How to Replace Your BMW i3 12v Battery

How to Replace Your BMW i3 12v Battery - Part 2

Рет қаралды 13,273

3 жыл бұрын

Part 1 video was a detailed description with tips on how it is done. Part 2 is the full demonstration from removal, preparing the battery and reinstallation. Video includes how to register the battery for $55 ($32 for the app + $23 for the OBD2 reader) instead of paying the dealer over $200.
8/13/20 Update:
A couple hours after producing and uploading this video, the check engine light (CEL) went off on its own. I'll keep an eye on it, but it looks like the issue is fully resolved. Drove the car 80 miles today and everything is working as normal.
0:16 Disconnecting the high voltage battery from the 12v battery.
0:45 Remove the negative terminal.
1:16 Removing the hose.
1:37 Removing the battery bracket.
2:12 Tip on using the extension on the ratchet.
2:40 Tilting the battery to get access to the positive terminal.
3:53 Removing the battery from the car.
4:07 Comparison of old battery vs new.
4:13 Removing old parts from the existing battery to place onto the new one.
7:21 Attaching the positive terminal back onto the new battery.
8:11 Sparks go flying!
8:51 Warning when reinstalling the battery terminals.
9:30 Putting the battery bracket back on.
9:45 Reconnecting the high voltage connector to the 12v battery.
10:39 Wireless OBD2 reader introduction.
11:10 How to use the OBD2 reader.
11:40 Putting the frunk tub back into place.
12:00 Charging issue resolved.
12:26 Display showing "Unable to charge" error is gone.

Пікірлер: 76

@mcfiredrill 6 ай бұрын

I was fiddling with the high voltage connector for hours, watched a ton of other youtube videos about it but the trick you explained finally got it to snap back into place 9:45

@Funcentric 6 ай бұрын

Yup, same here! That’s why I had to make my own video to get through everything as a true follow along video so regular people can do it. I hate that people make videos to show how THEY do it but skip all the important stuff.

@PauloPaiani 2 күн бұрын

Dude you saved my day by explaining how to put back high voltage connector into place. Also watched a ton of videos and no one explained this tricky switch. Thks Funcentric

@MrDarenhayes 10 ай бұрын

Just replaced mine today (17 Rex) and it was hell, . mostly getting the hard to reach screw over top the battery off and back on... unfortunately the bolts that screws into the negative terminal was rusted to hell and stripped on mine, so i had to order 2 new screws , which cost 4 bucks but 20 for shipping , and i also couldnt use my car til the screws/bolts got here lol.. When i got the car back up running, withOUT using bimmer link , saw the highest GOM yet 275 km or 170.8miles, previous high was end of August last year 263) Thanks for the great video, much apreciated !~~

@Funcentric 10 ай бұрын

Cool, glad the video helped. Yeah, there are so many things that are hard to reach. I am not looking forward to doing it again.

@ddh7779 Жыл бұрын

Much more helpful than other vids I've watched. Showing how to connect/disconnect the main battery plus the part where it sparks on the negative terminal was critical for me to keep going and not stop to freak out!

@Funcentric Жыл бұрын

Yeah, the other videos I've watched just show you how they did it and it skips a bunch of steps. My video's purpose is to show people who they can do it. Step-by-step and actually get it done. Glad you found it useful.

@PeterLawton 3 жыл бұрын

Two comments: first, thanks for the info -- it really helped me get the job done. Second, I got the Check Engine light, too, so I drilled down in the Vehicle Info menu (if I recall correctly), and it said the REX needs an oil change. Without changing the oil, I drove like normal and within a day or two, the Check Engine light simply went off and stayed off.

@darreneastman1580 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks a bunch for the thorough video walk throughs. In my case, the I3 died in my garage, and initially, I had no intention of trying to mess with this myself. However, I am still waiting for the BMW dealer's service department to call me back a week later. So without the video, I would still be sitting here with a dead I3 in the garage. The second video was super as it explained very clearly how to get the various components disconnected.

@Funcentric 2 жыл бұрын

Awesome! Glad it helped you out. Yeah, the first video is a summary overview of what is required. Part 2 is a literal follow a long video. I had to make this because as I was searching myself, I only found videos of how other people did it with lots of missing details. I needed a video of how I myself could do it. A complete diy guide. Didn’t exist so glad you found the one I put together. Drive safely.

