11-days and it got towed ... any recommendations?

haumana · #1 08-16-2013, 05:21 PM

So I was sooo totally stoked to find an X5 was in my price range when I finally decided that I wanted to upgrade my 4Runner.

I found an awesome 04 4.4 with low milage. Bought it (8/3/13) from a non-BMW stealership, but opted for an extended vehicle service warranty. After 11-days of X5 ownership, I had to have it towed to the one and only BMW stealership on the island

I only drove it for like 3 or 4 days. I didn't get it as a DD, I have a work truck for that, not to mention another personal vehicle that goes much easier on the mpg.

I finally decide to take it out for a stretch, and within 3 blocks of my house, the dash lights up like Christmas tree. Okay ... I will drive around the block and take it back home to trade for a different vehicle ... I couldn't even make it down the dang road after a split second of my decision. It just simply died.

The stealership service tech said the "charging system is flaky." I'm not sure what kind of technical term that is, but then I asked why the battery/alternator warning light didn't turn on, and he couldn't really give me a good answer. End result is that the battery is totally fried and won't hold any charge, and the alternator needs to be replaced. Is there a better recommended battery that I should ask them to install? I want to hang on to this X5 until I run it into the ground, so it'll be with me for the long haul, but it won't be my DD and will probably be sitting, off and on, for a few weeks at a time. On my other vehicles, I usually put in a trickle charger/maintainer while it's sitting. Is that safe to do on the X5? The service tech repeatedly asked me if the car was jumped to get it going, and my answer has always been the same, "not while I owned it." Does jumping it put the charging system and/or computer at risk?

While it's being held hostage at the service center, I asked that the key/unlock feature be tweaked to my liking (one click for driver's door, two clicks for all doors). While it's being 'worked on,' what are my other options for the whole key/computer programming? I'm mean if I'm paying for the whole hour of them only doing one setting, I should make them really work for that whole hour

epdarks · #2 08-16-2013, 05:31 PM

I've had no trouble using a trickle charger.

These cars are very finicky with bad batteries, change that first. Testing the alternator is easy too... search it.

JCL · #3 08-16-2013, 05:57 PM

You did get a pre-purchase inspection done, right? Is your extended warranty covering the electrical issues?

These vehicles are sensitive to battery voltage. Bad battery can kill the alternator. Bad alternator can kill the battery. Jumping it can be a risk, depends how it was done.

Standard battery is fine. Same battery from from a non-dealer is cheaper.

A good trickle charger is safe. Shouldn't be necessary, but some have found them necessary when they leave their vehicle for extended periods. I left my X5 up to a month at a time, and the Z4 for multiple months, and never required a trickle charger on either. YMMV.

haumana · #4 08-16-2013, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JCL

You did get a pre-purchase inspection done, right? Is your extended warranty covering the electrical issues?

These vehicles are sensitive to battery voltage. Bad battery can kill the alternator. Bad alternator can kill the battery. Jumping it can be a risk, depends how it was done.

Standard battery is fine. Same battery from from a non-dealer is cheaper.

A good trickle charger is safe. Shouldn't be necessary, but some have found them necessary when they leave their vehicle for extended periods. I left my X5 up to a month at a time, and the Z4 for multiple months, and never required a trickle charger on either. YMMV.

Flame ON - No, there was not pre-purchase inspection ... I am in the process of learning a very valuable lesson.

The extended warranty does cover just about everything, with exception to normal wear and tear items (such as the battery), but the alternator is definitely covered. I suspect the previous owner's either didn't want to fix the issue, or didn't know what to do - with exception of trading it in for something else. I am wondering if they had tried to charge the battery or had it jumped. Regardless, here I am, with the X5 in the shop

I would love to run to Costco or Sam's and provide a battery to BMW, but suspect they would probably just laugh at me, and then send me away to return it.

I knew when I bought it, that this would be an rather pricey car to maintain, I just didn't think that it would require any mechanical/electrical attention within 2-weeks of purchase. I am working with the stealership that I bought it from, and they are trying to help get it all fixed up so I can have it back in my possession with minimal out of pocket.

