[tgmsocal]

Just trying to decide if it's time to replace, I'm not sure when the battery was replaced (if ever) in my 2016 M235i 38k miles.

I have the Awron gauge, and when I start the car the voltage reads in the mid-high 11s briefly before coming up to 14+ where it stays for the duration of the drive. Car turns over instantly, no issues with anything electric (knocks on wood).

Just wondering if this is normal behavior or a sign that the battery is on its way out. Let me know what your experience has been.

I've already searched so don't need recommendations on replacement type or any kind of comments about the age of my battery or the weather I live in (cold in winter, yes I know). Just need to know if the findings above are normal or not. Thanks!

[jzeiler4]

The real check is to turn on the car far enough for the Arwon gage to tell you the battery voltage, without actually starting the car. If it is below 12.7 the battery is not fully charged. In the 2 series it is not unusual to see it as low as 12.2 even with a good battery. If you are concerned with the battery condition , most auto parts stores will load test it for free. That will tell you a lot more that a static voltage reading will.

[tgmsocal]

Originally Posted by jzeiler4

The real check is to turn on the car far enough for the Arwon gage to tell you the battery voltage, without actually starting the car. If it is below 12.7 the battery is not fully charged. In the 2 series it is not unusual to see it as low as 12.2 even with a good battery. If you are concerned with the battery condition , most auto parts stores will load test it for free. That will tell you a lot more that a static voltage reading will.

Ya, it was definitely sub-12 today and I went for a 4 hour drive yesterday so it should have been juiced up.

I'll take it by a shop to load test as you recommended but sounds like I should plan on battery replacement in the near future.

[nazali]

I have a pretty messy thread running on this...

short of it,

1> driving the car doesnt charge modern BMW's only coasting and ermm something else, a 4 hour run doesnt do as much as coasting for example

2> if your resting voltage is less than 12.2 volts I would say it's not holding a charge or has a parasitic load

3> if the battery is +or older than 5 years toss it

4> our cars take ages to switch off to this tes
i) bump trunk
ii) lock car
iii) wait for all lights to go off (in the car LED inidcators, the trunk should also go out) i.e. wait for the car to goto sleep
iv) put a tester on the battery, check the voltage, should be higher than 12.2 volts

PLS do yourself a favour, go out and BUY ($45) a solar ba9, battery tester, it will check battery, alternator, cranking and ripple. it will also check SOH and SOC THESE last 2 are very important

SOC = state of charge of the battery, 50%, 70% 10 % etc
SOH = State of health 100%, 50% etc

SOC is is the battery holding a charge and what is it
SOH is if the battery is healthy

Also it will give you a OHM check on the batterry high ohms means fubard plates

look my name up and look up my thread

Its horrible, but I got there in the end

Originally Posted by tgmsocal

Just trying to decide if it's time to replace, I'm not sure when the battery was replaced (if ever) in my 2016 M235i 38k miles.

I have the Awron gauge, and when I start the car the voltage reads in the mid-high 11s briefly before coming up to 14+ where it stays for the duration of the drive. Car turns over instantly, no issues with anything electric (knocks on wood).

Just wondering if this is normal behavior or a sign that the battery is on its way out. Let me know what your experience has been.

I've already searched so don't need recommendations on replacement type or any kind of comments about the age of my battery or the weather I live in (cold in winter, yes I know). Just need to know if the findings above are normal or not. Thanks!

[nazali]

BTW a load tester on my 2 series battery killed it dead, (it was faulty anyway)
thoes old resistive coils are horrible, as I said get a BA9

Originally Posted by tgmsocal

Ya, it was definitely sub-12 today and I went for a 4 hour drive yesterday so it should have been juiced up.

I'll take it by a shop to load test as you recommended but sounds like I should plan on battery replacement in the near future.

[ggggbmw]

Originally Posted by tgmsocal

Just trying to decide if it's time to replace, I'm not sure when the battery was replaced (if ever) in my 2016 M235i 38k miles.

If it's an OEM BMW battery, it should have a date code stamped on top of the negative battery post. Something like:
03
16
Where 03 would be March, and 16 would be 2016.

I figured the battery in my CPO 2014 was likely original, but it has a 10/16 date code on it.

Sometimes the code may be missing, or it might be stamped elsewhere on the battery. But a date code would be a good indicator if it's original or not.