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.
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Methods for INPA registration of a BMW battery
For BMW INPA K+CAN setup, a laptop is required. INAP is more difficult for many owners to set up and more complicated. Not advised if you are unfamiliar with the INPA program.
- Set up OBD-II Connect the OBD-II port on your vehicle. Start the INPA program after turning on your laptop.
- Choosing Body > Power Module
- F6 will activate.
- To select Control, press F2.
- To select Register battery replacement, press F7.
- You will see the message “Register Battery Replacement Activated Properly” if registration is complete.
Users can successfully register a new battery with the desired specs by following these instructions. A replacement battery with differing specs cannot be coded using these techniques.
How to Use Tool32 and NCS Expert to Register and Code a New BMW Battery
It is crucial that you code and register a new battery when you replace the one in your BMW vehicle. The Tool32 and NCS Expert BMW software can be used to carry out these procedures.
A thorough explanation of how to correctly install, register, and code a new battery in a BMW car is provided in a video tutorial made by the YouTube channel Vehicular DIY. View it in the following video:
A new BMW battery that has not been registered and coded may overcharge and experience electrical issues. In the long term, this would be harmful to the battery life and electronic capabilities of your car.
Your BMW car has been programmed to adapt how much power is required to recharge the battery at the best level as it ages and loses charging capacity over time. As a result, the battery needs more charge as it ages. By registering the new battery, you may let your car’s computer know that it has been replaced, preventing it from overcharging the new battery since it still thinks the old one is in place. Additionally, by doing this, the old batteries’ recorded battery statistics would be reset.
The voltage specifications or amperage of a new battery are frequently different from those of an older one. To prevent harming your vehicle’s electrical system, you must program your car to the settings of your new battery.
Thank you especially to Vehicular DIY for the fantastic video guide. Please view further videos from the channel here.
We provide remote coding support for a flat price here: https://bit.ly/RemoteCodingAssistance if you need aid with BMW coding and programming.
How is a BMW battery registered or programmed?
Your new BMW battery can be programmed or registered at any authorized BMW repair or dealership. Since this method calls for specialized connectors and software, it is best left in the hands of experts. Fortunately, the procedure is simple and commonplace for these shops. Because of this, the price is reasonable and you can drive with confidence knowing that your car is being maintained according to BMW’s specifications.
Verify Carly’s specific pricing for your preferred automobile brand.
In order for the car’s systems to be informed of the change when a new battery is installed, this battery must also be registered in the control unit. You can register any battery and battery type that is compatible with a BMW car using the Carly app. You can avoid going to the dealer or mechanic by doing this! Remember that you must first read out the battery to determine whether it is supported. Visit this page to see if your BMW model is compatible with this feature or any others.
What is supported depends on the built-in hardware and software of your specific car as well as the construction year. Use the Carly adapter to connect to your vehicle, and then use the Carly app to see what functions for yours. The Carly solution is always being improved, therefore after the video was shot, the app’s design may have changed and/or new features may have been introduced.
Why Is it Necessary to Program and Match a New BMW Battery to the ECU?
Here’s why every time you change the battery in your BMW, a new battery-ECU matching is necessary. The engine would be continuously under load if the car’s alternator were to work continuously, driven by the engine through a drive belt to keep the battery charged. Even though the stress on the engine is very low, it does pile up over the several hours you drive every day. The BMW ECU is programmed to only drive the alternator intermittently when electrical consumption actually calls for it in order to improve fuel efficiency. The alternator’s operation (which charges the battery) is adjusted by the ECU in accordance with the battery’s age and mileage. Longer battery life and improved fuel efficiency are also benefits of variable charging.
The location of the battery’s code on an automobile
There are various methods for figuring out how old a car battery is. The easiest is if you purchased your car brand-new. A new battery comes with a new car. Therefore, the age of your battery will be equal to how long it has been since you purchased the vehicle.
Purchasing a brand-new battery as a replacement for one that failed is another simple approach to establish the age of the battery. In this situation, you only need to look at the original receipt to determine the date of purchase. A dealership or auto parts retailer may have a bill of sale on file and be able to provide the purchase date if there is no receipt.
