So I took my 128i to get the airbag recall taken care of this morning. Car went in, car came out. I put the key in and see the "car on a lift" indicator. Great. Go back inside. SA suggests car needs service - I tell him it doesn't (all the service indicators were set appropriately by me, and the closest one was 17k miles away). Sends tech to look - tech finds nothing. I figure I'll check at home where I have a scan tool.
Get home, eat some lunch, and head out to investigate. "Car on a lift" pops up again; this time I go in and check the CC code, which shows CC ID 415. This, according to my chart, is "Junction Box Electronics - Increased battery discharge". Charming. Put the scan tool on it and find an A559 fault in the INSTR group (this was not there before the car went in - being a paranoid sort, I always scan for faults before someone I don't know works on the car). As I understand it, this is an automatic battery shut-off procedure to prevent discharge when the engine is off. I cleared it and drove the car for a few hours throughout the day, with several ignition cycles interspersed. The A559 fault remains; CC ID 415 has not reappeared.
I'm surmising that, in the course of changing the airbag component(s), the battery was discharging, setting the fault. The question is: do I bring it back to the dealership and, if so, what exactly is the remedy? My research suggests it's the kind of fault that will go away with time and normal use, but if I've missed something or am not correct in my assumptions, I want to be on record with the dealership so I don't get stuck fixing something I didn't break.
Thanks, guys.
Life's tough. It's tougher when you're stupid. -John Wayne
Hi my friend.
I'm unfamiliar with the code numbers, but to the best of my memory, "battery shut off to prevent exhaustive discharge" is generally stored in a different module than the cluster. Hell, I think it's the DME? (Ptarditi, please correct me)
Anyway, this code will also store the culprit for the discharge: i.e. "Side-light left on", etc. ISTA can read this info, as can Autologic. Our top-of-the-line Launch can't, so you'll need one of the two I mentioned.
Chris Powell
Racer and Instructor since, well. decades, ok?
Master Auto Tech, owner of German Motors of Aberdeen
BMWCCA 274412
German Motors is hiring ! https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...1#post30831471
Thanks, Chris. I'm using the ECS Tuning/Foxwell unit, which I'm sure has significant limitations compared to the more comprehensive tools you mentioned. Nonetheless, I just plugged it in again to double check that I had no other faults showing; I specifically checked all the JBE and DME groups - none showed any faults. The INSTR fault reads verbatim: "A559/not present ; Instrument cluster: power supply has been switched off (closed circuit current cutoff relay)".
FWIW, there's nothing wrong with the instrument cluster, and everything on it seems to be working properly. Also, I've seen a number of people with this fault code mention the clock resetting - mine has not done this. The battery is a BMW OE unit and was replaced and registered by a (different) dealership on 3 Dec 2015, so it's not as if the battery is on its last legs.
Life's tough. It's tougher when you're stupid. -John Wayne
Technically, we are supposed to disconnect the negative battery terminal, when we do any airbag work, some techs do, just to avoid the horn beeping while doing the driver's side, this could lead to the discharge light, otherwise, yes, it should clear!!
Thanks, ptarditi. I did clear it once, and it reappeared. My gut says that indicates a fault still exists, but I also know that my gut is not particularly adept at understanding the nuances of modern computerized systems. Would you suggest clearing it again? I'll look at the negative battery terminal just to make sure it's as it should be.
I'm really hoping I can avoid going back to the dealership in question - it's out of my way, and the people I dealt with didn't exactly inspire confidence (I didn't interact with any of the techs, just a receptionist who seemed to have taken one too many Xanax and a SA who was in danger of drowning in a sea of paper and phone cords) - but if there's a problem I can't fix easily I want to make sure they're aware of it.
Life's tough. It's tougher when you're stupid. -John Wayne
Andrej, probably much like Paul, I've never undone the battery to work on the airbags. I leave the key off, so as to avoid setting a code. When I forget, and turn the key on (usually doing a window motor,, well, I clear the code when I'm done.
From what I've heard, that Scan tool is very good.
Sometimes the cluster shows a code that's actually coming from a different module, and until you clear the code from the other module, the cluster code stays. Most codes will clear after 40 starts with no repeat. And your code says it is not currently present, so it should clear soon. I have no idea why you haven't been able to clear it with your device. Will the Foxwell tool show any freeze frame data for when the code set? Might show the culprit. Do you see any listing for IBS in your diagnostic menu?
Chris Powell
Racer and Instructor since, well. decades, ok?
Master Auto Tech, owner of German Motors of Aberdeen
BMWCCA 274412
German Motors is hiring ! https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...1#post30831471
I'll plug in and see what I can find in freeze frame data and look for an IBS listing in the morning. I don't recall seeing freeze frame data (I know there's live data), but it's possible I've not looked hard enough. I should have thought to check for IBS. I'll update tomorrow.
I'm still figuring out how to get the most out of the countless computers and the scan tool (my brain is wired to Webers and ignition points, not integrated circuits). Thanks for bearing with me.
Life's tough. It's tougher when you're stupid. -John Wayne
I went out and plugged in the scan tool again. Fault still showing, but I cleared it again and it seems to have gone away. I'll check again after a drive or two, but hopefully it's done.
That said, I also looked for the IBS. It's not listed as such, but there is a Battery listing under Service that offers some data and logging. Current battery state (engine off, having sat overnight (pardon the pun)) was 89%; over the past five days it was recorded as 90+%. Closed circuit logs showed no issues. I have no idea how or when the module chooses to record data, but based on what I saw I don't think there's any real problem lurking.
With any luck this is the end of this little saga. Thanks once again guys.
Life's tough. It's tougher when you're stupid. -John Wayne
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