Help Please

Please could someone advise me on what to do? Here's the story...

I used an OBD cable with INPA software to clear my airbag restraint fault on my 2002 745i E65 - worked perfectly. Then I followed some more instructions to see if registering my battery would resolve the "Recharge Battery" warning that pops up only minutes after switching the car on but not starting it - like waiting at the car wash or just sitting in the car listening to radio/music. Anyway, I got the message "Register battery replacement Activated properly" which is what is supposed to happen. Then I sitched off and tried to restart my car. There was a constant ticking noise coming from the driver side speaker and the car wouldn't start - tries to turn over but doesn't. Then all the errors under the sun started appearing, like Dynamic Drive failure, tilt error, transmission failure, etc, etc. The ticking noise from the speakers has now stopped.

Does anyone have any idea what I should do apart from calling out BMW to come and sort it out? Is there any way to do a full diagnostics and reset everything to factory specs via the INPA software? As things stand now my car won't start or do anything - still has power for diagnostics and such. Anybody got any ideas?

Regards
Giles

Dear Giles,

I had a similar problem on my E38 in relation to the speaker sound, Trans Failsafe Error and radio mulfunction at some stages. The problem was with the battery clamps. Whilst the battery is connected I moved the battery cable at the end of the battery clamp and could see the interior lights dimming and brighting as the cable was moved. I used a jug filled with Bicarbonate of soda mixed with boiling water and dipped each battery clamp in the mixture, reconnected the clamps and the matter seem to be resolved. Hope this will be of assistance.:bravo:

Giles said:

Please could someone advise me on what to do? Here's the story...

I used an OBD cable with INPA software to clear my airbag restraint fault on my 2002 745i E65 - worked perfectly. Then I followed some more instructions to see if registering my battery would resolve the "Recharge Battery" warning that pops up only minutes after switching the car on but not starting it - like waiting at the car wash or just sitting in the car listening to radio/music. Anyway, I got the message "Register battery replacement Activated properly" which is what is supposed to happen. Then I sitched off and tried to restart my car. There was a constant ticking noise coming from the driver side speaker and the car wouldn't start - tries to turn over but doesn't. Then all the errors under the sun started appearing, like Dynamic Drive failure, tilt error, transmission failure, etc, etc. The ticking noise from the speakers has now stopped.

Does anyone have any idea what I should do apart from calling out BMW to come and sort it out? Is there any way to do a full diagnostics and reset everything to factory specs via the INPA software? As things stand now my car won't start or do anything - still has power for diagnostics and such. Anybody got any ideas?

Regards
Giles

Click to expand...

Check that the terminals are tight as well.

Congratulations... This is a beautiful car but can become a headache as she gets older. The first thing to do is to check battery voltage. Recharge to full capacity then do the following:
1. Hook her up to a launch system. INPA is not the best software for 745 E65. It prefers launch or GT software.
2. Do full diagnostic. There should a whole range of errors. do a full clear of errors. This should be done system by system. That is do error reset on fron screen, then do a scan on each of the 56 modules on the car and do a full reset of each system and error clear.
3. If you keep getting battery error, please check the you have registered her at the correct date.
4. If all this fails, call the following guys to help- Craig 0835312959, Paul 0724592547 or Brad 0828741848

Good luck and remember to put some money aside each month for maintaining her...

Has8223 said:

Congratulations... This is a beautiful car but can become a headache as she gets older. The first thing to do is to check battery voltage. Recharge to full capacity then do the following:
1. Hook her up to a launch system. INPA is not the best software for 745 E65. It prefers launch or GT software.
2. Do full diagnostic. There should a whole range of errors. do a full clear of errors. This should be done system by system. That is do error reset on fron screen, then do a scan on each of the 56 modules on the car and do a full reset of each system and error clear.
3. If you keep getting battery error, please check the you have registered her at the correct date.
4. If all this fails, call the following guys to help- Craig 0835312959, Paul 0724592547 or Brad 0828741848

Good luck and remember to put some money aside each month for maintaining her...

Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice and the contact numbers - will give it a go with the full diagnostics and see what I get. She was running perfectly apart from the airbag restraint error - cleared those and tried registering the battery and now everything is failing - got errors like "Continue Driving Cautiously" and "Stop Driving Immediately" picture of the car on a mechanics lift - but I was stationary and the engine hadn't even been started?? Bit scary when all those errors start appearing let me tell you. Now the ticking sound has stopped on the speakers and I got the familiar gong when you put in the key fob - that was usually followed by another warning gong about the airbag restraint fault - that's gone - but the car won't start and just throws every error it has at me from transmission failure to dynamic drive failure, etc etc - I am assuming that none of this can be true as the engine wasn't running so how could the transmission, dynamic drive and tilt all fail?? I'm not that clued up on the INPA system and only followed the instructions to clear the airbag restraint fault and register the battery - I don't want to do any other damage accidentally! I checked the Error Codes via the dash and it showed "0 faults" - yet all these error messages appeared?? What am I missing here?

Is Launch or GT1 software readily available to download online by any chance?

Thanks again for the feedback - much appreciated.

Regards
Giles

cebbyp said:

Dear Giles,

I had a similar problem on my E38 in relation to the speaker sound, Trans Failsafe Error and radio mulfunction at some stages. The problem was with the battery clamps. Whilst the battery is connected I moved the battery cable at the end of the battery clamp and could see the interior lights dimming and brighting as the cable was moved. I used a jug filled with Bicarbonate of soda mixed with boiling water and dipped each battery clamp in the mixture, reconnected the clamps and the matter seem to be resolved. Hope this will be of assistance.:bravo:

Click to expand...

Try what cebbyp said. Just make sure you have the key codes for the radio ect.

Would have done the same as mentioned. :thumbs:

Just remember that a diagnostic tool in the hands of someone (myself included) that does not have much experience with that particular tool or reader can have disastrous results; if you accidentally code/recode or press something one should not have...I have found these code reader software/s very powerful and can be dangerous.

Anyway all the best and hope you get the issue sorted. :thumbs:

It sounds like your battery was dying anyway and now it's died, probably just a coincedence you were messing with diagnostics at the same time.

Twinz said:

Would have done the same as mentioned. :thumbs:

Just remember that a diagnostic tool in the hands of someone (myself included) that does not have much experience with that particular tool or reader can have disastrous results; if you accidentally code/recode or press something one should not have...I have found these code reader software/s very powerful and can be dangerous.

Anyway all the best and hope you get the issue sorted. :thumbs:

Click to expand...

Oh I agree 100% - dangerous in my hands - but I followed the instructions for clearing the error coeds and registering my battery to a tee and now I worse off than I was - should have just lived with the airbag restraint fault reminder!!

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Nic_s said:

cebbyp said:

Dear Giles,

I had a similar problem on my E38 in relation to the speaker sound, Trans Failsafe Error and radio mulfunction at some stages. The problem was with the battery clamps. Whilst the battery is connected I moved the battery cable at the end of the battery clamp and could see the interior lights dimming and brighting as the cable was moved. I used a jug filled with Bicarbonate of soda mixed with boiling water and dipped each battery clamp in the mixture, reconnected the clamps and the matter seem to be resolved. Hope this will be of assistance.:bravo:

Click to expand...

Try what cebbyp said. Just make sure you have the key codes for the radio ect.

Click to expand...

I don't have any codes for the radio??? Is there anyway to get them?

Giles said:

Twinz said:

Would have done the same as mentioned. :thumbs:

Just remember that a diagnostic tool in the hands of someone (myself included) that does not have much experience with that particular tool or reader can have disastrous results; if you accidentally code/recode or press something one should not have...I have found these code reader software/s very powerful and can be dangerous.

Anyway all the best and hope you get the issue sorted. :thumbs:

Click to expand...

Oh I agree 100% - dangerous in my hands - but I followed the instructions for clearing the error coeds and registering my battery to a tee and now I worse off than I was - should have just lived with the airbag restraint fault reminder!!

