RANT:My Love and Hate of German cars.

Dan said:
I didn`t find out. I kept a 12v source attached so I wouldn`t have to reprogram anything. That did add a bit to the PITA factor. Had to be extra careful not to short anything while doing the operation.
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FWIW - The registering isn’t so much a reprogramming as informing the car there’s a new battery in place. It changes the charging algorithm to match the battery’s needs. In theory if you don’t let the car know there’s a new battery you stand to shorten the life of said battery.

I’d google your model and see if it’s needed. (It is on most modern cars). Then poke around and see if there is an independent shop nearby that could take care of you. (Our shop is no where near $150 to register a battery).
 
Dan - I tried to do some research on this and found this at Burdimotors.com --

" How Long Does It Take to Replace a Battery in a Mercedes-Benz?

The steps required to replace a battery on a Mercedes-Benz are straightforward, and you can complete them in less than a half an hour. When you compare this to certain other vehicles, you are indeed lucky to own a Mercedes. On a BMW, for example, the steps required for battery replacement are far more complicated, as you have to clear the power module of the charging history of the old battery — a step that requires a scan tool.

On a Mercedes, by contrast, all you need to do is remove the old battery, install the new one and calibrate the windows, sunroof and steering wheel. You won’t need special tools to change the battery in a Mercedes-Benz."

Dan F
 
Still sounds like a nightmare to me..."all you need to do is...calibrate the windows, sunroof, and steering wheels"?!? Sigh..no modern cars for us!
 
Oneheadlite said:
FWIW - The registering isn’t so much a reprogramming as informing the car there’s a new battery in place. It changes the charging algorithm to match the battery’s needs. In theory if you don’t let the car know there’s a new battery you stand to shorten the life of said battery.

I’d google your model and see if it’s needed. (It is on most modern cars). Then poke around and see if there is an independent shop nearby that could take care of you. (Our shop is no where near $150 to register a battery).
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Lol... batteries needs. Umm I doubt it. More like a scam to get you to the dealer!
 
Stokdgs said:
Dan - I tried to do some research on this and found this at Burdimotors.com --

" How Long Does It Take to Replace a Battery in a Mercedes-Benz?

The steps required to replace a battery on a Mercedes-Benz are straightforward, and you can complete them in less than a half an hour. When you compare this to certain other vehicles, you are indeed lucky to own a Mercedes. On a BMW, for example, the steps required for battery replacement are far more complicated, as you have to clear the power module of the charging history of the old battery — a step that requires a scan tool.

On a Mercedes, by contrast, all you need to do is remove the old battery, install the new one and calibrate the windows, sunroof and steering wheel. You won’t need special tools to change the battery in a Mercedes-Benz."

Dan F
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I think I`m good but thanks for confirming. Fwiw I had two batteries to replace. The main and the aux. Plus I`m an autopian so I had to clean the compartment on top of it all. I guess if I was just doing the main again I could get it done in 30 minutes. The aux battery was the big hassle. The cage that holds it is not well designed and hard to get back in. The whole operation is done blind with your face against the seat back.

One good thing about keeping a battery in the passenger compartment is how clean the terminals looked. No attention needed there.

Next up Akebono pads for the front. MB OEM pads are dust devils.
 
Dan said:
Lol... batteries needs. Umm I doubt it. More like a scam to get you to the dealer!
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Sigh.

Old batteries build sulphation up on the plates which slows their ability to reabsorb a charge, so as a battery ages it requires a more aggressive charge rate. When you replace the battery but don’t let the car know, it’s the same concept as having a battery on a fast charge when it should be on a trickle charger.

Make sense?
 
Gee, I’m sure glad my German car only has one battery and the only hassle with installing a new one is entering the code to unlock the radio. It wouldn’t surprise me if my battery is dead now. It’s four years old and I haven’t started the car in a while even though it’s on a Battery Tender.
 
Oneheadlite said:
Sigh.

Old batteries build sulphation up on the plates which slows their ability to reabsorb a charge, so as a battery ages it requires a more aggressive charge rate. When you replace the battery but don’t let the car know, it’s the same concept as having a battery on a fast charge when it should be on a trickle charger.

Make sense?
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Oh I`m sure someone made a science project of it and made it so. However in real life I bet it has little to no value on battery life. What do I know, my Vette battery is 7 years old. How much longer do the smart charged batteries last?
 
