my battery is dying in my 2yr old Z4

[matt_435xi]

i noticed the last couple of weeks my car was losing track of time, it seemed to be a couple of minutes off. then i got an error light at startup about my key being low on battery. today my car completely reset after i attempted to put the top down with key fob. after failing to take the top down with the car off, i started her up, with no hesitation, and time was reset to --:-- and an error icon indicating it is time to take her in for service because of a low battery.

figures, i have only 4 more months left on my lease and BMW is gonna make me pay for a new battery. i talked to the service manager, to make an appt, and said if the battery is defective it is not charge. but the fact i live in hot AZ and i drive a short distance to work (only 20k on my car after 25 months) i have a feeling i am going to have to buy a new one.

keep your fingers crossed for me, and i will give you guys a heads up Tuesday evening after i go in for service.

[flpnout]

I thought batteries are included in the maintenance plan for 4 years.

[az34]

battery are like tires no warranties

[matt_435xi]

Originally Posted by az34

battery are like tires no warranties

that is why i called 2 local BMW dealerships, one SA said "not covered", the other said "maybe". so i made my appointment with the SA that said maybe.

[cdeslandes]

Went through 2 batteries in 4 years on my wife's Lexus. Modern cars draw a lot of juice with their electronics and batteries don't last much beyond 2 years.

[matt_435xi]

how much does a battery cost for a Z4? @ a BMW dealership?

[zEdP]

Originally Posted by matt_335Ci

how much does a battery cost for a Z4? @ a BMW dealership?

http://parts.bmwofsouthatlanta.com/p...126912985.html

[matt_435xi]

Originally Posted by zEdP

http://parts.bmwofsouthatlanta.com/p...126912985.html

no, i think i need a car battery not the key fob battery.

[2gumby]

Batteries and tires usually do have warranties- their warranties are just from their manufacturers instead of the car's manufacturer. So, Interstate or Bridgestone instead of BMW. Sometimes, the battery is made for BMW by a battery manufacturer (like Interstate). In that case, I'm not too sure how warranty is handled by BMW. Inquire about it, for sure.

[az34]

Originally Posted by matt_335Ci

that is why i called 2 local BMW dealerships, one SA said "not covered", the other said "maybe". so i made my appointment with the SA that said maybe.

hurry up before he wake up

[cdeslandes]

The OEM battery in my Z4 was made by Varta.

A new one is probably around $200 plus the labor to install it and "register" it with the car's computer.

[bjarne]

I just took a look at my warranty booklet for my 2011 Z4, and while the tires of course are listed under exclusions, there is no mention of the battery. So I see no reason to believe it would not be covered under the warranty, and would certainly make that point.

For the point they made of AZ being hot, I think that since they sell the car in AZ they must supply a battery that is fit for the purpose.

BMW has different warranty rules for different countries, so sometimes you may get different advise from our friends not in the US. I myself got 'burned' when I bought the Z4 in thinking the top operated slightly differently based on input from Scotland (where it operated the way I was looking for), so sometimes it pays to notice the country of a poster.

[09cbb]

Originally Posted by cdeslandes

Went through 2 batteries in 4 years on my wife's Lexus. Modern cars draw a lot of juice with their electronics and batteries don't last much beyond 2 years.

Unless you live in Alaska, your battery should hold more than 2 years. My dad drove his 535d for 8 years until summer this year and didn't change the battery once. My Audi TT's battery also didn't show any sign of wear after nearly 4 years. My Audi A7 has a sticker on the battery that says that batteries should be changed after 5 years for reliability.

[jparnes1]

Originally Posted by matt_335Ci

how much does a battery cost for a Z4? @ a BMW dealership?

Unfortunately, you can't change this battery yourself because the computer has to be reset so it knows there's a new battery in the car. Between the battery and labor your prob looking at 400-500 depending on where you live.

[teagueAMX]

A battery should last longer than 2 years. I agree with 2gumby and bjarne on this one. They will cover brakes but not a battery?

[matt_435xi]

thanks for all the great data guys!! i changed my appointment to 2pm (MST) tomorrow, so i will have a full report for you guys tomorrow night! wish me luck.

[Jayda]

Originally Posted by 09cbb

Unless you live in Alaska, your battery should hold more than 2 years. My dad drove his 535d for 8 years until summer this year and didn't change the battery once. My Audi TT's battery also didn't show any sign of wear after nearly 4 years. My Audi A7 has a sticker on the battery that says that batteries should be changed after 5 years for reliability.

I had an Audi a3 and was surprised when the battery went after a little over two years. Loved the car though, very fun to drive. Also hightly considered a TT until the Z4 grabbed me!

[flpnout]

Originally Posted by az34

battery are like tires no warranties

My SA told me that tires and alignment were the only items that are not included in the maintenance and warranty plan. Maybe in your country they don't include batteries.

[zEdP]

Originally Posted by matt_335Ci

no, i think i need a car battery not the key fob battery.

You can start your engine without any problem?

[Howard_AZ]

Originally Posted by matt_335Ci

i noticed the last couple of weeks my car was losing track of time, it seemed to be a couple of minutes off. then i got an error light at startup about my key being low on battery. today my car completely reset after i attempted to put the top down with key fob. after failing to take the top down with the car off, i started her up, with no hesitation, and time was reset to --:-- and an error icon indicating it is time to take her in for service because of a low battery.

figures, i have only 4 more months left on my lease and BMW is gonna make me pay for a new battery. i talked to the service manager, to make an appt, and said if the battery is defective it is not charge. but the fact i live in hot AZ and i drive a short distance to work (only 20k on my car after 25 months) i have a feeling i am going to have to buy a new one.

keep your fingers crossed for me, and i will give you guys a heads up Tuesday evening after i go in for service.

I just had the battery in my wife's 328i replaced at Chapman BMW in Chandler and it was $311.00. The battery was 3 years old and not under warrenty.

[matt_435xi]

Originally Posted by zEdP

You can start your engine without any problem?

yes, no problem starting! i just have my clock reset and an error message saying "increased battery discharge"?

[matt_435xi]

Originally Posted by matt_335Ci

thanks for all the great data guys!! i changed my appointment to 2pm (MST) tomorrow, so i will have a full report for you guys tomorrow night! wish me luck.

well it figures, i am not sure what is going to happen yet. i dropped my car off at 2pm and was told that their is a firmware upgrade they would like to perform, so i was given a loaner. i will keep you guys posted tomorrow when i hear back.