The X is killing batteries Left and Right

[jsoto]

Does anybody every recall a thread of familar with what may be going on.
Alt is putting out correct amps and volt...

Over the course of 3 months, with downtime during each incident, I have put in 2 brand new batteries only to have them go toast. The 1st time was after picking it up from the body shop *got keyed*, and noticed the presets were gone. The battery was not up to par since picking it up, so I suspect the shop may have cooked the battery out while charging....

Long story short. The new one went bad due to some weird issue *X shutdown on me*. Looks as if the battery just went flat during driving....and running the battery down, it either took a short, etc , but the battery was toast.

Couple week later. Same deal. Came back to a weak battery. Got a boost....with the same symptom, X just died, and the battery is toast....I suspect a short cell ??

These batteries are not cheap. HIGH END AGM.
I dunno. I may just go back to wet cell until I figure out what is the bug.

My indy suspects it's something else , and what is causing the battery issue is a secondary issue downstream from whatever the real issue is...

[puddinboo]

do a search for fsr . I don`t know if it is that or you may have already checked that out.

[jsoto]

Changed out FSR a couple months back....that's was the 1st thing I did

[puddinboo]

are your voltage readings consistant? or are they all over the place when the car is running. did you check for a parasitic amperage draw when vehicle is sitting .

[crystalworks]

^That was my question. Maybe your voltage regulator is going out and is putting out 14+ only some of the time... or even most of the time, but not enough to keep the battery up to snuff.

Parasitic draw would also be worth looking into.

[jsoto]

Did a P Draw test. .05 amps

This is where is get's weird....I had the battery on a battery tender since I've been monitoring the battery issues....

Rested overnight, battery read 12.77 at the posts.
All good.
Took it for a drive and then some about - 50-60 mile, with AC, audio, the works all on.
Came back to the car after a stop. 20-30 minutes.
I can't recall what the voltage was but I think it was about 12.2 with the MM.
It could have been a surface charge....

Boost it, take it for a brief spin. Turn off ignition. Click again, right after turning it off.
Get it towed back home. Take off the battery. Let it rest to get a proper diag.
Battery shot Again.....I'm too embarrassed to even post how much I spent on AGM's this past quarter...

NOW, I do think possibly it could be a loose positive connection, but it's weird. When I put the battery in, I was 100% it was tight.

When I took out the battery, noticed the + , I could move it a bit.
Clamped it as tight as I could, it would not bite to the point where it would not move.
I thought maybe the + clamp was worn (replaced new T nut) and maybe the metal on the clamp was ~compressed~ to the point the new T nut would not even get it tight.

Swung by my battery joint. Rep was kind enough to give me a loaner. Put the loaner in, and battery was snug as sh1t

Not planning to do any long distance driving or freeway driving, as having it shut down 2X in less than 2 months is quite a treat...

I can't explain the terminal tightness issue, cause I was 100% it was dead tight, and upon diag/testing, I could not get it tight...

[puddinboo]

^ just a question for ya when was the alt replaced?

[crystalworks]

Unlock the cluster (sorry I don't know the procedure but I know it's posted here somewhere) and monitor your voltage while driving. That's going to be the most sure-fire way of seeing what your alternator is doing at all times. Short of figuring out some way to mount your MM somewhere. But why do that when the cluster is there.

When my alternator was going I would get all sorts of lights including trans failsafe prof at times. It wasn't putting out 14+ all the time. Finally when it sh^t the bed the car died as you describe. I didn't kill any batteries though as I used a tender at all times to keep the battery from going completely flat.

[jsoto]

I've had the tender on it for the past 4 weeks whenever I see the voltage drop past 12.7 after rest....


This recent one to recap :
overnight rest : 12.77 reading
50-60 Mile Drive
Battery is toast...

LOL. I feel like one of those what's broken with your X5 noob posters.
Have had it since '03. I've have it's up and down moments.
This is clearly a downer....well, replace the sunroof casettee in Spring was a downer as well.
Having it just completely die while driving is not a fun X-Perience at all

[puddinboo]

i`m thinking alternator or you have some badly corroded wiring in the charging system.