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  #1  
Old 10-20-2016, 12:31 PM
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chasing of e70 battery drain in progress

Ok I am seeing a battery drain when the x5 should be sleeping.
The alternator is charging but when you stop the car is discharges the battery at ~3 to ~5amps so overnight you have a 50%+ discharged battery. Sometimes the problem happens and sometimes not, I haven't worked out why.
I have removed all the CDs so the player can't be doing it, I have deleted all Bluetooth phone connections.

I have a TPM malfunction that I can't reset, and perhaps that is keeping the car awake and then it drains battery? Right now I am wondering if I need to disconnect the battery to get the car to give up on the attempted TPM reset which the display continues to say it is doing?

IF I do not resolve this soon, I am going to order a low voltage mini amp clamp and go searching, If I need to also get a logging dvm with that I will. Seems these cars like to drain batteries and I must tame the devil.
Stupid BMW has built a real complicated beast, which desires to feed the $service department$
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  #2  
Old 10-20-2016, 06:16 PM
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Do you have comfort access? I have seen a few posts around describing issues where people say their comfort access handle is hot to the touch and draining the battery, obviously a short of some kind. Just a shot in the dark, here, but if you have CA I would check the handles.
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  #3  
Old 10-20-2016, 06:27 PM
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Something should be warm

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Originally Posted by rpoitras View Post
Do you have comfort access? I have seen a few posts around describing issues where people say their comfort access handle is hot to the touch and draining the battery, obviously a short of some kind. Just a shot in the dark, here, but if you have CA I would check the handles.
Thank you I will check, I do not think handles warm but I will check them all. I realize something should be very warm sinking those amps but haven't found it.

Thinking of coding the comfort access off since I have a Carly for iphone which I believe can do that.
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Old 10-20-2016, 07:03 PM
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Seems short in passenger door, comfort access?

Quote:
Originally Posted by rpoitras View Post
Do you have comfort access? I have seen a few posts around describing issues where people say their comfort access handle is hot to the touch and draining the battery, obviously a short of some kind. Just a shot in the dark, here, but if you have CA I would check the handles.
The passenger side handle isn't warm but the metal next to it is warm and open the door and touch near the latch which is near the handle is very warm. Yep seems to be where the lost current is warming. So something in the door it likely shorting to ground what would it likely be?

I will see if I can code with my Carly and turn off the Comfort stuff, then the drain and warm spot should go away.
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Old 10-21-2016, 10:28 AM
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Comments please, am I right? really?

Status >>> Charged up x5 yety again after work yesterday, this morning I go out and start the car and see again "high battery drain" message. So something is clearly draining the battery as the car should be sleeping.

comments please >>> I conclude that BMW has designed a computer based charging system where the Alternator is not being allowed to charge a low battery on short trips. BMW has network of systems in the car like Bluetooth phone, like comfort system, like entertainment, Like tire pressure monitoring, etc. Any of these can stay awake if they have some problem and then drain the battery overnight. So if one only drives short trips and the X5 system stays awake draining the battery in a short time you have no juice in your battery and the x5 can stand you! If you have a low battery the x5 will go into transmission limp mode ... it makes a big clunk, displays how you transmission and has failed and you should drive careful and seek service .. very scary! With little to no battery juice once you stop the car in this limp mode, you can't even get it out of park to push the car to a safe spot. You need to use a special tool in your tool kit to get the car to neutral. .... do I have this right?
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  #6  
Old 10-21-2016, 12:48 PM
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Alternator charging the battery and the battery drain are two issues, IMO. There are posts with suggested procedures to seek out the source of the battery drain. Essentially, you take the fuse out of the fuse box, one by one, until you identify the source of the problem. A multi-meter is quite cheap. I just bought one for under $20. With a quick search, you should be able to find posts from people who have already gone through this process. Alternatively, you can ask a dealership to diagnose. It will take a minimum of one hour, likely many more, to do a good job so that will be $$ expensive.

The drain could come from any module but again, the navigation system is a common source. Perhaps you can start from there first.

Good luck.
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Old 10-21-2016, 01:48 PM
ard ard is offline
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He already found the issue- he needs to replace the door handle component. IMO not 'turn it off' via software- DISCONNECT it.
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Old 10-21-2016, 02:26 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ard View Post
He already found the issue- he needs to replace the door handle component. IMO not 'turn it off' via software- DISCONNECT it.
OP commented on the comfort access yesterday. Reading his post today seeking more comments, it appears he is still searching for the root cause of the problem.

Battery drain is a nuisance for a lot of BMW vehicles. Looks like Mercedes does a better job in this area. Wonder why BMW is still lacking here. Sigh.
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Old 10-21-2016, 04:20 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ard View Post
He already found the issue- he needs to replace the door handle component. IMO not 'turn it off' via software- DISCONNECT it.
I think it may have been the sun, it hasn't presented itself again. The jury is still out. Ordered a low voltage mini clamp so I can use with my DVM to find who is drawing power when. I am considering the redfish idvm 510 as the right weapon to find the current draw ... More to come.

Will be very interesting to find out what it is exactly and I will post here!
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  #10  
Old 10-21-2016, 04:31 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Just Looking View Post
OP commented on the comfort access yesterday. Reading his post today seeking more comments, it appears he is still searching for the root cause of the problem.

Battery drain is a nuisance for a lot of BMW vehicles. Looks like Mercedes does a better job in this area. Wonder why BMW is still lacking here. Sigh.
BMW has built a complex system, they could have built in some debugging capabilities. Like how about the computer tells the driver when the battery voltage is dropping nearer to limp mode failure, instead of having it disable normal transmission functioning and putting up messages that sound like your transmission has failed! The car know the voltage and the water temp but the user doesn't get to see them or know of any impending problem til it is time for the tow truck.
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