Quote:
Originally Posted by dakoX5
I've had the parking brake malfunction 3 times in the last 2 months. When it first came on, i took the car to the dealership service center and they claimed under voltage caused by faulty battery. Replaced the battery (under original warranty) and the issue went away... for a few weeks. When the error message reappeared I took the car back and the SA told me the issue was now being caused by over voltage. More specifically, when they replaced the battery, they did not register it properly in the car computer and that is why it was sending higher voltage. They registered the battery, reset the codes and told me I was all set. 3 weeks later (this past weekend) the error message came back on! I dropped the car off at the dealership this morning and just got a call from the SA, stating that there's an issue with the wiring in the center console and that it will take a few days to fix. I don't even know what to expect at this point. Will keep you guys posted on progress.
|
1. Nothing pisses me off more than a BMW dealership charging $140 an hour under the false pretense that "we are experts and do it according to factory specs". Even for a warranty claim. You can be sure that if you'd paid for that battery they'd not have given you a refund for failure to perform the correct job!
2. You should DEMAND that they document in the written work order that "they failed to register the new battery" and "dealer warrants that the battery could not have been damaged by this failure to register". If they refuse, tell them you want a new battery NOW. Do not buy the "should be fine, we'll be here for you" story. I seem to recollect that not registering a new battery CAN reduce the battery life.
3. Knowing what I do about AGMs and the recharge system, the assertion that the failure to register is causing an over-voltage seems implausible. It may affect the charge rates, or depth of charge, but NOT the operating voltage. Furthermore, there are many other components that would be damaged by over-voltage. It seems, now by the latest, that it really wasn't this and is - as killcrap points out- a wiring issue.
This can all be done low key, no yelling, but firm insistence.