Car left off 4 days....BATTERY DEAD!!!

[bmwrocks]

Well it has happened to me now. This sucks. Will jump start it tomorrow morning, take it to dealer with this note printed out (gotten from bimmerfest website):

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38498&page=3&pp=25

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I experienced the battery discharge problem, but I think that it has been fixed.... from my invoice:

"PERFORMED CURRENT DRAW TEST. IHKA DRAWING OVER 800MA. CODED LSZ PER TECH SUPPORT AND RECHECKED CURRENT DRAW. DRAW FELL TO 8-10MA MAX CURRENT DRAW IS 30MA. CURRENT DRAW IS WITHIN BMW SPEC."

My SA described the "LSZ" as the Lamp Control Module, he said it was keeping the A/C control unit awake when the car was turned off.
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I recommend to all '04 owners with the new climate control system software to take it to the dealer for reprogramming. It mentions in the above thread that it affects March 2003 and later production.

I will post here with my results from the dealer tomorrow.

I am going to ask for a new battery as well.

 

[flashinthepan]

Me too !

If you charge the battery use the overnight "slow charge" 2 amp..it takes appx 24 hours but is easy on the battery, of course the dealer should replace your battery if needed anyways.

Good Luck !

 

[Kirby]

I haven't had this problem, but mine is a March 2003 production date. I guess I'll ask about it when I have them looking at my SLIPtronic problem.....

 

[Bryan330i]

I haven't had this problem, but mine is a March 2003 production date. I guess I'll ask about it when I have them looking at my SLIPtronic problem.....

Kirby...do you always make sure your whole a/c, fan unit it off before you turn off the car? Some are saying this makes a difference. I have always turned mine off and it still does not start sometimes.

 

[bmwrocks]

This is what happened so far:
-- 0830: Dude shows up and jump starts my car, I drive to dealership.
-- 0900: Sat down at SA desk, he claims my car is not affected by the IHKA problem. I leave dealership in shuttle service as they do not have a loaner for me at that time.
-- 1500: They call me to tell me my battery compartment is full of water. They are performing current draw test and so far draw is normal, battery and elec sys seem OK.
-- 1530: I go to dealership. They isolate the water leak to the rear taillight assemblies missing seals. Apparently they were put in this way at the factory. They order two entire new taillight assemblies.
-- 1630: They put me in a loaner and tell me they will continue testing, cleaning out water, troubleshooting and inspecting for damage, and will leave rear disassembled to dry out.

They also replaced a pulley that was noisy and insulated the passenger door speaker that was vibrating intermittently.

More to come today......

 

[flashinthepan]

So any update ? Do they still have your car at the dealer ?

My car was in the garage and dry when the battery drained, but I could see a water issue being trouble too..

 

[bmwrocks]

OK here's the update:
Dealer kept the car for 3 days.
They could not find any issues with the current draw on the battery.
They said it was within spec (<50 mA with ignition off). They tested it multiple times over the 3 day period.
They claim the moisture in the battery area could have caused the problem.
There was corrosion on the terminals as well which they cleaned.

They did do a recall on the vehicle which was a reprogramming of the LSZ. Interestingly enough I have seen that (the LSZ module) as the reported cause of the battery drain problem. Maybe the recall reprogramming unknowingly fixed the problem.

Here are the kickers:
1. During the time it was there they damaged my bumper near where the light was replaced. Multiple gouges all the way through to the rubber. Also broke off a corner of my right front bumper reflector. Don't know what they were doing up there. Careless BASTARDS. I have scheduled them to fix it in their body shop next Tuesday. Will take a couple of days. They will give me a loaner.

2. My DRLs no longer work. I think it is related to the LSZ reprogramming as I have read where the LSZ controls the lamps?

BTW the recall reprogramming of the LSZ was to fix the auto stop of the windows when they encounter an obstruction. Apparently that wasn't working.

This whole thing SUCKS EGGS. I have completely lost confidence and trust in my dealer service. Sheesh.

It is all being handled by the service manager now. I will be giving them the lowest possible rating when they call me for that info.

 

[flashinthepan]

Jeez

Hope it all ends well.