But since many individuals purchase used cars, they are unable to ascertain the battery’s history or age unless the prior owner provided the relevant records. In those circumstances, determining the date the battery was created and sent to the wholesale distributor can be done in a more thorough manner.
Finding the battery under the hood and looking for a sticker with date information printed in a recognizable style are the first two steps. For instance, “3/15” would merely indicate that the battery was produced in March 2015.
The battery will have a strip, etching, or heat stamp with a readable alphanumeric code if there isn’t a date sticker. This code, which can be several characters long and is frequently found on battery covers and batteries themselves, contains the date information in the first two characters of the sequence. The first character will be a number from 0 to 9 that corresponds to the year’s last digit of manufacture for the battery. A five, for instance, would denote 2015. A letter that designates the month the battery was created is the second character. The months of January through December are matched up with the letters A through L. For instance, the letter “C” stands for March. When put together, “5C” denotes a March 2015 manufacturing date. “5C” and “C5” both denote the same thing because both characters can be used interchangeably.
If the battery has no code, you’ll have to guess its age based on how it looks. Age can be determined by the degree of corrosion on and around the terminals. The battery gets older the more of it there is.
How can I reset my BMW now that the battery has been changed?
Here are the instructions so that you can see how crucial the BMW computer reset is after reading the preceding explanation.
- Once the lights and radio are turned on, first switch the ignition key of the BMW automobile to the accessory position. This must be completed prior to starting the car. Then, hold down the “Trip” button on the instrument panel for a few seconds until the red light appears.
- Once more, press and hold the “Trip” button until Reset appears.
- Press the same button a third time after that. The BMW computer will quickly reset now.
BMW automobile battery replacement and computer reset are both inexpensive procedures. The sooner you complete this, the easier it will be for you to operate your BMW vehicle. Despite all of these facts, this surgery should not be taken lightly. There are auto repair shops with qualified experts who adhere to the manufacturer’s warranty guidelines. To receive a safe and secure service, consult these businesses.
Can any battery be used in my BMW?
Finding a great BMW battery is one of the most crucial factors to take into account if you want the best for your luxury vehicle. For the best performance on the road, you must purchase a BMW car battery that satisfies the strict criteria of the vehicle.
The 5, 6, and 7 Series BMW vehicles typically have very high features. These automobiles need a lot more energy than your typical car does, thus we strongly advise obtaining them strong batteries.
You must be aware of your vehicle’s needs before purchasing a BMW battery. An Absorbent Glass Matt (AGM) battery is strongly advised for modern BMW vehicles with start-stop technology since it can handle the increased energy demand. However, you can also utilize an Enhanced Flooded Battery (EFB) if you want to buy something for less money.
Just keep in mind that you should only replace the original AGM battery in your BMW vehicle with another AGM. Because these vehicles weren’t intended to be utilized with EFBs, downgrading will cause battery and engine problems with your BMW. On the other hand, if your BMW came with an EFB at the factory, switching to an AGM battery won’t cause any issues.
EFBs outlive ordinary batteries in terms of longevity. They were created specifically for entry-level start-stop vehicles, so they can easily handle the rigorous needs of the majority of modern automobiles.
However, you should always choose an AGM battery if you want to spend more money on a more potent BMW battery. Although these batteries are made for start-stop vehicles, they are also compatible with other energy-consuming vehicles.
In comparison to conventional batteries, they offer a three times longer cycle life and may be utilized in all kinds of weather. Additionally, an AGM battery is necessary if you frequently use the car’s accessories.
BMWs with typical power requirements can be powered by standard automobile batteries. Therefore, if your car doesn’t have high-end gadgets or a start-stop system, you don’t require a special BMW car battery.
How is a BMW reprogrammed?
Steps for Programming a New BMW Key Fob After then, remove your key from the ignition. While keeping the unlock button depressed, press the BMW logo three times on your BMW key fob. After pressing the BMW logo three times, release the unlock button. Once the ignition is turned on, your new key should be associated with your BMW.