Start/Stop Engine Button - One push or two?

My car recently went to the dealership for an "increased battery discharge" error message. They first said that it was related to not pushing the button a second time when exiting the vehicle. That is true, I used to push it once to kill the engine, BUT the electronics would be turned off (or at least I think they do) when I locked the car via Comfort Access or the key fob. They found this at my scheduled service on 1/22/13 and said they found 7 faults. A few days later I got the "increased battery discharge" message, so I brought it back in, and they said there were 15 faults. I left the car with them for the weekend, and they said that they couldn't localize the problem, but the reset the faults and recharged the battery and told me to call back if I have further issues.

I thought the 7 faults might have been due to turning on the electronics while vacuuming and cleaning my car several times over the last year. However, this theory fell to pieces when they told me it was 15 faults. Between them telling me 7 and then 15 I did clean my car once (after getting a battery message), but I kept the engine running for the few minutes I needed to move the seats. The 7 to 15 left me completely baffled.

Do y'all ALWAYS push the Start/Stop Engine button twice when exiting, or do you, like me, push once to kill the engine and then kill the electronics automatically with locking?

Hopefully this won't be a continuous issue, but I would like to know what everyone else does.

Originally Posted by southern6er22

My car recently went to the dealership for an "increased battery discharge" error message. They first said that it was related to not pushing the button a second time when exiting the vehicle. That is true, I used to push it once to kill the engine, BUT the electronics would be turned off (or at least I think they do) when I locked the car via Comfort Access or the key fob. They found this at my scheduled service on 1/22/13 and said they found 7 faults. A few days later I got the "increased battery discharge" message, so I brought it back in, and they said there were 15 faults. I left the car with them for the weekend, and they said that they couldn't localize the problem, but the reset the faults and recharged the battery and told me to call back if I have further issues.

I thought the 7 faults might have been due to turning on the electronics while vacuuming and cleaning my car several times over the last year. However, this theory fell to pieces when they told me it was 15 faults. Between them telling me 7 and then 15 I did clean my car once (after getting a battery message), but I kept the engine running for the few minutes I needed to move the seats. The 7 to 15 left me completely baffled.

Do y'all ALWAYS push the Start/Stop Engine button twice when exiting, or do you, like me, push once to kill the engine and then kill the electronics automatically with locking?

Hopefully this won't be a continuous issue, but I would like to know what everyone else does.

Twice on exit and then I always lock the car even in the garage.

I always lock the car as I'm always parked outside, unfortunately. I assume(d) that since locking the car cut all of the electronics that that action did the same thing as pushing a second time. I know it's not a big deal to push twice, but I just like having it on for the 30 seconds to a minute it takes me to get out, collect my crap, and lock the car.

I'm going to push twice for the time being just because I want to be able to say that I did it EVERY time if I get the message again.

Originally Posted by southern6er22

My car recently went to the dealership for an "increased battery discharge" error message. They first said that it was related to not pushing the button a second time when exiting the vehicle. That is true, I used to push it once to kill the engine, BUT the electronics would be turned off (or at least I think they do) when I locked the car via Comfort Access or the key fob. They found this at my scheduled service on 1/22/13 and said they found 7 faults. A few days later I got the "increased battery discharge" message, so I brought it back in, and they said there were 15 faults. I left the car with them for the weekend, and they said that they couldn't localize the problem, but the reset the faults and recharged the battery and told me to call back if I have further issues.

I thought the 7 faults might have been due to turning on the electronics while vacuuming and cleaning my car several times over the last year. However, this theory fell to pieces when they told me it was 15 faults. Between them telling me 7 and then 15 I did clean my car once (after getting a battery message), but I kept the engine running for the few minutes I needed to move the seats. The 7 to 15 left me completely baffled.

Do y'all ALWAYS push the Start/Stop Engine button twice when exiting, or do you, like me, push once to kill the engine and then kill the electronics automatically with locking?

Hopefully this won't be a continuous issue, but I would like to know what everyone else does.

I do the same thing. Turn off the engine and then lock the car. It seems so easy to just hit the button again, but it's a habit that I started and can't stop. I'm sure if they told me I HAD to start pushing it twice I could, but I haven't had any issues. How long have you had the car?

twice in my garage when I don't lock it and only once otherwise when I do (at work, running errands, etc.). Never any issues.

Twice on exit and always lock... When on a phone call using Bluetooth make sure you switch from Bluetooth to the phone... The hit twice...

Originally Posted by southern6er22

My car recently went to the dealership for an "increased battery discharge" error message. They first said that it was related to not pushing the button a second time when exiting the vehicle. That is true, I used to push it once to kill the engine, BUT the electronics would be turned off (or at least I think they do) when I locked the car via Comfort Access or the key fob. They found this at my scheduled service on 1/22/13 and said they found 7 faults. A few days later I got the "increased battery discharge" message, so I brought it back in, and they said there were 15 faults. I left the car with them for the weekend, and they said that they couldn't localize the problem, but the reset the faults and recharged the battery and told me to call back if I have further issues.

I thought the 7 faults might have been due to turning on the electronics while vacuuming and cleaning my car several times over the last year. However, this theory fell to pieces when they told me it was 15 faults. Between them telling me 7 and then 15 I did clean my car once (after getting a battery message), but I kept the engine running for the few minutes I needed to move the seats. The 7 to 15 left me completely baffled.

