Ignition: Do Not Turn Off Engine

[fisher99]

Started getting this message randomly when I start my wife's 2011 535i xDrive. Seems to happen most when starting first thing in the morning. Doesn't leave any message in the "Vehicle Info" screen. Wondering if this might be the battery going bad? I've noticed that it cranks a bit slower lately. And possibly the message doesn't happen during the day because driving it is charging the battery back up, but sitting overnight lets it drain down a bit.

Any thoughts/comments are appreciated.

[fisher99]

I should also note that my OBD2 reader doesn't show any fault codes.

Some searching is showing some hits that relate to possible starter issues but so far the error message isn't quite the same as what I'm getting.

[White94RX]

Maybe it's time to get a real scanner, and not an OBD reader. Those belong in the trash.

[Trainwreck914]

It’s the starter. 100%. Replace it before it leaves you stranded.

[fisher99]

So... Since the message seems to occur in the morning and not as the car is driven throughout the day, I decided to check voltage on the battery. I tested last night about an hour after the car had been driven for awhile and voltage was 12.03. This morning, before driving, the voltage was 11.94. Both readings are dismal, so, I think it's safe to say that the battery is failing. For reference, the battery hasn't been changed since I bought the car a little over 3 years ago (and I don't know how old it was prior to then) so it isn't surprising that it is failing.

Now, is the starter failing too? Possibly. But my first step will be to replace the battery and see what happens. Now off to remove the battery to get a good look at what brand/model/etc it is, and then searching the forums to find what people are using to replace it. I don't have a BMW dealer nearby so am hoping that I can find an Interstate or some other decent brand for a replacement.

[White94RX]

Remember a battery must be registered when replaced.

I would still highly recommend a diagnostic scan with a real BMW tool. Preferably ISTA. With ISTA, you can run an energy diagnosis test plan that will tell you exactly the health and status of the battery. Not to mention any diagnostic codes that would tell you the real reason for the warning light. I hope the battery fixes it, but I have never seen that message a single time related to a weak or dying battery.

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[fisher99]

Just returned from the BMW dealer (1 hour drive each way) with a new battery. I have a guy here locally who has a BMW scan/diagnostics tool and will have him register the battery and also check for any codes that my OBD2 scanner didn't show.

Question: Since I don't really know what registering the battery does, can I assume that it is ok/possible to drive the car until he can register it?

[fisher99]

New battery installed. Error message hasn't repeated yet, but we'll see how it goes over the next few days. Taking it to a local mechanic on Monday afternoon to register the battery and have him check for codes.

[Trainwreck914]

Is it still slow to start. I had the same issue. Replaced and registered the battery. Then the starter just died in the driveway. Ordered the starter and replaced that. Has been good ever since.

[fisher99]

It's starting good now and haven't seen the error message since the new battery was installed. However, given the comments about the starter, I'm still a a bit nervous. I'm anxious to see if the BMW scanner turns up any codes on Monday. Will post back here when I get the results.

[fisher99]

Well, I had my mechanic friend register the battery and also scan for codes. There were a couple of miscellaneous codes but nothing related to the starter. The car has been starting great since the new battery and no more error messages on the dash, so I'm going to call this a success! Doesn't mean that the starter may not fail at some point, but I'm going to quit worrying about it for now.

By the way, BMW wanted $130 to install and register the battery. I installed it myself and paid my friend $20 to do the registration. Tried to give him $30 but he gave $10 back.

[Trainwreck914]

Nice. Glad it worked out. I did my battery first and registered it. But mine still had like a weak slow start. Then suddenly the starter gave up. Car wouldn’t start. Got that message. Replaced the starter and it’s been good since.