Parasitic Battery Drain e53

[X5chemist]

I'm still working on mine. Do you have an amp draw or no sleep condition? I've learned a lot recently. Even paid a shop 3 hours of work for them to throw in the towel. $2k for possible fixes? $2k included new EWS and GMIII plus programming for both. The shop did provide which fuses were causing an amp drain. F11 and F60. The F11 feeds EWS. It scans and checks out okay. So I assume an input is drawing the 500 mA. The two suspects are starter feed and transmission gear inputs. F60 feeds rear door locks, hatch, and tailgate. Using my Foxwell, three inputs read "pressed". I suspect the outer upper button has a short. Two other switches also testes "pressed" when they were not. The stock BC button and seat Memory buttons. Both of those switches will be replaced. If the parts turn off the "pressed" input, I'm on the correct path. Then, I can look at the most expensive hatch switch.

Here's my lesson: do a voltage drop across all the fuses. First, if you have software or scanner, command sleep mode. Or wait 16 min then start. Afterwards, set up a voltmeter to test amp draw. Remove the fuses that had voltage drops. Once draw amps are confirmed, check everything on that fuse circuit.

[Bmwe5320023.0]

I fixed my problem. No more parasitic draws. Draw is around 60 mA right now. I'm still working on the car and not driving it daily, but I believe I resolved all my drain issues. Car goes to sleep after 16 minutes as it should.

Did you test total draw after car goes to sleep or it won't go to sleep?
Which circuit is drawing how much?
You can reprogram GMIII module and EWS yourself.
You can disable EWS all together if you don't mind not having Immobilizer.
What do you mean when you say "EWS checks out ok"?
With the multimeter connected and measuring amp draw, disconnect the EWS module and observe the change in draw. Do the same with GM.
I read your post but didn't get it. Can you explain why you think it's the starter and transmission gear inputs that are causing draws?

Which inputs exactly you think are pressed.
You said upper outer button is pressed. I'm not sure which button that is?

For BC and memory buttons, I wouldn't replace them just yet.
While checking for draw, disconnect the BC button/module and see if the amp draw changes. Do the same with the seat. Disconnect the seat harness and see if the draw changes.

Also, if the buttons are pressed or have a short, I don't think they would work at all, right?
Does the BC switch work properly and do all buttons on your seat work?


F60
(30A) Multifunction control module 1

[X5chemist]

With F11 and F60 out. It's asleep with 11 mA! Spec is 18 mA.
F11 = 500 mA
F60 = 200 mA
The option to disable the EWS is appealing. Sending the DME for programming is a one time cost. $500
My Foxwell 520 Pro scans the EWS. It finds no faults. I plan to disconnect it and watch the amp draw. The EWS is a starter crank requirement. The starter wiring there can be bypassed by connecting two wires with a fuse. However, the DME still needs EWS input. Another EWS wire goes to the transmission position indicator. I assume it leads to the neutral safety switch. The P light is not on but it's awake. If I wiggle the shifter, the light sometimes comes on. It's why I suspect the switch.

Using activation menus for switches, three are scanned as being pressed. The BC stalk, memory button, and not so clear hatch button. The BC left button does not work anymore. It stopped working one day. The radio button does work. Plus it will cycle information. The seat memory options I think do work. However, I'm not sure if all the sequences work with key on/off. The memory button does light up with a key inserted.
When the F60 is blown, the rear hatch does not open. I assume the outside button may water damage. Plus the button plastic cover was in bad shape. One light cover was missing too. They have been replaced. I need to unplug the hatch light/button switch. If the input/readings go to "not pressed", it should be bad. However, it does work normally with manual operation or FOB.

Replacement test switches are cheap on ebay. The memory and BC stock switch are here. I'll test them next week.

I hope I've explained the issues better.

[Bmwe5320023.0]

11mA that's great! Hopefully this is going to be your draw when you fixed the other issues.

EWS delete is way less than $500.
I can do it for you or I can't send you a dme with deleted ews. Can also update dme to latest firmware at the same time. I've build myself a bench set up for that.
I see your car is 3.0, which is m54 engine.
But first I'd test everything else properly.

If you wiggle the shifter and the light comes on, I'd remove the shifter boot in the center console and see if you can find any loose wires.

Then you can also remove the steering wheel plastic cover, above and below the steering wheel, and disconnect the BC switch connector. Then measure amp draw.
If you're saying your BC switch doesn't work, could very well be a shot in it. You can replace it at the same time.

Try disconnecting the seat harness under the seat and test for draw. It's easy to access.

The hatch button assembly is notorious for causing problems and water seeping in.

It's literally 4 torx bolts. Remove them, disconnect the switch and see if amp draw drops.

Hopefully you get this fixed soon. Keep us updated

[Jps1995m3]

Maybe this could help some people.


https://youtu.be/r9J0-C8ZgiI

[X5chemist]

Jps1995me,
Thanks for posting the video. I've seen it searching for amp draws. The first thing for an owner is to determine whether the draw is from non sleep mode or a circuit/component draw. Once a draw determination is made, each one has a different way to troubleshoot it. A scanner/software comes in handy. Doing a fuse voltage drop test is eliminates good non draw circuits.

[Shane2jz]

I have had a few similar problems to others in this thread and have today stumbled across something that may be worth checking.

So mine is a M57D Manual 6sp 2004. Increasingly it has been randomly draining the battery, and draining it to the degree that even the central locking wont work. I was pretty sure it was a leaky airspring on the back as I had heard the compressor working a few times when I had parked up (on a slope) and just presumed the pressure was dropping through the night and the compressor was running. I needed an early start today and didnt want to have to piss around first thing with a possible dead battery so pulled fuse 80 to the air suspension.

Went out this morning...dead battery again. Got it started and set off and discovered my indicators (turn signals) didnt appear to be doing anything, well not inside the car anyhow, later we checked and externally they were. Occasionlly the green arrows on the cluster would randomly start to fash but then I would turn and the indicator would continue to flash despite the stalk returning to centre. as the journey went on the turn signals seemed to develop a mind oftheir own. Hazzards behaved in the same way. I headed to the LCM and discovered the carpet in that area was soaking as was the cover of the LCM.

The usual thing of the drain pipe coming detached behind the airbag cover hadn't happened and was still in place. But it's cold and raining here in the UK today and couldnt stand it anymore. But..I am sort of thinking now that this is also the problem with the dead battery too. Will pull it to bits tomorrow and report back.

Edited to update: LCM dripping with rainwater and on examination had a few dry joints on the connector pins. Dried it out and re soldered the dry joints and everything worked fine and no more flat battery. used an airline to clear the drain by applying it at the metal pipe where the rubber pipe meets it. Staying dry at the moment...Will keep an eye on it.

[petebert]

How do you test for sleep mode without waking the car up? So if it goes to sleep, and I open the door or trunk, does it "wake up"?

[Bmwe5320023.0]

It does. Small orange light on the shifter is a good indication. Light will go out in 16 minutes after you don't touch the car. Then you know it's in sleep mode.

[petebert]

Right, so how do I test without waking it up? Isn't part of the test to check the draw in sleep mode? Or are you just watching the shifter for sleep mode off/on and then after that testing each fuse?