61 00... Battery

WARNING: This page does not describe the selected car, but rather 50 other vehicles, including the 2016 BMW M5, 2016 BMW ActiveHybrid 5, 2016 BMW 550i xDrive, 2016 BMW 550i, and 2016 BMW 535i xDrive. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

NOTE: Important notes and instructions for handling batteries in the dealership can be found in:

Battery master document
Disconnecting battery
BATTERY CHARGE
Welding work
EXTERNAL JUMP-STARTING AID

Battery care and maintenance

In low-maintenance batteries, check the electrolyte level at least once a year. If necessary, top up with distilled water up to the top marking.

The increasing number of electronic control units in the vehicle reduces the self-discharging time of the battery (even in standby mode). To maintain the battery service life and to avoid exhaustive discharging, recharge laid-up vehicles every 6 weeks at the latest. The time for self-discharging depends on vehicle type and equipment specification.

Battery test

The battery acid density can be used to measure the state of charge. However this check produces uncertainty caused by a design-related range of variation. The acid density e.g. for a charged battery is 1.28 kg/l (in the variant for hot countries the acid density is 1.23 kg/l).

Another interference factor is the acid layer immediately after filling with distilled water.

Battery wear with partially sulphated and/or heavily contaminated panels will also lead to incorrect acid density test results.