bmw alternator draining battery However, it's not being caused by any fuses; a few wires are connected to the positive terminal and the one causing the 2. The following week the as I was driving the car started loosing power. While your engine runs, the alternator recharges the battery — which is why you typically don’t have to worry about the battery dying while you’re blasting the radio on your drive to work! But when the engine is off, the alternator can’t recharge the battery, allowing little electrical mishaps to drain your battery entirely. There are usually two things that cause the battery light to come on after a battery replacement. 75V and when I start the car I get around 13. At the time, the Champaign resident thought he was buying a well-made luxury machine. Sometimes when the alternator goes bad, it can drain the battery overnight, since its directly wired to the battery. Bob further explained that one of the Diodes inside the Alternator could be shorted, causing the drain on the Battery, but the Alternator would still put out 12 Volts, and therefor pass the Voltage Output Test, however it could not put out full Current, and would fail the Current Load Test, IF the Shop actually ran that Test. The result was the alternator was draining the battery even while the car was not on. I took the car back to Autozone to have the alternator and battery checked. Last night after the truck sat for two days, the battery was dead and took 10 mins to get a charge enough to start with jumper cables and a friends Honda Civic. Just using a trickle charger and a serious Noco booster just on case. Atlantic Motorcar Center Service (207) 882-9969 But, given the rapidly advancing battery technology with expected significant drop in price of hybrid-size battery pack, it seems that a mild hybrid like Honda's IMA scheme with small battery pack (0. ) . Read the voltmeter. CAN ALTERNATOR DRAIN KILL BATTERYIf you have BMW 7 series E65, E66, F01 that has battery drain that kills your battery when yo Another common problem that causes BMW battery and alternator warning is a faulty BSD BMW module, typically mounted on the alternator. The battery would drain after 2 weeks. 3. 1v giving a total of 12. An alternator with a good diode allows current to flow in one direction. I need you to first check if the battery is charging. The drain on your battery is the ALWAYS POWERED field coils. An alternator for BMW 325i has an output that falls between 13. Once the car is running, the alternator sends current back to recharge the battery as you drive. At that rate it would only take about 11 hours to drain the battery 10%. 5a. When I measured this morning, about 8 hours later, it was down to 12. 6? weird things can happen but yea a diode in the alternator can go bad and drain your battery dead if all your fuses are good civic939 Drive Fast Or Die Another quick check. Second, a battery drain is is not necessarily related to a charging system not working. Even if you haven’t planned on driving, you’ll need take a spin in your vehicle 2 or 3 times a week, to keep the battery topped up. I'm on the 3rs battery this month! I've fad it checked for alternator and it's not that, it's definately not the battery and after reading a few forums I tried taking the second fuse out (rad fan) from under hood fuse box and hey presto no battery drain. It is a common misconception that remote starting your vehicle will charge your car battery. Jump to Latest Follow 1 - 11 of 11 Posts. An auto battery supplies a big electric charge that travels through the starting system and turns some gears to start the car. 1. Parasitic Drain Another common problem is Parasitic Drain. I would then recommend an iVolt battery pack as a vast majority of BMW's (we don't have a listing of models) seem to have the Battery Management System which may well flag up a Battery Drain on the Dash although you wouldn't actually get a flat battery as the camera still will shut down when the Set Voltage level is reached. Anyone know what voltage should be pumped out by the alternator? On the issue of parasitic drain, I measured the battery voltage last night and it was 12. Re: Battery drain being caused by alternator desperately need help!! Just went outside to piddle with the car some more. I have replaced the battery and alternator 3 times. 8 and 14. 9 may not be enough to maintain the battery at 12. Bad connections at the alternator and at the battery can act like a bad alternator so all of the connections should be checked first. Lock the car and wait a minute, then the red light should have gone out on the Nav unit and you can remove the negative terminal. This drain is all from the EEC-IV computer memory. INNOVA 6100Plus obd2 scanner provides battery & alternator tests to check the performance of a vehicle's charging system. It's not built to charge heavily a discharged battery or dead batteries. Crack the key and measure the voltage. 0si with 60k miles (i know a lot of ppl are getting this) today i went to the mechanic shop and taking a inspection the result is i need to replace a alternator i have a few choice that i can do 1. 0SI hi guys i got the High Battery Drain warning few months ago from my 2008 bmw X5 3. When your car is running the alternator helps to power the different electrical systems in your car and keep your battery charged. Discussion. A good electrical system battery drain. You rush into your car, and it won't start. In theory, this is true - but at lower RPMS, the alternator is only charging the battery enough to keep the battery alive. Have checked battery, alternator, and ground connections. Hi Guys, Got an E36 here and it drains the battery daily, Went out today at 1 and jumped it via a booster pack and left her run for a while and then knocked it off, gave it 5 mins and it started again on it's own power. 1A Auto shows you how, step by step! Avoid draining the battery. Therefore, the alternator is shot. If the battery dies and can't be re-charged due to their device, the insurance SHOULD replace the battery for you, but depending on your coverage, they might try to make a claim against your comprehensive coverage - which goes against your claim history even I'm having issues with my battery keeping a charge. Connect a VOM to the battery and confirm the alternator is charging the battery. Start the engine and carefully check voltage again. The alternator in your vehicle is designed to charge the battery after slight discharging such as starting the engine. It should read around 12. Just went out there and it's flatter than a flat thing. I thought most car batteries were rated around 12. Start the engine and operate it at a fast idle of around 1,500 rpm or so. 34 at about 9:45 pm. If the battery doesn't have enough voltage, either get the battery charged and re-test or try a different method for checking the alternator. If you see higher readings, chances are the alternator is good. battery is good and the alternator is This does not sound like a battery or alternator problem. You still have to test it for a shorted diode that could bleed current through it when the engine is off, and kill the battery. 