Whatever BMW is doing with their battery management software it must be ok. The two batteries I changed were the ones that came with the cars new and both were over 7 years old. I’ll take a battery that lasts 7 years any day of the week. But it is still a huge rip off to have to go to a dealer to get your battery registered for a $150 service charge when it only takes a matter of minutes and the tool costs $150 for unlimited battery registrations. You lose customers by screwing customers.
 
I wonder if an independent German car shop can register the battery for a lot less granted if they have the tool.
 
Dan said:
Oh I`m sure someone made a science project of it and made it so. However in real life I bet it has little to no value on battery life. What do I know, my Vette battery is 7 years old. How much longer do the smart charged batteries last?
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7 years is really good. I try to buy the best battery available and was having a hard time getting 36 months out of them on my other vehicles. What type of battery are you using? Do you trickle charge it? Any other tips to extend battery life?
 
Bill D said:
I wonder if an independent German car shop can register the battery for a lot less granted if they have the tool.
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I’m sure they could as the tool does much more than just register batteries. It really should be no more than $10 as it only takes 5 minutes. It should just be a small service charge when the battery is installed. Interstate batteries does it for free, but my nearest Interstate battery seller is 75 miles away.
 
I’m curious if I could find a better trickle charger than the Battery Tender I use now. I’ve had to replace the ones I use on my non daily drivers twice already
 
The batteries I have and have been doing ok with actually come from AutoZone. All three of my cars are running them I have my mobile mechanic install them and take away the old ones.
 
rlmccarty2000 said:
7 years is really good. I try to buy the best battery available and was having a hard time getting 36 months out of them on my other vehicles. What type of battery are you using? Do you trickle charge it? Any other tips to extend battery life?
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It`s the OEM GM battery, off season I keep it plugged into a Schumacher charger, $18 from Walley World. The Jeep that was parked next to it had a dead battery in 3 years, no warning, just dead one day. I prefer the slow death.

I replaced the one in the Benz because it was starting to struggle in the cold and not keeping over 12.3v after parked overnight. Not the original battery, so I guess it lasted 4 years. Can`t complain as diesels are harder on batteries.
 
Dan said:
I think I`m good but thanks for confirming. Fwiw I had two batteries to replace. The main and the aux. Plus I`m an autopian so I had to clean the compartment on top of it all. I guess if I was just doing the main again I could get it done in 30 minutes. The aux battery was the big hassle. The cage that holds it is not well designed and hard to get back in. The whole operation is done blind with your face against the seat back.

One good thing about keeping a battery in the passenger compartment is how clean the terminals looked. No attention needed there.

Next up Akebono pads for the front. MB OEM pads are dust devils.
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Dan ----
Glad it all worked out for your; sorry about that back seat one...
The burdimotors.com mercedes dealer shows you how to calibrate the windows, sunroof, and steering wheel in the same place.. Its all done while you sit in the car..
Perhaps your Mercedes model did not need it, and if so that is great !

I know, everytime I Detail a vehicle, I take - everything - out of the trunk, clean everything down there, clean everything that came out of the trunk, make sure the air pressure is correct in the spare that came out, and put it all back, better than I found it if possible..

I had to use Battery Tenders for the 11 years when I lived in the Pacific Northwest, and never had them go bad, or not keep the outside vehicles charged up.. Still have 2 of them, and at year 16, they are still working great and keeping the 2 vehicles I have today very happy..
Dan F
 
Accumulator said:
Still sounds like a nightmare to me..."all you need to do is...calibrate the windows, sunroof, and steering wheels"?!? Sigh..no modern cars for us!
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Amigo,
According to the website I looked at, the process to calibrate those things is very easy and you just sit in the vehicle and do it.. They explain it all on their website..
Dan F
 
I had to use Battery Tenders for the 11 years when I lived in the Pacific Northwest, and never had them go bad, or not keep the outside vehicles charged up.. Still have 2 of them, and at year 16, they are still working great and keeping the 2 vehicles I have today very happy..
Dan F
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Wow I had to replace my Battery Tenders at least once. No way did they last 16 years. I guess they don’t make them like they used to.
 
All you need to program a BMW battery is a elm327 and Carley for BMW . $50 dollars later you can program your battery. It takes about 3 minutes. It`s not the big deal it`s made out to be. Been there and done it.
 
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