BMW 2 Series Electrical Gremlins: Battery Issues?

Hey there! I've got some experience with BMWs, as I drive a 2018 BMW 3 Series (also had a 4 Series before). I faced almost identical issues last year, error messages, start-stop acting weird, and sluggish starts. Turned out my battery was failing to hold charge properly. Took it to my trusted workshop, and they confirmed the battery was on its last legs. Got it replaced for about 290 Euro, and all those annoying symptoms disappeared instantly. Could you share more details about your car, like the specific error messages you're getting and how long this has been happening? Also, when was the last time your battery was replaced? This info would help determine if you're dealing with the same issue I had. Quick tip, don't wait too long on this one. A failing battery can cause other electrical gremlins in these modern BMWs.

Hi again! Thanks for your detailed response. Mine has 86497 KM and had its last service about 4 months ago. The symptoms started about 2 weeks ago, and I'm getting the "Check Control" message along with battery warning lights. The start-stop warning appears pretty much every time I drive now. Actually, I'm still running on the original battery from 2020, so what you're saying about the battery makes a lot of sense. Hadn't even thought about checking it since it's the original one. Think I'll take it to the shop this week to have it checked out, rather not risk dealing with more electrical issues down the line. Really appreciate you sharing your experience. Helps knowing someone else dealt with the same thing and got it sorted pretty easily!

Hey there again! Yeah, those symptoms you're describing are exactly like what I experienced. From what you're saying about running on the original 2020 battery, I'd bet money that's your culprit. These modern BMWs are pretty demanding on their electrical systems, and in my experience, 3-4 years is typically when the original batteries start showing their age. When mine started acting up, I initially thought it might be something more complex (and expensive!), but nope, just the battery. The "Check Control" message and those battery warnings are basically the car screaming for a new battery. And yeah, that start-stop system is usually one of the first things to go wonky when the battery's struggling. Since you mentioned you're planning to take it to the shop this week, that's definitely the right call. When I waited too long, I started getting unusual electrical gremlins popping up, stuff like the radio resetting itself and climate control acting weird. Didn't want to risk getting stranded somewhere! Let me know how it goes at the shop. I'm pretty confident they'll find the same issue I had. At least it's a relatively quick and straightforward fix compared to some other potential problems!

Thanks so much for all the feedback! Just wanted to update, you were absolutely right! Took it to the shop yesterday and they confirmed it was indeed the battery. The technician said it was showing really weak charge readings, which explained all those symptoms perfectly. Got it replaced with a new OEM battery, and what a difference! No more warning lights, start-stop is working perfectly again, and the car feels much more responsive on startup. Total cost was about what you mentioned, and it took them less than an hour to sort everything out. Really glad I didn't wait any longer, the technician mentioned the same thing about electrical issues potentially getting worse. Definitely learned my lesson about keeping track of battery age in these modern BMWs! Thanks again for sharing your experience, helped me avoid a lot of unnecessary worry and got me pointed in the right direction straight away!