Replaced my 12v battery, now showing "drive-train" fault detected

[doubledawg33]

Woke up yesterday and the 12V accessories battery was dead dead.
Nothing worked.
So I disabled the High Voltage system and removed the old 12V battery.
Measured below 10V.
Figured it's an old battery and needed replacing, so took a trip to my local BMW dealer and picked up a new OEM replacement battery.
Installed the new battery, then I reconnected the High Voltage system.
Everything came back to life. Yay!
I can do everything EXCEPT drive. Check engine light is on and it's showing a Drive Train fault detected message.
Won't let me put the vehicle into gear.

Ordered myself an ODM tool so I can use BImmercode to check the codes. It arrives tomorrow.

In the mean time, just curious if anyone has any thoughts on additional troubleshooting I could try?

Thanks in advance!

 

[alohart]

I can do everything EXCEPT drive. Check engine light is on and it's showing a Drive Train fault detected message.
Won't let me put the vehicle into gear.

Ordered myself an ODM tool so I can use BImmercode to check the codes. It arrives tomorrow.

In the mean time, just curious if anyone has any thoughts on additional troubleshooting I could try?

If you're lucky, your i3 will reset itself overnight.

If not, you might need to license BimmerLink which should work with your OBD dongle. BimmerLink should allow you to delete any diagnostic trouble codes (DTC's) that might be preventing your i3 from being drivable.

An extra bonus would be the ability to register your new 12 V battery. However, not having registered your new battery isn't the reason that your car isn't drivable. Registration would record the date that the new battery was installed which could help a future mechanic. There's no evidence that registration helps the charging system charge the 12 V battery more optimally as it ages which apparently is true with ICE BMW's.

Please let us know the solution. I may be replacing the 12 V battery in our 2014 i3 one of these days, so it would be nice to avoid the problem you're having.

 

[Anonymous]

I have an OEM i3 battery, purchased from the local East Penn warehouse sitting on a shelf, for use when the original one in my 2015 shows signs of end-of-life. It shows 12.3 volts, 58% SOC, and a"Good - Recharge" message - so appears the first step in swapping out a battery, is make sure the new one going in is fully charged.

I used this to check the battery.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ZT49LX7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[doubledawg33]

All seems to be OK for now. Here's what I did:
- Deactivated the High Voltage.
- Removed the new battery and put it on the trickle charger overnight.
- Reinstalled the new battery.
- Reactivated the High Voltage.
- Jumped into the cockpit, plugged in the ODB.
- Turned on Accessories. Accessories only stayed on for 10seconds. All kinds of lights and warnings and then it would shut itself off.
- Every time I turned on Accessories, the same thing would happen.
- I figured since the 12V had been off for so long, all the electronics were in wonky error states and so nothing was talking to anything.
- Anyways, fired up BimmerLink and then turned on Accessories again and quickly started pulling codes - there was a bunch. Everytime accessories would shut off, I'd turn it back on and keep pulling codes.
- Once all the codes were pulled, I started clearing them - same deal, had to keep turning on Accessories again and again every time it turned itself off.
- Repeated this process for 10minutes and slowly things started coming back.
- Eventually the Accessories remained on.
- I kept pulling codes and clearing codes.
- Then it was like everything was happy.
- Happy to report it's 100% now. No check engine light, no drive train errors or other errors poping up on the instrument cluster.

Took it for a 20 minute test drive, no issues. Started up the Rex using the emissions sequence and let that run for a while - again all good there.

And lastly registered the new battery which seemed anti-climatic given everything else I had gone through.

So I chalk all of my symptoms up to what happens when the 12V battery dies.

I'll report back how things look over the next few days.

Hope this is helpful to someone out there.

 

[Bertone]

Glad you fixed the problem.... that was really a scary one!!!!

Is there a way to know the health of the 12v battery with bimmerlink or entering the car's dash hidden menu?

 

[eNate]

Is there a way to know the health of the 12v battery with bimmerlink or entering the car's dash hidden menu?

You must mean a way to see the the same data the system generates as it monitors the 12v battery's health over its lifespan, so as to continually adjust the charging parameters to optimize its longevity -- the foundational purpose behind BMW battery registration process!

Yeah... no.

...because it doesn't do that.

https://youtu.be/kMxdFwCU1OE

 

[sipabit]

All seems to be OK for now. Here's what I did:
- Deactivated the High Voltage.
- Removed the new battery and put it on the trickle charger overnight.
- Reinstalled the new battery.
- Reactivated the High Voltage.
- Jumped into the cockpit, plugged in the ODB.
- Turned on Accessories. Accessories only stayed on for 10seconds. All kinds of lights and warnings and then it would shut itself off.
- Every time I turned on Accessories, the same thing would happen.
- I figured since the 12V had been off for so long, all the electronics were in wonky error states and so nothing was talking to anything.
- Anyways, fired up BimmerLink and then turned on Accessories again and quickly started pulling codes - there was a bunch. Everytime accessories would shut off, I'd turn it back on and keep pulling codes.
- Once all the codes were pulled, I started clearing them - same deal, had to keep turning on Accessories again and again every time it turned itself off.
- Repeated this process for 10minutes and slowly things started coming back.
- Eventually the Accessories remained on.
- I kept pulling codes and clearing codes.
- Then it was like everything was happy.
- Happy to report it's 100% now. No check engine light, no drive train errors or other errors poping up on the instrument cluster.

Took it for a 20 minute test drive, no issues. Started up the Rex using the emissions sequence and let that run for a while - again all good there.

