[thenew3]

Dropped my car off at the dealer today because 11/2023.50 has not prompted for install in 3 months. It says it's ready to install but never actually gives me the prompt to start the install. It has expired and then re-downloaded a couple of times. Also have some other electrical issues such as suspension adjustment not available when engine is off, also when doing remote camera from the app, get a failed due to low battery voltage response.

All point to a weak 12v battery. Told dealer about it and ask them to do load test on battery.

They came back and said the 12v battery is weak and wants me to pay nearly $800 for a replacement.

Anyone else get a 12v battery covered under the factory 4 yr/50k mile warranty?

I've had plenty of other BMW's in the last 30 years, and 2 others had 12v fail during the 4 year warranty period and BMW never had any issues replacing it under warranty. Not sure why this time they want me to pay.

I called BMWUSA, spoke to the reps there, they have no idea what their warranty covers and told me to talk to the dealer service manager or general manager.

BTW, called around. Local 3rd party German specialty shop quoted $630 to replace battery with an interstate battery. Dealer agreed to apply a 12% discount coupon from their own web site, bringing the total down to $680 using BMW original battery. So only a $50 difference.

Dealer also quoted $4933 to replace 4 tires (21" Bridgestone alenza all season) What a joke!

[overcooked]

It should be covered. Per BMW's official warranty booklet. Your dealer is a moron.

Ref:

What is not covered:
Remote control transmitter battery replacement. Damage, including
consequential, which results from negligence, misuse/improper operation of
the vehicle, improper repair, lack of or improper maintenance, environmental
influences, flood, accident or fire damage, road salt corrosion, or the use of
improper fuel as described in the Owner’s Manual or contaminated fuel.
Damage to the engine, transmission or any related component caused by improper shifting of the transmission.
Damage to the paint finish due to stone chips, nicks, dents, acid rain, industrial fallout, other environmental influences, and normal deterioration,
such as fading, discoloration, or loss of luster, improper care/repair of matte
paint finishes, as well as damage caused by lack of maintenance, excessive
rubbing, the use of improper cleaners, polishes and/or waxes.
3
Maintenance services and parts when replaced during maintenance such as
spark plugs, lubricants, fluids, engine tune‑up parts, replacement of filters,
coolant, and refrigerant.
Modification of the vehicle or installation of any performance accessories or
components attached to the vehicle which alters the original engineering and/
or operating specifications or which results in damage to the other original
components, electrical interference, electrical short, radio static, water leaks and wind noise.
Tires are warranted by their respective manufacturer. See the Tire Warranty Statement on page 22.
Driving over rough or damaged road surfaces, as well as debris, curbs and other obstacles can cause serious damage to wheels, tires and suspension
parts. This is more likely to occur with low‑profile tires that provide less
cushioning between the wheel and the road. Be careful to avoid road hazards and reduce your speed, especially if your vehicle is equipped with
low‑profile tires.
Non-genuine BMW Parts — While you may elect to use non-genuine BMW parts for maintenance or repair services, BMW NA is not obligated to pay for repairs of the non-genuine BMW parts or for repairs of any damage resulting from the use of non-genuine parts.
This warranty shall be null and void for specific vehicle components that were
previously replaced with used or salvaged automobile parts, including repairs of any damage resulting from the use of these parts.
This warranty shall be null and void if the odometer has been replaced or altered and the true mileage on the vehicle cannot be determined, and/or the
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is altered and/or cannot be determined.
This warranty shall be null and void if the vehicle has been declared a total loss or sold for salvage purposes, or if the vehicle has been used in any competitive event.

[MADBMWX5MC]

Almost $5K to replace tires, hell I paid that much for a complete, brand new set of winter tires/wheels completely mounted and balanced from BMW. I smell a rip off.

[XM Label]

Go find another dealer…..

[thenew3]

Unfortunately they are the only dealer within about 1-1.5 hours drive.

I read that warranty booklet out loud to the BMWUSA rep and the dealer, No where in it does it mention 12v battery is excluded. The BMWUSA rep says they know nothing about what is covered and that they don't have warranty specialists. They suggested I talk to dealer service manager or general manager. Dealer is saying because I didn't perform proper regular maintenance on the 12v battery, that's why it died early and thus not covered. I asked them to show me what maintenance is needed on the battery in a BMW document. I've had the car serviced at their dealership yearly, whenever the computer says it needed service, so if anything wasn't done, it was on them.

Feel like it's a losing battle.

