Do you have to register your new battery?

Do we have to register newly installed batteries in 4Runners like you do in a BMW? I was watching a video the other day from The Care Care Nut and he was talking about having to register your battery in a Toyota. I don't remember if it was specific to the 4Runner or not. My wife has a 2014 BMW and when you install a new battery, you have to register it for it to perform correctly. I haven't had to replace her battery yet, but it is 10 years old now, so I am expecting to replace it soon. I want to know if I will have to do this on my 2021 4Runner one day. And if so, what scan tool would you recommend to perform this service with?

 

No 4Runner is dumb compared to a Bimmer.

Not that its a bad thing.

 

BMW is also the company that tried to get its customers to pay for a monthly subscription to use the heated seats in their cars. Let that sink in when you grasp how the Exec's think at BMW when they give you advice what to "do" with your car, like installing a car battery.

 

A former BMW owner told me BMW stands for "Bring Money With"

He now drives a Toyota Rav4.

 

I can't even remember to register my new television or laptop or God knows what else. I just slapped in an upgraded battery from Napa Canada

 

I don't believe you register the battery with BMW, but instead you let the car know it has a new battery like you do with an oil change. Unlike just a dumb little warning light that lights up after 10,000 miles, it impacts how hard it draws current from the battery. As the battery ages it draws harder. Put in a new battery without informing the ecu and the car gets a nasty surprise.

 

No need. Runners don't rely heavily on electronics like German brands do.

Edit: For now anyway. No telling what will happen with the 6th gen when they add all that junk people want but don't use.

 

Luckily, up to the 5th gen, this isn’t required.

 

Thank you, Awales74. My fault for not explaining it better. Yes, when you put a new battery in a BMW, you have to tell the car it is a new battery or it will treat it like it is an old battery, like you said. It must be doing something right...The battery in it is the original battery, which is 10 years old next month. By the way, I have had one problem with her car. I had to take it to the dealer under warranty because it kept losing air in the right front tire. Turn out that the valve-stem cap was pressing too far down on the valve, letting the air out. Other than that, zero problems. I can't complain. Except the cap was $250!!! (joking)

I'll have to look for the video where he was talking about registering the battery and see what car it was.

 

Like Toyota and their remote start function? "On 2018 and later Toyotas, remote start is part of the Toyota Remote Connect suite of services. A Toyota spokesperson told the site, “the vehicle must be enrolled in a valid subscription in order for the key fob to start the car remotely.”

 

That is different. That is to utilize the app. Remote start still functions via the fob without a subscription. BMW owners lose functionality of the heated seats completely.

 

How does a car draw amps harder? Electronics are going to draw what it needs to run period if it can be supplied.

Interested to know what the hell turns on/off depending on battery.

 

Not on Lexus.

No app no remote start. Bull shit if you ask me but whatever we dont need it.

 

@Dillusion - Because you asked...

BMW Battery Replacement – Why register a new BMW battery?

BMW Battery Replacement
An often misunderstood and unappreciated point when it comes to replacing the battery in modern, late-model BMW’s is that the new battery has to be “registered” or matched to the onboard ECU for proper operation and battery longevity. You may be wondering why this is necessary, and some armchair experts out there on the web will even tell you it isn’t necessary at all, nothing more than a service provider’s scheme to make additional money from replacing the battery. To avoid the additional cost of registering their BMW battery, some people resort to buying a new battery from an auto parts shop, installing it themselves, and quickly find out in short order that their battery needs to be replaced, again.

Why Does a New BMW Battery Have to be Programmed and Matched to the ECU?
Here is why new battery-ECU matching is required each time you replace the battery in your BMW. If the car’s alternator is constantly running, driven by the engine via a drive belt to keep the battery charged up, that would mean a continuous load is being placed on the engine. The load on the engine, albeit relatively small, does add up over the many hours you operate the car, day in and day out. To boost fuel economy, the BMW ECU is programmed to drive the alternator intermittently, only when electrical consumption truly necessitates it. The ECU also recognizes the age and mileage of the battery, and adjusts the running of the alternator (charging the battery) accordingly. This variable charging improves fuel economy and prolongs battery life.

“Can I skip programming a new battery in my BMW?” or, What happens when you don’t register new BMW Battery
By skipping the new battery-ECU matching, the ECU does not recognize the battery as new and continues to drive the charging cycle as though it was the old battery. This decreases fuel economy and significantly shortens the service life of the new and unmatched battery. Over the long run, that means you spend more money at the pump and more money in replacement batteries than you would save in skipping the battery registration service.

