Battery or Alternator?

[imi7]

Originally Posted by trader4

You say you're in the Middle East, so IDK the options there. But here in the states there are auto supply houses, including most chains, that will do a load test on the battery and also test the alternator, for free.

It's amazing that BMW could sell you a battery for $500 two years ago and it's not still under warranty? Every battery I've bought here in the states, typically they give you two or three years where they will replace it for free if it fails, prorated for 6 years or so.

Is an expensive gel battery the only option because of the high heat?

When you're having the weird symptoms, with the voltage at 13.5V, hard to say what it is. You would think if the cause was either the battery or the alternator that you would not be seeing 13.5V while it's happening. I wonder if you have some other electrical problem related to the HID light circuit? I'd also measure that voltage with a VOM while it's happening, to further verify the voltage.

BMW make loads of money here from servicing....temp does reach 50c here but surely a normal BMW battery could be sufficient..i am just learning to live with this new characteristic as the car drives and functionsok?. I have ordered the ctek charger.

The hazards are tripped only at the initial ON for the fogs.....if i switched on/off consecutively after initial ON nothing happens....

I'm not willing to change the battery...well not yet....