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      12-20-2010, 06:47 PM   #1
DarienJim
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x6 Battery Discharge or Drain problems

All,

This is my first post. I have a 2009 x6 50i which I love except for one problem: the battery discharges very quickly and randomly, especially in the cold weather.

The first year I owned it, within a few weeks, the battery went dead several times. I was told by the dealer that I had a "adverse driving profile" and needed to take longer drives. When I pointed out to the service manager that I have owned 27 different cars over the past four decades (none of which where a BMW!), and that I never experienced this type of problem, they took the car and did a long extensive test and said the alternative went bad, so they replaced that and the battery and sent me packing (last winter.)

Over the summer I lost the battery several times, one of which I left the tailgate open for 1.5 hours with the small light on and the battery was completely dead. I got another new battery.

Well, in the past week it got cold again and the battery on several consecutive days had no clock in the morning, a warning of battery discharge and the car barely turned over. I went to the dealer and got the same "adverse driving profile." Basically I had 250 trips under 10 miles over the past six months. That despite putting 35k miles on it in less than two years--I guess they do not count the long trips as positive.

Anyways, they put a new battery in today, and perplexed what is draining the battery and agree there is nothing wrong with my driving habits.

I have been on the internet searching various posting and see others with battery problems on their x6's. I am looking to get a forum together to discuss.

Currently my dealer is engaged with the factory on this issue. I am convinced either the battery is too small or else some electronic component is draining the battery. I suspect it is something to do with maybe seat heaters or defroster since it occurs more in winter, but want to hear about other experiences.

I am prepared to fight the dealer and factory on this until it get fixed or a refund. Please PM me if you would like to discuss offline.
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      12-20-2010, 07:14 PM   #2
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"I was told by the dealer that I had a "adverse driving profile" and needed to take longer drives. "
Amazing how BMW dealers feel free to dump on customers these, since it seems to be sanctioned by BMW guess it's to be expected.

do a search on "battery" and you should find lots of threads on this issue , you will have to read them to see what matches yours.
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      12-20-2010, 09:12 PM   #3
DarienJim
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dmlgc View Post
do a search on "battery" and you should find lots of threads on this issue , you will have to read them to see what matches yours.
I actually did a search on "x6 battery problems but only came up with three users complaining."
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      12-20-2010, 09:18 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DarienJim View Post
I actually did a search on "x6 battery problems but only came up with three users complaining."
Make it four.... I recently had the battery discharge issue too, so I'm taking it to the dealer tomorrow morning. Hoping they will fix that issue and the dvd navigation problem.
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      12-20-2010, 09:20 PM   #5
DarienJim
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Quote:
Originally Posted by flz9636 View Post
Make it four.... I recently had the battery discharge issue too, so I'm taking it to the dealer tomorrow morning. Hoping they will fix that issue and the dvd navigation problem.
One thing I did not mention. . .several times I have gotten into the car after it was sitting over night and I hear what I think sounds either like a disk drive or a DVD player spinning in the dash. I always thought that was odd. Can't imagine that the car would be working on say the navigation while it is sitting idle.
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      12-20-2010, 10:05 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DarienJim View Post
One thing I did not mention. . .several times I have gotten into the car after it was sitting over night and I hear what I think sounds either like a disk drive or a DVD player spinning in the dash. I always thought that was odd. Can't imagine that the car would be working on say the navigation while it is sitting idle.
That's because the system starts the bootup process when you unlock the car. You are just hearing the system initialization. Do you have comfort access?

Do you keep a charger cord plugged into the center console? Do you keep your car locked normally? It certainly sounds like something is slowly draining your battery. I have been able to kill a BMW battery by making nothing but short trips followed by long idle periods when I was traveling a lot, but not in the time frames you are describing.
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      12-20-2010, 10:10 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ikendiken View Post
That's because the system starts the bootup process when you unlock the car. You are just hearing the system initialization. Do you have comfort access?

Do you keep a charger cord plugged into the center console? Do you keep your car locked normally? It certainly sounds like something is slowly draining your battery. I have been able to kill a BMW battery by making nothing but short trips followed by long idle periods when I was traveling a lot, but not in the time frames you are describing.
I keep it locked overnight and during the work week make short trips to the train (2-3 minutes driving.) But on the weekend make longer trips. And yes, I have comfort access.
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      12-20-2010, 10:34 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DarienJim View Post
I actually did a search on "x6 battery problems but only came up with three users complaining."

Ok I remember folks complaining about clocks and things and they were related to battery but they didn't show up that way, just clock reset, funny messages etc. so I'm not sure if they were all filed under battery but many turned out to the infamous "wrong battery"problem.
good luck.
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      12-20-2010, 11:37 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DarienJim View Post
I keep it locked overnight and during the work week make short trips to the train (2-3 minutes driving.) But on the weekend make longer trips. And yes, I have comfort access.
Comfort access is why you are hearing the drives startup. If you were opening from the key fob they would be further along by the time you got in the car.

