How To Replace The 12V Battery in The BMW i3 | GUIDE

[@bmwblog]

If you like this video, please be kind to subscribe to our channel! bit.ly/bmwblog_subscribe

[@farquar1000]

Very nicely done. I have followed this procedure and used the VeePeak dongle with the Bimmerlink software. Everything went as expected. However, after completion, I have begun to get low battery warnings from my two key fobs. Changing the fob batteries does not seem to help. Curious as to whether anyone else has had same experience.

[@90wmu]

Thank you for the video. Used a OEM BMW aux battery for the swap (only one I could find in the market) Still getting some warnings on the display, but at least there is power going to the display. Car will not charge now with in wall charger (just yellow flashing). Secondly, it's my understanding you do not have to register an actual BMW battery is that the case?

[@richardmorris4697]

😊

[@briandavidofficial]

Just swapped out the 12 volt on my 2014 i3 rex. Great video! Made the job easy. Before replacing it, my car stalled out and threw a "drivetrain malfunction" warning. That has gone since I replaced the battery and it is running great. Dealership wanted $900 for the job. Had my car towed home and did it for $200 in parts myself. Thanks!

[@topmarketingmedia8127]

This is one of the best videos explaining the whole process. Easy DIY.

[@bmwblog]

Glad it was helpful!

[@GavCritchley]

This is the definitive battery change video. I'm in the UK and was going to do my own video, but there is no improvement I could make on it! It's perfect.

[@bmwblog]

Thank you. But as always, the dealer might be the best option to perform this

[@GavCritchley]

@@bmwblog Well I actually went and did my own one, but only because in UK cars the battery is on the other side! It's not behind the wash wipe reservoir, its behind the radiator hoses on the right hand side. kzbin.info/www/bejne/o2moqomDjNusjJY

[@tylerhuttosmith]

Took mine to the dealer to replace. After replacing they found a hard fault unable to charge warning on cluster and that further diagnosis is needed with charge control module. Assuming the replacement battery wasn’t fully charged before replacement, but I was assured they were a master tech. They want $300 for the fault diagnosis alone. Who knows for the rest of the work. What should I do going forward?

[@benchou8831]

Fantastic! You provided all I needed in a step by step basis to swap out my 12V battery. Thank you very much!

[@RG-oc8se]

Thanks a lot for this video. I saved myself a few bucks by replacing the battery myself. Got an original battery from BMW directly, costing about £100. I am in the UK so the battery is on the other side. So, I didn't need to remove the washer bottle nozzle. By the way, on the positive terminal (and the negative), only one screw (that holds the connector on the battery) needs to be loosened and it pops out. The green HV connector gave me a lot of trouble to put back in. The orange seems much simpler. Thank you soo much! 😊🎉

[@adammeltzer8739]

BMW's are really expensive! You saved me many hundreds of dollars. Much appreciated. The video is fantastic. The one thing I would add is how to reconnect the green high voltage switch. I had some trouble with that. I have a 2016 Rx i3.

[@robertfekete2658]

How did you do? I have the same problem with the reconnect... :(

[@RobertStebler]

This worked perfect! Thank you!! I bought the Remy battery for my 2015 i3 Rex and the install went super smooth. My battery had the offgassing tube and I was able to disconnect it and attach it to the new battery without issue. I already had an obd bluetooth adapter I used with Bimmercode and used it with Bimmerlink to code the new battery. Worked like a charm and the car is happy.

[@bmwblog]

You're welcome!

[@tonyhetherington9395]

What does coding a new battery involve? I have ODB and bimmercode. Thanks!

[@torreythompson7078]

Great comprehensive video was able to change mine moving slow about 30 minutes flat

[@felipemedina3822]

Ty. Very informative and clear. The hardest part was finding and getting a 12v battery.

[@lostlakeOR]

Just completed a battery swap. Very straightforward thanks to your video. Thanks!

