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      04-20-2012, 04:25 PM   #1
mlifxs
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Intelligent Battery Sensor error

Thanks in advance for any comments or help here!

Just had my car scanned. The shop's scan tool indicated a malfunctioning Intelligent Battery Sensor error. Clearing the code did not help, it would simply show up again.

Did a little searching, from what I can tell, this sensor is located off the negative terminal wiring (?)

Decided to take a look at the battery to see if everything looked okay. There was a blue connector off the negative terminal, which was disconnected. I am providing a picture from a battery DIY on this forum, which shows the blue connector on the right side of the picture.

In the picture, the connector is connected. On my car the connector is NOT connected.

Wondering....
a. Is this a disconnected wire a possible cause for the fault code? or is it even related to the Battery Sensor?
b. Regardless of a, is there any reason why I should not connect this wire?
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      04-20-2012, 08:51 PM   #2
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Yes, the blue wire should be connected. That is how ECU communicates to the IBS. If IBS itself has gone bad which is located directly on the negative terminal, then the car may not start. Often, taking that blue connector out temporarily, may start the car since that stops communication between ECU and IBS. Also, if you ever need to remove IBS to change battery, be very gentle since it is sensitive to mechanical stress and changes its calibration point needed for accurate measurement of battery charge characteristics and its history.
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      04-20-2012, 09:20 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by queensfield View Post
Yes, the blue wire should be connected. That is how ECU communicates to the IBS. If IBS itself has gone bad which is located directly on the negative terminal, then the car may not start. Often, taking that blue connector out temporarily, may start the car since that stops communication between ECU and IBS. Also, if you ever need to remove IBS to change battery, be very gentle since it is sensitive to mechanical stress and changes its calibration point needed for accurate measurement of battery charge characteristics and its history.
thanks for this, great explanation. Just connected and successfully started car, so no problems so far.
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      04-21-2012, 08:45 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mlifxs View Post
thanks for this, great explanation. Just connected and successfully started car, so no problems so far.
I wonder why it was disconnected in the first place. I hope your shop is not the culprit.
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If no codes are being thrown use Chevron Techron fuel injector cleaner (concentrate). It solves rpm fluctuating upon cold start-up. Also, for most BMW problems start off by scanning your car with the Peake Research Tool. It contains the actual BMW codes. If you want to register a newly installed battery for free (just buy a $10 cable) and google/download BMWLogger
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      09-30-2012, 04:37 PM   #5
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Problem with IBS

My 2006 328xi wagon would not start several days ago. The steering wheel would not unlock nor could I get the car out of gear. The car would not crank either. I tried a jumper box but it would not start the car. I put a charger on the car overnight and still nothing.

The next day I got out my small code reader and the problems seemed to be with the IBS. I got to the battery and found the IBS and disconnected it (blue connecter). Once it was disconnected the car started fine. There was water in the battery box which I pumped out. I let everything dry out but when I plug the IBS back in the car will not start and I have the same symtoms once again. Not sure exactly what the IBS does other then disable a car that would otherwise run just fine. The fact that it disables the car rather then just throwing a code is very annoying. If I did not find this tread I would have had to have the car flat bedded to a dealer and it would have to be dragged onto the flatbed as I could not put the car in N.

So far the car has not thrown any codes with the IBS disconnected. Does anyone know if it will be a problem if I leave it in the present state? Has anyone replaced and IBS before? I can see it on the top of battery negative terminal. It does not look hard to replace. If anyone has any thoughts on how I might get my present IBS back working that would be great. Of course I also need to find the leak into the battery box. It seems to be coming from rear quarter window. If anyone knows what this might be I would be grateful.

Thanks!

Gary
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      09-30-2012, 05:42 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lotus 7 View Post
My 2006 328xi wagon would not start several days ago. The steering wheel would not unlock nor could I get the car out of gear. The car would not crank either. I tried a jumper box but it would not start the car. I put a charger on the car overnight and still nothing.

The next day I got out my small code reader and the problems seemed to be with the IBS. I got to the battery and found the IBS and disconnected it (blue connecter). Once it was disconnected the car started fine. There was water in the battery box which I pumped out. I let everything dry out but when I plug the IBS back in the car will not start and I have the same symtoms once again. Not sure exactly what the IBS does other then disable a car that would otherwise run just fine. The fact that it disables the car rather then just throwing a code is very annoying. If I did not find this tread I would have had to have the car flat bedded to a dealer and it would have to be dragged onto the flatbed as I could not put the car in N.

So far the car has not thrown any codes with the IBS disconnected. Does anyone know if it will be a problem if I leave it in the present state? Has anyone replaced and IBS before? I can see it on the top of battery negative terminal. It does not look hard to replace. If anyone has any thoughts on how I might get my present IBS back working that would be great. Of course I also need to find the leak into the battery box. It seems to be coming from rear quarter window. If anyone knows what this might be I would be grateful.