Keep your fingers crossed!

JCL · #5 08-16-2013, 06:39 PM

No flames here, there is no point. It is more of a warning to the next potential purchaser. Always a good idea.

Extended warranty coverage usually isn't just based on the component, it is based on the failure mode. So, if the alternator is covered, I would suggest to the shop that the battery failed due to the alternator problems, it is therefore consequential damage, and thus should be covered. The other approach that they may take is to say that the battery caused the alternator problem, and deny all coverage. But I would have the discussion with them. Don't just look at the list of components on the coverage list, go a step deeper. If consequential damage is not covered in your policy, then fine, but it often is.

If the dealership is working with you, I don't think they deserve the label of stealership. Having spent a career in a dealer, I agree there are times when it applies, but not always. Just my $0.02.

Good luck.

JCL · #6 08-16-2013, 06:41 PM

Fully agree with MD that the battery is an easy DIY, and they are available from many suppliers.

The problem here is the shop says you have a bad battery and a bad alternator, and are willing to do the alternator under your extended warranty. I wouldn't break up the two repairs, it creates new risk. One of them being bad can kill the other. Let them do both, in this case, and suck it up. After you suggest to them that the battery is consequential damage of a bad alternator.

motordavid · #7 08-16-2013, 06:39 PM

Haven't checked Costco or Sam's site for batt list, but the batt you need is not something exotic; I bet they both would have it...Group 49, a dozen brand names, all made by 3 or 4 manufacturers.

I rec'd a full 24 hr slow maintenance charge before install, as they aren't exactly 'fresh' sitting on a shelf.

Easy 30 min DIY.
GL, mD

upallnight · #8 08-16-2013, 08:01 PM

Once you get the alternator replaced and the battery replaced, have them do a current draw test to see what kind of current is being drawn when the truck is just sitting.

haumana · #9 08-16-2013, 09:14 PM

BMW was able to get the extended warranty people to agree to a number that will allow to me to only have to pay for the deductible for the part and labor for the alternator. BMW did explain to the warranty people that the battery was fried because of the bad alternator. The response was basically, "batteries are a wear and tear item, we're not covering it." It was worth a shot.

I will have to cover the battery and labor for R&R on that, plus the alternator deductible. Not really looking forward to that bill, since I've had the X5 for less than 2-weeks (I haven't even gotten the pink slip in the mail yet), and am already facing a bill just shy of $700. I am hoping to take my bill, and present it to the dealership (thank you JCL), and see if they are willing to make any good faith gestures. With any luck they will be, after all, Hawaii is an extremely small place, and word of mouth information can make or break reputations here. I do realize that legally, the dealership doesn't owe me anything more than the effort to help speed all the necessary paperwork along, so I don't have any unrealistic expectations of them paying for the full battery & labor. It would just be a nice gesture.

On the positive note, the service tech told me that he was very familiar with my particular X5, as he was the one who the original owners chose to have as the tech for their car (they only sold it last May, and the second owner's didn't drive it all that much). He reassured me that the first owners were very diligent with bringing the car in for routine maintenance, and if there was any sign of anything possibly going wrong, they always brought it back to the dealership. While I didn't have access to any of the previous service records, this is the next best thing, and it seems that only about 12-months and a handful of miles are missing from the known history.

absentmathis · #10 08-17-2013, 12:14 AM

No disrespect intended, but that crap is why I always tell people that those warranties are like a Ponzi scheme. Save the money, don't buy in. If the average pay out per policy was in favor of the buyer, they'd be out of business.

Did I understand correctly that you're even covering part of the alternator labor? If BMW themselves said the alternator killed the battery, that should be covered on most policies, unless it excludes parts subsequently damaged by a mechanical failure. A battery may typically be a wear and tear item, but that's like saying insurance isn't covering wiper blades broken by a tree falling on the windshield.