Battery is bad?? Battery discharge on AM cold starts. 1 code

5soko · 10-29-2013, 11:53 AM

Two mornings in a row now I am getting battery discharge messages.

This is the code im getting:

My car with the engine off was at around 12.3 volts and with the radio and ignition on, it fell to 11.8 volts..
With the car on its at 14volts..

This is the code im getting:

And this is my volts while driving..

GoRomeo · 10-29-2013, 12:09 PM

dude it will help if you first tell us that your issue is. Are you having low battery warnings?

Tiago@VRSF · 10-29-2013, 12:16 PM

The voltage while driving isn't important, that's just the reading you're getting from your alternator. If your having issues starting the car or if your battery is dying after very little use when the car is turned off, your battery is most likely on it's way out.

5soko · 10-29-2013, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoRomeo

dude it will help if you first tell us that your issue is. Are you having low battery warnings?

On my phone forgot to copy paste....

Im getting battery discharge warning in the morning when i start the car

fun2drive · 10-29-2013, 01:10 PM

Normal state is 12.6VDC and yours isn't cutting it.
It is battery time...

GoRomeo · 10-29-2013, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5soko

On my phone forgot to copy paste....

Im getting battery discharge warning in the morning when i start the car

there you go... Also shut off engine and leave radio on, how long does it stay on before its shuts itself off and get a low batt warning? Mine would stay on only about 2 min.

Most liekly is your battery. Try to use the defrost and REST features, I bet these dont work due to a low battery.

5soko · 10-29-2013, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fun2drive

Normal state is 12.6VDC and yours isn't cutting it.
It is battery time...

Would this be before i start the engine.. Like a cold start reading... Or after i have driven the car, shut off all electronics and get a reading?

I went to my mechanic earlier.. About a 5 mins drive.. Opened the trunk, locked the doors, and the car batt volt meter was 12.59v...

But like i mentioned the battery discharged icon only comes on in the mornings..

5soko · 10-29-2013, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoRomeo

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5soko

On my phone forgot to copy paste....

Im getting battery discharge warning in the morning when i start the car

there you go... Also shut off engine and leave radio on, how long does it stay on before its shuts itself off and get a low batt warning? Mine would stay on only about 2 min.

Most liekly is your battery. Try to use the defrost and REST features, I bet these dont work due to a low battery.

Thanks alot! Will give it a shot..

fun2drive · 10-29-2013, 09:38 PM

The only other situation I can think of is that you don't drive the car 20 minutes as required by BMW to keep the battery in a state of charge. If your commute is very short then you need to use a battery tender or CTEK to keep it charged or it will certainly kill your battery.

Meeni · 10-29-2013, 09:55 PM

The battery sounds dead. Don't do the radio experiments, there is a serious chance that it will kill it for good if it is already weak.

ChipB · 10-30-2013, 02:07 PM

This is a VERY common issue with these cars -if you take a trip of less than 20 minutes or so the alternatior doesn't have enough time to recharge the battery to make up for the juice consumed in starting the engine. If you drive less than 20 minutes as regular practice (for example if you have a ten minute commute, or use it for short trips to the store) after some time you will get the "excessive discharge" message. It's really poorly worded - it's not excessive discharge that's the problem but rather insufficient recharge. Put a battery tender on it overnight every so often, and/or go for a nice long 45 minute drive once or twice per week and it will go away. This is the only car I've ever had this issue in, and I've owned 4 BMWs, 5 Audis, and a host of others in my career.

Hiace · 10-30-2013, 02:16 PM

12.3 volts seems like the battery needs changing. I have the same kind of situation so I tried to revive my battery by loading it overnight with CTEK charger but it didn't work. Have to go to buy a new battery.

At least E90 needs coding with the new battery, even if the specs remain same. The battery reset will reset the charging etc. settings so the car know to adjust. Going to try that with my INPA and obd-cable.

Kotoma · 11-24-2013, 06:32 AM

Hi Hiace,
did you solve your battry problem?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChipB

This is a VERY common issue with these cars -if you take a trip of less than 20 minutes or so the alternatior doesn't have enough time to recharge the battery to make up for the juice consumed in starting the engine. If you drive less than 20 minutes as regular practice (for example if you have a ten minute commute, or use it for short trips to the store) after some time you will get the "excessive discharge" message. It's really poorly worded - it's not excessive discharge that's the problem but rather insufficient recharge. Put a battery tender on it overnight every so often, and/or go for a nice long 45 minute drive once or twice per week and it will go away. This is the only car I've ever had this issue in, and I've owned 4 BMWs, 5 Audis, and a host of others in my career.

ccbl · 12-30-2013, 02:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChipB

This is a VERY common issue with these cars -if you take a trip of less than 20 minutes or so the alternatior doesn't have enough time to recharge the battery to make up for the juice consumed in starting the engine. If you drive less than 20 minutes as regular practice (for example if you have a ten minute commute, or use it for short trips to the store) after some time you will get the "excessive discharge" message. It's really poorly worded - it's not excessive discharge that's the problem but rather insufficient recharge. Put a battery tender on it overnight every so often, and/or go for a nice long 45 minute drive once or twice per week and it will go away. This is the only car I've ever had this issue in, and I've owned 4 BMWs, 5 Audis, and a host of others in my career.

seems to be my exact problem. im glad i did the search and didnt have to make a whole new thread about it... this message only pops up when i leave it overnight after i get home from work and drive it the next morning. but very recently my comfort access stopped working but i can still unlock with the key fob. i will try to replace the battery on the key fob first but i think the issue is related to what was previously mentioned. i will look into a batter tender

MasterWang · 12-30-2013, 02:53 AM

Our oem batteries have life indicator on them I think.
Green = Good
Black = needs charge
Yellow = replace.