3v), but when I measure amperage at same point I get 1. a few days later, the warning message returned - BMW did some further testing and traced the problems to the main cabling that ran to the Hi Folks - I have a question about a draining battery on my 96 r1100rt. Remove the drain plug on the driver's side bottom of the radiator; Drain the coolant and remove the coolant hoses; Loose the belt tensioner; Unhook the battery +/- connections; Unbolt and remove old alternator; Take the wires off the new alternator BMW owners can now understand why the BMW E46 alternator voltage regulator is so important. Common problems that trigger BMW battery warning light include: Battery - In most cases, a car battery lasts anywhere from 3 to 5 years. Turned out one of the power adjustable seats was drawing a 6 amp pulse of current every second or two. Try turning off all the lights and other systems that can drain your battery. I assuming this is because of the electronic/computer powering up ( I am guessing) Once this initial surge is gone there seems to be a small 20mA drain. give it a good run and try again, the other thing to do is measure how much loasd-draw is on the battery with the engine off. I took it to BMW and they checked the electrical system and said nothing was draining power, the fuses were OK and the recharging system was fine. The two terminals will be in-line like -- instead of ||. You Must Drive Your Vehicle 2 – 3 Times a Week. While your engine runs, the alternator recharges the battery — which is why you typically don’t have to worry about the battery dying while you’re blasting the radio on your drive to work! But when the engine is off, the alternator can’t recharge the battery, allowing little electrical mishaps to drain your battery entirely. BMW IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2010 5-SERIES, MODEL YEAR 2004-2010 6-SERIES, MODEL YEAR 2006-2010 M5, AND MODEL YEAR 2007-2010 M6 VEHICLES. When it starts to fail, all sorts of problems will occur and it's vital you get it replaced as soon as possible. If I disconnect the alternator lead to the battery will this stop the drain? I am getting 2. This often happens overnight. Ask the mechanic to connect a volt meter and monitor voltage while driving with all power accessories on, like rear defroster, heated seats, lights etc. With the engine stopped, disconnect the alternators output wire and measure the current losses, if any, between it and the disconnected wire to see if there is current flowing back to the alternator. Have the alternator checked. Connect the low current amp clamp to the negative battery cable. Alternator is gone. 8 volts, meaning your battery remains fully charged, and yet there's still enough energy to power your ride's entire electrical system. The BMW Intelligent Battery Sensor (IBS) is a mechanical/electronic device which is connected directly to the negative battery terminal. 6v, and borderline is 11. THE INSULATED BULKHEAD CONNECTOR FOR THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE MAY HAVE BEEN INCORRECTLY ATTACHED TO THE TRUNK FLOOR PANEL, WHICH CAN LEAD TO A LOOSENING OF THE BOLT CONNECTION. com When the alternator can no longer charge the battery, you may park your vehicle and not be able to start it. This is especially true in late-model vehicles with their more sophisticated internal diagnostic systems. At first i thought i had a short or mixed up wires somewhere so I started popping fused but the battery was still fully draining with an empty fuse box. Furthermore, can a bad fuse cause battery drain? When the circuit transmits too much electricity, the fuse heats up, then "pops", not allowing anymore electricity to flow. When this unit shorts out it can create a draw on the system, to check for this problem wait until the engine is cold, next locate the alternator and feel it with your hand to check for warmth, if the alternator is warm with a possible burning smell there is an internal The alternator is in the position shown as a battery in these diagrams. Signs the Alternator has Failed: You can often hear a growling sound right before your alternator goes out. Start pulling fuses until the drain goes away, and then you've narrowed it down to the system that is causing the drain. Just search for 'battery drain' and you should be able to find it. Your car may also throw off warning lights as indicators of these issues. the alternator was put about 7 mi ths ago from What Can Drain A Car Battery? Many of us wonder what causes car battery to drain. As your standard battery will be able to supply heaps of power before the voltage goes down to 12V, the car itself will sense the current drain way ahead of the voltage drop. had the same high rate of battery discharge warning in my previous E60, a 530i. start disconnecting power from one item at a time and see if the voltage draw changes. Note that in each case the polarity of the drain-source connection is the opposite of what is used in practice. Average is 12mA. 6 in a few minutes after you switch off, you probably have a bad battery. An alternator with a good diode allows current to flow in one direction. Two days later it was completely drained. Red battery light comes on when the battery is not charging. If you’ve suffered a dead battery and both the battery and charging systems check out, it’s time to perform a parasitic drain test. If your vehicle is drawing power from the battery and all of the lights and other electrical components are off, you might have a parasitic battery drain (or draw). The alternator tested good but the battery keeps dying? Test the battery, if it checks out ok, then there is something else draining the battery. I’m literally at a bmw certified mechanic as I type this having my battery drain issue resolved for my 05’ 645 it’s 1 of 2 possibilities Either the I. 5-12. The recommended method is to connect the camera to a switched source of power or install a separate small lead acid battery to power the camera 24/7 but only charges back It's not the battery; something is drawing current from & draining your battery while it's parked. This loading was probably not possible except for the poor battery. BMW 3-Series with Bosch Alternator with 133mm (5 1/4") Diameter Alternator Case 1995, Remanufactured Alternator by Denso®. A properly functioning battery and alternator are paramount to proper vehicle operation. 0si with 60k miles (i know a lot of ppl are getting this) today i went to the mechanic shop and taking a inspection the result is i need to replace a alternator i have a few choice that i can do 1. 0a and investigate any over 0. wait approx 16 mins check to see if the orange led on gear shift has gone out if so car is in sleep mode. 2 volts if the alternator is healthy and charging the battery. ). 2V, so I'm happy that the alternator is charging the battery. Always check the voltage of your charging system under load, voltage should be within 13. Welcome to the jungle of shit,,,,yes the beautiful mess of wiring and hoses under that engine cover on a N63,,,,customer said battery discharge light was on,,,,some other dealer replaced the battery and didn't register the battery to the car,,,,so I check fault and found the alternator not charging,,,,the alternator lost the BSD signal,,,,if you look… Measure the current flow from the battery to the alternator (Alternator battery drain test) The alternator battery drain test may require a qualified mechanic. Use a large battery if possible. 