2008 528xi Loss of Power

[Tangopop]

My 3 week old 528xi lost all power while driving last night. By this I mean the engine quit and all electrics failed. I was on a quiet street so I planned on letting the speed coast down and pull over to the curb. Steering appeared to be normal. I lost all dashboard electrics (speedo, tach, fuel and fuel consumption gauge). The iDrive briefly flashed a message regarding transmission failure (I think that's what it said, I was so shocked at what was happening that I didn't get a clear look at the message) and then failed. The transmission showed in neutral (6 speed auto). This lasted for 5-10 seconds. Then just as suddenly the engine restarted and the dashboard electrics returned. The iDrive took some time to return maybe because it was rebooting? When the iDrive came back, there were three error messages:

1. AWD and DSC malfunction
2. DBC malfunction (dynamic brake control)
3. Start off assistance inactive

I have had some issues with the electrics since picking up the car. The techs say that when the car is driven on short trips (to the store etc) the charging system doesn't have a chance to fully charge the battery so when I restart the car after running an errand, I would get AWD and DSC malfunction messages. According to the techs, the car disables these functions automagically to allow the system to charge the battery. Anytime these messages have shown up, they have subsequently disappeared after the next start or if I drive the car for an extended period. Last night's occurrence was different as it occurred while I was driving and had been for 15-20 minutes.

I'll be taking the car into the dealership tomorrow. I've had enough experience with techs to know that they'll scratch their heads and say "I've never heard of that before" when in fact it's a common problem. So has anyone else had this issue or heard of it? I just want to go into the dealership tomorrow armed with as much info as possible.

Any suggestion as to the cause of the problem last night would be appreciated.

I love driving this car but the ongoing electrics problems (the minor charging problems) and the loss of engine and electrical power last night has certainly taken the shine off of BMW ownership.

Thanks for any and all input

[Dirty_Tool]

How much do you actually drive the car? BMW sells a small trickle charger which will charge the car through the cigarette lighter if you really dont drive it hardly at all.
The technicians can pull up your driving history fromt eh vehicle using their diagnositc equipment. This is probably why they are advising that you drive more. The vehicles battery is the heart of the electrical system and we all know that cars are driven by electronics these days. Perhaps the battery started out low from sitting ont he lot for too long and a replacement is in order. Hopefully thats all it is. Good luck, Im sure your dealership will take care of you.

[Tangopop]

Originally Posted by Dirty_Tool

How much do you actually drive the car?

It's the only car I have right now so I drive it exclusively. I may not drive every day as I recently retired but it is the only car I have. Also the drives I do make aren't of an extended duration (to the golf course, shopping, etc).

I'll post what the dealership has to say and what actions they took.

[Tangopop]

I got the car back after it had been in the shop for a couple of days. The tech said that one of the battery terminals was loose and the nylon nut used to tighten the cable had come in contact with the terminal and had arced and fused to the batter.

They replace the batter, charged it up and tightened all connections. I'll see how long this fix lasts. I'm hopeful that this has resolved my problems as I do love this car.

[darkhorse737]

a loose connection from the power source, can and will do all that you have mentioned. Keep up the hope fellow, your tech just might have been correct ;-)