A reputable and competent BMW service and repair facility such as Autoscope understands and provides this new battery-ECU matching service systematically to maintain the car’s design objectives, operating efficiencies, and ownership economies.

What BMW models need to have new batteries registered?
All the newer BMW models are equipped with what BMW calls Intelligent Battery Sensors, or IBS, and therefore require battery registration. Not sure if your BMW is equipped with IBS? To know for certain if your BMW needs to have its new battery programmed each time it gets replaced, here is a helpful guide to model years and specific models.

 

Just a quick Google search and I saw this. It is not Toyota specific but I did see something regarding registering your battery on a Toyota Sienna.



Why is Registration Only Required on Certain Vehicles?
Battery registration was initially only seen on European vehicles like Mini, BMW, Audi, and more. Most of those vehicles were equipped with advanced safety features and fuel-saving features that required an advanced electrical system. Battery registration has quickly spread across the globe and almost all automakers have vehicles that have this requirement.

A good rule of thumb to determine if your vehicle requires battery registration is, if your vehicle has stop-start technology or intelligent battery sensors (IBS) to monitor the battery state, then your car or truck will probably require battery registration.

Do I Have to Register My New Battery?
In short, yes. While the car or truck will still start if you don't reset the registration, the BMS will continue to operate using the parameters of the old battery. This doesn't sound like much but this can lead to some new problems for you.

What Happens if I Don't Register My New Battery?
Installing a new battery in your vehicle that requires registration without completing the registration process can result in:

• Overcharging - The charging system may overcharge the battery causing excess gassing. On flooded batteries that require watering, this could cause the electrolyte levels to drop, exposing the plates to essentially kill the battery. On sealed batteries, this could cause the battery to burst, causing considerable damage to the vehicle or even you if you are near it when it happens.
• Undercharging - The BMS could undercharge the new battery causing sulfation. Lead sulfite crystals will accumulate on the plates, resulting in loss of power, longer charging times and shorter life, to name just a few consequences of battery sulfation.
• Use more fuel - If the BMS isn't reset to recognize the new battery, the start-stop system may not work properly in your car causing the engine to continue to run and use more fuel when stopped at red lights.
• Major electrical problems - Failing to register a new battery could result in blown fuses, system failures and electrical system glitches. Many of these problems will be accompanied by warning lights on your dashboard. In some rare cases, you could even have issues with starting the vehicle.

 

Yeah, this is absolute rubbish. Would never own another BMW, ever. Rear main seal gone @ 10k miles. 2 months to fix. Ford taurus loaner? No thanks. Lemmon law to the rescue.

 

Besides, "Registration leads to Confiscation"

 

Wow, I had no idea this was even a thing. I feel like I become more and more pleased with our 4Runner every day. Same is true for our GX.

I had a buddy a few years back that was a mortgage broker and made bank. He had a loaded BMW 7 series that he sold because he was tired of his wallet getting 'abused' (he used more colorful language). He bought a Highlander and loved it.

 

If thats their explanation I'm going to agree.

Gain MPG just by turning off the alternator? Just turn off the AC I bet you get better results.

 

Good thing I am referring to Toyota hehe

 

So you are saying that the 23 SR5 Premium that we own has remote start already?

 

I am referring to models that come with it from factory (Pro and Limited in USA) and (OR, Pro and Limited in Canada).

 

Its going to catch up sooner or later.

Just another money grab.

 

I agree. We pay good money for these vehicles, should be able to use a damn phone app without having to pay.

 

I work for an Audi Service Dept and the term we use is "Adaptation" I'm not sure exactly how it works on BMW, but on our Audis, each vehicle has a battery management system that relays stuff like state of charge, and battery health to the ECU. As the battery ages, the system adapts until the battery is no longer providing the energy required. When connected to Diagnostics, the battery management system can do it's own battery test to determine if the battery is still good. The test is reliable enough that we can use it for warranty reasons. When a new battery is adapted, the new higher state of charge is registered along with date of replacement and serial number, which again aids in warranty. The system is great for us who have access to the tools necessary to adapt them, but not so great for DIY'ers anymore which is unfortunate.

 

Actually it means......bring my wallet!

 

It's the same thing. It's easy to adapt/register with a plethora of even mobile apps. Any DIYer on newer gen audis and bmws will have the software required to replace a battery.

 

No.

 

This is so asinine! I had a X5 back in 2008, very good vehicle when it was under warranty. All hell broke loose when it went out of it though.

BMW has been making it harder for owners to work on their own vehicles for years. Good racket if laws allow it.