35 Alternator draining battery. If this is the case the voltage will typically be between 13. The actual drain may be small, but over time the battery grows steadily weaker. Hook an ammeter in series with the battery to measure drain. The instrument cluster appeared to be causing the issue. What in the alternator is Other thing to check is how many amps the alternator is producing. I take it to my indy mechanic -- he spends a week dicking around, testing. The engine refuses to power on, and the lights don't comply. When this happens, it may keep the charging circuit on after the vehicle engine is shut off , which will cause the battery to drain . Obviously, batteries sometimes fail on their own--but a bad alternator can actually cause the battery to drain because it's failing to recharge it. Order your alternator through AutoZone now at the right cost and enjoy Same Day Store Pickup. If your battery goes dead, have the alternator checked when replacing the battery so it doesn't happen again. About BMW Alternator. Videos you watch may be added to the TV's watch history and BMW owner befuddled by battery that keeps draining The fact that every battery that's been in the car has discharged to the "no-start" point in just a few days indicates the parasitic current draw BMW E65 E66 F01 BATTERY DRAIN. I believe the way to test that is to disconnect the battery, then disconnect the positive cable from the alternator. If you need a professional to install your new alternator, budget between $300 and $500, depending on your car. Multiply the drain (in amps) by the time (in hours) the battery sits without being recharged. if thats not it it could be the seat. Procedure Highlights Disconnected negative battery cable and measured voltage between cable and battery post and got full battery voltage (12. It is possible that the problem is not in the alternator itself, but the other components that run it. If the car won't start directly after driving, I'd suspect the charging system. I bought my BMW 520 (first registration Sep 01) in Nov 2008. If you leave your door open and the inside lights stay on all night you could drain the battery down till the car won't start. An alternator with a good diode allows current to flow in one direction. This draining is worse if it is cold. I do have a passenger front door comfort access tag handle carrier service message. 535i often won't start; dealer, BMW North America say problem due to owner habits. With a 4 mA draw, the standard BMW 19 Ah battery will last 198 days or 6. conect amp meter at battery close all doors. Lights and heaters are the biggest threats for flattening a Alternator isn't good, only the voltage output is good. Additional problems that can cause this issue include. Pop the boot and use the key to clip the boot look closed. The IBS contains a micro-processor that is used to monitor/measure various battery conditions such as: Terminal voltage via measurement from B+ to Gnd, Charge/discharge current via Alternators with bad diodes can cause battery drain. The new battery will become overcharged as the car still thinks the old battery is installed. If the voltage drops dramatically, or below 13. 1 - 4 of 4 Posts. if it is not obvious whet is staying on, remove fuses one buy one and see when the current draw goes down. I understand that it could be the alternator diodes. The cheap fix was to take a fuse out and only put it in when the seat needed adjusting. 2v Disconnect the ground (negative) lead to the battery (electronic devices in the car will loose status when battery is unplugged, so you will need radio code for example), connect the positive (Red) meter probe to the negative thick wire to the battery, and connect the negative (Black) probe of the meter to the negative battery post. What you should do is to unhook the ground on your battery and hook up your voltmeter between the negative terminal and ground. 9 is ok, again its on the lower limit, your battery will have 6 cells each cell should be 2. 02V) If you read about 12V, you have a circuit draining the battery. There is no way for power to flow between your two battery systems so you can’t accidentally drain the starter battery. First Time Fit. Car has been sitting for about 1. Luckily, you can usually find the cause of a parasitic draw yourself. We will demonstrate how to test alternator diodes on N52 engine that has been used in BMW Z4 E85 and E89 generation. it could just be about anything. I have heard of BMW radios on their motorcycles which drained the battery quickly, but that was a long time ago - I would have expected such problems to be dead and buried by now. Here is why new battery-ECU matching is required each time you replace the battery in your BMW. If the connections are fine, it is still not charging then the alternator will more than likely need to be replaced. The alternator has a grounding cable connected to the frame of the car. Then start the engine and check for increased voltage readings. If you leave your car in park or idle for too long, though with electrical drains, you will see a significant loss of power from your battery, resulting in a drained or flat battery. Most circuits should be 0. Battery Isolators eliminate multi-battery drain when two or more battery banks are in a charging system. This is where something is draining the battery whilst the car/ignition is switched off. I have a CTEK monitoring thing and I can perfectly see the drain, gremlins BMW X5 E70 HELP will a alternator from 2011 BMW X5 35SI work in 2008 BMW X5 3. I brought back the battery and they replaced it and this time they checked it and said it was good. The alternator itself can drain a battery if a diode gets leaky. Start by connecting a digital multimeter to the negative battery terminal of your vehicle. An alternator with a good diode allows current to flow in one direction. im using a stock alternator from an 89 iroc which is a 4 pin plug I believe but I only have the main battery cable running to the stud of coarse and one ignition wire running to the 4wire plug. Multimeter reads 14v for a few seconds, then it drops and idles around 13. Then take your voltmeter and attach it across the battery terminals (red to + and black to -). The battery light is an indication of a weak or dying battery, so you should try to prevent it from draining completely. 2011 19:27 Battery or alternator: what’s causing the problem? Starting and running an engine, in its simplest form, is a three-step process. An alternator with a good diode allows current to flow in one direction. I have a one wire, internally regulated, alternator and as soon I unhook the red wire which go to the battery my drain goes away. My neighbor’s BMW had the same symptom. The alternator is a key component in running the electrical systems in your car. Sure enough, the NEW battery was draining, and the worker confirmed that the alternator must be the culprit after all. 6 i would hazard a guess that the 13. Although the car will run with no noticeable issues when the alternator output is between 11 and 13 volts, it will not charge a battery to full capacity. I had a duff alternator discovered it was at fault after using the car at night with headlights on, next day battery flat. Alternator with air cooling: Unfasten screw connection on oil-filter housing. I'm having repeated issues with battery drain on my 2003 MG TF. Modern cars are packed with energy sapping technology, which, if left on, will work to drain the battery very quickly. Battery load test is fine. 0i M54) for about 4 months. The primary reason why BMW develop the new way of regulating the charging performance by reset of BMW computer after battery change is about to improve the engine performance of the vehicle. My 98 draws 3. An alternator with a good diode allows current to flow in one direction. John Bergee paid almost $45,000 last fall for his used 2008 BMW 535i sedan. What the Battery & Alternator Do. In this case, your battery is always weak because your car accessories now draw energy from the battery instead of the alternator, thus, draining and leaving it empty. Last few weeks been getting occasional message "increased battery drain while stopped" and between 1-3% vampire drain on the HV battery while parked for 8 hours during my work shift. To solve this they sold me an alternator but when I got home and got the new alternator out of the box it had a label stating that the regulator was external to the alternator, so I took it back and did a little research, which revealed that the regulator was in the PCM. That should now measure a level of discharge. They said it failed their tests. Some of the most common reasons for a car battery to die repeatedly include loose or corroded battery connections, persistent electrical drains, charging problems, constantly demanding more power than the alternator can provide, and even extreme weather. Here’s an example: A vehicle with a 30 mA drain and a fully-charged 70 RC battery will last 3 weeks. Brand new battery, cold engine, cranks over and starts just fine. When this happens, it may keep the charging circuit on after the vehicle engine is shut off , which will cause the battery to drain . This superior product was elaborately designed and meticulously manufactured to I have a curious battery drain problem and am unable to locate the fault. If the car’s alternator is constantly running, driven by the engine via a drive belt to keep the battery charged up, that would mean a continuous load is being placed on the engine. First, the battery delivers a jolt of electricity to the starter. If you're too busy during the workweek and can't get to it until you're off, some short term fixes are to disconnect the battery at night, and carry a portable jump starter in your vehicle. 6V and 12. In order to potentially save yourself time, it is wise to test the battery prior to the alternator. Who can register or program a BMW battery? Any BMW dealership will be able to program or register your new BMW battery as well as authorized BMW shops. Contrary to popular belief, there are quite a few things that can happen which lead to drained batteries even if you already equipped the best rated car batteries. Here are the steps for alternator replacement of BMW X5. Any insights you experts may have are welcome! Here is the story: I have replaced the battery 3 times in the past year, first 2 times with the standard BMW wet battery, last time with a sealed, maintainance free battery. Both the battery and the alternator have to be in great shape if you’ve got any extra electronic accessories in your car. The fuse in and of itself cannot be the cause of the power drain. Ensure that your battery is set, as per Sutripta's post: 6. If it doesn't, use Tom's drain test. . There does to seem to be a drain: Initially when connecting the gnd to the battery an amp or two if I recall. To troubleshoot your BMW battery problems, start by checking the charging system to determine if the battery and alternator function properly. I then switched the battery from the 325i into our other BMW to try and remove the battery from the problem. I know from working on many BMW E28 models that anything typically over 40mA will drain the battery in several days, depending on battery age and condition. Remove alternator drive belt, refer to 11 28 010. Some of these problems are enough to kill a battery on their own, while others are usually coupled with a battery that is already weak or on its last legs. Set to say 20volts then with the engine off put the neg and pos connectors from the multi meter to the neg and pos terminals on the battery. In this case to 14. You need to drive it to the place charging it and have them test the car while running and they can tell you if the alternator is working or not. Q. It should read around 12v. 0SI hi guys i got the High Battery Drain warning few months ago from my 2008 bmw X5 3. Unusual Sounds An alternator has many spinning parts that make strange sounds when one of them starts to malfunction. A belt that's loose can lessen the output of the alternator and run down the car's battery as well. I suspect that maybe the inbuilt regulator has a fault and is draining your battery. 3 is a little low, 13. 2: 14. Switch off. BMW X1 BATTERY DEAD WHEN CAR PARKED. -SIB # 61 09 00 – Replacement of Battery Isolation Switch E38 M73TU-SIB # 61 10 00 – Replacement of Vehicle Battery on E38 M73TU-SIB # 84 06 00 – Retrofitting Adaptor Cable for MK II Plus . Before you travel every spring, it is always advisable to have your BMW alternator tested as part of a complete starting, charging and battery test. Reply Reply Author. If your alternator is not charging, your battery will not recharge with the car running. 12. The load on the engine, albeit relatively small, does add up over the many hours you operate the car, day in and day out. J. My 1989 Mustang LX, after I changed a bad alternator diode, now has about 1. It's a very thirsty business, charging batteries. BMW Battery Related Recalls For reason faulty battery-cable connection in the trunk, BMW recalled 2004 to 2010 BMW 5 Series and 6 Series. I finally traced the drain to the alternator the other day. This battery is draining at a rate of 4. The battery goes dead if the car is not started every three days. Your problem was probably not the battery nor the alternator. 58, both of which are well below that needed to maintain a decent battery charge. get it from the dealer the dealer While your engine runs, the alternator recharges the battery — which is why you typically don’t have to worry about the battery dying while you’re blasting the radio on your drive to work! But when the engine is off, the alternator can’t recharge the battery, allowing little electrical mishaps to drain your battery entirely. I have an ac delco 78-6yr battery dated for 2007 connect a multi meter and check for a draw. A: The short answer is that BMW designed the charging system with an algorithm that varies the rate of charge by the age and type of the battery installed. If however you feel up to it, using a fully charged car battery, disconnect the rest of the car’s electrical circuit and leave the alternator alone connected to the battery overnight. get it from the dealer the dealer Modern BMW cars are extremely dependent on a stable power supply, when that stability is lost, all kinds of mischief can occur. 'No drain?' - that makes me wonder how it was tested, as even the alternator diodes will typically pass about 30 mA. With all those “advanced electronics” there’s more chance of something going wrong. 7 amp drain seems to be connected to the starter or the alternator. I unplugged the 2 wire plugs on the alternator and left everything else in the car hooked up to the battery. The test involves hooking an ammeter in series with the negative battery cable to measure the amperage draw. 5 hours with the fully charged battery connected. Registering a new battery resets the algorithm back to optimal charging voltage for the specified battery. 4. It should only drop to 10 when you press the starter button. Click to see full answer. 5 to 5 hours. If your battery has a dead cell, it won't store enough power to start the car, so replace the battery, then have a pro test the alternator, then test current draw with car shut off, and asleep. All those amps are replenished by the alternator, which is a parasitic drain on the engine. I thought i had found the culprit in that i checked each fuse to see when the amperage dropped by placing my meter between the neutral / Ground cable and connection on the bnattery. 