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Why is it required to register a BMW battery? It is crucial that you register, reprogram, or reset the change in the vehicle’s computer system after installing a new car battery. This will inform the computer system that the battery is new and will cleanly wipe the memory of the previous charging patterns. The reason for this is that the more recent BMW models have an electrical system that is very sophisticated and equipped with IBS (Intelligent Battery Sensors), which customizes the charging process to the kind and age of the battery.
It’s crucial to register the new battery using an electronic scanner in the vehicle’s BMS (Battery Management System), whether you’re switching from a traditional lead-acid battery to an Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) battery or using an OEM battery. This procedure, which resets electrical components and sensors and clears fault codes, is referred to as a new battery registration.
The charging system in your car is reset during the BMW battery registration scanning process, and the battery capacity is set to 80%. Additionally, it removes any battery and temperature statistics relating to the old battery that were stored. It’s crucial to understand that nothing about the procedure will affect or reset the reading on your odometer.
Important Hint: In a car made only for AGM uses, never swap out an OEM factory-installed AGM battery for a regular lead-acid battery. AGM batteries can be used as a replacement for wet-flooded batteries, but don’t forget to register them. If the scanner only has an 85AH or 100AH choice, for instance, and your battery has a 90AH rating, always select the greater AH level.
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Replacement and Registration of BMW Batteries
Do you not adore your BMW? And you intend to continue using it for as long as possible, right? Change your oil, replace your air filters, and do other routine maintenance on your BMW as needed to ensure its longevity. Maintaining the battery in your BMW, however, is the one item that contributes the most to flawless operation of your vehicle.
However, a lot of individuals ponder whether BMW battery replacement and registration are straightforward do-it-yourself tasks or require the services of a qualified specialist. We affirm that you can manage the replacement on your own. However, if you lack computer literacy, let us handle the registration process on your behalf.
Here, we’ll go over how to install a battery in a car, examine BMW battery registration in further detail, and provide additional information on the BMW battery reset process.
Which BMW models require the registration of new batteries?
Battery registration is necessary since all of the more recent BMW models include Intelligent Battery Sensors, or IBS, as they are known by BMW. Are you unsure if your BMW has IBS? This useful guide to model years and particular models will help you determine whether your BMW has to have its new battery programmed each time it is replaced.
- Seven-Series E65/E66 chassis from 2002 and after
- 6-Series E63/E64 chassis from 2003 and after
- 5-Series E60/E61 chassis from 2004 and after
- X5 E53 chassis with N62 engine, 2005 and newer.
- 3-Series E90/E91/E92/E93 chassis from 2006 and after
- X5 E70 chassis from 2007 and after
- X6 E71 chassis for years 2008 and beyond
BMW Battery and Registration Information
The physical size, capacity rating, and battery type are crucial considerations when choosing a new battery. First and foremost, it’s crucial to swap out your BMW battery with one that has almost identical physical dimensions. This is significant since the original BMW battery hold-down device can only be used with certain types of batteries. The goal is to avoid unintentional movement, jarring, and vibrations that could cause internal battery damage (shorted cell), thus reducing battery life. A loose 30 lb. battery flying around the back of your BMW in an accident can be highly problematic from a safety standpoint. So please keep in mind that for the safety and lifespan of your BMW, the battery must be securely fastened.
Here are some details about BMW’s battery registration procedure. Battery registration for BMWs didn’t start until 2002, the year the 745i was sold in US markets. Although it may seem like simply a little more paperwork, it is actually an electrical process conducted by equipment designed specifically for BMW (GT1 or ISID) attached to your automobile. The intention is to alert the intelligent battery sensor and power management system that a battery replacement has taken place. Additionally, the temperature, voltage, history, and battery charge status are removed. The power management system does not operate correctly and may experience function limits without proper battery registration. restrictions such as power cuts or circuit deactivation for certain consumer circuits like the seat heaters, air conditioner blower, and entertainment systems. Therefore, in order to ensure that the hard-earned money you spent on the battery doesn’t go to waste, please get it registered before having it replaced in your BMW. This is the correct and thorough BMW battery replacement procedure.
How to Register a Battery for a BMW
Your vehicle now has the information about the new battery thanks to BMW battery registration.
