Probable Alternator Issue?

[nick3753]

2012,Car has almost 140k miles. Battery is 1 year old, perhaps just under. Driving home last night and got "Charging Error", or something similar. Then when near a stop, Transmission malfunction may not access Park. Pulled code 00278C with Carly, the only code that came up. Cleared, but came right back. Only issue with the car had been my phone not charging (thought it was the cable going bad).

Got to work today and went down at lunch. Now "battery discharge warning". Voltage with car off (after trying to access the volt menu for like 10 minutes) was 11.6. With car running, it did not move much. I'm fairly certain this is an alternator issue and am about to have one overnighted. I'm just looking for clarification if possible. Thanks.

Fingers crossed I make my 45 min commute home....

[spammysammich]

If you coded and registered the new battery with Carly there is a good chance the registration did not take. It has been reported here that Carly does not properly register batteries. That could lead to your alternator over charging it and killing the battery and voltage regulator. Have both battery and alternator tested.

[nick3753]

Battery was registered by Indy shop when I had my bearings replaced within a month of swapping the battery. Allegedly at least.

[Redd]

Battery reg is overrated. Tons of shops here change without registering and no issues.

If your alt is 140k kms old then it's highly likely an alt problem. You're already about 60k kms overdue, they normally start to go around 80k kms.

[AceBeezy]

Originally Posted by nick3753

2012,Car has almost 140k miles. Battery is 1 year old, perhaps just under. Driving home last night and got "Charging Error", or something similar. Then when near a stop, Transmission malfunction may not access Park. Pulled code 00278C with Carly, the only code that came up. Cleared, but came right back. Only issue with the car had been my phone not charging (thought it was the cable going bad).

Got to work today and went down at lunch. Now "battery discharge warning". Voltage with car off (after trying to access the volt menu for like 10 minutes) was 11.6. With car running, it did not move much. I'm fairly certain this is an alternator issue and am about to have one overnighted. I'm just looking for clarification if possible. Thanks.

Fingers crossed I make my 45 min commute home....

I had the exact scenario happen to me. Earlier in the year (mileage around 133k), I had the same charging error then battery discharge warning come up a few times within a span of a few days or so. Had a new battery installed by my local Indy shop maybe about 6-7 months prior. Decided to take it in to get checked out again the next day but it was too late. On my drive home after work…Car lit up like a Christmas tree on the interstate, then car died, I coasted off an exit and landed in an intersection. No lights or anything. Turns out it was the alternator! Ended replacing the alternator AND getting another new battery 😭

[nick3753]

So I made it about 35.3 miles of my 36 mi commute before she finally quit. System by system. Luckily was able to get my neighbor to drive out and give me a brief charge, then drove it the last 3/4 mile home. A lot of those miles were on construction zones with no shoulders, so I wash grateful to make it through there without becoming "that guy". I ordered a replacement via ecs tuning with overnight shipping, so hopefully can get it swapped without too much trouble if I can manage the time somehow.

[tdott]

Originally Posted by Redd

Battery reg is overrated. Tons of shops here change without registering and no issues.

While a battery registration isn't required for the vehicle to work, that doesn't mean it is charging optimally.

As an AGM battery ages, it requires more time to charge. A new AGM battery requires less charging, AGM batteries don't have internal over charge protection, so not registering your new battery, the car still thinks it's an older battery and overcharging a new battery would shorten the life of it.

[nick3753]

New alternator on and car is running well. Battery recharged. This was a blessing. While under the car I saw this. I new they were toast and was trying to stretch them until my winters go on usually mid November.

[Redd]

Originally Posted by tdott

While a battery registration isn't required for the vehicle to work, that doesn't mean it is charging optimally.

As an AGM battery ages, it requires more time to charge. A new AGM battery requires less charging, AGM batteries don't have internal over charge protection, so not registering your new battery, the car still thinks it's an older battery and overcharging a new battery would shorten the life of it.

Yeah i know what the BMW brochure says, and for the record I register my Batts every time I change them. That said, I know of many people/mechs who don't and the batteries last just as long as registered ones. There are even guys who swap out from AGM to flooded batts without registering with no long term problems. I'll continue to register my batts because it's an easy job. I just think it's not the source of any problems.