05. Starting at the battery is a good place to check next. Click to expand . This time it should be at least 14. If not registered, the BMW’s charging system shortened the life of the Test for parasitic battery drain using a multimeter and amp-clamp. You should read close to 0 Volts ( I got 0. 5 amps with the front door open. What are the Main Components of an Alternator? The alternator helps maintain the voltage of the car battery. After-market stereos (especially those that need a permanent live) can often drain a battery if not fitted properly. If it does, that's your problem. But testing an alternator with a defunct battery is worthless too. Listening to music for hours Bmw x5 e53 oil filter housing gasket ing bmw x5 e53 2000 07 battery discharge cold weather or bmw x5 in australia Parasitic Battery Drain E53 Page 5 XoutpostParasitic Battery Drain XoutpostParasitic Battery Drain E53 Page 2 XoutpostBattery Drain After 2 Days Sitting Dead Bimmerfest BmwBattery Drain Solved Page 2 XoutpostBmw X5 Battery Replacement And… If the battery goes dead when the car sits (engine off) with the alternator electrical connections disconnected, then something else is draining the battery. Your battery might just die due to the pressure put on it. The result is the amount of AH consumed by the parasitic drain. I've charged the battery up, had a multimeter on it and it shows between 12. The battery does have enough electricity alone to feed the ignition, and once the vehicle is turned on, the alternator kicks in to charge the battery. Many parts stores have an alternator test stand and can test alternators to determine if they have failed or are capable of putting out their rated amp Take your pick but be systematic. Or that your gauges are behaving strangely. The new alternator does not seem to fix the problem though as the alternator light still stays on while the car is running and the car dies when I pull the negative cable off the battery. For instance, worn-out belt tensioners or loose belts can keep the alternator from functioning in an optimal manner. Symptoms of a charging problem include a low battery, dim headlights, hard starting or a charging system warning light. I have a low mileage Mini Cooper S (2003). This is now testing that the alternator can keep up under load. The series 5 model has an electronics issue that keeps discharging the battery. Being new to car maintenance, I may have (I've been told) killed my alternator. Put a meter over the battery with the engine off, you should be getting around 13V from memory which is telling you the battery voltage. With the key out of the ignition, let the vehicle sit for 15-45-mins to allow time for all computers to enter “sleep” mode. Alternators with bad diodes can cause battery drain. Check the battery voltage after charging the battery and bringing it back to 100% of its charge, then check the voltage, it should 14 volts, if not then there is a charging system issue and the alternator may be at risk. If you replace the battery, you still need to find out why your alternator is not charging or else the new battery will go dead also. You need a proper 10SI or (even better) a 12 SI alternator. Alternator Mounting Bolt Model: BMW 325e, BMW 528e produced on December 1985, January 1986, and Alternators with bad diodes can cause battery drain. Navigator Computer on E38, E39, E46 Vehicles . Leave the negative cable connected. I realized that the alternator was hot to the touch. Not recommended. But The alternator light stays on while the car is running so I took the alternator up to Auto Zone. Now go to your fuse box, and pull each fuse, one at a time, and note any change to the level of battery drain. Based on how quickly your battery is draining, you're probably looking at a draw over 0. Check first for the most obvious battery drains such as any lights left on (headlights, trunk light, ashtray light, etc. Easiest and cheapest way to test would be get a multi meter. So turn the lights on to see if they are ok and if the lights go on, then the battery is not drained and likely a starter problem. Start the engine and test the charging system. With ignition off, remove fuse 3 (power to the clock) Remove the battery negative lead from the battery, and place your multimeter between them, set to 20Volts DC. If it's below that, charge the battery with a battery charger before you conduct the test again. Skipping the battery registration process can dramatically shorten the life of a battery in these vehicles, be it an AGM or a conventional battery. Also if the alternator stops charging, this will cause the battery to drain while driving too. The idea that some drivers have is that if the engine is running, so is the alternator which charges the battery. 3. There is a more detailed procedure somewhere on the forum. But your headlight change would lead me to think something in that circuit might be at fault- the voltmeter and the test lamp will help you there. The alternator may overload and get damaged if you rely on it to charge heavily discharged batteries or dead batteries. I figured that battery was going dead. Ignition OFF, central locking and immobilizer enabled. 5 and 14. Battery dies. It definitely won't last overnight. Several issues can cause premature battery failure, see post on Energy Diagnosis, but on a late model BMW, skipping battery registration can be one of them. If a PFET is used it is placed in the alternator positive lead. Can't pinpoint the problem, but is convinced the alternator is worn and causing the slow battery drain when the car is off. It sounds like a short or high load which is draining the battery. Read on, and learn about the 6 most common reasons that may suck the juice of your car battery. So I dont think the alternator is the problem. 15 amps - Waaay too much. The stator and rotor are BMW X5 battery draining/ temp gauge not woking? Went to start my BMW X5 and the battery was dead, nothing was left on overnight, the day before this happened the temp gauge was staying cold and then jumping to hot and back to cold, and the heat was not working ver well took a long time to get some heat, and all of the fluid levels are fine. sometime the draw comes from the alternator. If there is an electrical short in the vehicle or a malfunctioning accessory it could be drawing much more than its normal load causing a drain on the batteries. In order for this to happen, the alternator must supply the correct amount of voltage which can be anywhere from 13-14 volts. 4v at a cold start. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device. 8v then it may well be that your alternator is faulty. Joined Jun 23, 2009 · 138 Posts . " implies I have to drive to a BMW dealer to register the new installed battery. The voltage should not drop when you turn the bike on, maybe 1/2 volt or so. Checked it the next day it was fine. The next step would be to use a BMW All System scanner to read the fault codes via the diagnostic port located under the dashboard on the driver's side. replaced the alternator first, and also fitted a fresh battery as the diagnostics showed it wasn't charging the battery enough. 8 volts. Of course, this could be a faulty battery too. Alternator charges normally. Discussion Starter • #1 Set the meter to 20V DC and connect the leads to the battery — positive lead to positive battery terminal and negative lead to negative terminal. An alternator generates electricity to ensure your car's battery remains charged, alongside other elements like your vehicle's headlights. 