@lightninh1999 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks to your video I was able to change my I3 battery today. Thank you very much.

@Funcentric 3 жыл бұрын

Awesome! So glad it was able to help you! I bet you saved yourself a pretty penny. Drive safe.

@robbyaceto4467 9 ай бұрын

wow, amazing video tutorial thank you so much. i’m about to do this job on my wife’s 2017i3Rex as soon as i can source a new battery. i watched several of these tutorials and yours was the most comprehensive. as for your orange “service needed” indicator on the last screen? i believe that refers to your Rex needing an oil servicing; these i have to have done at a dealership but maybe it’s DIY-possible if you are patient and clever which I am not.

@Funcentric 9 ай бұрын

Thanks! Glad the tutorial helped. Yeah I had seen all the videos of 12v changes but they showed more about how they can do it rather than providing enough detail for viewers to actually follow along so I had to make this video. Good for my own reference too!

@johnbrown1851 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much brother for the thorough instructions! You helped so much 👍. Just got it out. Will let you know how the rest goes.

@Funcentric 2 жыл бұрын

Awesome! Glad it’s working out for you!

@bobmac1970 2 жыл бұрын

great video! Never wear jewelry while performing work though! I've seen lots of bad things happen...

@ryanf1192 3 жыл бұрын

Great video!

@Funcentric 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@jeffkiel5699 3 жыл бұрын

Great video. My only feedback would be to clean the screws (saw some corrosion) and use some battery cleaner and protector on the bronze pieces, etc.

@Funcentric 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks. Very good point. I probably should've done that while I was digging in there.

@jaydee3046 2 жыл бұрын

I think the CEL was from the original bad battery situation. It doesn't exist now. The reason ( at least on gas powered bmw's ) for registering the batteries is because the battery monitory system will up the chart rate on a weak battery. The system will keep charging that higher rate on the new battery until the registration is done. So you might be frying the new battery.

@LukeAMendoza 3 жыл бұрын

PSA for Californians in Bay Area: Call Peninsula Battery of South SF. You can order it from them. Their supplier is located in San Jose and Peninsula Battery arranged it so that I can just pick up the battery from the SJ warehouse. Battery is made by Deka and I got it for $160 out the door.

@Funcentric 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your contribution! Wish I heard about that earlier. Haha. Glad you got a good price.

@LukeAMendoza 3 жыл бұрын

@@Funcentric Thanks for making this informative video! You explained every step in very helpful detail. I am finally going to tackle this replacement this weekend (a bit scared of getting shocked though)

@Funcentric 3 жыл бұрын

@@LukeAMendoza Sure! Yeah there's lots of info online but they were sorta everywhere. You'd have to search multiple sources to get just this one thing done so I figured I'd collaborate it into one so that people aren't just witnessing someone else do it but that they can actually follow along and do it themselves. No secrets. Just sharing everything I learned. Glad this helped you out. I'll keep my eye on my comment section in case you have other questions I can address quickly. Good luck. You'll be fine. Just don't touch negative to positive ever.

@M03Kids 5 ай бұрын

Thank you

@Funcentric 5 ай бұрын

You’ré totally welcome. Glad it helped.

@ddh7779 Жыл бұрын

In case it helps others, I registered the new battery with bimmerlink but found that the new battery forced my BMW app subscription to reset. I don't remember ever personally paying for it when I bought the car in feb 2021 (car is a 2018) but somehow had it until oct '22. I subscribed/paid, it took a few mins to update. Then I found that the app said GPS in the car was deactivated/disabled. I had to unplug the car, turn it on, go under iDrive, vehicle settings, vehicle tracking - uncheck it, wait a few mins, check the box again, exit, turned off the car. I was able to see the location in the app again

@joachimcreten3430 3 жыл бұрын

Great video and well explain! Did you have some warning light telling you that the battery was running dead?

@Funcentric 3 жыл бұрын

Initially the interior lights didn't turn on when the door opened like it normally does. Then I did get something on the display eventually that indicated that the car would not charge. I tried charging it anyway and it seemed fine but it took many many hours and the car's main high voltage battery still wasn't charging much at all. The 12v also didn't charge enough either. The car needs the 12v to be full before the main battery can charge.