---

Nic_s said:

cebbyp said:

Dear Giles,

I had a similar problem on my E38 in relation to the speaker sound, Trans Failsafe Error and radio mulfunction at some stages. The problem was with the battery clamps. Whilst the battery is connected I moved the battery cable at the end of the battery clamp and could see the interior lights dimming and brighting as the cable was moved. I used a jug filled with Bicarbonate of soda mixed with boiling water and dipped each battery clamp in the mixture, reconnected the clamps and the matter seem to be resolved. Hope this will be of assistance.:bravo:

Click to expand...

Try what cebbyp said. Just make sure you have the key codes for the radio ect.

Click to expand...

I don't have any codes for the radio??? Is there anyway to get them?

Click to expand...

---

There must be a way, but I don't know how or where. Mine was written by hand in my Service book, but that was 16 years ago. Did you buy the car new? Then you must have gotten the code somewhere in between all the service books ect. I don't know how BMW handles the codes with the newer cars, but maybe someone else here could tell you where to look.

rick540 said:

It sounds like your battery was dying anyway and now it's died, probably just a coincedence you were messing with diagnostics at the same time.

Click to expand...

+1 - my car threw every error possible on the OBD when my battery died.

Nic_s said:

Giles said:

Twinz said:

Would have done the same as mentioned. :thumbs:

Just remember that a diagnostic tool in the hands of someone (myself included) that does not have much experience with that particular tool or reader can have disastrous results; if you accidentally code/recode or press something one should not have...I have found these code reader software/s very powerful and can be dangerous.

Anyway all the best and hope you get the issue sorted. :thumbs:

Click to expand...

Oh I agree 100% - dangerous in my hands - but I followed the instructions for clearing the error coeds and registering my battery to a tee and now I worse off than I was - should have just lived with the airbag restraint fault reminder!!

---

Nic_s said:

cebbyp said:

Dear Giles,

I had a similar problem on my E38 in relation to the speaker sound, Trans Failsafe Error and radio mulfunction at some stages. The problem was with the battery clamps. Whilst the battery is connected I moved the battery cable at the end of the battery clamp and could see the interior lights dimming and brighting as the cable was moved. I used a jug filled with Bicarbonate of soda mixed with boiling water and dipped each battery clamp in the mixture, reconnected the clamps and the matter seem to be resolved. Hope this will be of assistance.:bravo:

Click to expand...

Try what cebbyp said. Just make sure you have the key codes for the radio ect.

Click to expand...

I don't have any codes for the radio??? Is there anyway to get them?

Click to expand...

---

There must be a way, but I don't know how or where. Mine was written by hand in my Service book, but that was 16 years ago. Did you buy the car new? Then you must have gotten the code somewhere in between all the service books ect. I don't know how BMW handles the codes with the newer cars, but maybe someone else here could tell you where to look.

Click to expand...

---

No I bought the car 2nd hand - one previous owner, some old professor who misplaced the service book and the manuals - car is in tip top condition and was driving like a dream - software issues can be sorted out I am sure but all this over a battery?? :bangdesk:

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rick540 said:

It sounds like your battery was dying anyway and now it's died, probably just a coincedence you were messing with diagnostics at the same time.

Click to expand...

Thanks Rick450,

I ran a test on the power module for the e65 and it has 1 error in it's memory: "A15D Error battery deep discharge"

So I am assuming/guessing that the various modules simply shut themselves down as the voltage dropped too low hence all the error messages cropping up.

Now to fix this what do I have to do?
1. Buy a new battery from BMW
2. Disconnect my dead battery
3. Connect the new battery
4. Run the INPA diagnostics again and regsiter the new battery
5. Still with INPA - clear all errors in the memory
6. Drive off into the sunset

:joy:

Does that sound about accurate? And I guess it HAS to be a battery from BMW too?

Rgds
Giles

UPDATE - had a new 658 AGM (92AH) battery fitted and she started and drove like a dream! Such a relief! :rollsmile:

Cost of new battery R1795-00 installed at my premises - such a pleasure knowing that I didn't screw up my entire vehicle with that INPA diagnostics software!

Dare I even consider trying the registeration procedure with INPA again?

Thanks to Has8223 for "walking" me through the whole battery electronics story - helps to be reassured you haven't killed your baby by accident! :joy:

Glad it's sorted. Now post up some picks of the car in the Showroom