BMW F10 battery not charging in cold weather
Why does the F10 battery not charge in cold weather?
A cold battery accepts charging current poorly, and at around minus twenty degrees charging may only start after about half an hour of driving. Brake energy recuperation also switches off when it is cold. Short drives therefore do not fill the battery in winter.
What does the Check Control message 'Charge battery' mean?
Below -10 degrees, the charge level required to start the car rises to as much as 75 percent. When the charge approaches the limit, the car gives message ID 229. It is not a sure battery fault, but a sign of too low a charge.
How do I get the battery fully charged in winter?
Charge the battery overnight with a maintenance charger. Connect the charger to the terminals in the engine bay, not directly to the battery posts in the boot. For example, with a 10 ampere AGM charger the battery was full in about seven hours; a small maintenance charger (CTEK 3.6) is not suitable for charging a flat battery.
Is there a software update for the F10's battery charging strategy?
Yes. A software update exists for brake energy recuperation (IGR), which a BMW dealer can check. It applies to, among others, cars with N63 and N20 engines built before 07/2015 and other Fxx cars before 11/2014.