[@sonnycruz7032]

This was very well done. It allowed me to quickly change my 12v battery in my ‘18. Only thing I’d add is how to reconnect the high voltage system on ‘18 and later…you need to pry a green safety clip with a small screwdriver in order to lower the main piece. 😊

[@lashandaherring9223]

Hi Where did you find your battery for your 2018 i3? I have the 2018 i3 rex and cant find a 12volt replacement battery.

[@simonnicholson6069]

@@lashandaherring9223 I've just bought a battery from BMW themselves as it was actually cheaper (£95) than one from Euro Car Parts, who I normally use for spares etc. (In case it makes any difference, mine's a 2017 and non-rex btw.)

[@peterandrews4993]

Thanks for the little green clip thing. The rest of the video is perfect, but that little extra just saved me !

[@gta3005]

Noticed on a reddit forum, a couple people mentioning they tried an alternative battery and had no issues. Well I installed a Duralast TX24HL battery typically intended for ATV's. I didn't need any extra hardware for it. Straightforward swap of hardware from one battery to the other. In all, about 30 min project. Didn't realize bimmercode wouldn't do the battery registration, so had to purchase bimmerlink after doing the work. Make sure your terminals have some fresh metal for connection when you're doing the swap, as I was lax about doing this and had to wiggle the terminal a little after installation to get a good connection.

[@AllenManor]

So frustrating that Bimmercode doesn't have the ability to register the battery.

[@SonnyMarini]

I used your video to replace my 12 volt battery. It was very helpful. A couple of additions. I have a 2017 i3 rex. It has the green disconnect connector, not orange. Disconnecting was easy but it was not obvious how to reconnect/reengage the main battery. That part wasn't mentioned in your video. There was a small square opening on the front upper left side. Inserting a small screwdriver to release the lock enabled me to reengage the main battery. It took me a few tries and a few minutes to figure that out. For other owners. I was getting battery discharging while idle messages for a couple of weeks before the battery fell off the cliff. One day it was fine, next day nothing. I was monitoring it and it was 14.2 volts the day before it failed. So if your getting messages make a plan to replace the battery. BTW, my battery as almost 7 years old, so I suspected it needed to be replaced. The dealers and repair shops wanted about 425 to replace. About 200-220 for the battery (a little high but fair),

[@bmwblog]

Thanks for the extra steps. I'm assuming it might be a bit different for different years

[@abitofaviation]

Thanks a lot, the change was pretty easy to do thanks to your DYI!

[@Me-zq9ck]

Very good instructional video. Would be great if added tips how to close green connector back. I took me a while to find out how to do it. The most of my time took me to properly setting lower screw in the bracket that holds battery - somehow this screw wanted to cut the thread - oh boy that was a trouble maker!

[@robbyaceto4467]

many thanks for your terrific tutorial. just waiting for my Remy AUX18L to arrive and will be doing the swap out. a quick question: is the car turned ON when you start the OBD2 reader and the BimmerLink app or is off. Thanks again!

[@movingforward20]

When taking the windshield washer filler tube off, be careful because there may be an o-ring seal that will fall if you are not careful. There is also only one way that it goes off / is put back on. Check it before you try.

[@davidrex583]

Thanks! The tutorial was very good and my car was back to normal as soon as I drove it about 10 feet. All warnings disappeared. The oddball green connector was difficult, and probably cost me an hour of fiddling. I don't think the tab on the left side needs to be popped out to open it. I think that prevents accidental closing. Rocking it forward seems to be what worked for opening and closing, but I'm honestly not sure. That thing must change a relay or something as the tiny tiny wires could never conduct all the main battery current. I would only add that it is worth cleaning the brass connectors and the clamps that attach to them. Dirty or loose connectors can make a good battery do bad things. I used a wire brush and alcohol on a work cloth.

[@avaisch007]

Hi, which warnings disappeared? Did you have any restraint system errors prior, I’m thinking I’m may be getting this error as the battery maybe failing? Thanks!

