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Hi guys/gals,
my E53 started having charging errors yesterday I don’t know if the last update had anything to do with this or it’s just a coincidence. Anything I can do before going to the dealership?
Hi guys/gals,
my E53 started having charging errors yesterday I don’t know if the last update had anything to do with this or it’s just a coincidence. Anything I can do before going to the dealership?
You should try a different L2 EVSE and an L3 DC charger to see if you could determine whether the fault is being caused by the charger or the car.
It’s not the charger because it charges my EQS just fine.
interestingly, I left it plugged and it started charging the E53 but very slow at 2.0-2.5 kW. Usually its 9.6 kW
Just an update for everyone. Took it to the dealership. Turns out there is a coolant leak from a damage in the radiator by a rock chip! Leading to charge at lower speed to avoid heating and sometimes cutting charge. When I took it today the check engine light came on early morning. Unfortunately not covered by warranty
I think its a bad part from the manufacture, the damage is extremely small. Unfortunately they wont admit that.
Was the damage caused by a stone entering the lower grille, or the larger primary grille? How do they know it was damaged by a stone? Was a stone lodged in the radiator fins? What did this repair set you back?
Just an update for everyone. Took it to the dealership. Turns out there is a coolant leak from a damage in the radiator by a rock chip! Leading to charge at lower speed to avoid heating and sometimes cutting charge. When I took it today the check engine light came on early morning. Unfortunately not covered by warranty
I think its a bad part from the manufacture, the damage is extremely small. Unfortunately they wont admit that.
If it was a bad part from the manufacturer, the problem would have been evident from day 1. What you described is different. That being said, have you considered a repair by a radiator shop? The last radiator repair I had done cost less than $200.
While a gray area, I would argue that the car should be able to function as a car under ordinary operating conditions (such as driving on roads with loose rocks/pebbles). Warranty should cover.
Taking to a radiator shop sounds like a really bad idea for a vehicle like this and might cause future warranty issues….
I had overheating issues when charging back in Aug a month from buying the car then in Oct I had a check engine light and I called the dealership but they canceled because the light went off on its own and now we end up with this issue. I believe its all related.
Taking a first year model car to a radiator shop is not a good idea, Its a complicated car with a new hybrid system and it looks like the problem is with the charging circuit. I would not go anywhere but the dealership.
Last edited by shakoomakoo; Feb 10, 2026 at 08:44 AM.
Thanks for posting this. If I had a charging fault, I would not have thought of stone damage as the reason for a charging error.
If there is visible damage, it probably is damage from a stone. The dealership should be able to show you the damaged part. Stone damage to cooling parts is a potential issue with the E53 and the BMW M5 as the “radiators” are exposed as built from the factory.
I don’t know of any third party stone protection for the underside and front “radiators” for this generation of E class.
While a gray area, I would argue that the car should be able to function as a car under ordinary operating conditions (such as driving on roads with loose rocks/pebbles). Warranty should cover.
Taking to a radiator shop sounds like a really bad idea for a vehicle like this and might cause future warranty issues….
Why should a warranty cover external damage to any part of the vehicle? Just as a warranty won't cover glass broken by an object. It is not a manufacturing fault.
Why should a warranty cover external damage to any part of the vehicle? Just as a warranty won't cover glass broken by an object. It is not a manufacturing fault.
The radiator is not under warranty per the OP.
Again, the damage showed is very minor I dont think its enough cause damage to the radiator. The fact it has had issues since Aug with heating I think its a faulty part from the manufacture hence it should be covered. Regardless they did not accept that, although the told me to ignore the CEL back in Oct because it went away on its own.
Again, the damage showed is very minor I dont think its enough cause damage to the radiator. The fact it has had issues since Aug with heating I think its a faulty part from the manufacture hence it should be covered. Regardless they did not accept that, although the told me to ignore the CEL back in Oct because it went away on its own.
Did you ask the dealer for the old radiator? It would be interesting to see to what extent the radiator fins were damaged. Since they did not treat the repair as a warranty, you should be entitled to the parts.
As others have stated, damage from road debris is not covered under warranty intended for mechanical failure, however it would be covered under your traditional, comprehensive insurance policy should you want to go that route... If they say damage is not substantial enough to cause the failure of the repairs needed, boom your have the dealer/manufacturer defect under the gun for repair. Just a couple ideas.
Update - Picked up the car and the dealership had a pleasant surprise telling me that they decided to cover the labor (majority of the cost) and I ended up paying the cost of the part only which was $400. Thats still less than my deductible so I happily accepted.
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