Do y'all ALWAYS push the Start/Stop Engine button twice when exiting, or do you, like me, push once to kill the engine and then kill the electronics automatically with locking?

Hopefully this won't be a continuous issue, but I would like to know what everyone else does.

I always push the button twice when exiting. I feel like I actually turn off more components in this manner.

Twice + Lock

Twice plus lock. I got the low battery message (winter in Wisconsin) and the dealer told me to run a trickle charger at home in my garage every few weeks during the winter. He said these cars are so complex and draw so much current that unless you are doing a lot of highway driving the draw in the winter exceeds the car's ability to recharge the battery without some help. Seems like they should be able to engineer a better charging system but it's easy enough to do and so far no repeats. Thoughts ? McBucky

Well, sounds to me like the double push shouldn't be necessary, but it might be the safer route.

My fuel economy (avg. 11.8 mpg) demonstrates the amount of city driving I do, so maybe that's why I've run into the problem. I still struggle to find a reason why locking the car and setting the security system wouldn't also perform the function of the second push.

I guess I'll just keep doing the double push. Not because I'm 100% convinced that is the cause, but because it seems like the best prophylaxis at this point.

Stop breaking your car!!! Only I'm allowed to do that

To answer your question, two presses and a lock. Before that though, I shut down each system individually (HVAC, radio on mute, driver assistance systems, screen on main menu, etc...) because I'm crazy like that.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Bimmer App

You know cars are getting complex when you can't just turn the dam thing off without a NASA checklist. Common sense would say locking the car with either the Fob or comfort access should shut everything down - since you left and LOCKED it !!

+1. I can't belive there is more than one level of off. Either push it twice or lock it. Off is off.

Originally Posted by McBucky

Twice plus lock. I got the low battery message (winter in Wisconsin) and the dealer told me to run a trickle charger at home in my garage every few weeks during the winter. He said these cars are so complex and draw so much current that unless you are doing a lot of highway driving the draw in the winter exceeds the car's ability to recharge the battery without some help. Seems like they should be able to engineer a better charging system but it's easy enough to do and so far no repeats. Thoughts ? McBucky

I'm call ing BS on this dealer. Left my car for two weeks in the cold when I was out of town. Started right up. There is no doubt that these cars draw power when at rest, but they don't require trickle charging unless you're storing them for a serious length of time - like all winter.

Again the 6 has a feature to maitain sufficient charge for starting if you were to leave something on (trunck open, door adjar, some other failure).

I coded the car to turn off electronics when driver door opens, but I almost always press it twice anyways, it has just become a habit now.

Originally Posted by Itinj6

Stop breaking your car!!! Only I'm allowed to do that

What can I say? I learned from the best

Originally Posted by Itinj6

To answer your question, two presses and a lock. Before that though, I shut down each system individually (HVAC, radio on mute, driver assistance systems, screen on main menu, etc...) because I'm crazy like that.

I like how you say "shut down" and not "turn off."

Do you get some perverse pleasure from pushing all those buttons and flicking the switches?

Originally Posted by Bönz

+1. I can't belive there is more than one level of off. Either push it twice or lock it. Off is off.

It seems a lot more likely that the dealers/service guys need a scapegoat rather than the engineerings going off their rockers and making a battery-draining, nothing visibly lit off mode. I can't imagine the 30 to 60 seconds the electronics run off battery a couple times a day do significant damage to the battery, even if my trips are, on average, 20 minutes at a time.

I am not sure once or twice. But I have noticed of you hold the stop for more than 30sec it turns off everything. No need to press again. If you just press and release immediately then you have to press again to turn off the command center and other components.

[QUOTE=southern6er22;7364583]What can I say? I learned from the best



I like how you say "shut down" and not "turn off."

Do you get some perverse pleasure from pushing all those buttons and flicking the switches?


Its an aviation thing. I'm brainwashed.

I even go left to right on startup and right to left on shut down. It's just good practice so you're not all over the place. Since BMW didn't provide me with a checklist, I have to make a mental one of my own lol



Sent from my SCH-I605 using Bimmer App

Always twice. Locking the car, I was told, doesn't shut all of the electronics off immediately, as some of them will still wait for "sleep" mode (something like 15 minutes).

[QUOTE=Itinj6;7365115]

Originally Posted by southern6er22

It's just good practice so you're not all over the place. Since BMW didn't provide me with a checklist, I have to make a mental one of my own lol.

Damn! I can't even be bothered to push the off button twice. A whole checklist would really p!ss me off

The company that says, "we know you can't handle operating your high beams and wipers, so we made buttons for that," is forcing us to exert extra effort when simply getting out of the car. Grrrrreat...

Just had my '13 650xi vert coded. No more double pushing. Open the door and electronics turn off.

Originally Posted by Par4

Just had my '13 650xi vert coded. No more double pushing. Open the door and electronics turn off.

Can you share the code sharing is caring )

You need to 1)find someone with the software and cable or 2)download the software and buy a cable. There's a coding forum on this site as well as others if you want to learn yourself.

Originally Posted by Par4

You need to 1)find someone with the software and cable or 2)download the software and buy a cable. There's a coding forum on this site as well as others if you want to learn yourself.

I have both just need to know what changes were made to code this if you have that information that would be great

Originally Posted by Mockingbird

I have both just need to know what changes were made to code this if you have that information that would be great

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=670268

Originally Posted by djsaad1

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=670268

Kool ill try this weekend...

Thanks.