Battery Replacement in BMW E60 5 series – DIY

Originally Posted by umermariner

Wow.. that was lesson giving .
I am on bmwcoding, and bmwcoders

Great.

Originally Posted by legend700

Good luck with your coding. Just be aware that sh*t does happen:

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1827881

Start reading up and join a BMW coding forum, if you havn't already.

That thread makes a good point. Even with all those novice mistakes, in the end it was a simple fix to restore back to a working condition.

I recently had the battery recall service and ever since the battery will struggle to start the engine if the car sits for two days. Probably time to replace the battery (6 years old, 70K miles). Where, because I'm a relatively new owner, would the battery be located and how is it accessed, in an '06 525Xi?

Removing the trunk liner and exposing the sheet metal exposed the heavy gauge red cable and light gauge black cable.

Thank you from a noob ......

check out this video

Thank you Bostoned, the area behind the rear wheel was my second choice. Nice video, but the cardboard part was a little scarey .....

Just as an FYI:
The original battery has the following tag info:
12v 110AH 850A 250RC 850CCA

Battery Dimensions: 15.5" x 6.75" x 7.5" ht

I think he was installing a non-maintenance free battery, of lower amperage (750A) which is why it appears smaller and cost less.
I would also never recommend a Wal-mart battery. I've had 2 in a Maxima, both died and wouldn't accept a jump/recharge after sitting un-attended for two weeks.

I'll let you know how the installation goes.

The recommendations made in the video regarding replacement battery and registration are questionable. Trying to make the battery fit by using cardboard is hilarious. There is much better information available in this thread alone. Be careful when removing and re-installing the Plus pole. It is connected to a number of electronic gizmos (I don't want to bore you with details). One of them called BST (battery safety terminal) contains a pyrotechnic device which, in case of an accident, shuts down the engine, but keeps the lights on outside and inside the cabin.

Totally in agreement, the whole idea replacing the battery with a different form factor is not right the only and only reason I posted the video is to show the poster where the battery is located.

OP - thanks for the simple but insightful write-up the outlined the issues and provided brief explanations. Made it a breeze to understand. Much appreciated.

Rest - Thanks for the queries, tips, and other links. Very helpful!

Funny, my new-to-me e60 came with what appeared to be a NEW Interstate battery; I called the dealer to ask if they installed it and they indicated they have go thru all the service records to find out.

I bet they did. The car was a one-owner (a lady).........they probably did the Interstate and charged her for a BMW battery.

This is just as a follow up to swapping out the battery. I tried a slightly different route that my local BMW wizard mechanic recommended. I have to admit, I did use Tech Kenny's cardboard trick, to cover the fuse/elec boards, not to wedge the battery into place (jeez).

My friend recommended connecting a 2nd battery to the jumper terminals under the hood, after starting the engine. Then (in this order, with the engine running) remove the negative terminal, positive terminal, vent tube, and remove the battery.

A second pair of hands will help keep the positive terminal and loose wires from getting tangled with the battery. An 850 CCA battery is heavy and bit awkward to install one handed. I put a heavy leather glove over the positive terminal as precaution after disconnecting (not pretty but effective at prevent accidental grounding). The new battery was fully charged over night on a trickle charger, before installation.

The installation is reversed: new battery in, connect vent tube, positive terminal (without the glove ....) and negative terminal. Disconnect the 2nd battery under the hood. Shut off the engine. The time to disconnect, swap and connect the new battery was around 3 to 4 minutes.

The new battery has been in for 5 or 6 weeks, maybe 1500 miles without any issues or display warnings. The car has sat for as long as 4 days without use and started without a problem.

Hope this helps all the DIY'ers.

I do not think all those steps are necessary. also this process may introduce hazards of shorting out terminals etc. I changed my battery with exact replacement (530 XI). Here are the steps I followed. I would recommend using the same size battery to avoid issues with displacement.

