Help needed: Warning Message

[WPC]

This morning when I started the car the warning message "high level of battery drainage" appeared. Has anyone experienced this before and what's the experience? Thanks.

 

[James Chun]

Some electrical components are draining out your car battery even your car is in shut down mode....

check with your mechanics to avoid battery "kong" soon!

are you using any after market DVD player..etc??

 

[astroboy]

Wah! So high tech ka? So by unplugging the fuse one by one can we find out the circuit is the "sucker"? Or use an Amp meter to measure current draw, then isolate the circuit by removing the fuse? Can OBC tell?

Or perhaps its the battery is aging and due change?

 

[WPC]

The warning message was gone after about 15 mins. But still I called Soon of Eurotech in Palm Springs Kota Damansara(recommended by seller, anyone know them?), drove the car there. He linked to the computer and did a full check diagnostic. Could not find anything wrong. Then used amp meter checked battery level every 10-15 minutes for a few times for drainage, nothing wrong (level about 14.something). He reset the thing, drove few times around the block, checked computer again, battery, nothing. So in the end told me to come back if the message appears again. Strange.

 

[WPC]

James, there's no DVD player and as far as I know, no after market components installed. I found someone with a similar experience here but still don't seem to have any conclusions:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=626389&nmt=e60+530i..."high+rate+of+battery+discharge"...any+ideas?

 

[j0shua]

I had this before when my Captor backup battery died after 3 years. Don't leave the car for more than 24hours without starting it. I did, and it buggered up my idrive.

Had to change the main batt and the Captor batt, now gotta fix the idrive -.-

Edit: Captor batts last 2 years then konk out, and then start draining your main batt when the car is stopped.

 

[dzuljazz2001]

yes I have on my 530d. Checked the battery. If its in good order (without any leakage), have the battery compartment cleaned of any access water that might hv accummulate.

 

[WPC]

Thanks all for advising. Just to update that the fault has been rectified. It was the piece of 'earth(-)' strap from the battery to the body. When that was replaced, the warning message has not appeared since.

Explanation is similar to this : "The E60 battery negative lead has an Intelligent Battery Sensor built into it,the early ones were prone to moisture causing an internal fault inside it,just above its location there is a vent that can let a little moisture in. The new IBS's are completly waterproof and i haven't had to change one yet. If the sensor is faulty it can stop the car going into sleep mode and actually cause the battery to go flat,the complete opposite of its invention.
The dealers have an energy diagnosis test that highlights if there is a battery drain fault,but if that shows up o.k,i would suspect the i.b.s is faulty.
If a battery has gone faulty and it is replaced,then we have to register it in the ibs's memory so it can start monitoring the battery drain accurately again.
I've seen cars that haven't had a new battery registered keep putting up check control messages because the ibs is confused.
If u disconnect the little red wire on top of the ibs,(its power supply) the battery then goes back to just being a negative lead again,so you could try that and if the battery doesn't go flat then u could buy an ibs
Strictly speaking if you fit a new one you are meant to carry out a full software update.
You could try ur local dealer for a goodwill claim,its worth a phonecall to them"