2012 X3 - Slow cranking and smoke from under hood ??

[Dr. T]

During a cold spell last winter, I had a slow-cranking start with a dash Error message saying some Electrical devices were being shut down. Had it checked and tested by BMW dealer and was told everything was ok.

Over the past couple months, there was instances where it wouldn’t crank and required a boost. During a visit to the dealer for an unrelated item, they said they found a loose connector and all was well for a while.

Last week it failed to crank with smoke and a strong electrical smell from under the hood. A boost was required to get it started. This past Fri, it failed to re-start after a short drive with more smoke coming from under the hood. Went to BMW and got a new battery, but it still will not crank. Only a single click with a dash message saying Ignition malfunction and Ignition is ON, do not shut engine off (but the engine is not running).

What is the smoke from? Starter? Is it toast? Can this happen from prolonged use of a weak battery?

I have 94k mi with extended warranty, so I’m getting ready to have it towed to the dealer....