[nubmwowner]

my car is a 2011 328xi

My vehicle is in the shop and I am getting a 600$ bill for checking the battery and getting a replacement installed. The car went in for a general service check 3 weeks ago and the battery was supposedly checked and supposedly passed inspection. There was no incident of leaving the lights on or running the radio while the engine was off. Our driving habits have not changed...typically the car is driven to the cottage (240 km mostly highway) and driven back (another 240 km) each weekend. During the week it generally sits idle. The battery died on the sunday after the friday drive to the cottage. The engine did turnover but would not start, no indicators of any kind were displayed. I have two questions:

1. there was never a battery warning indication, the car went from fine to would not start. Is this unusual when a battery dies? I assume there should have been some kind of warning...

2. Is it reasonable given our driving habits for the battery to pass the inspection and then die within 3 weeks? The dealer claims the battery can go from fine to dead in a few days.

I suppose a third question is are our driving habits bad for the battery... I should also mention the car was parked indoors the entire time both in the city and at the cottage.

Thanks for any feedback

[cays]

For various reasons AGM batteries can develop an instant internal short and one minute everything is normal and the next, you won't even get a click when you go to start up. It's common for them to fail suddenly like yours did.

[overcoil]

1) For mercedes-benz the tech-forum consensus was for maximum battery reliability change every four years.

2) short trip in urban areas with lots of accessories on and then days on end without use can sulfate a battery - mess up the plate.

3) just happened to my GF last month, battery was dying but the drive to the dealer charged the battery well enough to show O.K. on the battery tester. Though a second test a few minutes later showed a dying battery.

[nubmwowner]

Thanks for the feedback...not sure it is what i wanted to hear but then again there really is not a good answer to my situation!

Time to get out the cheque book...

[MightyMouseTech]

All batteries can fail in the snap of a finger, zero warning. Some do, some don't.

Have even seen a battery pass our test, park it outside, go to start it to bring into car wash, dead.

[atruelunatic]

Can confirm... battery tested fine at AutoZone, then didn't start the car adequately. It was also charged using their battery tester.

Bought a new battery and right before swapping batteries, got a low battery warning. New battery seems to be working well.

[bmw1racer]

My 2012's battery died after driving it to work in the morning... No warning, either.

To make a long story short, the dealer tried to stick me with a $600+ bill, I filed a complaint with the local TV station, and they got the dealership to refund me all of my money.

[Schulz]

Batteries can die out at any time. There is no warning in most cases and all you can do is to replace the battery after an interval of say 2 years so that you don't get stuck one day. It happened to me once when I was on a long distance trip and had to buy a new battery at a place that I got stuck in.

[bmw1racer]

Originally Posted by Schulz

There is no warning in most cases and all you can do is to replace the battery after an interval of say 2 years so that you don't get stuck one day.

Two years is an awfully short period between battery changes.

[aerostar]

600 for a battery swap? :/

[XMetal]

Originally Posted by bmw1racer

Two years is an awfully short period between battery changes.

Not really according to this => http://www.leftlanenews.com/bmws-twi...ies-88475.html

A lot of newer BMWs with start/stop features are doing the same to their batteries

[David70]

Originally Posted by XMetal

Not really according to this => http://www.leftlanenews.com/bmws-twi...ies-88475.html

A lot of newer BMWs with start/stop features are doing the same to their batteries

This always make me laugh (from your link) -

Even after bumping the batteries from 90-Ah AGMs to 105-Ah AGMs, the batteries still have to be replaced every 10,000 miles, or at every oil change.

I guess if you're saving the environment?

BMW is one of the few that can get away with something like this, try to pull that on an Accord owner.

[ShocknAwe]

Originally Posted by David70

This always make me laugh (from your link) -



I guess if you're saving the environment?

BMW is one of the few that can get away with something like this, try to pull that on an Accord owner.

And while they're busy "saving the environment" from miniscule amounts of emissions from incompletely combusted fuel during VERY short term stops, what exactly are they doing with all those damn batteries!?