Battery Drain on X5 4.4 2001

[turquise1]

This has been going on for a couple of years now. Everything is ok during summer when the weather is hot (in Chicago) but when weather gets colder, the battery is drained and dead in a couple of days or so. I killed 2 batteries so far and I am not sure Interstate will honour another warranty claim.

I already did the drain test and could not find the source. I have been reading about the GM3 not working properly because of its old capacitors especially when it is cold but replacing them did not seem to help either.

Right now, my X5 seems to go to sleep around 32 mins as shift light and IHKA fan turning off but the battery is almost dead again the next day as the car hardly starts.

Obviously, the alternator is checked and working fine.

I will do more drain testing but meanwhile I would appreciate any advise I can get..

Thanks for your help in advance..

Ozzie..

[upallnight]

Since I don't drive the X5 that much, I use a solar powered charger that I have connected to the accessory plug by the passenger footwell. I can go for months and the X always starts.

[turquise1]

It does not solve the problem but its a good advice anyway. Could you recommend a product?

I park my car on the street and that could be a solution until I fix the problem.

Thanks,

Ozzie

[upallnight]

Originally Posted by turquise1

It does not solve the problem but its a good advice anyway. Could you recommend a product?

I park my car on the street and that could be a solution until I fix the problem.

Thanks,

Ozzie

The wife got me one for my birthday from Harbor Freight.

https://www.harborfreight.com/15-wat...ger-68692.html

[Crowz]

Originally Posted by turquise1

This has been going on for a couple of years now. Everything is ok during summer when the weather is hot (in Chicago) but when weather gets colder, the battery is drained and dead in a couple of days or so. I killed 2 batteries so far and I am not sure Interstate will honour another warranty claim.

I already did the drain test and could not find the source. I have been reading about the GM3 not working properly because of its old capacitors especially when it is cold but replacing them did not seem to help either.

Right now, my X5 seems to go to sleep around 32 mins as shift light and IHKA fan turning off but the battery is almost dead again the next day as the car hardly starts.

Obviously, the alternator is checked and working fine.

I will do more drain testing but meanwhile I would appreciate any advise I can get..

Thanks for your help in advance..

Ozzie..

Draining in the winter but not the summer is kind of normal. Cold lowers a batteries ability to function. A car battery looses about 1/2 its amp hours of storage at 40 degrees and lower. So basically any drain on the battery has twice the effect at those temperatures as it does when warmer. So a small drain might not be noticed in the summer but is deadly to the battery in the winter.

A solar panel can offset that like mentioned but solar puts out less in the winter too so a small solar panel might not be enough to solve your problem.

[upallnight]

Originally Posted by turquise1

This has been going on for a couple of years now. Everything is ok during summer when the weather is hot (in Chicago) but when weather gets colder, the battery is drained and dead in a couple of days or so. I killed 2 batteries so far and I am not sure Interstate will honour another warranty claim.

I already did the drain test and could not find the source. I have been reading about the GM3 not working properly because of its old capacitors especially when it is cold but replacing them did not seem to help either.

Right now, my X5 seems to go to sleep around 32 mins as shift light and IHKA fan turning off but the battery is almost dead again the next day as the car hardly starts.

Obviously, the alternator is checked and working fine.

I will do more drain testing but meanwhile I would appreciate any advise I can get..

Thanks for your help in advance..

Ozzie..

So how many amp/milliamp is draining? Do you have nav with your X? The nav changer in the trunk is a know source for draining the battery. Any after market electronic in the car like a stereo or alarm system?

[turquise1]

Almost everything that can drain the system is off. So, no navigation, no phone etc.

The drain is as bad to kill the battery overnight during winter so it is really NOT normal. I did the drain test several times and although the car goes to sleep eventually, it takes a lot longer than 16 mins and it seems to get longer when it is colder. When it goes to sleep the number is at .04 amps so its normal, but it takes a lot longer to get there (system seems to keep resetting itself around 15 mins and restart the sleep process by going to .95 amps first for a minute, then .5 amps for another 15 mins).

I will start pulling fuses next to see if it helps although I did try some without success during last winter.

Thanks for all the help..

Ozzie

[turquise1]

Also, after doing a lot of reading, I thought the capacitors in the GM3 module (which puts the system to sleep) were the problem and replaced them already. I have checked each of the door modules and they are fine too..

[omodos]

Got similar issues but no way near as cold out here, I have to put X on a ctek charger at least twice a week, then after a couple of months am good when temps warm up, I managed to find one parasitic amp draw by removing the fuse for the rear dc socket....(I know previous owner had a concealed tracker immobiliser installed but for the life of me cannot find it, i suspect it was being power by this dc socket)
PLUS have also had an amp clamp around the +ve cable at battery end whilst starting car and have figures hitting 400plus amps, been told too high and eventually depletes battery and I am taking out more than I can put in....and of course colder temps take a toll too....have i got round to someone stripping out my starter and checking if its indeed at fault , nope....but am tempted to get it done
Best of luck with yours IF i get a fix will post it here
PS battery swapped out already...but as many say here even a new one can be a dud

[bcredliner]

Originally Posted by turquise1

Also, after doing a lot of reading, I thought the capacitors in the GM3 module (which puts the system to sleep) were the problem and replaced them already. I have checked each of the door modules and they are fine too..

I agree that cold weather will reduce battery performance, however, if the battery is good and meets specs of original battery there shouldn't be a problem starting after one night, even if weather is well below 0. Even though battery is new the first thing I would do is have it load tested.

Since the sleep drain is initially normal I suggest checking drain in cold weather every hour for several hours to see if that changes.

Does your X5 happen to have an engine block or oil pan heater?