BMW X7 Battery Drain: Fix Flickering Lights & Start Issues

Let me share my similar experience with my 2019 BMW X5 40i. Had almost identical symptoms last month, weak starts, flickering lights, and those annoying system warnings popping up everywhere. Took it to the garage and turns out it wasn't just a simple dead battery. The alternator wasn't charging the battery properly, which caused the battery to discharge completely. The constant deep discharge had permanently damaged the battery cells. They had to replace both the alternator and the battery, plus reprogram the power management system. The alternator was actually the root cause, it was pretty serious since it could've left me stranded anywhere. The symptoms you're describing match my experience exactly, and with those voltage codes, I'd bet you're facing a similar issue. These electrical problems typically don't fix themselves and tend to get worse. Would recommend getting it checked by a certified mechanic soon, as driving with a failing electrical system isn't safe.

Thanks for sharing your experience. that sounds exactly like what I'm dealing with! Really helpful to know it wasn't just a battery issue in your case. Quick question, do you remember roughly how much you ended up paying for the whole repair job? Also, has everything been running smoothly since the fix, or have you noticed any other electrical quirks?

Hey there! Following up on your questions, I'm actually relieved to tell you my repair turned out simpler than expected. After I posted about my alternator issue earlier, I took it to a certified BMW mechanic who diagnosed it properly. Turned out I just had a heavily discharged battery that needed replacement, much better than the alternator problem I initially thought! The total came to 290 € for the new battery and diagnostic work. Since the fix, all those annoying symptoms disappeared completely, no more flickering lights, weak starts, or system warnings. The undervoltage codes are gone too, and the car's running like a charm. Looking back, I might have jumped the gun mentioning the alternator in my first post! Sometimes we expect the worst, right? Just glad it wasn't as serious as I thought. If your symptoms are similar to what I had, might be worth checking the battery first before worrying about bigger issues.

Thanks for the update! I finally got my car checked out yesterday, and you won't believe it, it was actually a faulty charging port connector that was draining the battery! The mechanic I found was really thorough and discovered it during their diagnostic check. The connector had some corrosion and wasn't making proper contact, causing all those weird electrical issues. Got it replaced, along with a new battery since the old one was pretty much toast from all the draining. Total bill came to around 400, which wasn't as bad as I feared. Car's running perfectly now, no more flickering lights or system warnings. Really glad I asked here first and got some perspective. Definitely learned my lesson about getting these issues checked out sooner rather than later! Appreciate everyone's help and advice. I'll keep an eye on things, but hopefully this is the last electrical drama I'll have to deal with for a while!