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EverStart Maxx Battery Leak!
My wife got stuck today going to work - she shut off her X5 and it would not start. Roadside Assistance did some troubleshooting with her and said to tow it. The dealership said it was a battery and I decided I wasn't going to pay the $300+ for a BMW battery.
Tonight I replaced it myself with a Wal-Mart battery and took it out for some errands. While parking it the garage I noticed battery acid leaking from the back of the car on my garage floor! Not good... Does it sound like I could have cracked the casing while tightening the hold-down bracket (I do not think I overtightened it) or does it sound like maybe my electrical system is overcharging the battery and caused it to boil over? I did make sure to connect my vent tube - but that should only vent gases and not leak at that area. Won't know any more until the morning... Anyone else with such a bad battery experience? :dunno: |
Take it off and look around but be careful to not burn yourself. It sounds to me like you cracked something as a brand new battery should not leak. Return it asap.
P.S. did you put distilled water under the caps? |
Odds are it is overcharging/overworking the battery causing it to boil over. The wal-mart battery probably doesn't match the AH and RC ratings needed even if the CCA is high enough. BMWs have extensive electronics that take alot of power, and we have 120 amp or higher alternators who's output is controlled by the DME to keep it charged. I think that wal-mart battery is just overloaded by the electrical demand.
And thank god you put the vent hose on or all that acid would be in the rear cabin eating away at the electronics in the back, especially the stuff in the tub with the battery... |
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Maybe there is something wrong with the circuit and this is the reason why the previous battery failed. Also, maybe the battery acid was a bit too full and it spilled some. The question is how much did come out and is it continuing to do so. Just my thoughts |
Is the leak coming from the vent line or is there liquid in your battery tray?
My original and aftermarket batteries had two vent connections. Since the X has only one vent tube, I removed the little plastic plug from the original battery and installed it in the unused vent connection of the new battery. I'm running an aftermarket battery with absolutely no problems. I did a fair bit of research before deciding not to buy a BMW battery and it seems to be a common belief that most aftermarket batteries are as good or better than the BMW batteries. |
yup, Seabass is correct. it is a common belief...
consumer reports rates batteries, make sure you get one that will last. it is amazing how often there are large differences is products and how well they are made. batteries are no exception. name brands aren't reliable just because of their name... |
The main thing to look at with aftermarket batteries is the AH rating and the RC rating. If the battery can not accept charge at the level the X5 is programmed to run it at, it will overcharge the battery causing the acid spillage as described. I know this for a fact... Not only was I trained on it, I fix this issue often.
I aggree that some third party batteries are as good as the OEM, but NOT ALL BATTERIES ARE CREATED EQUAL. Some have an identical CCA rating, but can't handle the amperage of the draw from BMWs extensive electronics, and can't handle the 120 amp or 180 amp charge of the alternator... the effect is like shoving a charge in with a funnel and a ram-rod. That is why when we change to a battery with a different AH rating we have to register it with the vehicle via coding. Just think of car audio amplifiers. Would you think a PYLE 1200 watt amp was as good as a JL audio 1200 watt amp? Don't think so. Ok, rant over... just do all the necessary research before choosing a battery. It DOES matter. |
Just for the record, Canadian X5 drivers can pick up a good replacement battery at Canadian Tire (for less than half the cost of a BMW battery). Mine's been through two Edmonton winters without any issues.
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You May Be On To Something
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The new battery is a EverStart Maxx-49 series, as recommended for the 2004 4.4i. Ran back to Wal-Mart - needless to say it was quite the experience. The initial recommendation was to leave it - if it failed they would replace it, they said. I replied - What about all the acid that is pouring out of my vehicle? Queue crickets... They agreed to replace the battery - I thought maybe I had a bad battery (I know - bad assumption). Sure enough - the second new one is doing the same thing - still dumping acid; in the garage, in the driveway, everywhere. Not good... |
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