DFWdude

I searched this forum and found nothing...

There is a thread on the W213 regarding "registration" of new AGM batteries when they are first installed. Question is, since the newer W212s also use AGM batteries, is there a registration procedure to use for our cars, too?

If new batteries should be registered on our W212s for best performance, I would like to learn how, because I have ZERO faith that dealers know how to do it. Certainly if you have the battery replaced by MB road service, I seriously doubt the tech bothers to take any extra time for such a procedure.

The dealer replaced my battery under warranty 18-months ago. I have to charge it once a month, partly because I don't drive it daily. But if teaching the car that I have a new battery makes it perform better, then I'd like to try it... if needed.

bmwpowere36m3

No

I believe you've asked, or someone before and I recall attaching a WIS procedure at some point.

Arrie

Why do you need to charge the battery every month?

I have my 2010 E550 sitting on driveway as I have another daily driver. I start the car and drive it sometimes after it has sat for three weeks. In fact, right now it has been sitting three weeks without doing anything with it other than started it twice for amperage measurement. Did not drive it so it should be even worse for the battery.

Every time it has started without any problems at all and this has been going on for more than a year now.

if you have problems with starting and this is why you charge battery you have other problems. Either you have battery drain issues or you have the starter going out.

kajtek1

Not aware if our cars have such program, but if it exist, I would try to use it for best performance.
That said, I replaced air filters without registering on W211 when I bought it and even old filters shaved 2 seconds from 0-60 acceleration, the car did not object to any of that.
I bought a scanner who could do it several months later and registered new filters with the delay and no difference. I record each fill up on fuelly, so any difference bigger than 2% will be easy to read.

jonUF02

I have replaced my battery in my 2012 E550 twice with Advance Auto Gold battery. Once in 2017, and again in 2020 it failed just before the 3yr warranty ran out, Yay! I did nothing concerning the computer, just drop in and go.

DFWdude

Sorry, I should have noted the car starts every time as it should. Even after sitting for a couple weeks. But I can tell when the battery needs topping-off when the auxilliary functions stop working (like ECO Stop/Start, and the Comand system doesn't resume operation on start-up).

I did make a 400-mile day trip in it a couple weeks ago, and I could tell the battery was at peak charge on returning home. But otherwise, I seldom drive locally more than 6-10 miles round-trip on a regular basis, and I intentionally swap between two cars to give each some use, albeit for only short distances. So, while I use each car once a week on average, neither runs long enough to maintain a full battery charge.

Fliplegend

No registration required. Unlike many newer BMW's.....

jonUF02

You may need to replace the Auxiliary battery. I think that controls the functionality you are taking about. The car told me when I needed to replace it, but a cheap and easy thing to try if the car has no trouble starting.

kajtek1

MB have very good alternators, while all my engines start on instant, even after several months sitting.
So the batteries don't need much to recharge in normal driving and per my observation, it takes 2-3 miles to have ECO operational on car who was not driven for a week.
Still in Covid times, I was hooking up battery maintainer when the car was moved once a week. That would make ECO starting in just couple of blocks.
Lastly on my Sprinter, who sits for weeks, I use the easy battery disconnect it has. That not only prevents battery discharge, but stops FSS clock, so I don't have to change oil after 2-3000 miles only becouse it was changed 12 months ago.

CaliBenzDriver

there is nothing you have to do... but there are actions you can take to improve outcomes.

It's unfortunate Xentry does not accept battery "registration"... my one quick trick you can do at anytime is to RESET the smart Hyundai battery sensor by disconecting it for 5mn with key off.
This will force it to relearn your batttery condition stored locally within.
You will then witness the ECU maxing out charging effort (14.x) instead of cutting it short towards float voltage @12.6V Min.

Floating your car lead-acid batteries is better than ignoring them. The 2x relay posts in the trunk conveniently provide access to both battery at once!
High heat is still #1 enemy... when you pump 14.9V under 80Amps: you get 1200Watts of power!!!!
AGM will tally the abuse until it had enough and let you know it's that time... 🤣

In a nutshell...:
ECO is not a battery/starter friend
Floating both AGM's is like electric velvet
Charging system in key to car power!
Quick trick to relearn MAIN battery
High-Amps deliver abuse throughout
✌️

​​​-----
To recognize a complex system disfunction... you have to know what to expect based on variable conditions.
The gamut of valuable DTC is still has huge gaps in both electrical and CAN networking.
It is odd to design systems without adequate self-tests when you are the world No1 Bosch GmbH - Thanks for allowing Asian OEM to playball. 🙂

​​​​​

Arrie

Replying to my own.

Just went and started the car and it lit up like nothing. No sign of any battery problems. Will give it a drive today. It sat 20 days without driving it.

kajtek1

We had several older MB sitting for 5 weeks with alarms on and they always started on their own power.
Suppose newer models do have more static draws, especially keyless go, so I am not pushing them that far.
To add to my collection, I found HF sale on battery maintainers for $7, so added 4 more to cover dual battery bank in Sprinter and then a boat.

CaliBenzDriver

Good thing your car has a low self-discharge which is normal. Mine too can stay 3 to 4 weeks higher than 12.7v.

Some owners have a different experience with crazy modules causing abnormally rapid DRAIN.

CaliBenzDriver

A simple floater provides a cheap peace of mind and is insurance against $200 + labor charge when you least expect it.

A low charge current prevents boiling the AGM gel soup under 1200W
🙂

Left Coast Geek

my diesel truck that sometimes sits for months, I keep on a 10W solar battery tender. always starts on the first crank

kajtek1

I had several Ford diesel trucks over last 20 years the batteries in them promptly die at 3 years of age.
When Ford installs cheaper batteries, I think it is the 14.5V charging that kills them.
Last F350 was picked up new in April 2017. Used as RV it sit winter months with both batteries disconnected and on separate maintainers.
So when spring of 2020 come, I connected the batteries back to the truck to find them both dead.
Varta/MB batteries at least give you some lower voltage warning, before death.

Left Coast Geek

the OE battery in our 2001 E150 was still good at 7 years, but I replaced it on principle.

the F250 7.3 turbodiesel had some crappy wallyworld batteries in it when I got it in 2018, and after about a year, they started cranking slower, no idea how old they were, but I replaced them both with the proper size East Penn Deka... I've had very good results with Deka batteries these past 10+ years on various cars. Before that I used Interstate, but then I had several that didn't last very long, and it seemed like everone was complaining they weren't what they used to be, so I did some research on the battery makers, and picked East Penn to try, and so far haven't been disappointed. Deka is their main brand, they also make Intimidator (premium AGM mostly), and when my W212 needs a battery, I'll probably be getting one of those.