[@davidrex583]

@@avaisch007 The check engine light was on for sure, but I'm not sure about he rest. After my experience, I'd say replace any battery that shows problems. Maybe even replace any battery on its 3rd birthday even if perfect. My first went 2.5 years after I bought the car but may have been 3.5 as the car had bee sitting on a lot for a long time. 2nd battery wen at 3.5 years. I bought the REMY replacement battery and 2 day air cost almost $100.

[@BoricuaFez]

Greetings @bmwblog, Followed your tips on change out the 12V battery on my 2019 i3. Started with charging the new battery the night before and removing from the charging station when it was time to install in the car. The removal and the install was the hard part due to the limited space also the T25/27 screw on the negative terminal had a bit of rust so will swap that on the next swap, besides from that the process was easy. After install did the registration process did a quick 3 mile drive in it and no issues reported. A successful DIY experience! Thanks for the great informative video.

[@bmwblog]

Thanks for the feedback

[@stevemyung1791]

Pro tip on new Li battery disconnector. When you try to reconnect, use the thin flat screw driver and insert it into the small opening on front left side to unlock.

[@yyyageyyy]

Thanks. That was the slowest part of the job!

[@suzeqrocks11]

Hi this was a great video and totally supported me in changing my 12v battery successfully! Thank you!

[@HaLo-t1c]

I heard that the 12v battery is a common fault for the i3 and it's annoying to swap. Definitely more work than most other cars. But this video makes it super easy!

[@bmwblog]

It is common fault apparently

[@fogartym77]

A lot of cars need the battery replacing after about 4 years so not a problem as such. It took me about 45 minutes in total to swap the battery and register it, which I think is an OK amount of time.

[@wompshmack]

good tip on that extra connector coming loose. I had the exact same issue, also on my positive side.

[@kallmo]

Excellent thorough video. Thanks a ton. About to install mine in a 2015 BEV. Cheers.

[@MrMed-hl2fq]

Thanks for your video's - they've given me some degree of confidence to attempt some 2014 i3 REX fixes myself.. But I recently ordered a repair manual to help as well.. Have you ever heard of a Vapor Shut Off Valve jammed open ? It has a Carbon canister and cap as well - I was quoted $2,000 to repair it...

[@pjoe1950]

Thanks for your video. Could BMW have made this any harder?

[@kwenger7088]

Thanks for making this video. I will be doing this job myself soon.

[@bmwblog]

Glad it was helpful!

[@NKaumans4]

Great tutorial! I was able to do this all on my own as a non-car savvy guy. My biggest issue was getting the Bimmerlink app to connect to the OBD2 diagnostic interface on my iPhone 14. After selecting the "Vgate iCar Wi-Fi" in the Settings > Adapter options and then force closing the Bimmerlink app it finally connected when I re-opened it. The OBD2 interface on Amazon is black instead of the white one in this video, so perhaps this latest model is a bit finicky with the Bimmerlink app.

[@JohnAppleseed.]

Thank you for this video! Will be trying this out soon

[@saschaprochaska6281]

Great video but the traction battery disconnect and reconnect could use some extra info on the newer style connector. It gets glossed over in this video and ended up being the single most difficult part of the job on my 2019 i3s. Thanks for doing this otherwise.

[@davidrex583]

I just did mine and had the same issue. I think it needs rocked backwards for both opening and closing. It's hard to say.

[@FLASHitude]

Thanks man! This was really helpful

[@Dindonmasker]

I think my 2015 i3 might need this not too long from now. I'll save this video for later

[@jimmyvelez4165]

What makes you think that? Is your car not holding charge as long?

[@Dindonmasker]

@@jimmyvelez4165 no but it's the original battery and batteries usually don't last for a lot longer then 5 years. I also live in a sometimes frozen climate and it's harder on batteries.

[@jimmyvelez4165]

@@Dindonmasker you know you can check how much charge your battery is actually holding. BMW says they’ll replace is if it’s only holding 13 kWh.