5 and 14. 8v. 73 mA of battery drain. There are four main components of an alternator. Remove the battery overnight and then in the morning put it back in the car and see if it starts - if it does there is a parasitic current drain caused by the car and if it fails to start then you IF you have a square back alternator, and a diode is shorted, it will drain the battery over time, thru the stator windings to ground, likewise a round back unit will as well. Under normal circumstances, starting your car will drain the battery a little, but the alternator will charge it back up as you drive. (Or, you need to install and wire an external voltage regulator; but that'll be more work to end up with a less-effective alternator. If you have no battery power then either the battery is drained or poor connection. A draw of 150 ma, for example, would drain your 12 AH battery in about 80 hours. I’ve had battery drain and never found the reason (changed the alternator and regulator, went through 2 batteries). Before you disconnect the battery leave the passenger door open until the interior lights go off so that the amperage on the lighting circuit doesn't cause you to identify the wrong circuit as the culprit. I recommend doing it immediately after replacing your battery. As a part of the electrical system , the alternator is responsible for converting power from the crankshaft and transmitting it through electrical components. Low voltage output. While your engine runs, the alternator recharges the battery — which is why you typically don’t have to worry about the battery dying while you’re blasting the radio on your drive to work! But when the engine is off, the alternator can’t recharge the battery, allowing little electrical mishaps to drain your battery entirely. I don't think it's the alternator, because once running, the car doesn't stop. 6. BMW X5 Battery Travel with confidence that your BMW X5 battery always starts when you want it to by upgrading to a high-quality Duralast battery from AutoZone. I've driven the car more in the past few days, and the draw is back. However, unlike many people who really think that the company intends to make more sales, protecting the car owner’s wallet, or longer life batteries. Leave battery terminals connected to the battery. E30 325I Battery drain/Alternator. 5 months. Check the current draw when the car is switched off. High end sports and luxury cars will cost even more. If you can easily disconnect the alternator + lead, test what drain is present with the alternator connected, disconnect the alternator and then test the battery drain again, if its dramatically different you have found your likely suspect. I had mine coded off. When I turn the car off, you can here a very slight humming sound coming from the area of Battery is draining. leave the boot open but close the latches . These function as a check valve between the batteries and the alternator, allowing current to only flow in one direction, from the alternator to the batteries. A dead battery is your initial sign that something could be wrong with the alternator. If the battery is relatively new, try charging the battery with a trickle charger. A bad alternator would not keep the battery charged, and eventually the car would run out of voltage and not have enough to keep running. How to Replace Alternator 01-06 BMW 325Xi Created on: 2021-01-16 Watch this video to learn how to replace the alternator in your 01-06 BMW 325Xi and similar E46 3 series vehicles. If the problem persists, stop the vehicle and let it cool for a while. 6 volts. Some might want to retain the bike battery too, just for starting; and use the sidecar mounted battery for camping lights, etc. This starts the engine running, which puts the alternator into action. For what it's worth, I have essentially Disconnect the D+ wire from the back of the alternator (it’s best to disconnect the battery first so that you don’t short anything to ground), then connect a multimeter between the end of the D+ wire and ground. You often find circuit operational characteristics that are not available in any OEM manual, and it’s this knowledge-building which is absolute gold. So I took it to Autozone and had it recharged. Instead, they have now reduced the awake time from 30 min to 20 min. 39v. Find out why this may be a waste of money. It does so by checking if the batteries and Disconnect and cover battery negative lead. Drain will kill battery in between 2. Minus 10 and lower. A faulty voltage regulator can also cause charging problems. We found that removing fuse #4 inside upper top of glove box e Alternators with bad diodes can cause battery drain. Battery drain gets a charge out of BMW owner - chicagotribune. 2 volts. They confirmed the battery was good but diagnosed a faulty (shorted) diode in the regulator that was draining the battery whilst the car was parked. It will better absorb the alternator capability. Then get someone to start the car, the multi meter should now read about 14v. In Jan 09, the battery was going flat often. Alternators with bad diodes can cause battery drain. If it is disconnected or has a corroded or loose connector, the alternator will not charge the battery. Current: 80 Amp. 25 amps across the battery with everything off. A capable BMW shop can do this. An alternator typically lasts for 8-12 years, so it isn’t something that has to be replaced as often as other parts like the battery. An alternator failure will cause the battery to run down and go dead. The alternator will try its best to provide maximum power to the stereo system to keep running it smoothly. (I've used several hundred thousand examples of this circuit - it works :-)). The increase in closed circuit current may be caused by a faulty control unit, or by the installation of a non-approved accessory. Hopefully it just drains the battery and a jump-start and the alternator fixes the car. . The next step would be to use a BMW All System scanner to read the fault codes via the diagnostic port located under the dashboard on the driver's side. So the alternator is constantly running even with the car off. I was told from a shop that my altenator was bad so I bought a remanufactured one from a third party online store and installed it then car kept on draining the battery so I bought a new battery specially for that car from bmw and was reprogrammed to the car and its still draining the battery . The current draw on our own 2002 and 2003 Golf TDIs measured less than 25mA (21 and 23mA) with a precision Fluke 8060A meter. Order your alternator through AutoZone now at the right cost and enjoy Same Day Store Pickup. I jump started the car, and when running the battery idle'd at around 11. If that's all good then replace the regulator. Common problems that trigger BMW battery warning The best way to find a draw is to put a test in between a battery post and the cable end, positive or negative it doesn't matter, if the lamp turns on you have a draw large enough to kill a battery overnight, then you have to start eliminating circuits, the first thing to do is electrically disconnect the alternator, if the lamp goes out you found your problem, if it doesn't then you need to start pulling fuses one at a time noting where each fuse went until the light goes out, when that The alternator is used to charge the battery while