VS-22/Peters Baugruppe/Group: 61 Weltweit Datum/Date:

all countries 06/2002

61 07 02 (875)
Update: 03/2006
Update: 03/2007
Update: 06/2007
Update: 08/2007

Battery master document

All series

Situation: The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development
process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the
battery. This document summarises all important information about how the battery should
be handled in the dealership.
Procedure: The complaint "flat battery" can have various causes, most of which do not concern the
battery itself. For this reason, replacing the battery will not usually lead to a lasting solution
to the problem. The cause must be properly analysed in order to perform a repair that
actually rectifies the cause.
Below you will find list of the available aids. These must be worked through step-by-step to
investigate the problem. The documents listed can be accessed via hotspots.

1. Fault analysis (energy diagnosis)

Fundamentally, the following causes are possible for a
breakdown resulting from a flat battery or problems in
the vehicle's electrical power supply:
Vehicle faults
• Battery defective / alternator fault
• Vehicle does not go into sleep mode
• Vehicle repeatedly "woken up"
• Off-load current too high

Operating error
• Side lights/parking lights/hazard warning lights left
on too long
• Terminal R/15 left on too long
• Unfavourable driving profile (e.g. extremely short
distances)
• Unfavourable usage profile (e.g. excessively long
periods out of use)

For E65, E66, E67, from model year 03/2004 and for
E60, E61, E63, E64, E81, E82, E87, E90, E91, E92, E93,
E70, R55, R56,
the energy diagnosis test module must be worked
through if the complaint "flat battery" is encountered.

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 Path: Complete vehicle > Body > Power supply > Energy
diagnosis

Important:
A precondition for reimbursement for a battery
through warranty is that the energy diagnosis
test module is worked through to the diagnosis
result:
• Show cause
• Show help instructions
• Show corresponding diagnosis code

Exceptions are:
• Obvious battery damage and leakage
In such cases, use the correct defect code
(61 21 00 49 or 61 21 00 01).
• Use of mobile service and battery replacement on
site to restore customer mobility as quickly as
possible.

Note:
The aim of energy diagnosis is to identify the
most probable cause for a breakdown caused
by a flat battery or for problems in the vehicle's
electrical power supply. The causes listed
above are stored in energy diagnosis.

• For vehicles with automatic engine start/stop

system, if this function is not fully available: If the
test module instruction "MSA power management"
appears, the battery must be replaced. From
09/2007, use the new defect code in such cases.

Note:
To enable the applicant to use the correct
defect code, make sure that both the
customer's statement and the diagnosis results
are adequately documented. These must be
made available to the applicant.

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 Service Information bulletins:
"Off-load current measurement" SI 61 03 99 (474)
BMW diagnosis system (function description):
For E38, E39, E46, E53, E83, E85
Path: Complete vehicle > Drive > Voltage and current
control > Voltage and current supply > Off-load current
measurement
For E65, E66, E67
Path: Complete vehicle > Body > Power supply >
Voltage and current supply > Off-load current
measurement > Off-load current diagnosis
For E60, E61, E63, E64, E81, E82, E87, E90, E91, E92,
E93, E70, R55, R56
Path: Service functions > Body > Power supply > Off-
load current

3. Checking alternator
TIS Hotline Information bulletins:
"Battery discharged" HLI 12 51 83 (000)

Note:
TIS Hotline Information bulletins (HLI) are only
available on the TIS-CD until 12/2003. After
this, all HLI subjects were transferred to the
"PuMA" system.

BMW diagnosis system (function description):

For all except E65, E66, E67
Path: Complete vehicle > Drive > Voltage and current
control >
Voltage and current generation
For E65, E66, E67
Path: Complete vehicle > Body > Power supply >
Alternator

4. Assessing battery with battery tester

Service Information bulletins:
"Battery tester BAT 121" SWS 02 02 04 (088)
"Lead-calcium battery" SI 61 06 96 (110)

5. When the battery is replaced

For E65, E66, E67, E60, E61, E63, E64

and E81, E82, E87, E90, E91, E92, E93, E70, R55, R56
- Providing an intelligent battery sensor (IBS) is fitted
(depends on vehicle equipment) -

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 Register the new battery using the BMW diagnosis
system.

Important:
If the new battery is not registered, incorrect
readings may appear in the display of the on-
board monitor due to old data in the power
management system (check control message
"Recharge battery" appears even though the
battery is new).

Only E65, E66, E67 and vehicles with option 536

(independent heating), intelligent alternator regulation
or automatic engine start/stop

Note:
Only AGM batteries should be installed in these
vehicles.

6. Recharging the battery

The battery may only be recharged with a battery
charger that has been approved by BMW and that has a
constant charge voltage of 14.8V.
If possible, the battery temperature should be between
15 C and 25 C during recharging. Under these
conditions, the battery is adequately charged when the
charge current drops below 2.5 amps.
If the battery is recharged at lower temperatures, the
process should not be ended until the charge current
drops below 1.5 amps.
On vehicles with IBS, recharging the battery is directly at
the battery terminals could lead to a misinterpretation of
the battery condition and even unwanted Check-Control
messages or fault-memory entries.
If the battery is recharged while it is installed, it must be
recharged using the jump-starting points, whenever
jump-starting points are provided in the engine
compartment (all vehicles except R55, R56).
Only then can you be sure that recharging is correctly
recognised by the vehicle electronics on vehicles with
intelligent battery sensor (IBS).

For R55, R56:

R55 and R56 vehicles do not have jump-starting points
in the engine compartment
On these vehicles, the positive terminal of the battery
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 7. Additional publications of the subject of "Batteries"
BMW Service:
AGM battery - description of components SBT 61 01 02 (005)
Service instructions for AGM batteries SBT 61 01 02 (005)
Service Information bulletins:
"SIP Battery basics" SI 00 09 01 (683)
"Battery charging calendar" SI 61 03 98 (387)
"Notes on charging batteries" SI 61 08 01 (776)
"Electronic battery master switch" SI 61 02 04 (103)
All model series
"Battery positive terminal with battery in luggage SI 61 12 01 (000)
compartment, E36"
"Equipment battery discharges, E38/3" SI 61 40 01 (000)
"Replacing system battery, E38 M73" SI 61 45 01 (000)
"Checking electrical connection for secondary air pump, SI 61 47 01 (000)
Z3"
TIS Hotline Information bulletins:
"Discharging battery, E39" HLI 61 13 85 (000)
"Battery discharge with key in lock" HLI 61 53 89 (000)
"Battery discharge; battery master switch not fitted" HLI 61 36 79 (000)

Note:
TIS Hotline Information bulletins (HLI) are only
available on the TIS-CD until 12/2003. After
this, all HLI subjects were transferred to the
"PuMA" system.

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