[@jimmyvelez4165]

@@Dindonmasker look up “how to find the battery capacity in bmw i3. I tried it and it works. Mine was pushing 16 kWh

[@Dindonmasker]

@@jimmyvelez4165 i was talking about the small 12 volt battery.

[@AndrewLawniczak]

This video was very helpful. Sadly, I couldn't find a battery to purchase anywhere near here, so I had to have the dealer provide it and install it. $600 gone :(

[@ahwgmbh6524]

Professional, thanks for the detailed video, Thank you

[@bmwblog]

You are welcome!

[@johnkdaugherty]

thank you for this great video! dealership wants to charge $500 for a new battery. yikes!

[@swiftonzwift]

Thank you! Feeling confident about doing this now.

[@robertfekete2658]

This is very useful, thank you! Today I can't go to work because the 12V battery passed away. Tomorrow I receive the new battery so I hope I can do it. I'm not too handy and don't like DIY. I disconneted the high voltage safety connector but I can't connect is back. There is no video from the green+black style reconnecting :(

[@poundermonster]

Great video! I got a message saying battery discharge while stopped, then a day later followed by a check engine light with a code p1c53. You guys think it needs a 12v battery?

[@bmwblog]

Not a mechanic, but most likely from what I've seen in other cases

[@No0ne31]

Thank you for this mate

[@19099090]

Thanks! Didn’t manage to disconnect the big battery via the green connector but I did it anyways.

[@mamadouaziza2536]

Wow! Thanks for this upload!

[@GarethDaviesUK]

Why do they make it so difficult to change what should be a cheap to replace disposable battery?

[@simonnicholson6069]

I don't think it's that difficult really. 6 easy screws to take the container thing out and then 2 10ml nuts on the bracket and 2 on the terminals, all of which are reasonably accessible and doable with a modest socket set. I'm no mechanic but I swapped my batteries in about 30 mins.

[@OKSemiconductor]

​@simonnicholson6069 If it takes more than 10 minutes to change a 12V car battery, it's a bad design. Especially given that the 12V battery on i3's needs to be replaced every few years 😢

[@reginaldcapers9478]

I had to change the battery in my 2011 328i and it was the absolute worst. I think BMW designers sit back and say..."how can we place a battery to make it hard AF to replace?"

[@shaunkennedy3916]

Very helpful and detailed video. Thank you much!

[@bmwblog]

Glad it was helpful!

[@peterlachina6185]

if i want to use a trickle charger for my 2017 I3 should i disconnect the high voltage battery switch. I have the pop up, it sticking. Im in the NE and leaving the car parked outside for 4 wks. Battery pack is charged to 80%. but worried about the 12 volt. also would it better to remove the battery from the car? i planned on using a plugin adapter inside for the charger

[@tetrisman11]

I bought a replacement vent tube and I have the grommet for the other end, but I'm not sure where to plug it in to in the car. Can you show me where to connect the other end in the car? Thanks!

[@ah1472-u5h]

No mention of keeping it powered during replacement. I had heard that it is a good idea to jumper another 12v source to the jumper terminals at the rear of the car so that the computer is never shut down. Supposedly this helps avoid error messages and resets.

[@ThisIsBrianK_]

I thought this step was a must as well. I guess it isn't.

[@brahimiglili3861]

Thenks mate

[@conalljones1413]

Thank you!

[@wolf-yw9wk]

you have to fully charge the battery you just bought? you cant just buy the battery and its good to go in ?

[@kawish33]

Looking into getting the i3 2015 Rex with 60kmiles/100k km. Is there any warned when the battery is weak? It doesn’t look like you can’t just jump start it like a normal car…

[@jeffpayne2261]

Does it matter if the Vgate is a Green stripe vs a blue or black stripe

[@brusslysb]

Great video TY

[@Donato77777]

BMW quoted £280 done myself battery £90 +27£ BimmerLink all working 30min work time

[@keeranjugdoyal9066]

You don't happen to remember which replacement battery you bought? Thanks

[@Orbit353]

05:20 When taking off the filler tube, make sure not to drop the black o-ring rubber seal. In this video, it seems like it is already (previously) lost. It will can either be found inside the tube, or on the connection stub on top of the bottle.

