HAS YOUR BMW'S BATTERY TRIED TO TELL YOU SOMETHING?
BMW of Minnetonka
15802 Wayzata Boulevard
Minnetonka, MN 55391
- Sales: (888) 283-7094
- Service: (866) 481-5157
- Parts: (866) 438-8575
BMW of Minnetonka
Battery Warning Lights
On many BMWs, there is a warning message that may show up on your dash or in your iDrive that says "Battery Discharge". This most commonly will occur when the temperature falls below 10 degrees Fahrenheit.
 |  |
There are 3 levels of warnings that your car may give you when your battery is below its recommend state of charge.
- Category #1: There is a warning message stating "Charge Battery" but everything else about the vehicle seems to be operating normally. This is a notification message and no service is needed at this time.
- Category #2: There is a warning message stating "Increased Battery Discharge" and now some of their electrical items are not working. Most common of which are the heater blower fan, door locks, interior lights and the Comfort Access system.
- Category #3: There is a warning message saying their vehicle's battery is "Discharged" and now the vehicle won't start.
(This is BY FAR the least common scenario).
Your BMW's number 1 system objective is to ensure that your car will start when you push the ignition switch. The warning indicators are trying to tell you that the way your BMW's battery is being charged as you drive is not sufficient to fully charge the battery. During extremely cold weather, your warning light may come on even if your battery is fully charged no matter how you drive or charge your vehicle. If you are unable to fully charge your BMW's battery and it stays extremely cold outside, your BMW may not start somewhere down the line. That being said, we have not seen any vehicles reach that situation yet, even with the cold winter that we have been having.
If your warning light is on, We do recommend that you charge your battery fully. This can be done several ways.
If your warning light is on, We do recommend that you charge your battery fully. This can be done several ways.
- Driving your BMW at highway speeds for about 2 hours.
- Charge your BMW overnight with a battery tender or for 2 hours with a 30 amp battery charger
- Let your BMW Idle for about 4 hours.
Please remember to run as few accessories like seat heaters, defrosters, and the audio system during this process.
If you are able to do these things and your light is still on or if you have further questions, we are here to help.
Call us at 952-303-7501