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      02-09-2021, 07:28 AM   #1
svenker
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Battery disconnect & reconnect tips

Hello everyone,

This coming WE, I will install my Android/Car-Play module

However, it seems that I should disconnect the battery before installing it all.
I have the 40e, a few questions:
Should I disconnect the left or right battery please ? (looking from the back)
When I reconnect, do I need any coding ? I have the ETHE cable and the bimmercode application which is great.

Thanks for your support !
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      02-09-2021, 09:03 AM   #2
quandary
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If you disconnect one of them (the right one when looking from the trunk to the front in my 35d), it will reset your steering and create a DSC warning when starting to drive. You will need to recalibrate the steering. I didn't find this option in Bimmercode and had to go to ISTA-D on a laptop which you can find online. (If you are under warranty, you can still drive it to the dealer and have them recalibrate it for you; just tell them that your batteries drained dead because you had a light on.)

There is no specific coding for the batteries unless you are also going to change them at the same time. The coding applies to the left one and only resets the counters (i.e. date of battery swap and number of hours under-voltage) to allow the computer to make decisions around the life and charging cycles. You can do this through the Bimmercode app. (When I asked them about the 2nd one, they didn't know about it but i realized that it was not being managed by the computer since it doesn't power important items.)
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      02-09-2021, 10:52 AM   #3
Qsilver7
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If you have 2 batteries...when you disconnect the main battery, the aux battery is still powered so be careful. If you do not want anything powered, then remove the negative terminal from BOTH batteries.

Ditto the post above, you won't need to "code" the batteries just because they were disconnected. But you may need to reinitialize some things around the vehicle...one of those things is the sunroof. You'll probably need to do a reset (push up & hold the sunroof button until it runs through its cycle...this info is in the owners manual). You may also need to reset the clock (depending on how long the batteries are disconnected).
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      02-09-2021, 05:37 PM   #4
j.maldo
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Hi, just in case, remember to first disconnect the high voltage battery, then disconnect the other 12 volt batteries before starting the job.
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      02-10-2021, 06:56 AM   #5
svenker
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Thanks for all your messages !

Seem very complex compared to my old cars

Let me recap:
- Disconnect the high voltage (right panel in the back) but confused exactly where this one is...
- Disconnect Aux battery (left from the back),
- Disconnect Main battery (right)
Do the job required - Android...
- Reconnect Main
- Reconnect Aux
- Reconnect High Voltage
- Reset Sunroof, clock
- Reset steering with cable and ISTA-D (which I never did so far).

Are these the correct steps ?
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      02-10-2021, 09:31 AM   #6
j.maldo
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Yes, seems correct. The high voltage battery circuit interruptor is located in the middle of the right side compartment. You will see the green switch as in the picture. Very important that this is the first battery you disconnect and the last one to be reconnected. Also, for safety, when you disengage the green switch, there is a small hole for a lock of (zip tie) to prevent the switch from accidentally engaging an energizing the system while you're working.
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      02-10-2021, 10:08 AM   #7
turboawd
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Most important thing is make sure ignition is off and car is asleep before disconnecting cables.
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      02-10-2021, 03:11 PM   #8
svenker
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Thanks. Car is asleep? Do I need to sing a sleeping song? :-)
This high voltage is because I have a hybrid 40e car ?
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      02-10-2021, 03:33 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by svenker View Post
Thanks. Car is asleep? Do I need to sing a sleeping song? :-)
This high voltage is because I have a hybrid 40e car ?
Yes, just some extra steps.
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      11-08-2021, 04:03 AM   #10
Andy_Kay
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Quote:
Originally Posted by turboawd View Post
Most important thing is make sure ignition is off and car is asleep before disconnecting cables.
I'm going to be disconnecting my 12v batt in my 40e soon, so wondering about this 'car is asleep' comment. What steps do I do to make it fall asleep?
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      11-08-2021, 09:29 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Andy_Kay View Post
I'm going to be disconnecting my 12v batt in my 40e soon, so wondering about this 'car is asleep' comment. What steps do I do to make it fall asleep?
Just wait 15 minutes.
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      11-22-2021, 09:45 AM   #12
Andy_Kay
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Quote:
Originally Posted by svenker View Post
Thanks for all your messages !

Seem very complex compared to my old cars

Let me recap:
- Disconnect the high voltage (right panel in the back) but confused exactly where this one is...
- Disconnect Aux battery (left from the back),
- Disconnect Main battery (right)
Do the job required - Android...
- Reconnect Main
- Reconnect Aux
- Reconnect High Voltage
- Reset Sunroof, clock
- Reset steering with cable and ISTA-D (which I never did so far).

Are these the correct steps ?
Just about to change my big (main) battery as I think it's got an issue not holding charge.
Do I need to disconnect the smaller 'Aux' battery first? I notice these steps were to change some audio thingy, but I'm just doing a swap of Main (bigger) battery.

So would my steps be
- Disconnect the high voltage
- Disconnect (bigger) Main battery (mines on the left looking in from the boot/trunk)
- do the change over
- connect Main battery terminals (is it negative first, then positive?)
- reconnect high voltage green plug
- Do the ISTA 'new battery procedure'

I'm actually changing from 90a to 95a battery G14 019 Varta AGM. Do I need to do anything different in ISTA to tell it it's now 95 instead of 90a?

Last edited by Andy_Kay; 11-22-2021 at 09:57 AM..
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      03-23-2023, 03:49 PM   #13
jholicjosh
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Andy_Kay View Post
Just about to change my big (main) battery as I think it's got an issue not holding charge.
Do I need to disconnect the smaller 'Aux' battery first? I notice these steps were to change some audio thingy, but I'm just doing a swap of Main (bigger) battery.

So would my steps be
- Disconnect the high voltage
- Disconnect (bigger) Main battery (mines on the left looking in from the boot/trunk)
- do the change over
- connect Main battery terminals (is it negative first, then positive?)
- reconnect high voltage green plug
- Do the ISTA 'new battery procedure'

I'm actually changing from 90a to 95a battery G14 019 Varta AGM. Do I need to do anything different in ISTA to tell it it's now 95 instead of 90a?
Hi Andy_Kay, I have the similar issue. Did you end up calibrating the steering wheel while replacing the batteries? I need to replace 12v battery and the AUX (AGM) battery. I'm fine with all the procedures except steering wheel part.
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      03-23-2023, 04:03 PM   #14
corduroy
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jholicjosh View Post
Hi Andy_Kay, I have the similar issue. Did you end up calibrating the steering wheel while replacing the batteries? I need to replace 12v battery and the AUX (AGM) battery. I'm fine with all the procedures except steering wheel part.
Not OP, but I've changed both batteries and never had to calibrate the steering wheel.
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      03-23-2023, 04:21 PM   #15
imr3n
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for some reason, when I changed my car battery, my f15 threw a chassis stabilization malfunction error when I started to drive it and turned the steering wheel. After looking online, I found some steps to recalibrate it, and the error message went away.

I was surprised by the error, thought I screwed up or something...
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