I think they call it the "magic eye"?

I never paid attention to that when my battery died last month.
My angel eyes stopped turning on when I unlocked the car, so thats how I knew it was time to replace.

10-29-2013, 11:53 AM	#1
5soko Brigadier General 333 Rep 4,632 Posts Drives: M5 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Brooklyn, NY iTrader: (4)	Battery is bad?? Battery discharge on AM cold starts. 1 code Two mornings in a row now I am getting battery discharge messages. This is the code im getting: My car with the engine off was at around 12.3 volts and with the radio and ignition on, it fell to 11.8 volts.. With the car on its at 14volts.. This is the code im getting: And this is my volts while driving.. __________________ Current: E63S AMG 4matic RENNtech \|\| M5 Evolve..Eventuri \|\| F10 LCI 535i MHD Last edited by 5soko; 10-29-2013 at 03:56 PM..
	Appreciate 0 Tweet Quote

10-29-2013, 12:09 PM	#2
GoRomeo Brigadier General 964 Rep 3,854 Posts Drives: 330i, 135i Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: San Diego CA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 BMW 135i [9.50] 2006 330i [6.75]	dude it will help if you first tell us that your issue is. Are you having low battery warnings?
	Appreciate 0 Quote

10-29-2013, 12:16 PM	#3
Tiago@VRSF 2095 Rep 43,350 Posts Drives: F90 M5 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Doral, FL iTrader: (99) Garage List 2014 F30 328xi [0.00] 2015 F82 BMW M4 [0.00] 2013 Ducati 1199 Pa ... [0.00] 2008 BMW 335i [0.00]	The voltage while driving isn't important, that's just the reading you're getting from your alternator. If your having issues starting the car or if your battery is dying after very little use when the car is turned off, your battery is most likely on it's way out.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

10-29-2013, 01:10 PM	#5
fun2drive BMWCCA 149159 38 Rep 847 Posts Drives: 13 128i Vert/ 14 JGC Diesel Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Florida Panhandle iTrader: (1)	Normal state is 12.6VDC and yours isn't cutting it. It is battery time...
	Appreciate 0 Quote

10-29-2013, 09:38 PM	#9
fun2drive BMWCCA 149159 38 Rep 847 Posts Drives: 13 128i Vert/ 14 JGC Diesel Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Florida Panhandle iTrader: (1)	The only other situation I can think of is that you don't drive the car 20 minutes as required by BMW to keep the battery in a state of charge. If your commute is very short then you need to use a battery tender or CTEK to keep it charged or it will certainly kill your battery.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

10-29-2013, 09:55 PM	#10
Meeni Gateropode 329 Rep 2,848 Posts Drives: BMW 330i 06 Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: TN iTrader: (0)	The battery sounds dead. Don't do the radio experiments, there is a serious chance that it will kill it for good if it is already weak.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

10-30-2013, 02:07 PM	#11
ChipB First Lieutenant 54 Rep 373 Posts Drives: 2015 M4 'vert, 2014 X5 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Naperville, IL iTrader: (0)	This is a VERY common issue with these cars -if you take a trip of less than 20 minutes or so the alternatior doesn't have enough time to recharge the battery to make up for the juice consumed in starting the engine. If you drive less than 20 minutes as regular practice (for example if you have a ten minute commute, or use it for short trips to the store) after some time you will get the "excessive discharge" message. It's really poorly worded - it's not excessive discharge that's the problem but rather insufficient recharge. Put a battery tender on it overnight every so often, and/or go for a nice long 45 minute drive once or twice per week and it will go away. This is the only car I've ever had this issue in, and I've owned 4 BMWs, 5 Audis, and a host of others in my career. __________________ F83 M4 convertible, F15 X5 xDrive35i Previous: E93 335i, E36 328iC, E28 528e, E21 320i
	Appreciate 0 Quote

10-30-2013, 02:16 PM	#12
Hiace Finnish Flash 19 Rep 55 Posts Drives: E91 335i Performance Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Finland iTrader: (0)	12.3 volts seems like the battery needs changing. I have the same kind of situation so I tried to revive my battery by loading it overnight with CTEK charger but it didn't work. Have to go to buy a new battery. At least E90 needs coding with the new battery, even if the specs remain same. The battery reset will reset the charging etc. settings so the car know to adjust. Going to try that with my INPA and obd-cable.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

12-30-2013, 02:53 AM	#15
MasterWang Captain 136 Rep 925 Posts Drives: F06 M6 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Overland Park, KS iTrader: (2)	Our oem batteries have life indicator on them I think. Green = Good Black = needs charge Yellow = replace. I think they call it the "magic eye"? I never paid attention to that when my battery died last month. My angel eyes stopped turning on when I unlocked the car, so thats how I knew it was time to replace.
	Appreciate 0 Quote