 

[Kirby]

Kirby...do you always make sure your whole a/c, fan unit it off before you turn off the car? Some are saying this makes a difference. I have always turned mine off and it still does not start sometimes.

It usually is just left wherever it was set. It doesn't get intemtionally turned off.

Sorry to hear about the collateral damage. That just sucks. So far, the dealer has been really good to me and my car overall. They even washed it for me after the reprogramming episode.

But I'm getting really bummed & concerned about what the heck is going on with the '04s & BMW NA. As you probably have read, they FIRST tried reprogramming my transmission which did not fix it, so now they are going to install a new transmission.

MEANWHILE, down in Virginia, someone I am corresponding with via EMail had the same problem. They FIRST replaced the transmission, the problem is back with his new transmission, so they are trying reprogramming with the new transmission.

What does that tell you? I see a dog chasing its tail in the dark!!!

 

[rohde88]

I can chime for my friend. She has an '04 330xi, since we're at school she didn't drive the car for a week, through rain if it matters, and the car wouldn't start. She called BMW to get a jump, drove the car that day and then some to charge the battery. Dealer said it was one time and couldn't do anything. The car starts fine now.

Ron

 

[flashinthepan]

Dont turn on/off the heat/AC controls - leave it all in one spot, period..say 68 degrees etc..

Per dealer-
When you do 2 or more switches to your climate controls it causes an electrical fault and then the battery drains. Furthermore when turning off ignition, turn it off, then turn on, then back off, the extra cycle helps leave the climate control in the right setting.

Ultimately...get it to the dealer for reprogramming, they told me there is a part involved as well. This is common news now to the dealers and the fix solves it.

 

[Kirby]

The dealer called today to talk about scheduling my transmission replacement and loaner car (I asked for a Z4 loaner, he said he would see what he can do ). I also asked about the Climate Control software problem. He said that they were already aware of it and that when they had my car in for the transmission, they checked / took care of all service advisories, so I should be OK.

 

[flashinthepan]

Z4 cool !!, I like those !, one of the newer designs that IMO is an improvement over the Z3.

Let me now what you think of it !

I will most like get a $%#@ Toyota for the day....lol, hopefully not an "Echo" they really suck !!!

 

[bmwrocks]

As I stated earlier, per the dealer the climate control problem only affects the convertibles. Don't know if I believe them, but they tested mine over a three day period and the current draw is normal, so they say.

Do you guys trust your dealers? I always have believed that we know more than they do. I figure our IQs probably average higher than theirs based on our levels of intelligence leading to money we make leading to cars we can afford.

Just my $.02 on the subject.

 

[MrElussive]

Hahaha, what a dick thing to say! But yeah, usually true.
Although, at my local Mercedes dealership, there is one guy there at the service department who has been working for that dealership for 20 years and he now drives a SL500.

 

[flashinthepan]

Rasmussen BMW Portland Oregon-sucks

I trust my dealer,

But-

Even though they are nice people,

The "service dept", has absolutely horrible phone skills, most of the time you cannot get a person and must hope for a return call-back, which the service manager at my dealer "Rasmussun BMW" Portland Oregon - didnt even return my message ??.

I like my dealer overall, but the service dept is very disappointing.

Is this common amongst BMW ???

With Toyota I am used to actually getting through to the service dept, and I rank Toyota's service well above BMW....sadly.[thumbd]

 

[MyHarley]

My dealership has been very good and supportive from my salesman, service advisor, service manager, general manager, parts manager..........and they only have BMW loaner cars, all under 5000 miles. Even if the service is only for a few hours, you still get a BMW loaner car. Now if only they would upgrade my loaners above a 330......

Go Advantage BMW!!!!!!!

 

[Tweet227]

I must say that I really don't like anything about my dealership or its crappy service department.[thumbd]

 

[Wadula]

I must say that I really don't like anything about my dealership or its crappy service department.[thumbd]

that´s very disappointed. did you ever try to report your concerns to the manager? i mean, he should be interested to keep you as a customer. if not your car as well as your money is better of with maybe another dealer. if available of course

 

[Tweet227]

The manager is the only person I go to about my car. Now as for going to another dealership, I am scouting them out right now, but from what I have heard, my current dealership is the best one in my area for service.