[Orient330iNYC]

Stupid question, have you tried to charge up the battery?
My driving profile is that in the winter my battery charge state gets low and disables remote camera, etc. I have a charger that i use to top up the battery every few months during the winter. Havent had it happen since i started doing that. I drive only on the weekends, so the car is sitting sometimes for 2 weeks.

I would do that before forking out for a new battery. If your car is a mild hybrid, >25a charger with the hood open will also top off the mild hybrid battery. You want a smart charger that can charge an agm battery, use the posts under the hood so the car bms can manage the charging.

[streborx]

I haven't seen a battery with a warranty greater than 36 months for many years, although there might be some exotic brand lurking around with a longer spec. $800 to replace a 12V AGM battery is outrageous. $250 for a quality brand and 30 minutes is all it takes, plus an OBD scanner that can register the replacement.

[Madsen203]

FYI, I got a full set of staggered 22” DWS06+ INSTALLED for $1.700 OTD at America’s tire.

New battery is easy to install. I think OE battery runs $400 if I recall correctly. Even the local auto part stores will install for free or a few dollars if you buy one from them. A quick Google search shows non-OE Duracell Ultra batteries for ~$300 from the likes of Batteries Plus, Pep Boys, etc. while their super high end batteries are $450.

[thenew3]

Originally Posted by Orient330iNYC

Stupid question, have you tried to charge up the battery?
My driving profile is that in the winter my battery charge state gets low and disables remote camera, etc. I have a charger that i use to top up the battery every few months during the winter. Havent had it happen since i started doing that. I drive only on the weekends, so the car is sitting sometimes for 2 weeks.

I would do that before forking out for a new battery. If your car is a mild hybrid, >25a charger with the hood open will also top off the mild hybrid battery. You want a smart charger that can charge an agm battery, use the posts under the hood so the car bms can manage the charging.

Yes, first thing I tried was to hook it up to a charger (BMW/CTEK charger) for a few days. It showed the battery was full after about 24 hours. The BMS system in the X7 still thinks battery doesn't have sufficient charge to install the OTA.

Using CarScanner app, it shows the 12v at 11.7v when engine is off and 13.4v when engine is running.

[thenew3]

Originally Posted by Madsen203

FYI, I got a full set of staggered 22” DWS06+ INSTALLED for $1.700 OTD at America’s tire.

New battery is easy to install. I think OE battery runs $400 if I recall correctly. Even the local auto part stores will install for free or a few dollars if you buy one from them. A quick Google search shows non-OE Duracell Ultra batteries for ~$300 from the likes of Batteries Plus, Pep Boys, etc. while their super high end batteries are $450.

Dealer quotes $250 for the OE battery and $500 for labor.

3rd party shop also quoting a couple hours of labor. They said because the X7 requires removal of a bunch of trim and panels in the back to access (in addition to the spare tire and mount).

Local autozone and oriley's say they will only assist with install if the battery is in the engine bay and easily accessible (which for most BMW's it is not) so they won't touch a BMW.

And yes I know about tire prices. I can get a full set from Costco, Discount Tire or any other place for $2k or less. Which is why I was saying the dealer quote of nearly $5k is crazy. The same Bridgestone Alenza tires are $1900 from Tirerack/Discount Tire.

Their quote for the battery is high but not super high when compared to 3rd party shops. And their price for alignment ($270) is pretty reasonable.

[mattsrs]

Originally Posted by Madsen203

FYI, I got a full set of staggered 22” DWS06+ INSTALLED for $1.700 OTD at America’s tire.

New battery is easy to install. I think OE battery runs $400 if I recall correctly. Even the local auto part stores will install for free or a few dollars if you buy one from them. A quick Google search shows non-OE Duracell Ultra batteries for ~$300 from the likes of Batteries Plus, Pep Boys, etc. while their super high end batteries are $450.

Off topic, how do you like those DWS06+-s vs original runflats? How much better is the comfort and road noise?

[Orient330iNYC]

Originally Posted by mattsrs

Off topic, how do you like those DWS06+-s vs original runflats? How much better is the comfort and road noise?

i just did the swap from oem rft to staggered 22" dws06+. would say they are just a little less comfortable than my 20" non rft snows. noticeably more comfortable than the 22" runflats. seems as quiet or quieter than the 22" rfts. much quieter than the snows

[Orient330iNYC]

Originally Posted by thenew3

Dealer quotes $250 for the OE battery and $500 for labor.

