Low Battery Light

Barry626 · 07-19-2005, 12:32 AM

Someone that has the answer please reply with it!
Tonight I was @ a drive-in.
As most know the sound is played through the car radio.
When I got to the theater I push stop button to turn car off.
I removed the remote & reinserted it without pushing the button.
I also was sure to turn lights off from auto mode.
All was fine for apprx. 1 hour of the movie when radio shut off.
Low battery light came on in center of dash & @ bottom of navi.
I tryed everything & would only last few minutes when radio kept shutting off.
I could not start the car because of the stupid day time running lights!
Long story short I had to leave the theater to not risk getting stuck.
Meanwhile: I'm out the $14.00 & never got to see the movies!
Why couldn't BMW just put a key to turn to Accessory and all be great!
There has to be simple answer to this...please do tell it

Broken1 · 07-19-2005, 06:57 AM

I think if you turn the car off - don't remove the key and then open the drivers door it should work...I'm not sure though, because I have CA so the software on my car is different!

Also, don't the DRL's only work when the lights are set to auto?

CC 330i · 07-19-2005, 09:55 AM

You can take out the remote when you stop the car, and then press the start button by itself (no remote) and it will allow you to listen to the radio. I am not sure how long the radio stays on this way though.

Was perhaps your AC or climate control was on while you were listening to the movie. This may drain the battery faster.

Barry626 · 07-19-2005, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CC 330i

You can take out the remote when you stop the car, and then press the start button by itself (no remote) and it will allow you to listen to the radio. I am not sure how long the radio stays on this way though.

Was perhaps your AC or climate control was on while you were listening to the movie. This may drain the battery faster.

I tryed first suggestion & doesn't work on my car.

I'm pretty sure air was off? no lights were on & I did not feel it on.

I'm beginning to think something is wrong with my battery or needs larger battery?

Barry626 · 07-19-2005, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Broken1

I think if you turn the car off - don't remove the key and then open the drivers door it should work...I'm not sure though, because I have CA so the software on my car is different!

Also, don't the DRL's only work when the lights are set to auto?

First suggestion works but I need to check & see how long before light comes on?

DRL's come on soon as u start car which is what I don't want it to do.
I needed to run car because battery kept running low.
Could not do so as DRL would come on & others would be pissed.

Really sad I paid $49,000 for my car & I have to borrow a friends
used junk to go to Drive-In tomorrow night.
At least theater is letting me see movies for free & I'm not out my $.

silverado · 07-19-2005, 11:02 PM

That's pretty bad. If you are in the same situation again (if you dare try it again), I would turn the iDrive screen off to conserve the battery.

Barry626 · 07-19-2005, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silverado

That's pretty bad. If you are in the same situation again (if you dare try it again), I would turn the iDrive screen off to conserve the battery.

I did exactly that & zip.
Infact: I turned it off before battery light came on.
Was distracting trying to watch movie & seeing radio station on screen.
Dealer tells me today to put remote in slot, foot on brake & push start button

Guess they know less about car then I do

silverado · 07-19-2005, 11:12 PM

Bummer! That's a real problem with DRL. BTW, I think it makes sense that DRL is not user-controllable. In many countries DRL is required and thus the driver is not supposed to be able to turn it off.

Barry626 · 07-20-2005, 07:41 PM

I went to dealer today & they are as stumped as I am.
They are contacting head guy @ BMW & see what he comes up with?
For now they told me to put a rag (towel) over the DRL's.
Going to Drive-In tonight & doing just that. Rag over the lights

silverado · 07-20-2005, 08:36 PM

Rag over the lights!!

Technology at its best!!

Did they at least give you official BMW rags?!

jetmechG550 · 07-20-2005, 09:49 PM

You still have a drive-in? Wow.

First325i · 07-20-2005, 10:58 PM

I haven't got my 325 yet, but my two cars do the same thing and I believe it should be same in E90. One of my car will turn off the DRL as long as I pull the hand break and it turn on when I release the hand break. The other car will turn off the DRL when I have the hand break set and start the engine and turn on after the hand break release but it won't turn off after that.

I believe only the hand break can tell the car you will not move

KUweatherman · 07-21-2005, 01:19 AM

The battery issue is nothing new. This goes back to at least the 80s. BMW is notorious for having weak batteries. Add in all these new fangled electric systems and...

Barry626 · 07-21-2005, 01:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silverado

Did they at least give you official BMW rags?!

