2007 X5 4.8l slow crank especially hot

[Ferguson]

Yeah, they could be chasing the wrong thing on the battery, but honestly down here in Florida we go through batteries so quickly, and since the BMW requires reprogramming for a battery change, I am not going to get upset if they may have changed the battery earlier than needed. I would have been back for that in max 2 years anyway.

I'm confident they will still testing starter current. Or have, and just haven't told me yet. Or will when I insist.

I never found my clamp on meter. It's lost somewhere in last-move-during-divorce space.

[andrewwynn]

I wouldn’t veto a battery replacement I just see a lot of people replace the battery and then replace the starter later

[bcredliner]

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

I wouldn’t veto a battery replacement I just see a lot of people replace the battery starter and then replace the starter later

I assume you meant to say-- replace the alternator later.

[andrewwynn]

No I meant starter for some reason I had started in that since twice I made it hard to understand. symptoms of a bad starter off in times looks like a bad battery. Hey Siri new battery will mask the symptoms of a bad starter so people will think they fix the problem with the problem was the starter in the first place

[bcredliner]

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

No I meant starter for some reason I had started in that since twice I made it hard to understand. symptoms of a bad starter off in times looks like a bad battery. Hey Siri new battery will mask the symptoms of a bad starter so people will think they fix the problem with the problem was the starter in the first place

IMO, in this case, it is best practice to start troubleshooting by eliminating the battery as the culprit first. Not only is it the place to start it is the easiest to troubleshoot. It doesn't matter if it is a 90 percent or 5 percent probability that the battery is the problem. I try not to make a decision based on what is most likely but rather on systematic troubleshooting. Even if a new battery solves the problem it is necessary to continue to troubleshoot to be sure there is not another contributing problem, especially if a battery has failed when in most cases it would still be fine.

The circumstances you refer to are usually chasing the issue with parts rather than the focusing on troubleshooting until the core problem is pinpointed. I see it happening here many times as contributors state---without any question it is (blank), positive, sure thing, without a doubt--you need a new (blank). And, members do as suggested without any troubleshooting for verification and it does not resolve the problem.

[andrewwynn]

you can eliminate the battery from contention without replacing the battery by simply using a jumper cable to a different car. That said it’s pretty easy to hook up an ammeter to the starter cable.


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[bcredliner]

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

you can eliminate the battery from contention without replacing the battery by simply using a jumper cable to a different car. That said it’s pretty easy to hook up an ammeter to the starter cable.


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I am not professing to buy a new battery or that the battery is the problem. My point is only that the battery should be eliminated as a possibility by troubleshooting it first. I would have the same point of view if the battery was purchased 3 months before the problem started. IMO that is the logical procedure to follow.

If you believe the starter should be checked first, that's fine. Are you saying that when you have an electrical issue such as this that you wouldn't troubleshoot the battery first?

[andrewwynn]

Originally Posted by Ferguson

Took it to the shop, they said the battery tested good (800+ cranking amps), they spent a long time and two computers without finding anything in specific wrong, other than my trips are too short and infrequent to give it a good charge. I know that, and always put a trickle charge (2A) on so the battery is topped off when I leave.

They suggested the starter may be failing; I am only familiar with starts that seize or just fail open, not one that gets weak, is that an expected failure mode?

Linwood

From post 1: the battery was load tested. Now that doesn't mean for sure it's good to go and there could be a situation internal to the battery that is a problem only when it's hot.

That said. Effectively, the battery was tested so next item test the starter is what I've been saying.

Also: more important than a CCA test is to pull up the charge state histogram. That's how I make the call on replacing a bmw battery.

Mine is getting low enough on average I'll replace my battery before next winter but unless I have starting problems before fall I'll wait.

[bcredliner]

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

From post 1: the battery was load tested. Now that doesn't mean for sure it's good to go and there could be a situation internal to the battery that is a problem only when it's hot.

That said. Effectively, the battery was tested so next item test the starter is what I've been saying.

Also: more important than a CCA test is to pull up the charge state histogram. That's how I make the call on replacing a bmw battery.

Mine is getting low enough on average I'll replace my battery before next winter but unless I have starting problems before fall I'll wait.

Post 1 reads the battery was tested. As you know that doesn't always mean it was load tested. That's the reason I mentioned to be sure it was load tested before eliminating the battery as the problem. I don't know if battery is good or bad, my input is only about a best practice battery testing and a logical process for troubleshooting.