@MrPar8Head 3 жыл бұрын

Great video! I am planning to replace my 12V battery and the electric fan for the radiator. I assume removing the clip for the high voltage battery will remove the power to the electric fan for the radiator(It often runs when you plug in the charger or turn off the car) as well? Can you confirm that the plug you showed removes power to all electrical connections to the high-voltage battery?

@Funcentric 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks. Tried to get enough detail in there but edited it so the video wouldn't be too long. Sounds like it helped. I also assume that removing the clip for the HV battery would remove power to the electric fan as it would only be powered by the HV battery. I can't imagine our tiny SLA 12v battery would be able to handle that. I cannot confirm with 100% certainty though as I'm not a mechanic. Not even close. I followed some other KZfaq videos closely and found that there was info needed from various sources so I put it together so people would have a single place to get all the info they need. That's a long way of saying, I don't really know. Sorry I can't be of more help in this regard. Not sure if BMW would let you talk to a tech directly, but it may be worth dropping by a dealer and sneaking your way into the shop and asking. Or make friends with a Service Manager and get him/her to know you're looking for casual quick talk with a tech so they don't write it all up requiring an appointment.

@robbyaceto4467 9 ай бұрын

@FunCentric; thanks again for video tutorial. I expect my Remy AUX18L to arrive today. can you just tell me if in the procedure to register the new battery you have the vehicle on or off. I have the Vgate iCar OBDII reader and Bimmerlink app like you suggested. Thx!

@Funcentric 9 ай бұрын

To register the battery, the car is on.

@robbyaceto4467 9 ай бұрын

great, thanks. is there a correct sequence?, such as: 1. plug in the iCar module, 2. turn on car, 3. open BimmerLink app. or something else. Sorry to pester you, I write music, not much of a car guy, therefore, too many questions!

@robbyaceto4467 9 ай бұрын

ps. indispensable video!

@Funcentric 9 ай бұрын

@@robbyaceto4467 Glad you found it helpful.

@Funcentric 9 ай бұрын

@@robbyaceto4467 I honestly don’t remember. But that sequence sounds logical. I would try that. The worst that can happen is that it doesn’t work. And then you can try a different sequence. I am about 95% sure that is how I did it though. feel free to post any social media of your music here. I would love to have a listen.

@bpohouse4628 2 жыл бұрын

Great video. I completed the installation however the car still does not display Ready. I know you mentioned registration for the battery isn’t necessary. I’m curious if BMW has changed this since a year ago. Any thoughts?

@Funcentric 2 жыл бұрын

It’s possibly but not likely. I did have an error for a few hours that resolved itself after the installation. Does the car start?

@bpohouse4628 2 жыл бұрын

@@Funcentric It doesn't. It was the battery. However the battery is fully charge and it still hasn't been able to start. I will get the bimmerlink app and see if that works.

@mikevolkin2954 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the video, do you really have to charge A new battery?

@Funcentric 3 жыл бұрын

Good question. I figured since lead acid batteries like to be fully charged, that I'd go ahead and do that. I was surprised though that when I started to register the battery with the app, that it only gave me the option to indicate that the battery was half charged. I don't know if there are sensors that indicate and update the car to tell it that it's actually fully charged already. Perhaps if I did it again, I'd confirm the battery was half charged upon delivery and just install it as is. I was paranoid though b/c the whole reason I was having trouble is b/c the old battery wasn't full enough. That's a long way of saying I really don't know.

@Lysander-Spooner Жыл бұрын

I left my car at the dealer for a battery swap which I thought would be a couple of hours. Then they told me the car had to "sleep" overnight to register (calibrate) the 12V. FYI.

@Funcentric Жыл бұрын

I see. Yeah, mine didn't take that long. Took about just a couple hours.

@misterpillows2800 3 жыл бұрын

Help! I lost the hex bolt on the metal bracket that holds the battery (it popped off and fell into the body) Does any know replacement part it is?

@Funcentric 3 жыл бұрын

It’s just a regular hex bolt from what I remember. It won’t be American so guessing the sizing will be in M. Maybe take your best guess and buy a few. Won’t be expensive.

