Do you charge your battery?

[kanvas]

I routinely charge my battery using the BMW charging system (~every 3 or 4 months). Once I heard the battery is swapped with a new one every or every other visit to the dealership for maintenance, I realized that the car could benefit from charging at home.

Anyone else also do this? Do you think this would prevent the need for such frequent battery changes?

[DocOct]

I do this to mine regularly. I don't know if it's helpful but I consider it an insurance policy on an expensive battery.

[F15GorDe]

Yes, just a good idea. AGM batteries ARE expensive.

[Live4USMC]

I just purchased my CPO X5 and knowing about the battery issues I decided to charge it after I first picked it up. The first charge on the smart charger said the battery was at 48% capacity when I hooked it up. I have only hooked it up one other time and it showed 95%. This was about two weeks after the initial charge.

[deutsch100]

I do this about once a month! In the past, with BMWs...we charged weekly (2004-2012ish models), if not....battery discharge warning would come on. Also with our Phantoms and Ghosts, they required charging as well!!!

Actually our new 2017 M6 gave us a the battery discharge warning last week. It sat for only 4!!! days w/o driving it, and the battery was low. This was very, very common on our 07, 08, 11 X5s and 07, 10 and 12 7 Series as well. If the car sat for more than 3-4 days...the battery would discharge. Annoying to say the least. I mean, let a Ford sit for 3 months and not an issue. LOL

It's funny, only BMW and Rolls-Royce have required battery charging at home. All of our MBZs, Range Rovers, Porsches, Bentleys, etc NEVER once needed this :-O

I use the BMW home charger.

[Phil Devtec]

Interesting...can I get/use any battery tender or do I specifically have to use a BMW charger?

[Kdawg1966]

Could someone please elaborate on the battery charging? I'm totally confused by this. Isn't this what alternators are for?

[Jlu88]

This is the first time I've read of such an issue in a modern car.

Are you guys saying if I went on for vacation for 2 weeks and come back, the car would have no power?

[Chadmatic]

Originally Posted by Jlu88

This is the first time I've read of such an issue in a modern car.

Are you guys saying if I went on for vacation for 2 weeks and come back, the car would have no power?

My X5 once sat in the garage for a month while I was away on travel. I was worried that when I returned the battery would be dead, but it wasn’t, it cranked right up and behaved no differently than if left overnight.

[DuSh]

Originally Posted by Jlu88

This is the first time I've read of such an issue in a modern car.

Are you guys saying if I went on for vacation for 2 weeks and come back, the car would have no power?

I researched this battery issue with x5 and here's a quick and dirty summary for those who are not familiar:
BMW went a bit too far in it's search for fuel efficiency and what they did in x5 f15 is that they programmed it in a way that ECU increases efficiency by reducing alternator load (basically alternator is disengaged and not charging battery) on engine when car is for example cruising or accelerating. It charges battery mostly when coasting only. Unfortunately for many owners who are not in stop-n-go traffic this leads to battery not fully charged as we rarely coast and we mostly cruise (on highway) or accelerate.
However, this issue alone is not a deal breaker as AGM batteries are designed to be able to withstand many cycles of deep discharge/recharge. What tips the scale is a high temperature engine load and need for coolant to recirculate when engine is shut off - this is especially true for 50i due to it's bigger turbos and vastly more heat created by this engine and more need for a cool down time after engine is switched off - basically batteries are running fans and recirculating coolant until programmed temperature is reached.
IMHO 35d/35i owners need not to worry, especially if you drive in ECO-PRO mode often - that charges battery quite nicely by default

For 50i owners it's a good thing to recharge battery once in a while and/or keep a habit to finish your trip in Eco-Pro mode to recharge battery naturally
IMHO the need to replace battery on every oil change as per BMW - is a bit excessive, but that's just my opinion. I think BMW did it because it's easier for them to swap a battery than deal with owner complains and lawsuits.
I'm monitoring battery charge via Carly App on my phone and so far I haven't seen any decline or need to recharge battery, but maybe it's because I do drive in eco-pro mode often (at least 5-10min almost every trip)

[Phil Devtec]