Thanks!

Gary
In my case, the disconnect did not throw a check engine light. A code was discovered when trying to upgrade the AA tune on my car. Fortunately, reconnecting the IBS took care of it. My car did not exhibit any bad behavior prior to re-connection.
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      03-21-2013, 11:30 AM   #7
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What are indicators of the IBS not working? Would it really keep the car from starting?
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      03-21-2013, 12:59 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by E90 Stealth View Post
What are indicators of the IBS not working? Would it really keep the car from starting?
In my case, it showed up as an error code. Not sure if what would have come of it if it remained un-plugged.
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      03-21-2013, 04:15 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by E90 Stealth View Post
What are indicators of the IBS not working? Would it really keep the car from starting?
Depends on failure mode. If the IBS sensor is malfunctioning, the wires disconnected etc, a light in the dash will show up (if I remember correctly, the ABS dashlight lights up, because it is part of safety components). Often, making sure that all wires are tight and secure is enough to fix the issue.

If the IBS is indeed fried, the car would not start, but all electrical devices would work anyway.
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      03-22-2013, 11:04 AM   #10
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In my case, the IBS had an intermittent fault. After the alternator was replaced, the problem continued and was finally traced to the bad IBS.

The alternator would begin overcharging at 17+ volts (no dash warning) but if the ignition was left on after shutting the motor off, the "Low Battery" warning would come up within one minute. The car also stalled out once and (luckily) would not restart while at the dealer.

Tom
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      03-23-2013, 06:51 PM   #11
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Hey guys, thought I'd share my recent experience with this problem. My car wouldn't start one day and charging it and jump starting it wouldn't do anything. After a long ordeal and getting it towed back, I learned a few things. The way to get the car into neutral when all electronics fail is to pull up hard on the boot of the shifter and remove it. Underneath you will find a small lever that locks the shifter in place. Toggle it and move the shifter into neutral. About the ibs sensor: it regulates charging so you don't wear out your alternator prematurely and saves gas. Downside is that if it fails, you will not be able to do start your car. The correct temp solution is to unplug it just like the op had. Lastly, if you need to replace the ibs sensor, you might need to change 3 cables. I have a 2006 330I. The old sensor was two pieces. There were problems with the design, so they changed it to a 3 piece cable. Of course, the 3 piece cost more than the 2 piece. You have to buy all three separately and cost about$300 from the dealer. I also bought a new battery which cost $279.
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      03-25-2013, 01:23 PM   #12
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Meeni & u170who - Thanks so much for your reply's. I don't want to hijack this thread, I'd love your further input on my post (and anyone els ewho is interested): http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...1#post13701131

I'm a bit confused - mlifxs's IBS was disconnected for apparently a long time and the car started fine (until recently). How coudl that mean a bad IBS sensor keep the car from starting (I have tested starting with it connected & disconnected)?
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      03-26-2013, 02:00 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom K. View Post
In my case, the IBS had an intermittent fault. After the alternator was replaced, the problem continued and was finally traced to the bad IBS.

The alternator would begin overcharging at 17+ volts (no dash warning) but if the ignition was left on after shutting the motor off, the "Low Battery" warning would come up within one minute. The car also stalled out once and (luckily) would not restart while at the dealer.

