BMW 6 Series Battery Woes: Multiple System Failures Alert

Hey there! Low experience BMW owner here. I had almost identical issues with my 2018 BMW 4 series. Those symptoms are textbook battery problems, mine was pretty much dead and causing all sorts of weird electrical gremlins. Had the same drama, difficult starts, flickering lights, unusual error messages popping up everywhere. Took it to my trusted workshop, and turns out the battery was completely drained. They ran a full diagnostic, replaced the battery, and recoded everything. Cost me around 290 Euro, but it fixed all the issues instantly. Quick question, how old is your current battery? Also, do you frequently make short trips or leave the car sitting for long periods? This info would help better understand your situation. These BMWs can be pretty sensitive with their electrical systems.

Thanks for the input! My battery is actually the original one from 2016, and your experience sounds spot on with what I'm dealing with. I've hit 174087 KM on the clock and my last service was about 2 months ago, but they didn't mention anything about the battery then. You're probably right, I do a lot of short trips and sometimes work from home, so the car sits for a few days without running. Guess it's time to bite the bullet and get the battery checked out properly. Really appreciate you sharing your experience!

Hey again! Wow, you're definitely in the same boat I was in. When you mentioned it's the original 2016 battery, that immediately rang alarm bells, these BMW batteries typically only last 4-5 years at best. My 2018 4 series battery died after just 4 years, and I wasn't even doing as many short trips as you. Looking at your mileage and driving pattern, I'm even more convinced it's the battery. Those short trips and periods of sitting idle are exactly what killed mine, the battery never gets a chance to fully charge. Our BMWs have tons of electronics that keep drawing power even when parked. When my mechanic replaced my battery, he explained that these cars need proper battery registration after replacement, it's not just a simple swap job like in older cars. Make sure whoever does the work knows how to code the new battery to the car's system. Would hate for you to run into the same hassle I did when I first tried getting it fixed at a regular shop that wasn't familiar with BMW electronics. Just curious, have you noticed if the problems get worse after the car sits for those few days? That's exactly how mine started acting up.

Thanks so much for the detailed follow-up! Actually, yes, the problems are definitely worse after the car sits. Last week, I let it sit for three days, and it barely started on Monday morning. Had all sorts of warning lights on the dash too. You've honestly saved me a lot of headache here. I was worried it might be something major with the electrical system, but everything you've described matches my situation perfectly. Really glad I asked before taking it to the shop, I'll make sure to find someone who knows about the BMW battery registration process. The original battery lasting this long is probably pushing my luck anyway. I'll get it sorted this week and let you know how it goes. Thanks again for taking the time to help out, it's great to hear from someone who's dealt with the exact same issue!