@Funcentric 3 жыл бұрын

You can also ask on the Facebook Groups. Someone there might know the actual size.

@LawJones413 3 жыл бұрын

I just replaced the battery, but one of the many warnings caused by the dead battery didn't go away (drivetrain alert). Now, it won't start. If you have any suggestions, please let me know.

@Funcentric 3 жыл бұрын

Some including myself have reported the drivetrain warnings, but for me it went away in a few hours. Some it was a few minutes and others was overnight. Maybe give it some time. Some troubleshooting I would do: 1. Are you certain the battery is good? 2. Make sure the high voltage battery connector is properly seated. 3. Make sure the car is charged. The main battery charges the 12v.

@LawJones413 3 жыл бұрын

@@Funcentric everything is good... it was a new battery...It's parked for now. Hopefully, the alert clears soon. Thanks.

@nicolasfonrose103 3 жыл бұрын

Hey. Has the Drivetrain alert gone away since last week when you did the swap?

@LawJones413 3 жыл бұрын

@@nicolasfonrose103 it didn't go away. I had to get it towed to bmw for another battery and "initialization."

@dougtravis8047 3 жыл бұрын

What is the green plunger hanging down???

@Funcentric 3 жыл бұрын

Not sure what you are referring to.

@dougtravis8047 3 жыл бұрын

@@Funcentric There is a green wire with a head at the end that you show dangling in front of the battery,

@Funcentric 3 жыл бұрын

@@dougtravis8047 oh i had never really even noticed that. UPDATE: That is the emergency pull cord for releasing the gas tank of the REX. For whatever reason, it came loose. It's suppose to sit up higher. I've since reattached it to where it belongs. Thanks for pointing that out.

@Funcentric 3 жыл бұрын

@@dougtravis8047 Update on the green plug. It's the emergency pull cord for the REX gas tank door. It came undone.

@meizhongbai 11 ай бұрын

HTF did you just drive it with the code. Mine won't even start. Only accessories and off!

@Funcentric 11 ай бұрын

I waited a couple hours if I remember right.

@meizhongbai 11 ай бұрын

@@Funcentric ok. I'll try that.

@intermarer9145 3 жыл бұрын

So you don't need to register the battery yet you go on to describe what you need and how to register the battery...?

@Funcentric 3 жыл бұрын

intermarer It’s recommended to do it so that the battery can be calibrated by the car. Registering it lets the car know it’s a new battery and the computer does it’s magic. It’s not necessary to register to make the car physically operate. Many including myself was worried that registration was required to turn the car on and make it work. Just stating not required in case some want to save the cost of the app and the OBD 2 reader.

@intermarer9145 3 жыл бұрын

@@Funcentric Gotcha, thanks!

@Funcentric 3 жыл бұрын

@@intermarer9145 Sure thing. Another reason why I figured it may be helpful to share is b/c the dealer would charge a ton to register the battery. For the longest time, people thought the dealer or authorized dealer are the only places to get it done. They charge a bunch and prices vary from place to place and can get up to $200 for 2 minutes of work. Using the app and the OBD2 reader yourself is a more consistent cost and most likely doesn't vary much by where people live - definitely more cost effective.

@glennrcompton 3 жыл бұрын

@@Funcentric I too reached out to Concord BMW for a battery replacement quote in August and they could not give me one without looking at the car, but it wouldn't start! I just finally got around to pulling the battery and confirming I need the AUX18L. Where did you get yours and has your check engine light gone away?

@Funcentric 3 жыл бұрын

@@glennrcompton Yes, the check engine light went away. I got my battery from eBay b/c at the time, Remy's prices had gone up. They are currently out of stock so calling a few dealers in your area would be the way to go. It's BS that they can't quote you a battery price w/o looking at the car. They know what the car looks like. They make them! I've had good experiences with Concord overall, sometimes you just have to push a little harder. Sometimes sales people answer questions you're not asking. Gotta steer them to refocus on what you ARE asking. Price of a battery - not a diagnosis. By the way, the price they give you initially is assuming a trade-in of your original battery which is only $15 less than if you just got a new battery w/o a trade-in.