the engine is running. Easy to check with a voltmeter on the battery terminals with engine running. My in dash voltmeter reads about 10 volts with the key on and 14 volts when its running. i have done alot of these and so far most common is the heater blower risistor . The simplest fix would be to change the charging parameter to have the alternator start to charge the battery at a higher level, but BMW has to keep the alternator use to a minimum to help meet federal fuel guidelines and they do not want to have lower the MPG ratings on the X5. If your alternator fails, your battery will lose its charge since the alternator won’t be able to keep it charged up. If the battery is drained, either bad alternator or parasitic drain, or a battery that is not holding a charge. When waking up to a dead battery and you cannot start your BMW anymore, many people rush to buy a new battery. Parked battery life will be reduced to 2. When this happens, it may keep the charging circuit on after the vehicle engine is shut off , which will cause the battery to drain . johnnymac · Registered. To troubleshoot your BMW battery problems, start by checking the charging system to determine if the battery and alternator function properly. - 1999 BMW 323i The BMW Battery Most battery 'drain problems' are due to the battery state of charge. You notice that your headlights or your dash lights flicker or get extra dim or bright. It's not necessarily that simple an answer. Testing was additionally done on the "600" alternator at 1700 RPM with various very substantial loads (far beyond normal use even with large extra headlights, etc); with battery voltage drained/loaded to give 11. You need to look at the battery drain with an ammeter. 8 volts, meaning your battery remains fully charged, and yet there's still enough energy to power your ride's entire electrical system. 3-0. Posted on Oct 15, 2014. The lithium-ion battery (hybrid system) is not affected by this battery drain problem, it only affect to conventional 12-volt battery. That is very easy to do with a voltmeter. The next day the battery was completely drained. if light goes out then comes back on check to see if navdvd player led has gone out somtimes the player gets water damage and does not sleep and keeps waking the car up . Finally, the alternator completes this cycle by charging the battery. More details are required. The original BMW battery died (went flat) and didn't want to hold charge, so I bought another. The battery drain current needs to be measured when the car is off. with the battery running lower than 12. However, maintenance, driving habits, and a car's electrical After a few weeks, the battery was holding its charge - I thought the problem was solved. Checked it a few days later, still fine. It would drain in 24hrs. On checking alternator it was only putting out 12v not the 14v it should have been with engine running. It could be that I've had a drain for some time now, and a weaker battery is letting it show through in a shorter period of time. Since then, the battery has been changed 4 times, alternator changed twice and an electrician has checked the drainage system but i tried starting the car yesterday after a new battery was fitted on Thursday 31st Dec 09 and it was flat. 5 and 12. If there is a problem in this battery charging system, you can also experience battery drain. I would like to isolate the problem to the alternator if possible. The alternator takes the energy from the crankshaft and turns it into the electricity that is stored in the battery of your car. There wasn't enough juice in the battery to turn the starter. On a final note, you can expect your original or quality replacement BMW battery to last 4-8 years in a properly operating BMW, and 5-10 years with an AGM battery. Help please. Without an alternator the automobile's battery will drain, as the battery is only able to hold a finite amount of electrical power. 2 volts, it has enough juice to start the alternator, which can then be tested with the voltmeter. Disconnect anything that has a known constant drain - clocks or a directly wired volt meter for example. Battery is brand new. Repeat again with the engine running, you should be getting something over 14V which tells you the alternator voltage. 5 volts d/c. If without the known drains you still get a flow from the battery you will need to keep at it till you find it. Bad Diode. and it works fine, no load sensing wire and no 'low voltage' to dashboard wire. An alternator with a good diode allows current to flow in one direction. While your engine runs, the alternator recharges the battery — which is why you typically don’t have to worry about the battery dying while you’re blasting the radio on your drive to work! But when the engine is off, the alternator can’t recharge the battery, allowing little electrical mishaps to drain your battery entirely. A dieing battery could however be an indicator for another problem. then after driving around/rev'ing, it did not increase by more than 0. The smell of burning rubber or hot wires can come from your alternator overheating. Disconnect the connection from the positive terminal on your vehicle's battery using a wrench. Increased closed-circuit currents may occur permanently or intermittently, and cause the battery to discharge prematurely. The alternator functions in such a way as a windmill, and it is a small auto part found attached to the engine. The idea is not to disconnect the battery from the vehicle, but to insert the multimeter into the battery circuit. Registered Battery Sounded a bit like a new AKC breed, but then I was astounded at the news of a $400 replacement battery because of the need to get a BMW battery & have it registered at the dealer. You can test this by connecting a temporary ground wire from one of the alternator mounting bolts to a good metal grounding point away from any moving parts. What it will do that it will drain the extra amount of charge from your car battery and it will make your battery low. Then have the battery tested again since draining a If the alternator was bad, then driving to autozone and then back could be enough to drain the battery - particularly since it sat for a few days after that. In that same way, any power that your car’s accessories use while you are driving should be supplied by the alternator, so the battery never “cycles” deeper than it is designed to. When are the batteries dying? If the battery dies after leaving the car sit for a few days, you probably have a drain. :confused: What If the alternator diodes are bad or just single alternator diode is bad your alternator will cause battery drain and kill your battery when you do not drive the car. check the battery voltage, a good battery should be atleast 12. 2. BMW X5 | Battery drain It’s not only on engine management within a vehicle where an oscilloscope delivers interesting finds: you can pretty much back-probe any wire and record a usable trace. Going through a similar episode. Diodes should allow current to pass in only one direction, but a bad diode will keep the charging circuit open even when the engine in not running, allowing the battery to go dead. Note current draw. A malfunctioning diode in the alternator can create a parasitic drain on a car's battery. Hi, I didn't drive my 02' X5 E53 (3. Step 1. 1. The mA scale reads in thousandths of an ampere. Follow the steps below to safely test the status of your battery. So, you're late for a meeting. B. Battery drain should be less then 100 milliamps, under 50 even better. Since it is a 1965 model, it should be a 12-volt system with an alternator. 