Tom
Im having a problem right now as i speak where my battery voltage is currently at 17.3 volts...all the light on the dash light up including transmission, abs, airbag, traction etc. can only drive the car a few feet until i get the temp warning and the car shuts down due to the waterpump not getting the proper current to operate it.. Im wondering if its the voltage regulator or the ibs. Problem first occured while sitting in the car for about 10 mins at idle and then the dash lit up like a christmas tree lol
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      04-03-2013, 02:25 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by O2nice View Post
Im having a problem right now as i speak where my battery voltage is currently at 17.3 volts...all the light on the dash light up including transmission, abs, airbag, traction etc. can only drive the car a few feet until i get the temp warning and the car shuts down due to the waterpump not getting the proper current to operate it.. Im wondering if its the voltage regulator or the ibs. Problem first occured while sitting in the car for about 10 mins at idle and then the dash lit up like a christmas tree lol
I don't know if this may be your problem, but i just found out my fuse box needs to be changed. I had a strange problem where the windshield wipers would shut off when it rains. i took it to an indy shop and ended up throwing away $500 for a new wiper switch and it wasn't the problem. I brought it back to the dealer and he said that the codes told them it was the fuse box. I think this can cause other problems too, such as yours. Take it to the dealer. You'll end up spending less in the long run. Just bargain with them on the charges. My dealer is charging me $500 less than normal, so they have a lot of leeway in terms of charging customers.
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      03-07-2014, 04:54 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by O2nice View Post
Im having a problem right now as i speak where my battery voltage is currently at 17.3 volts...all the light on the dash light up including transmission, abs, airbag, traction etc. can only drive the car a few feet until i get the temp warning and the car shuts down due to the waterpump not getting the proper current to operate it.. Im wondering if its the voltage regulator or the ibs. Problem first occured while sitting in the car for about 10 mins at idle and then the dash lit up like a christmas tree lol
I was having almost the exact same problem. My wife was driving the car, then the ABS, brakes, and DTC light came on. About 30 sec later those went off and the airbag light came on. Also the brake light would change from orange at idle to red once I gave it gas. The spedo along with other random things like the window switches weren't working. Codes I pulled said that it was a speed sensor fault. I ended up downloading INPA and looking at all my sensors real time, they checked good. I did notice that my voltage was at 17.6-18.4 with the engine on. I disconnected the wire on the alternator and started the car on battery power. Everything worked perfectly, no lights or warnings. I'm going to replace the voltage regulator tonight. I'll let you know if that doesn't fix it.
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      03-10-2014, 01:07 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dg3787
Quote:
Originally Posted by O2nice View Post
Im having a problem right now as i speak where my battery voltage is currently at 17.3 volts...all the light on the dash light up including transmission, abs, airbag, traction etc. can only drive the car a few feet until i get the temp warning and the car shuts down due to the waterpump not getting the proper current to operate it.. Im wondering if its the voltage regulator or the ibs. Problem first occured while sitting in the car for about 10 mins at idle and then the dash lit up like a christmas tree lol
I was having almost the exact same problem. My wife was driving the car, then the ABS, brakes, and DTC light came on. About 30 sec later those went off and the airbag light came on. Also the brake light would change from orange at idle to red once I gave it gas. The spedo along with other random things like the window switches weren't working. Codes I pulled said that it was a speed sensor fault. I ended up downloading INPA and looking at all my sensors real time, they checked good. I did notice that my voltage was at 17.6-18.4 with the engine on. I disconnected the wire on the alternator and started the car on battery power. Everything worked perfectly, no lights or warnings. I'm going to replace the voltage regulator tonight. I'll let you know if that doesn't fix it.
I fixed my issue..it was the alternator. The pulled locked up and started to overcharge the battery. I replaced it and the problem was fixed
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      12-23-2014, 11:18 PM   #17
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How hard was it to replace the regulator? could you share some steps about it?
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      12-01-2017, 10:20 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by caliber View Post
How hard was it to replace the regulator? could you share some steps about it?
It was simple. 2 screws. I'll look to see if i have any pictures. If my memory serves, it was a plastic cover and then 2 screws for the regulator. You don't need to pull the alternator
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      01-05-2018, 10:40 AM   #19
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any help please

so i recently had my battery replaced as I was told my 2006 e90 needed a new battery. I did a replacement and my car was fine for about 2 months.. i later had a service and the dealership said that my alternator was starting to go bad this in turn caused my starter to eventually die as it was being overworked. I replaced the starter and alternator the car ran and started fine for about 2 weeks ..the car then had issues starting i would continually have a weak start and eventually the car refused to start.. i would manually charge my battery and i would get a start for a few days then it wouldn’t start after a few days time...i took it to an indy as the dealership just wasn’t cutting it..the indy advises that the alternator was the problem so a brand new alternator was put into the vehicle...after 3/4 days the issue came back up..still not starting consistently battery not charging...i proceeded to change the IBS cable as it was throwing a IBS error and once the error code was removed with the new ibs and a fully charged battery the car didn’t start..so i’ve changed the alternator the starter(which is fine because the car starts with a jump pack) the ibs but still have intermittent on/off starts..i’ve pretty much lost my mind with what the problem is...can anyone give some advice or direction as to what could be the problem..now while driving i’m getting abs lights that come on...i’ve always had a restraint system fault in iDrive but from my research this could be due to the seat mat sensor issue...help.....i love my 320 handles beautifully i just want my ride back..
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      01-08-2018, 02:16 PM   #20
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Check the cable that comes out of the jump start terminal. The one which goes over the engine.

It's more common on 6cyl models but the cable frays inside the fitting so it just dry rots and pulls out or breaks.
Usually if it is that bad it wont start and it wont charge very well but it should bring up 'increased battery discharge' messages.
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      01-08-2018, 03:50 PM   #21
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this would be the cables that run along the top that are inside the housing?..your saying a cable could be damaged in this housing...i attached a file referencing what I am assuming
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      01-09-2018, 03:31 AM   #22
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Yes, see where the first arrow is on the left? Follow it to the firewall and wiggle it around the heatshrink
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