Thanks for the laugh I needed it

Barry626 · 07-21-2005, 01:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jetmechG550

You still have a drive-in? Wow.

Yep New York State still has Drive-Ins, infact many states do.

Barry626 · 07-21-2005, 01:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by First325i

I believe only the hand break can tell the car you will not move

Not with E90 or should I say my car? hand break does zip.

Barry626 · 07-21-2005, 01:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KUweatherman

BMW is notorious for having weak batteries.

I really believe u are very correct.

Barry626 · 07-21-2005, 01:40 AM

Well I went to see "Wedding Crashers + War of the Worlds".
BMW dealer suggestion of covering the DRL's with rags did the trick

Whole time watching movies I kept waiting for the rags to catch fire

Broken1 · 07-21-2005, 02:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barry626

Well I went to see "Wedding Crashers + War of the Worlds".
BMW dealer suggestion of covering the DRL's with rags did the trick

Whole time watching movies I kept waiting for the rags to catch fire

Funny. I discovered last night (was waiting to pick someone up) that I can turn my car off completely, so that nothing is on. Then just push the radio on button and the radio turns on - donno if that works with I-drive?

segfault · 07-21-2005, 05:55 PM

I'm having the same problem with the low battery light. If I turn the car off with the headlamps on auto, they switch to parking lamps until the drivers' door is opened. If I'm waiting in the car listening to the radio, within a few minutes the battery light comes on, even if there are no parking or headlights on. You should be able to run the radio for hours before it significantly drains the battery!

The dealership claims to have tested the charging system and battery and found nothing abnormal. They also couldn't reproduce the spring noise in the drivers' door and found nothing wrong with the chattering wipers.

Broken1 · 07-22-2005, 03:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by segfault

I'm having the same problem with the low battery light. If I turn the car off with the headlamps on auto, they switch to parking lamps until the drivers' door is opened. If I'm waiting in the car listening to the radio, within a few minutes the battery light comes on, even if there are no parking or headlights on. You should be able to run the radio for hours before it significantly drains the battery!

The dealership claims to have tested the charging system and battery and found nothing abnormal. They also couldn't reproduce the spring noise in the drivers' door and found nothing wrong with the chattering wipers.

This is very odd. The other night I mentioned in my post above, I sat listening to my radio for a good 30-40 minutes and I didn't get any warning lights. I also kept turning on my interior light as I was reading things and looking at my manual. Perhaps it's the i-drive which takes up too much juice? Even in my old E46, I could be watching tv on my nav screen for about 2 or 3 hours before anything would warn me the battery is low. Once I turned the screen "off" and I watched a double feature at the drive in. The battery was also powering my aftermarket amp and subwoofer

itznin · 07-22-2005, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silverado

That's pretty bad. If you are in the same situation again (if you dare try it again), I would turn the iDrive screen off to conserve the battery.

How do you turn off the I-Drive screen.

I clicked in the I-Drive button and went to display settings and clicked "turn display off"

But the screen still appeared to be ON just not showing anything (if that makes sense)

When I say on, it looks like your TV would look when you are on INPUT mode but your input (dvd, xbox, etc) is not on.