[@ddh7779]

Looks like the recommended battery is sold out everywhere. Is there another battery option?

[@sloppyjoehillups]

It would be great if you could even link the wrenches and sockets you used for total beginners

[@bmwblog]

Will grab them and link

[@markedwardsphotography]

Good video. Thank you for sharing.

[@bmwblog]

Thanks for watching!

[@shakh4794]

I have 2018 i3 but have the black/green style disconnect... how to reconnect that? TIA

[@chandra11116]

Thanks!

[@bmwblog]

Glad it worked

[@abitofaviation]

Does the new BMW battery come charged or not? Had now the alarm going off all the time, so freaking annoying. Car not responding to the keyfob AT ALL.

[@rogerhudson2814]

Can you disconnect the -ve earth terminal, insulate it and use a Ctec multistage trickle charger with the 12volt battery in place, a normal 12v has a long lifetime if trickle charged every 2 months ??

[@tylerlee4335]

Hi, can you let me know the link for ratchet wrench?

[@polygonparts4433]

I’m having an issue where the 12v died and I’m not sure how to clear these codes. Car is stuck in neutral 222851 Internal transmission monitoring - parking position currently not detectable 2228C0 SbW-Lev2: No switching of P recognized 222011 E-machine resolver adjustment not carried out or rotor position sensor offset not in the tolerance band. 222D27 Parking lock, Init: No data for PS open / closed available in NV-Ram

[@wortexinternational2598]

Correction - 2017 is already the green connector. Just doing this on my 2017 and it has a green connector, not the orange. I managed to unplug it but it was super hard and now impossible to reconnect. This is supposed to be just a plug-in connector but won't go back. I have tried every angle, pushed and pulled everything on the connector, but it won't engage back. What to do ?

[@simontsang8418]

Have you figured out how to re-engage the connector yet?

[@erich1710]

My 2017 has the green connector, and I don't remember how I got it re-engaged, but I remember it being a pain in the a$$.

[@MsWesleyf]

Thank you.

[@MichaelDavis-pn1rh]

Why do you need to register the battery? I have a another battery and it's from bmw

[@jamesstufano1504]

I am thinking of buying a 2019 i3s and though I love the car, it bugs me the 12 volt battery every 5 years and I’ve read, a $16,000 bill to replace main battery down the road. But I was thinking, can the I3 12v battery be mounted in the frunk and extend the + - wires? The thought is every 5 years easy to change. Does the I3 maintain settings when 12v is disconnected or does it get power from main battery to hold settings? Seems like a pain if things need to be rest

[@erich1710]

I wouldn't worry about the cost of main battery replacement. Pretty much with all EVs with active battery temperature management (like the i3), the battery should be good for the lifetime of the vehicle. It's only cars with passive temperature control (Original style Nissan Leaf) where it might be a consideration. You have to reset the time when changing the 12V, but I don't think any of the presets get reset if I remember correctly. While I think I can change the battery myself, I had it changed on my 2017 by the used car dealer where I bought it. They know how to operate on EVs. They even registered the battery. I think it was only $350. More than DIY, but far, far less than the BMW dealer.

[@CurtisTarwater]

PSA - ALWAYS remove the positive terminal (RED) first when removing a battery. Leave the black "ground" in place until last. The RED terminal is where the power comes from - hence the reason that BMW put an "exploder" on the RED terminal and not the black.

[@merida1605]

Wrong. Always remove negative first.

