Cold Weather Makes my Battery Symbol Show Up
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 160
Likes: 0
2011 R350 BlueTec
Cold Weather Makes my Battery Symbol Show Up
2nd cold snap for this winter and sometimes my 08 320 has to sit outside. Last night it was -10 degrees in Wisconsin.
My car starts fine, idles fine, and then about 90 seconds later the battery symbol shows up. It will do it without pushing the rear defroster or heated seats. The only thing on will be the ventilation fan.
When the temperature warms up, then I'll never see the battery symbol.
This happened to anyone else?
08 320 CDI with 85,000 miles. Been a perfect car so far.
My car starts fine, idles fine, and then about 90 seconds later the battery symbol shows up. It will do it without pushing the rear defroster or heated seats. The only thing on will be the ventilation fan.
When the temperature warms up, then I'll never see the battery symbol.
This happened to anyone else?
08 320 CDI with 85,000 miles. Been a perfect car so far.
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 898
Likes: 9
From: Woodstock, IL
His 2019 RAM Cummins Turbo Diesel Laramie; Her's 2007 ML320 CDI P3; Mine BMW R1200R
What color symbol? White or red? If it's white, it means that the secondary battery is going bad. This battery allow you to put the car in and out of park if the main battery dies. (For towing etc.)
If red, then your main battery is hurting. Replace whichever is needed.
If red, then your main battery is hurting. Replace whichever is needed.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 160
Likes: 0
2011 R350 BlueTec
Thank you so much.
The battery is white and like I wrote, it only comes on when it's very cold out. Once it warms up, I'll never see it.
I don't want to get stuck, but it sounds like I'm good for starting for now.
The battery is white and like I wrote, it only comes on when it's very cold out. Once it warms up, I'll never see it.
I don't want to get stuck, but it sounds like I'm good for starting for now.
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 279
Likes: 13
From: Western Canada
S320 GL350
From my experience, you can drive with the white battery caution message for quite some time before getting to the dealer. In the R there are of course two batteries - one to start the engine, and one to assist the 7-Gtronic with shifting duties. From experience with the cold, I now ensure my Nav DVD is removed from the drive whenever I park the car (since I suspected it was spinning although it may only have been the heater motor running on after I shut the car off). After one cold snap, my "little" battery gave up the ghost and I drove around for about a month with the white battery signal message. The dealer pulled up the carpet in the passenger front and replaced it under warranty and I was good to go. It's been over 1 year now and no problems. I'm fairly particular with shutting off the dome lights when i have the doors open for awhile when cleaning etc.