07-19-2005, 12:32 AM	#1
Barry626 Captain 23 Rep 724 Posts Drives: Coming: 2012 135i Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: NY iTrader: (0)	Low Battery Light Someone that has the answer please reply with it! Tonight I was @ a drive-in. As most know the sound is played through the car radio. When I got to the theater I push stop button to turn car off. I removed the remote & reinserted it without pushing the button. I also was sure to turn lights off from auto mode. All was fine for apprx. 1 hour of the movie when radio shut off. Low battery light came on in center of dash & @ bottom of navi. I tryed everything & would only last few minutes when radio kept shutting off. I could not start the car because of the stupid day time running lights! Long story short I had to leave the theater to not risk getting stuck. Meanwhile: I'm out the $14.00 & never got to see the movies! Why couldn't BMW just put a key to turn to Accessory and all be great! There has to be simple answer to this...please do tell it
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07-19-2005, 06:57 AM	#2
Broken1 Addict 203 Rep 2,074 Posts Drives: 2024 X5 40i M-Sport Join Date: May 2005 Location: Ontario iTrader: (0)	I think if you turn the car off - don't remove the key and then open the drivers door it should work...I'm not sure though, because I have CA so the software on my car is different! Also, don't the DRL's only work when the lights are set to auto?
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07-19-2005, 09:55 AM	#3
CC 330i Captain 44 Rep 722 Posts Drives: 330i SG/Blk/Alum Join Date: May 2005 Location: Orange County, CA iTrader: (0)	You can take out the remote when you stop the car, and then press the start button by itself (no remote) and it will allow you to listen to the radio. I am not sure how long the radio stays on this way though. Was perhaps your AC or climate control was on while you were listening to the movie. This may drain the battery faster.
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07-19-2005, 11:02 PM	#6
silverado Captain 288 Rep 874 Posts Drives: 2018 M2 Join Date: May 2005 Location: Boston iTrader: (0)	That's pretty bad. If you are in the same situation again (if you dare try it again), I would turn the iDrive screen off to conserve the battery. __________________ 2018 F87 M2 \| LBB \| Executive \| Moon Roof \| Apple CarPlay [2018 F22 M240 (sold) ; 2015 F22 M235i (sold); 2006 E90 330i (sold); 1983 E30 Coupe 320i (sold)]
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07-19-2005, 11:12 PM	#8
silverado Captain 288 Rep 874 Posts Drives: 2018 M2 Join Date: May 2005 Location: Boston iTrader: (0)	Bummer! That's a real problem with DRL. BTW, I think it makes sense that DRL is not user-controllable. In many countries DRL is required and thus the driver is not supposed to be able to turn it off. __________________ 2018 F87 M2 \| LBB \| Executive \| Moon Roof \| Apple CarPlay [2018 F22 M240 (sold) ; 2015 F22 M235i (sold); 2006 E90 330i (sold); 1983 E30 Coupe 320i (sold)]
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07-20-2005, 07:41 PM	#9
Barry626 Captain 23 Rep 724 Posts Drives: Coming: 2012 135i Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: NY iTrader: (0)	I went to dealer today & they are as stumped as I am. They are contacting head guy @ BMW & see what he comes up with? For now they told me to put a rag (towel) over the DRL's. Going to Drive-In tonight & doing just that. Rag over the lights
	Appreciate 0 Quote

07-20-2005, 08:36 PM	#10
silverado Captain 288 Rep 874 Posts Drives: 2018 M2 Join Date: May 2005 Location: Boston iTrader: (0)	Rag over the lights!! Technology at its best!! Did they at least give you official BMW rags?!
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07-20-2005, 09:49 PM	#11
jetmechG550 Private 10 Rep 68 Posts Drives: 02 325 Grey/Green Join Date: May 2005 Location: Indy iTrader: (0)	You still have a drive-in? Wow.
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07-20-2005, 10:58 PM	#12
First325i New Member 0 Rep 5 Posts Drives: SG 330i Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Vancouver iTrader: (0)	I haven't got my 325 yet, but my two cars do the same thing and I believe it should be same in E90. One of my car will turn off the DRL as long as I pull the hand break and it turn on when I release the hand break. The other car will turn off the DRL when I have the hand break set and start the engine and turn on after the hand break release but it won't turn off after that. I believe only the hand break can tell the car you will not move
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07-21-2005, 01:19 AM	#13
KUweatherman Second Lieutenant 5 Rep 232 Posts Drives: Civic Si Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Birmingham iTrader: (0)	The battery issue is nothing new. This goes back to at least the 80s. BMW is notorious for having weak batteries. Add in all these new fangled electric systems and...
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07-21-2005, 01:40 AM	#18
Barry626 Captain 23 Rep 724 Posts Drives: Coming: 2012 135i Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: NY iTrader: (0)	Well I went to see "Wedding Crashers + War of the Worlds". BMW dealer suggestion of covering the DRL's with rags did the trick Whole time watching movies I kept waiting for the rags to catch fire
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07-21-2005, 05:55 PM	#20
segfault Private First Class 9 Rep 137 Posts Drives: No longer own a BMW Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: . iTrader: (0)	First service visit - 1200 miles I'm having the same problem with the low battery light. If I turn the car off with the headlamps on auto, they switch to parking lamps until the drivers' door is opened. If I'm waiting in the car listening to the radio, within a few minutes the battery light comes on, even if there are no parking or headlights on. You should be able to run the radio for hours before it significantly drains the battery! The dealership claims to have tested the charging system and battery and found nothing abnormal. They also couldn't reproduce the spring noise in the drivers' door and found nothing wrong with the chattering wipers.
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