Cinnamon X5d Sports Pkg (retired) 14 AW/Beige M6GC ZCP, MPE, V2 steering wheel, vorsteiner (retired) 08 SSII/Black E90 M3 (retired)
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05-19-2020, 08:31 PM	#27
georgebmwM3 First Lieutenant 304 Rep 307 Posts Drives: 2008 BMW M3 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: PA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 BMW M3 [9.00] 2017 Camaro ZL1 [0.00]	I have a CTEK. Battery is original on a 2008 M3 with 2865 miles. I don't know how much longer it's got, but its still holding a charge as of today.
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05-20-2020, 07:25 PM	#30
georgebmwM3 First Lieutenant 304 Rep 307 Posts Drives: 2008 BMW M3 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: PA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 BMW M3 [9.00] 2017 Camaro ZL1 [0.00]	This is my 2nd M3 and one of a long series of BMWs I've driven since 1985. Started with an E30. This one is special though. Oil and all services are done by the dealer as recommended, each year.
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05-31-2020, 08:25 PM	#31
anselmw Lieutenant 76 Rep 422 Posts Drives: 2001 M Coupe Join Date: May 2012 Location: East Bay, CA iTrader: (0)	I just had the same thing happen to my m3. Had not driven it for three weeks and forgot to put on tender. It is the original battery so 9 years old now so was going to get a new battery but said why not try the Schumacher battery charger. Pretty sure a tender would have taken too long. After a few hours. Battery is back to normal voltage. Now need to drive it more or remember to put on the tender. __________________ 2011 M3 Sedan 2001 M Coupe 2020 Macan Turbo 2018 GT3
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06-05-2020, 10:21 PM	#32
Grip Addict Banned 1080 Rep 713 Posts Drives: ///M3 Join Date: Jun 2018 Location: PA iTrader: (9)
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