Disconnect Battery (ground first)
Removed Battery
Placed in New battery
Connected Battery (positive first)
Reprogrammed

I completely agree with same size battery replacement.

I was just skipping the "reprogramming fee" process. Every time I go into the Gallery, I leave with a very light wallet and shaking my head.

If you are a little computer savvy you can buy your own software off the internet and reprogram this yourself, it is all wizard style entries via the program. But not having the battery Programmed is cost effective versus having it programmed since the cost of programming the battery at BMW can be up to 100 bucks, lets face it, I would rather have my battery last 4 years instead of 5 due to not programming.

Hey Guys, Ive been researching on this topic. I just bought a 2008 550i LCI and its time to replace the battery. Started getting the "increased battery discharge" msg and occasionally my clock goes out of time. The battery in the car right now is White (standard) 12V 110Ah 850A 205RC 850CCA . I called BMW and they suggested that i go with the AGM type and reprogram. Price is about $230 plus reprogram. I called my local Batteries plus and a standard Battery is $129 and AGM is $189. Also my local independent BMW shop can Register it for $40.

My Options.
1. Get the Standard Battery + DIY install and $40 to reprogram ?
2. AGM + DIY + $40 reprogram
3. BMW OEM + DIY + $40 reprogram

Thanks in Advance!

IMO, for 230 I would take it to BMW, becareful of cross selling, the price is too close to mishmash it.

Hi AWDBoost: I suggest you look at the video by Bostoned: http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...87#post7136387

I dont know about that.. I want something OEM fit. No cardboard.

Crap, just did this & forgot all about the vent tube.

My E60 has an Interstate Battery. You can install the battery of your choice, by doing as follows............Use Jumper cables from another car and connect them to the battery terminals under your hood (which keeps power flowing to your car, as you remove your old battery). Install your new battery properly, disconnect the jumper cables from the terminals under your hood..............and you are basically done without the need for registration.

There are many different methods posted on the forum..........but if you want to "play it safe" you can always let your dealer do it, or install it yourself and have an indy take care of the rest.

The recommended method for battery replacement (without registration) is to keep power flowing to your E60 with jumper cables from another car attached to the terminals under the hood of your E60. You can then replace your battery without your car experiencing a loss of power.

While some have not had issues swapping out the old fashioned way, it's better to be safe than sorry.

I bought a new battery (AutoCraft H8-AGM) from Advance Auto Parts on 09/15/2012. So far everything works great. It's only $125.99 after using a link my friend sent it to me. The link saved me $35 instantly. The battery can be used on X3, X5, X6, 3 Series and 5 Series. I got free installation at local store. My local BMW dealer confirmed that there is no need to register the new battery on my 07 X3.

Here is the link ($35 off on any orders $85 or more, not only batteries): http://advanceautoparts.**************************

H8-AGM Spes:
Acid Included: Yes
Battery Type: AGM
Battery Usage: Auto/Truck
BCI Group Size: H8
Cold Cranking Amps: 900
Cranking Amps: 1000
Deep Cycle/Starting: Dual Purpose
Maintenance Free: Yes
Reserve Capacity: 160
Terminal Type: SAE
Weight: 59.45
Length: 13.94
Width: 6.938
Height: 7.5

Warranty:
7 Year Warranty (3 Year FREE Replacement)

Good Deal!!!!

Hi! I have a 530i 2006. Got this Duralast H8-DLG with specs: CC 950, CCA 760, RC 100. I haven't installed it yet. Will this work fine? do i need to reprogram this battery? Thanks!

Hi folks, I need your help. Hi! I have a 530i 2006. Got this Duralast H8-DLG with specs: CC 950, CCA 760, RC 100. I haven't installed it yet. Will this work fine? do i need to reprogram this battery? my oem battery specs is 12 v, 110 AH, 850 A, 205 RC, 850 CCA . I want to get your knowledge guys about this..your help will be appreciated.. Thanks!

Is your car still under warranty?