Stealership FRM 3 story

[mweisdorfer]

So, 9 days ago I bought a new AGM battery from autozone to replace the 6.5 year old battery in my 2008 e70. It was taking a little longer than usual to start upon pushing the start button. I tried babying it thru our harsh Michigan winter, but I thought of being proactive since the weather man stated we are having the coldest February since Ulysses S Grant was president!!!! So, after putting in the battery, I turned on the car and WHAM! The idrive screamed at me stated a light malfunction.

So, we hooked up the cpu and tried to figure out what the issue was. The BMW software stated I had an FRM fault. We tried to reset it but the software could not communicate with the FRM; basically, the FRM was dead as a door nail.

So, I go on-line to various forums to discover this is a problem with only the e70 and e71. Nice going BMW!!!!


I took it to the BMW dealer and they wanted $925.00 to change and program the new FRM3 module. Basically 450 or the module and 475 for programming at 4 hours!!!!


I found a BMW dealer in Morristown NJ, that had one in stock and would price match a BMW dealer in Atlanta for $308.00!!!!!!

He even had it to my doorstep in 3 days!!!

I put the FRM module in myself and tried to program it myself but got stuck in the middle of it because the directions I found on-line were not clear. So, I took the car to a local European mechanic who specializes in BMW, Audi and Volkswagen. He hooked it up to his autologic machine and had the FRM programmed in literally 20 min, as I stood there in amazement!!

Bottom line, he charged me $44.00! Total out the door was $352.00. No lie.

I will NEVER take my car to a BMW dealer ever again!!!

[airshaq20]

Wow, this is the 2nd time I've read about this in the last week or so.
So - what exactly is the correct procedure on how to replace the battery without killing the FRM module?

[mweisdorfer]

I am not sure. Luck !

Buy the battery and take it to a local European auto mechanic and have them do it. That way, if they fry the FRM then, they pay the price. It only takes like 5 min to register the battery and there are several avenues to go on this from apps to software etc.

[lanbrown]

By the time he bought the battery, bought the FRM and then paid an indy, he could have went to the dealer and had them do the entire task.

There are times it is just less risky for someone else to do the work; either an indy or the dealer.

[mweisdorfer]

I would have no idea or any inclination that the FRM module would go bad by just changing the battery. I own a 335i and changed the battery with an autozone gold battery that has 1000 cold cranking Amps vs the 720 stock that the OEM battery had. No issues what so ever.

I guess the lesson learned is to be more through before doing a simple task. I did look up a basic diy video that I found on you tube by BMTroubleU. Very good.

[butch1021]

i didnt even change my battery.. All i did was disconnect it to change out a steering wheel.. Mine died also.. 825 at the dealer