3rd party shop also quoting a couple hours of labor. They said because the X7 requires removal of a bunch of trim and panels in the back to access (in addition to the spare tire and mount).

Local autozone and oriley's say they will only assist with install if the battery is in the engine bay and easily accessible (which for most BMW's it is not) so they won't touch a BMW.

And yes I know about tire prices. I can get a full set from Costco, Discount Tire or any other place for $2k or less. Which is why I was saying the dealer quote of nearly $5k is crazy. The same Bridgestone Alenza tires are $1900 from Tirerack/Discount Tire.

Their quote for the battery is high but not super high when compared to 3rd party shops. And their price for alignment ($270) is pretty reasonable.

according to ISTA, the primary 12V battery is under the hood, drivers side. you need to remove the cowling (and wiper arm). this was surprising to me.
the trunk battery is the aux 12V lithium ion.
the 48V lithium ion is under the hood, passenger side.

[thenew3]

Originally Posted by Orient330iNYC

according to ISTA, the primary 12V battery is under the hood, drivers side. you need to remove the cowling (and wiper arm). this was surprising to me.
the trunk battery is the aux 12V lithium ion.
the 48V lithium ion is under the hood, passenger side.

This must be the 21 and newer with 48v mild hybrid. In my 2020, the 12v in the engine bay is a small lithium battery.

the primary 12v AGM is in the trunk under the spare tire area.

https://g07.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...ht=12v+battery

There's a post with a picture of the 12V AGM in the trunk.

[Orient330iNYC]

Originally Posted by thenew3

This must be the 21 and newer with 48v mild hybrid. In my 2020, the 12v in the engine bay is a small lithium battery.

the primary 12v AGM is in the trunk under the spare tire area.

https://g07.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...ht=12v+battery

There's a post with a picture of the 12V AGM in the trunk.

Pulled that up from ista with the vin of a 2020.
Surprised as well at the instructions as all my past bmws the primary battery is in the trunk

[TurtleBoy]

Originally Posted by Orient330iNYC

Pulled that up from ista with the vin of a 2020.
Surprised as well at the instructions as all my past bmws the primary battery is in the trunk

The AGM starter battery is in the cargo area. The instructions you have are for the AGM dual storage battery that is used when the vehicle has ARS.

[thenew3]

Originally Posted by TurtleBoy

The AGM starter battery is in the cargo area. The instructions you have are for the AGM dual storage battery that is used when the vehicle has ARS.

Here's a video that shows where the 12v agm battery is located in the trunk on the X7 with the 3.0 I6 40i.

Mine has the spare tire so it has more stuff to remove to access the battery.

[Chi6488]

Did they specifically say it was the battery under the spare tire if you have a spare?

Don’t know if this has been asked but I recall a small battery in cargo area on passenger side. Remove the tray with engine hook and look there. I do not know if I tested if 12 volts or not.

Maybe check that one

[overcooked]

Originally Posted by thenew3

Unfortunately they are the only dealer within about 1-1.5 hours drive.

I read that warranty booklet out loud to the BMWUSA rep and the dealer, No where in it does it mention 12v battery is excluded. The BMWUSA rep says they know nothing about what is covered and that they don't have warranty specialists. They suggested I talk to dealer service manager or general manager. Dealer is saying because I didn't perform proper regular maintenance on the 12v battery, that's why it died early and thus not covered. I asked them to show me what maintenance is needed on the battery in a BMW document. I've had the car serviced at their dealership yearly, whenever the computer says it needed service, so if anything wasn't done, it was on them.

Feel like it's a losing battle.

That stupid battery is maintenance free. Your dealer is worse than a Kia dealer..

[thenew3]

Originally Posted by overcooked

That stupid battery is maintenance free. Your dealer is worse than a Kia dealer..

I couldn't agree with you more. End of day 2 and still don't have car back.

[streborx]

Ask the service manager how long it takes and how much he charges to perform the proper regular maintenance service.

[thenew3]

Originally Posted by streborx

Ask the service manager how long it takes and how much he charges to perform the proper regular maintenance service.

I did ask the service advisor when he brought up that the battery wasn't properly maintained.

He didn't really have an answer for me. (he ummed and ahhhed for a bit then went silent)

He did text back late yesterday saying they saw in the computer that there was a period where the car wasn't driven for 22 days.

I told him yes, it's our road trip vehicle and often it sits for a few weeks in my garage but when it does sit, I have it hooked up to a BMW battery maintainer that I bought from their dealership parts dept specifically for this car.