[@CurtisTarwater]

@@merida1605 Electricity flows from (+) to (-) on a battery with the (-) being the common ground for the entire circuit. If you remove the (-) first then you still have electricity coming from the (+) Red terminal to your system/ECM potentially overloading capacitors and diodes with no source for ground. This can damage them with no path to ground as they are designed from the manufacturer. It is your system and your beliefs on how you think electricity works. As for me I will take the (+) Red off first so there is no electron flow from the battery to the system.

[@kevindavis7797]

I hear what you’re saying but the point of removing the ground first is to prevent an accidental grounding when removing the positive. If you remove the ground first then you’ve eliminated that possibility.

[@castletown999]

You have to wonder if the real problem was the loose connectors. This would explain the sudden bricking with no warning.

[@bmwblog]

Not sure. Could be.

[@castletown999]

@@bmwblog Might also explain why you could not charge it in situ

[@patrickbella6728]

I just asked for a quote on the replacement here in LA. They are asking 1000$ for it. I guess I’m gonna DIY my replacement. By the way, does any of that iCar pro kit work? There are 3 kinds on your link. I was thinking of going for the bluetooth one for the convenience.

[@stevemyung1791]

Some 2017s have new Li battery disconnector

[@bmwblog]

Ah, good point

[@akridged]

This is useful information, but the real trick is finding someone that has a battery in stock.

[@bmwblog]

Shortage of those batteries also?

[@90wmu]

I just picked up one at a BMW dealer for $170, plus tax and disposal $207

[@Lysander-Spooner]

My car needed to "sleep" after battery replacement. Why is this?

[@watchmaster968]

BMW are charging a friend £325 - $650to change the battery including fitting & diagnostics. The battery costs £75! $95 Is he being ripped off?

[@dontfeedtheunicorn]

What happens if you put in a new battery, and thats it? I dont need the car to tell me the battery is starting to degrade.

[@Jimages_uk]

Who ever changed the battery the first time probably left the vent tube connector in the old battery and just left it unconnected in the replacement battery.

[@bmwblog]

It's possible.

[@Irgegen]

👍👍👍👍👍

[@pshean84]

disconnecting the high voltage connector without ensuring the high voltage system is already turned off will create excessive wear on the switch contactors. im surprised that this video does not specify this crucially important step. the switch contactors have a service life and disconnecting the high voltage system when the high voltage system is active creates far more wear than a normal deactivation of the HV system when the vehicle goes to sleep normally.

[@therealhugocosta]

How to ensure that the high voltage system is already turned off?

[@wortexinternational2598]

How the heck do you reconnect it is my problem !!!

[@bbKleefton]

I inherited this car. Dead battery, much like the previous owner. Can't open passenger door to open charger port and my knowledge about ANY car is about equivalent to that of a chicken. So now I just wanna get drunk.

[@theflipchannel964]

Jesus Christ...Tought the batteries were easy to replace, kinda odd how BMW complicate this...

[@3ricj]

If enough people like and subscribe, maybe this guy can get some power tools. This was painful to watch.

[@bmwblog]

That's a good idea. All his money went into that garage and power lift. So he needs money for tools now.

[@3ricj]

@@bmwblog ha! It was a good video, but a bit looong. For example, you don't need to show us a glove or what a 10mm socket looks like.

[@rogerhudson2814]

Magnetic tool bits help.

[@whocares264]

BMW are really big on making a buck....

[@ant.8635]

but you didn't show how to disconnect the high voltage connector on the orange one lol

[@1HeatWalk]

Such a hard job just for a battery change. Typical over complicated German garbage engineering.

[@kristianvrum8979]

Lol, you know society is about to break down when an amateur like this can make a video and get almost 1k likes on it :-D

[@bmwblog]

Curios why the society would break down. And more importantly, what's wrong with a how-to video?

[@lowsun]

this comment doesn’t make any sense lol

[@labasrytas2876]

@BMWBLOG - can i recharge that small battery using trckle charger withouth disconecting it from car?

[@bmwblog]

I have not tried it

[@Papaupa2011]

How much for that battery?