You had the car off and a load on the battery, the warning was just letting you know the battery was being used with out being recharged. Once you started it up it was able to recharge and what not, obviously if you sat there for longer with your radio on and keys in the ignition your battery would have died.
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What does battery symbol on BMW mean?
Battery charge warning light indicates your BMW battery has no charge, caused by either a dead battery, faulty battery, an alternator malfunction.
How do I know if my BMW battery is low?
If your car is slow to start, cranks when it starts or is not starting at all, these are all signs that your battery needs to get replaced. The battery is also responsible for providing electricity to all of the electrical components in your car such as the headlights, radio, windshield wipers or power windows.
Will low battery cause warning lights to come on?
A leading sign of a weak battery is the sudden and spontaneous illumination of multiple warning lights and warning messages in your instrument cluster, possibly accompanied by the non-functionality of various systems including the cruise control, anti-lock brakes, traction control, and more.
How do I know if my BMW alternator is bad?
- Dead Battery.
- Slow Or Malfunctioning Accessories.
- Dashboard Warning Lights.
- Performance Issues.
- Trouble Starting Or Frequent Stalling.
- Growling Or Whining Noises.
- Smell Of Burning Rubber Or Wires.
- Electrical Issues.
How can you tell if its the battery or alternator?
Jumpstart your car. If you can turn the engine on, but it dies shortly thereafter, your car alternator likely isn’t able to charge the battery. On the other hand, if you jumpstart the car and later on it fails to start on its own, it’s likely a dead battery.
How do I check my BMW battery health?
How long do BMW 328i batteries last?
Your BMW 328i battery will typically last between 3 to 5 years, but that can vary heavily depending on weather conditions type of battery, battery size, and driving habits.
What happens when BMW car battery dies?
An engine that refuses to crank or start. The lights won’t come on. Intermittent starting, i.e., one day your vehicle will start up fine, and the next it refuses to start, indicating an unreliable battery charge. Your BMW struggles to crank in cold weather.
Will battery light come on if alternator is bad?
Alternators are designed to work at a specific voltage, typically between 13-14.5 volts. If your alternator is failing, its voltage may drop below capacity, causing the battery warning light to appear on your dash.
Why is my battery light on but alternator is charging?
The alternator belt is the connection that interfaces the crankshaft and alternator together. If your car’s alternator belt isn’t working properly, your car battery won’t get the charge it needs for your vehicle’s electrical parts. With that, your car battery light will frequently be on to indicate such an issue.
What would cause the battery light to come on?
The battery light on your car dashboard signals a charging problem with your car battery. If the light turns and stays on, it might be that your alternator isn’t generating enough voltage to charge it. Common causes can be a broken alternator belt, damaged battery cells or a failed alternator.
What are the signs of a weak car battery?
Bad Battery Symptoms If the cranking of the engine is sluggish, like your vehicle is harder to start on cold mornings, it starts inconsistently, or there’s no sound and interior lights when you try to start, suspect a failing battery, a loose or corroded connection or electrical draw.
What does the alternator light look like?
Within the instrument cluster of most cars built in the last decade is a warning light dedicated to signaling an alternator issue. In most cases the light is shaped like a battery, though some show “ALT” or “GEN,” meaning alternator or generator, respectively.
What is the alternator warning light?
The alternator light will either be a battery or an ALT, both can indicate that your alternator isn’t working properly. Without an alternator, your battery isn’t going to stay charged. During a ride in your vehicle, your alternator recycles energy and charges up your battery.
How much does it cost to fix a BMW alternator?
An alternator repair costs around $375 – $1,100. These numbers will vary based on the auto parts needing repair or replacement, car model, and labor cost. It takes about 2 hours for an alternator replacement — about as long as a driveline repair and a little quicker than a clutch repair.
Will a BMW start with a bad alternator?
Since the alternator gives power to the spark plugs that ignite the gasoline in your engine, you will experience trouble starting your car with a faulty alternator. Ignore this issue long enough, and eventually your car won’t start at all, so it’s important you act quickly if you are experiencing this issue.
What does bad alternator sound like?
If you’re hearing a grinding sound in your car, this could indicate that the alternator is going bad. The grinding sound may be caused by a worn-out bearing. Your car can also make a whining sound when the voltage regulator is sending signals to the alternator to charge more than is necessary.
How can I test if my alternator is working?
- Get a multimeter.
- Set your multimeter to DCV (DC Volts) above 15.
- Make sure your alternator’s positive and negative terminals are clean.
- Put the multimeter’s black cable to the negative terminal and the red cable to the positive terminal.
- Look for an ideal alternator reading of around 12.6.
What can drain a car battery when the car is off?
What may drain a car battery when it’s off are things such as interior lights, door lights, or even bad relays. While your engine runs, the alternator recharges the battery — which is why you typically don’t have to worry about the battery dying while you’re blasting the radio on your drive to work!
How do I know if my BMW needs a new battery?
- Dimming headlights.
- More frequent need for engine revving or jump starts.
- Takes longer to start the engine when you turn the key/push the button.
- Unusual power fluctuations.
What voltage should my BMW battery be?
Check the voltmeter reading. It should be around 12.45 volts, but not more than 12.7 volts. If the reading comes in below this range, it might be time to replace your car battery.
How much is a BMW battery replacement?
How Much Does a BMW Battery Cost? The cost of parts and installation will vary between models, but your BMW battery replacement cost will likely come in between $300 and $500 when you factor in parts and labor.
Can I replace BMW battery myself?
Many people wonder though, whether BMW battery replacement and registration is a simple DIY process or has to be done by an expert technician. We say: you can definitely handle the replacement on your own!
How much does a BMW 328I battery cost?
The average cost for a BMW 328i battery replacement is between $504 and $530. Labor costs are estimated between $97 and $122 while parts are priced at $408. This range does not include taxes and fees, and does not factor in your specific model year or unique location.