what causes warning message in 2018 330i

bobalston2 · 11-21-2019, 04:05 PM

Been having problem with apparent parasitic draw on my wife's car.

Previous got messages re battery low need to drive car more.

Recently got message that (approx message) 'battery draining while stopped'

Dealer service is clueless, thinks its all wife leaving things on, like lights, etc. Not really addressing the 'battery draining while stopped' issue

Is there any way, when this shows up again and I have the EXACT warning message text (plan to photo it) to determine what conditions cause the car to generate the message?

My own guess is that the car records voltage immediately before final sleep and again upon awaking and if lower when awake causes the message.

And yes I am learning about diagnosing parasitic draws via voltage drop on fuses by using meter on tiny pins on each (newer) fuse.

Bob

Billfitz · 11-21-2019, 04:18 PM

If the battery is draining while stopped, as at a stop light, it could be as simple as a loose alternator belt. Plug one of these into the console outlet and you can monitor the battery charging status.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07422ZPT4..._t1_B000EVWDU0

The battery will be drained when the engine is off as the electronics never completely turn off. That's seldom a problem unless you don't drive very often when the weather is below freezing. I plug in a battery maintainer when that's the case.

bobalston2 · 11-21-2019, 04:52 PM

Wife clarified. The message is that the battery is draining when the engine is OFF.

Wires · 11-21-2019, 07:11 PM

Are you sure it says draining? I've gotten the "battery discharged. Drive the vehicle" message after parking and turning off the car. Part of their efficiency dynamics, it takes a long time to charge up a low battery.

My cure was put it on the battery charger for the weekend, and it hasn't came back (root cause was I parked it for 10 days and went on holidays in winter).

bobalston2 · 11-22-2019, 09:41 PM

Next time I will record EXACT message via photo.
Again, when I have exact message, is there any resource that can tell WHY PRECISELY such a message is generated?

Bob

Billfitz · 11-22-2019, 09:52 PM

Yes. Google. Anything and everything that can happen has already happened to someone else who's posted about it somewhere on the internet, Google will find it. Chances are it will find threads about it here.

11-21-2019, 04:05 PM	#1
bobalston2 Registered 0 Rep 4 Posts Drives: 2018 BMW 330i Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: Dallas, TX iTrader: (0)	what causes warning message in 2018 330i Been having problem with apparent parasitic draw on my wife's car. Previous got messages re battery low need to drive car more. Recently got message that (approx message) 'battery draining while stopped' Dealer service is clueless, thinks its all wife leaving things on, like lights, etc. Not really addressing the 'battery draining while stopped' issue Is there any way, when this shows up again and I have the EXACT warning message text (plan to photo it) to determine what conditions cause the car to generate the message? My own guess is that the car records voltage immediately before final sleep and again upon awaking and if lower when awake causes the message. And yes I am learning about diagnosing parasitic draws via voltage drop on fuses by using meter on tiny pins on each (newer) fuse. Bob
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11-21-2019, 04:18 PM	#2
Billfitz Lieutenant General 8243 Rep 16,079 Posts Drives: '15 328iX GT Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New Hampshire iTrader: (0)	If the battery is draining while stopped, as at a stop light, it could be as simple as a loose alternator belt. Plug one of these into the console outlet and you can monitor the battery charging status. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07422ZPT4..._t1_B000EVWDU0 The battery will be drained when the engine is off as the electronics never completely turn off. That's seldom a problem unless you don't drive very often when the weather is below freezing. I plug in a battery maintainer when that's the case.
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11-21-2019, 04:52 PM	#3
bobalston2 Registered 0 Rep 4 Posts Drives: 2018 BMW 330i Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: Dallas, TX iTrader: (0)	Wife clarified. The message is that the battery is draining when the engine is OFF.
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11-21-2019, 07:11 PM	#4
Wires Brigadier General 1646 Rep 4,876 Posts Drives: 2016 340i xDrive Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Calgary iTrader: (0)	Are you sure it says draining? I've gotten the "battery discharged. Drive the vehicle" message after parking and turning off the car. Part of their efficiency dynamics, it takes a long time to charge up a low battery. My cure was put it on the battery charger for the weekend, and it hasn't came back (root cause was I parked it for 10 days and went on holidays in winter).
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11-22-2019, 09:41 PM	#5
bobalston2 Registered 0 Rep 4 Posts Drives: 2018 BMW 330i Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: Dallas, TX iTrader: (0)	Next time I will record EXACT message via photo. Again, when I have exact message, is there any resource that can tell WHY PRECISELY such a message is generated? Bob
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11-22-2019, 09:52 PM	#6
Billfitz Lieutenant General 8243 Rep 16,079 Posts Drives: '15 328iX GT Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New Hampshire iTrader: (0)	Yes. Google. Anything and everything that can happen has already happened to someone else who's posted about it somewhere on the internet, Google will find it. Chances are it will find threads about it here.
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