Originally Posted by DuSh

I researched this battery issue with x5 and here's a quick and dirty summary for those who are not familiar:
BMW went a bit too far in it's search for fuel efficiency and what they did in x5 f15 is that they programmed it in a way that ECU increases efficiency by reducing alternator load (basically alternator is disengaged and not charging battery) on engine when car is for example cruising or accelerating. It charges battery mostly when coasting only. Unfortunately for many owners who are not in stop-n-go traffic this leads to battery not fully charged as we rarely coast and we mostly cruise (on highway) or accelerate.
However, this issue alone is not a deal breaker as AGM batteries are designed to be able to withstand many cycles of deep discharge/recharge. What tips the scale is a high temperature engine load and need for coolant to recirculate when engine is shut off - this is especially true for 50i due to it's bigger turbos and vastly more heat created by this engine and more need for a cool down time after engine is switched off - basically batteries are running fans and recirculating coolant until programmed temperature is reached.
IMHO 35d/35i owners need not to worry, especially if you drive in ECO-PRO mode often - that charges battery quite nicely by default

For 50i owners it's a good thing to recharge battery once in a while and/or keep a habit to finish your trip in Eco-Pro mode to recharge battery naturally
IMHO the need to replace battery on every oil change as per BMW - is a bit excessive, but that's just my opinion. I think BMW did it because it's easier for them to swap a battery than deal with owner complains and lawsuits.
I'm monitoring battery charge via Carly App on my phone and so far I haven't seen any decline or need to recharge battery, but maybe it's because I do drive in eco-pro mode often (at least 5-10min almost every trip)

This is great information. Thanks for this. Just out of curiosity...what was the source?

Thanks again!

[deutsch100]

Carly app for monitoring battery strength?! I have never heard of this? Is this somehow tied in with my BMW Connected app? How does the info from the X5 get to the Carly app? Apologies if this sounds dumb, I have just never heard of Carly. Sorry and Thanks.

[DuSh]

Originally Posted by deutsch100

Carly app for monitoring battery strength?! I have never heard of this? Is this somehow tied in with my BMW Connected app? How does the info from the X5 get to the Carly app? Apologies if this sounds dumb, I have just never heard of Carly. Sorry and Thanks.

http://www.mycarly.com/product/bmw-app/

It's an OBDII plug-in adapter (hardware) and a App (software Android or iOS) to basically not only diagnose and monitor, but to code as well

[DuSh]

Originally Posted by Phil Devtec

This is great information. Thanks for this. Just out of curiosity...what was the source?

Thanks again!

Sorry I researched it long time ago, don't have sources, but this issue was big 2 years ago. There were lots of info about it posted and some car magazines even mentioned it too. Maybe those forum members who were on forum 2-3 years ago can chime in

[deutsch100]

Originally Posted by DuSh

http://www.mycarly.com/product/bmw-app/

It's an OBDII plug-in adapter (hardware) and a App (software Android or iOS) to basically not only diagnose and monitor, but to code as well

THANK YOU

[deutsch100]

Originally Posted by DuSh

Sorry I researched it long time ago, don't have sources, but this issue was big 2 years ago. There were lots of info about it posted and some car magazines even mentioned it too. Maybe those forum members who were on forum 2-3 years ago can chime in

This battery issue was HUGE with my 2007 X5 3.0i, 2008 X5 4.8i, 2010 750i, 2011 X5 35d, 2012 750i ActiveHybrid and our 5 Rolls Royces (2012-2014) :-O

So many battery issues! Battery discharge warning would sometimes come on, if the car sat for 1-2 days

[artem123]

Second F15 and i have ZERO battery issue. None. My first F15 was sitting on my driveway for 23 days ones while i was away. Came back and the car started absolutely normal.
I also have E90, which is being used by my wife. Car was manufactured in 2009 and we got early 2010 (we are original owners), and i just changed battery just because i felt like it ( winter is ahead). Old original 7.9 years old battery worked fine.

[deutsch100]

Originally Posted by artem123

Second F15 and i have ZERO battery issue. None. My first F15 was sitting on my driveway for 23 days ones while i was away. Came back and the car started absolutely normal.
I also have E90, which is being used by my wife. Car was manufactured in 2009 and we got early 2010 (we are original owners), and i just changed battery just because i felt like it ( winter is ahead). Old original 7.9 years old battery worked fine.

I am on my second F15, and NO battery issues at all. I think the regenerative braking/Efficient Dynamics really helped erase this issue.