Quick battery voltage drop? Could be your EDC module...

[jgbedford]

Lunker325, thank you for the prompt response.

I have noodled around and know the EDC module is in the trunk behind the carpet above the battery? I pulled back the carpet and there is a felt pad behind there - is there an easy way to access the module to just pull the plug, or do I need to unhook everything to peel the layers away to gain access? Carpet then felt?

[Helmsman]

Originally Posted by Jbedford

Lunker325, thank you for the prompt response.

I have noodled around and know the EDC module is in the trunk behind the carpet above the battery? I pulled back the carpet and there is a felt pad behind there - is there an easy way to access the module to just pull the plug, or do I need to unhook everything to peel the layers away to gain access? Carpet then felt?

Hi Bedford, unfortunately getting used to rip this apart in my E90, assume its similar in the coupe: Pull the plastic cover in the very rear of the boot (2 screws, handfull plastic bolts), in order to lose the carpet. 3-4 plastic bolts on the felt + the (right) metal ring in front of the boot. Wiggle out the carpet, no force needed in/out once you get the hang of it.
You find the module just above the battery. It was a little tricky to lose the dual wires/connections, sophisticated automotive speced stuff with a look mechanism, far from impossible though.
Nothing much to it really, specially after the first round...Good luck!

Edit: Just realized you got that far - good - believe you have to lose some holder or two before you can force the felt a bit in order to grab the module. A second guy helps.

[faustocg]

need some help guys!! welcome lights work all day without a problem,next day they don't work anymore it only interior and handle lights work , i have to remove the negative cable off the battery for they to work again it happens every day

[RedCardinal]

I finally swapped out my EDC after 2 years at least of occasional increased battery discharge warnings or even dead batteries.

I had replaced the battery twice and the IBS once. I brought it to a shop where they updated my software for $600, and told me the problem would go away because they couldn't see any evidence of a parasitic drain.

However immediately after I paid I walked out to the car, and it wouldn't open with comfort access, the first sign that I'd probably see the increased battery discharge warning, which I saw right before starting the car. I turned it off, went and got the mechanic, and as many have reported before me, the discharge warning was now cleared and there were no error messages. He went as far as to posit that "no one would make that up' which I took to mean "I think you're making that up."

Went home knowing there was no typical parasitic drain which gave me a burst of energy - one more thing to check off the list.

Then I found the threads on the EDC (I had been focusing on the alternator and maybe the door handles). That's when I noticed that my ignition button stays lit long after I turn the car off. THAT'S A BINGO.

According to the threads I'd read, that's typically an indication of an EDC malfunction.

So I bought a used one on ebay, plugged it in, coded it, and BOOM. Ignition button light (start button light for google searches) now going off within 30 or so seconds of locking the car.

I am outraged that they didn't do a recall on this - I've spent an incredible amount of time and a stupid amount of money troubleshooting this, when in the end it was around $100 used part plus figuring out how to access the fucking EDC in an e93 M, plus learning how to re-code it.

By the way, here is how I re-coded the EDC module and I don't know if it's a correct way: I simply read my original EDC, saved the file as a MAN file, then wrote that onto the used EDC.

[TomHudson]

Very interesting thread, thank you all for posting. I’m currently experiencing an infrequent parasitic loss as well. 12 hours sitting, my 1 year old battery is at 12 volts, won’t start and had to boost.

This gives me a great place to start for troubleshooting, will follow up with results

[TomHudson]

Question!

I’ve read that anyting above 12 volts on a resting battery is ok.

Unfortunately, I have no errors, but at a voltage of 12 to 12.2 the car won’t start and have to boost. BMW service checked my 1 year old battery, said it was fine.

Running, I’m well into the 14 volt range...

Any ideas?

[Mvy]

Originally Posted by TomHudson

Question!

I’ve read that anyting above 12 volts on a resting battery is ok.

Unfortunately, I have no errors, but at a voltage of 12 to 12.2 the car won’t start and have to boost. BMW service checked my 1 year old battery, said it was fine.

Running, I’m well into the 14 volt range...

Any ideas?

The other issue that is an actual recall is the battery cable gets loose behind the glovebox. Could be related to that since you are not losing charge.

[TomHudson]

I have done the recalls.
Just checked battery voltage, 12.11. Started no problem..

I’m leaning towards starter, after reading other posts.

[TomHudson]

Moderators, I can’t email pages.... any reason?

[RedCardinal]

Originally Posted by TomHudson

I have done the recalls.
Just checked battery voltage, 12.11. Started no problem..

I’m leaning towards starter, after reading other posts.

All I can add, after my experiences and the deep reading that goes along with troubleshooting a problem, is that the car should start at 12 volts.

What happens for you -- are there odd sounds (maybe clicking?), do the lights dim - the lights come on when you enter the car or no?

With a slow battery drain like the one I experienced with the what I'm going to all defective EDC module, the car would begin shutting down certain functions as the battery level dropped: For example, the comfort access wouldn't open the door when I touched it. The interior lights wouldn't come on. Uh, those are the only two I noticed I think. Well ok the car wouldn't start but the voltage was in the 11s at that point.

[RedCardinal]

Serious question: It's clear the EDC module is defective for many of us - think of all the people who must have this problem but don't post here. Is there any way to get BMW to offer us some kind of recompense? As I wrote in one of my posts, I spent a lot of time and some money trying to figure this out, my 2013 car being out of warranty. I feel like BMW is sticking it to us.

[TomHudson]

Finally won’t start at all...
Bypassed the grounding cable, still nothing ...
Looks like the starter is done.

Now I have to tow the fu**ing car, but can’t get it into neutral.
Shops are busy with fall/winter service, looking at least a week for an appointment.

800+ 200 core and 5 hours labor...

��

[Throatpunch]

Is there a fuse in the car than can render an edc offline so it doesnt drain the battery? The assumption here is that the edc was coded out already

Thanks