Your problem could be comfort access related. Its probably not one thing, but you could always hope it is. Do you leave a cell phone in the car? Even when its not plugged in it could still be causing problems for you.

Do a google search for "comfort access battery drain" lots of things to worry over come up.
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      12-20-2010, 11:40 PM   #10
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Last year there was a problem with certain 09 models which had wrong batteries (X5) installed at the factory. You need to check the battery number at the dealer and compare it, to make sure you have the correct battery installed.
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      12-23-2010, 09:36 AM   #11
DarienJim
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Well the 'stories' continue. . .

The dealer kept the x6 for a week and found 'no drainage problems' but the battery had 'failed'. This after replacing two batteries last winter because they kept 'failing'.

I went to get the x6 last night after I was told that a new battery was installed, and when I got to the dealer, I was told I had to wait as the new battery failed. So, after sitting there two days, the new battery failed at the dealership.

I spoke to the service manager and he assured me that the new battery was in fact six months old, that they had not rotated their stock quickly enough and that the factory rep told them to take out the 'new six month old battery' and install a new (newer???) one.

Now I cannot discern what they are telling me is true or not or just giving me the run-around. How can a 'six month old' battery fail or not be adequate to run my car?

And guess what: this morning after driving the car last night for 25 minutes around town, the car already is turning over slowing. I wonder how many days or weeks I will get with the 'new' ('newer'?) battery.

At some point someone at BMW Factory needs to take some responsibility and fix this problem!
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      12-23-2010, 10:25 AM   #12
DarienJim
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A further update: the general manager email me to tell me that they had not kept their stock charged up and that's the reason why the first 'new' battery was dead. Seems odd that a dealer would not keep their batteries charged. How long can they sit before they go 'bad'?
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      12-23-2010, 10:38 AM   #13
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Just spoke to them--here's the real story. BMW Factory mandates dealers to rotate out old batteries and replace them. The time frame for them to sit at dealers is 3 months. For some reason that did not occur with the first battery so they took it out and put a new one in.

Let's see how long the car lasts with this one. . . I will report back later.
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      12-23-2010, 11:04 AM   #14
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seems like a very poor explanation
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      01-06-2011, 12:33 PM   #15
DarienJim
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Well, car was not turning over again so I took it in and the re-charged the 'new' battery on Monday and said I could have it back Wednesday. Its Thursday and the car is no where to be found.
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      01-07-2011, 02:12 PM   #16
DarienJim
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Dealer finally agreed today after keeping the car for 8 days that there is an 'unexplained' drain in the car and it has nothing to do with the way I drive it or any battery problem.

I am now discussing with them to buy it back and put me into something new. Thinking x6M or 550ix with M package.
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      01-09-2011, 11:47 AM   #17
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I noticed a thread a while back that discussed a software update fix for the battery drain. Any word of that from the dealer?
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      01-09-2011, 12:05 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by E90076 View Post
I noticed a thread a while back that discussed a software update fix for the battery drain. Any word of that from the dealer?
The dealer has had the car off an on for about three weeks. They have put in two new batteries, but they continue to drain. Nonce of the diagnostic equipment can figure out where the drain is resulting from. They are now convinced there is some type of short somewhere, and I am engaged with them buying the car back (although their offer thus far is inadequate.)
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      01-16-2011, 03:16 PM   #19
DarienJim
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Well, it's been one month with the dealer keeping the car and I still do not have a satisfactory settlement. Any one with experience with BMW on a 'factory assist', please PM me.
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      01-17-2011, 06:46 PM   #20
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My 09 X6 is the only car i've owned where the dealer has told me to get out and drive more!.If i don't i get the 'Set time and Date' message then the electronics seem to get sluggish.I hear the 'whirring' sound inside the car when i open a door but this is when the car is unlocked in the garage under our house. The dealer has charged the battery twice in 6 months.Must be a bug somehwere!
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      01-17-2011, 08:51 PM   #21
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Agree X6 is first bimmer I've had that was this power sensitive.
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      01-17-2011, 09:19 PM   #22
DarienJim
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chooky View Post
My 09 X6 is the only car i've owned where the dealer has told me to get out and drive more!.If i don't i get the 'Set time and Date' message then the electronics seem to get sluggish.I hear the 'whirring' sound inside the car when i open a door but this is when the car is unlocked in the garage under our house. The dealer has charged the battery twice in 6 months.Must be a bug somehwere!
Have you complained to the dealer? Have you had a situation where you could not start the x6?
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