If you replace your battery in a BMW manufactured after 2002, be sure to register it.
They will perform better and survive longer as a result of doing this.
By attaching a BMW scanner to the OBII port and following the scanner’s instructions, you can register your own BMW battery. The most straightforward solution for the majority of BMW owners is to simply bring it to a licensed BMW dealer. BMW also provides an online service, but it still requires your own scanner.
Continue reading for a step-by-step tutorial on how to register your BMW batteries independently as well as useful hints on what to watch for while registering your BMW through a dealer.
What does the term “BMW battery registration” mean?
Let’s first focus on what BMW battery registration genuinely is before delving into the procedure. Battery registration, to put it simply, is the process of notifying your car that a brand-new battery has been installed. Importantly, it must be done every time you replace the battery in your BMW, model year 2002 or later.
The car adapts the amount of energy required to recharge to operate at peak levels as your battery ages and gradually loses its ability to charge. The battery needs more charging the older it is. By registering your battery, you can inform your engine control module (also referred to as DME — Digital Motor Electronics) that a new one has been installed. As a result, the vehicle will reset the old battery statistics and won’t attempt to overcharge the new battery under the assumption that the old one is still in place.
In addition to registering, you must also code your BMW computer. No matter how different or similar your new battery is from your previous one in terms of specifications, it will still be necessary each time you change it.
What occurs with an unregistered BMW battery?
The servicing procedure “Register battery replacement” must be executed after installing a new battery. To let the power management system (software in engine electronics and an intelligent battery sensor) know that a new battery was put in the car, the battery replacement must be registered. The power management won’t work effectively if the battery change is not registered, which could result in certain tasks being restricted by particular electrical consumers being turned off or having their power consumption lowered. Power management will charge the new battery as if it were the old, worn-out battery, resulting in the replacement battery failing sooner than expected.
Important! The on-board computer’s display may show inaccurate values if the new battery hasn’t been recognized because of outdated information in the power management system (check control message “Recharge battery” appears even though the battery is new).
The power management in the Digital Engine Electronics (DME) or Digital Diesel Electronics (DDE) is alerted by a servicing function when a battery needs to be replaced. The following actions are carried out:
- 2. Changing a battery with a different capacity but the same kind (registration/conversion)
- 3. Changing to a new type of battery (for programming, conversion, or registration)
- 4. Software updates for the entire battery management system
For vehicles with EfficientDynamics, changes to the charging profile also impact how the Start/Stop system functions.
Car 1:
The battery is being replaced with an identical one. To inform the car that the battery is new, you register replacement so that the charging profile can be modified appropriately. If you don’t, the car will try to charge an outdated battery and eventually fail.
Car 2:
You replace a Standard LA battery with an AGM (or vice versa). Because the charging profile will be for the wrong sort of battery and accelerate battery failure, if you don’t register the replacement, it will toast the new battery for similar reasons to Car 1 but even worse. You MUST utilize a “conversion” in this scenario to switch the battery type. Register a replacement after that.
The vehicle must remain stationary with its new battery installed for at least 3 hours after a battery replacement. Until then, it is impossible to determine the new battery’s charge level with any degree of certainty. Possible The battery’s complete discharge-related Check Control signals are then hidden.
After a power supply interruption, some systems’ range of use may be constrained. Individual settings might also be lost.
Depending on the equipment specification, settings or activations are required. For instance:
- Autonomous engine start-stop function (MSA) vehicles: The MSA function is only operative after a learning period (the vehicle must not be awakened for approximately 6 hours).
The lifespan of a battery in these cars, whether an AGM or ordinary battery, can be significantly shortened by skipping the battery registration step. On a late model BMW, skipping battery registration can be one of the problems that results in premature battery failure. For more information, see the topic on Energy Diagnosis.
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Why is it necessary for some vehicles to register a new battery?
Car batteries experience internal deterioration over time and use, making it more difficult for them to maintain a full charge. They can occasionally be reconditioned to once again hold a full charge. Sometimes they cannot be reconditioned and must be replaced.
Why is battery registration required?
The charging current of the alternator is improperly set if a fresh battery is not registered. The replacement battery is not adequately charged as a result. This could lead to early failure. But don’t worry, the onboard electronics shouldn’t be harmed.