2014 BMW i3 BEV alternator ??? Greetings everyone. If so disconnect the battery, pull the alternator, remove the regulator and check the rectifier bridge, windings and commutators. 5 kwh capacity) can be implemented for nearly all gasoline cars without significant cost increase, especially when the alternator, flywheel I was told from a shop that my altenator was bad so I bought a remanufactured one from a third party online store and installed it then car kept on draining the battery so I bought a new battery specially for that car from bmw and was reprogrammed to the car and its still draining the battery . Current draw is a complex waveform fluctuating between 7,8 and 18mA. This type of Isolator installation is slightly different from the other options. The new battery subsequently failed so I exchanged it for another and that fails. It will take 20-30 min to get the alternator hot enough. Some older vehicles have external voltage regulators, whereas many late-model vehicles use the PCM to control charging output. 2. Thanks to the article referenced by bcweir, there is some light & maybe an alternate path. Thinks there's a slow battery drain/discharge happening. 6. RA Removing and installing/replacing alternator (M60, M62) BMW AG - TIS 16. The regulator in the alternator could be bad and keeping the ignition energized draining the battery. Connect the positive terminal first followed by the negative. Try removing all the fuses and install 1 at a time, then try connecting the battery to see if it does the spark noise. Ignition OFF, central locking enabled. place a metal object onto the alternator it should not be magnetized if the engine is not running. The reason? Because my Interstate battery was not registered 4 years ago when installed because it was not a “smart” battery. Using the radio, lights, or AC units will drain on the battery and alternator, removing power instead of charging it. Check the BMW alternator's drive belt tension at every oil change. When this happens, it may keep the charging circuit on after the vehicle engine is shut off , which will cause the battery to drain . For a sidecar rig, a car battery in the trunk of the sidecar is ideal. So this leads me onto the thinking I have a spurious drain on the battery. The Isolator is wired in between the alternator and the starter battery. If the battery reads above 12. A failed diode in the alternator creates a closed circuit that drains your battery even when the engine is off. It worked; 12. Note that the car does not go to "sleep" until something like 16 minutes after you turn off the engine. You need to take your car to a competent Euro-car mechanic or BMW dealer and check the source of drain + also whether your alternator is functioning properly. Load up the alternator with everything except the radio (removed, as it was dead, all wires capped properly). Can anyone help me? My 1985 325e battery drains almost nightly! I have changed the alternator( and brushes), and battery. This is measured on the 20mA scale. Current draw 4mA per #1. I had one for a while, tried all sorts of things and eventually ended up disconnecting the battery when I Reconnect the battery. when the car is locked the fan comes of and on Comments: The text next to figure 13: "Replacing battery: Once installed, you will have to use a BMW scan tool to register green arrow the battery. Have a 2005 525i can’t find the battery drain also it causes the alternator to short out and smoke. Place oil-filter housing to one side. Without the alternator, the vehicle's battery would run out of charge during travel. As a rule of thumb the battery voltage should be ~14V with the engine idling and all accessories off. An easier way to find a draw is to leave the battery hooked up, pull a fuse and then stick the multimeter leads (in 10a DC setting) across the two slots where fuse was. With the engine off, battery voltage should be between 12. 1 months. If your jump start it drive to work get off work and it starts after 8-9 hrs you have a system voltage leak some where. Per Batteries+'s advice, brought it back to them to have them test it and make sure the new battery wasn't getting drained, and the alternator wasn't bad. Or, start by OK ill put your mind to rest, The battery must be registered with the car IF you change to an AGM or larger/smaller battery, the CAS (car access module) and the DDE/DME (engine control unit) need to know, the CAS amongst many other things monitors the power flow and the IBS (intelligent battery sensor) and the DDE/DME keeps a log of all the battery changes for servicing purposes. BAD ALTERNATOR DRAINS BATTERY. the alternator was put about 7 mi ths ago from So, you’ll want to check for the below signs to determine if it’s just the battery or if it’s the alternator. If nothing is left on overnight have the voltage regulator tested in the alternator. Professional technicians use a clamp on ammeter. All it's good for (unless you're stationary for very long periods) is lowering you emissions on the government tests (so you pay less road tax), and destroying your battery of course. 79 and 10. Rest the I'd expect to see about 5 ma plus or minus a few ma draw. 6 and that with the alternator you'd see 13+ ? BMW X5 E70 HELP will a alternator from 2011 BMW X5 35SI work in 2008 BMW X5 3. 7V to 14. A relatively common “side-effect” of replacing a battery and/or alternator in a car is to have the voltage (battery) warning light come on. If you are seeing much more you've got some device pulling more than it should or a partial short to ground somewhere in the wiring. S cable (3 pieces) Part numbers -61 21 7 620 566 -61 12 9 123 572- 12 51 7 615 476 or the Alternator/ something that connects or reads your alternator power Your BMW’s alternator is a crucial element that helps to provide various systems and components with power. Probably use the milliamp scale. Hi Ive been having a parasitic battery drain on my BMW e53. A vehicle’s battery has a shorter lifespan than its alternator, and thus is more likely to be the culprit of your problems. 3a. . Our top-notch batteries are sure to give you starting power in any weather and the ability to charge all of your electronics on the go. An alternator with a good diode allows current to flow in one direction. 5 Amps. The alternator needs to be load tested to see if it is going bad. 24. Peace of Mind, that’s what we do. Stop and go driving is best to get it hot. 5 Amps to 7. This can potentially cause damage to the car’s alternator. An alternator for BMW 325i has an output that falls between 13. I notice that if I pull fuse 4 and 7 in box 1 the drain is gone. Aug 13, 2017 | 2006 BMW 530xi / Battery keeps draining; is an electrical drain via the tailgate/else where. Where a car is used for short journeys, especially in cold weather where many electrical consumers are in use (heated rear-window, heated seats, blower on full-speed, headlights etc), it is possible that the alternator cannot sufficiently charge the battery. If it drops below 12. The shop said my 4 year old battery with a 6 year warranty was bad. If not then buy a rebuilt alternator and install it (the rebuilt will come with a regulator). Another example: I have a known-good 3-wire Delco alternator on my A leaky diode also can allow current to drain out of the battery through the alternator when the vehicle is not being driven. bmw alternator draining battery