And lastly registered the new battery which seemed anti-climatic given everything else I had gone through.

So I chalk all of my symptoms up to what happens when the 12V battery dies.

I'll report back how things look over the next few days.

Hope this is helpful to someone out there.

Thanks. Does "Deactivate High Voltage" mean unplug the orange plug?

 

[Pault5959]

All seems to be OK for now. Here's what I did:
- Deactivated the High Voltage.
- Removed the new battery and put it on the trickle charger overnight.
- Reinstalled the new battery.
- Reactivated the High Voltage.
- Jumped into the cockpit, plugged in the ODB.
- Turned on Accessories. Accessories only stayed on for 10seconds. All kinds of lights and warnings and then it would shut itself off.
- Every time I turned on Accessories, the same thing would happen.
- I figured since the 12V had been off for so long, all the electronics were in wonky error states and so nothing was talking to anything.
- Anyways, fired up BimmerLink and then turned on Accessories again and quickly started pulling codes - there was a bunch. Everytime accessories would shut off, I'd turn it back on and keep pulling codes.
- Once all the codes were pulled, I started clearing them - same deal, had to keep turning on Accessories again and again every time it turned itself off.
- Repeated this process for 10minutes and slowly things started coming back.
- Eventually the Accessories remained on.
- I kept pulling codes and clearing codes.
- Then it was like everything was happy.
- Happy to report it's 100% now. No check engine light, no drive train errors or other errors poping up on the instrument cluster.

Took it for a 20 minute test drive, no issues. Started up the Rex using the emissions sequence and let that run for a while - again all good there.

And lastly registered the new battery which seemed anti-climatic given everything else I had gone through.

So I chalk all of my symptoms up to what happens when the 12V battery dies.

I'll report back how things look over the next few days.

Hope this is helpful to someone out there.

Hello ! Doubledawg33,

Your post give me hope … a big thank you for that …
I have right the sams problem : Changed the 12v, then all kinds of error message...(unable to chagre, drive train errors) . The car can not move, can not charge, when it is "on" on accesories it shut off after some shorts minutes....

Could you tell me more about what you have done ? When you cleared the the codes... you did that when the car was open on accesory or when it was shut down ? On bimmer code there is 3 menu of errors code...which on have you cleared ?



Many thanks in advance....

 

[mojo]

On bimmer code there is 3 menu of errors code...which on have you cleared ?

As far as I'm aware, BimmerCode is not designed to allow you to clear fault codes. Apparently you need BimmerLink for that.

 

[Pault5959]

As far as I'm aware, BimmerCode is not designed to allow you to clear fault codes. Apparently you need BimmerLink for that.

Thank you ! BimmerLink show 3 menus of errors...which one do I need to clear...? I guess all would be good... but as I have very few times before the car shut off....


Do I have to clear the code while the car is "on" or can i do it when the car if off?

On-> the screen show some messages

Off-> the screen are black



Thank you !

 

[Essam Sedky]

Thank you ! BimmerLink show 3 menus of errors...which one do I need to clear...? I guess all would be good... but as I have very few times before the car shut off....


Do I have to clear the code while the car is "on" or can i do it when the car if off?

On-> the screen show some messages

Off-> the screen are black



Thank you !

Clear with switch on no start , error memory.

 

[Pault5959]

Hello , just to keep you posted on case that could help somone . I found a guy ( who work at bmw) , he came to my place with the software Ista+ (latest version) . In half an hour , he cleared all .. and the car is now running perfectly. There is no comparaison between BimmerLink ( a toy ) and Ista+ , good version ( a tool) . This save my car !

 

[Essam Sedky]

Hello , just to keep you posted on case that could help somone . I found a guy ( who work at bmw) , he came to my place with the software Ista+ (latest version) . In half an hour , he cleared all .. and the car is now running perfectly. There is no comparaison between BimmerLink ( a toy ) and Ista+ , good version ( a tool) . This save my car !

Thanks

 

[alohart]

Hello , just to keep you posted on case that could help somone . I found a guy ( who work at bmw) , he came to my place with the software Ista+ (latest version) . In half an hour , he cleared all .. and the car is now running perfectly. There is no comparaison between BimmerLink ( a toy ) and Ista+ , good version ( a tool) . This save my car !

BimmerLink can clear diagnostic trouble codes (DTC's) as well, but maybe not as many as ISTA+. However, regular people can license and use BimmerLink whereas ISTA+ is available only to BMW mechanics. There are bootlegged copies available, but installing and using a copy isn't so easy.

I must be lucky with i3 12V batteries over 10 years. I have replaced two that were failing and have swapped 12V batteries between an i3 that I was selling and one that I had bought. I have installed, removed, and reinstalled a lithium iron phosphate battery that I was testing. I have disconnected the 12V negative cable when storing our i3's about 8 times. I have never experienced spurious error messages and our i3's always performed normally afterward. However, I've always fully charged a 12V battery before installing or reconnecting it and have never had the voltage of a 12V battery decrease low enough for spurious DTC's to be stored. I installed a 12V system logger years ago to watch for signs of a failing 12V battery so that I can avoid such problems. So far, so good…

 

[Mustrum Ridcully]

Some USA states have passed fairly comprehensive "Right to Repair" laws over the last few years.
I wonder how BMW has maintained its restrictions in the face of this.

I further wonder if the vast brain trust that myBMWi3.com represents has any input on the topic and if there are any cracks in the fortifications that BMW and other automakers have built around this despicable practice.