Battery Install...6 Yr Old OEM Swapped Out

[motordavid]

Switched out my oem 6 yr + old battery today. It's easy, even for this ol'fumble fingers.
Took some pics, some of which are redundant to the previous good threads that point up
the easyDIY.

As we get some aging Xs in our midst, it may pay to cop a new one, trickle charge it up, and
change it on your schedule rather than when it decides to go dead at the most inopportune time.

I had to hunt for a replacement, as we are shopping-variety-challenged here in hillbilly heaven;
finally got the Battery Plus joint in Asheville, NC to special order me one: their national site shows
the Werker Brand "Luxury Import Series" to be the only part currently available. Those that got one
from Batt Plus that is white, like the oem, got lucky. I paid a Buck Twenty Nine...hmmm.

Also, the current Werker model is less cosmetically appealing than the oem, looks like it was made
in some 3rd world country, has no "charge state eye", fwiw, and the fooking vent hole is on the wrong side,
vis a vis proper placement in a 3.0 '01.

So, I tapped in the other side for vent hole, (I got it looking a lot better than the pic shows, lol!), and installed it.

Curiously, my 6 yr old oem batt. looked "very good", the fluid level was up to snuff and the damn charge state
light was go green! I hope I didn't fook with the battery gods by swapping out the old one...the oem one
is sure pretty compared to the new black Werker batt.

Dash warning lights cleared, reset time and date and the radio kept my classical and hillbilly stations.

Be sure to carefully remove the existing vent tube and reinstall it in the replacement batt. An easy job
overall: it took me less than 30 mins from start to finish including pics and staring off at the views.
Tools needed are a ratchet, ratchet extension and a 10mm and 13mm socket.

I've linked another thread that has some good info/pics,
too. SEE LINK BELOW for more DIY Pics
BR,mD

MORE PICS IN THIS LINK:
http://www.xoutpost.com/x5-e53-forum/...r-vehicle.html

[dkl]

Thanks for the excellent post and tips

I never had a car that required a vented battery...so I now know what to look for when it's time to swap out mine, which I may do next year when the X turn 4 years old.

[zerochief]

Good idea to swap it out for a new one BEFORE you have the mysterious electrical problems so many members have here due to weak batteries. Nice write up also. I changed mine out for a Sears model - I think it was about $120 out the door.

[Hallatauer]

Just replaced my battery with a Werker from BatteriesPlus. $139 now but it's still a heck of alot better than the $300 the dealer wanted. Dropped it in and now my ABS Airbag warning lights are steady on. grrrrrrr
Is there an easy way to reset them? (I know, dumb question. Nothing is easy with a BMW) heh

[motordavid]

I got a batch of lights upon first startup after swap...
I simply turned off car, let it sit a minute, turned it on
and drove for 5 mins: all lights went out and stayed out.

I also usually turn key, listen to the OBC hum, followed
by a click in 7 or 8 seconds...maybe just obssesive, lol!

Give the restart/short drive a try.
GL,mD

[Eurosport]

Originally Posted by motordavid

I got a batch of lights upon first startup after swap...
I simply turned off car, let it sit a minute, turned it on
and drove for 5 mins: all lights went out and stayed out.

I also usually turn key, listen to the OBC hum, followed
by a click in 7 or 8 seconds...maybe just obssesive, lol!

Give the restart/short drive a try.
GL,mD

whenever you get those lights (after battery disconnect)
all you have to do is turn the steering wheel left/right from lock to lock and it resets

[sphincter]

Originally Posted by Eurosport

whenever you get those lights (after battery disconnect)
all you have to do is turn the steering wheel left/right from lock to lock and it resets

Make sure you're stopped when you turn the wheel. It was a little scary at 75 mph!

[Hallatauer]

Originally Posted by motordavid

I got a batch of lights upon first startup after swap...
I simply turned off car, let it sit a minute, turned it on
and drove for 5 mins: all lights went out and stayed out.

I also usually turn key, listen to the OBC hum, followed
by a click in 7 or 8 seconds...maybe just obssesive, lol!

Give the restart/short drive a try.
GL,mD

Started it up and started moving. Within a minute, all the warning lights went dark. I feel much better now, thanks... Also the Werker battery has the vent hole on the correct side now. Guess they fixed that little problem.

And I was at an autoX a couple of years ago and was chatting with a BMW tech from a local dealer who races with the group. He said to do just that. Turn your ignition to ON position and wait about 3 seconds and then start the engine. Too many people just turn the key from OFF thru ON to START and this is what causes most electrical gremlins. It's akin to letting your computer boot up. It has worked for me. I turn the ignition to ON, fasten my seat belt, then start.

[Multibeemer]

Help!! I can't the old battery out! That long bolt on the right side of the battery, which attaches the hold-down clamp (or whatever it's called) to the car, is just spinning and spinning, but isn't loosening in the least. The entire bolt is spinning, including the bottom part that is in contact with the hold-down clamp. Is there some trick to getting this thing out? Thanks.

[Weasel]

Originally Posted by Multibeemer

Help!! I can't the old battery out! That long bolt on the right side of the battery, which attaches the hold-down clamp (or whatever it's called) to the car, is just spinning and spinning, but isn't loosening in the least. The entire bolt is spinning, including the bottom part that is in contact with the hold-down clamp. Is there some trick to getting this thing out? Thanks.

Usually just spins right out.... Most likely the threaded insert it screws in to is stripped and spinning in the plastic housing. If that's the case not much you can do but break it out unfortunately. Maybe try prying up on it while unscrewing?