[Denny McLain]

To be candid, I have no clue as to where to post this. Mods, if wrong forum, please move.

Here is the skinny: Own a 2019 330i and have a hard wired 360 radar detector. It is hard wired into the rearview mirror. When I first hard wired it mysel,f somehow I blew a fuse and took it to the dealer whom charged me $170.00 to diagnose a blown fuse and reinstalled the radar detector.

After owning the car almost 3 years, started to get a "Start Engine. Malfunction occurred while shutting down the vehicle when vehicle is stationary. If problem recurs, have vehicle checked out by your service center."

Well the vehicle was due for annual service so i did have it checked out by the service center. They blamed the radar detector and disconnected the cord and charged the battery.

it quickly came back so I took it in again..... and they want to charge me $500.00 for a new battery saying the radar detector killed the battery.

Calling BS big time on this. First, it is wired to a hot only when the ignition is on. Granted, it takes up to 30 minutes for the damn thing to finally shut down. However, learned if you turn off the radio holding the button for 3 seconds, it stops the 30 minute stuff. Second, I turn the radar detector manually off as it will still stay on for a while so I just turn it off.

Anyone have any thoughts on this? I've only had a radar detector in every car i have owned as an adult and makes no sense what the dealer is saying. Radar detectors do not kill batteries if wired to an off/on source.

Denny

[Denny McLain]

Just doing a bump to see if anyone has any kind of input. With millions of radar detectors out there, I have an extremely hard time believing the radar detector caused a battery failure. Especially when they are wired into an on/off ignition wire. After the car does its thing after you turn it off, it automatically shuts down. Plus, I manually turn it off so it doesn't have to.

Have a meeting with the service manager in a bit and was hoping to have some amo to bring to the meeting. To be frank, I'd rather sell the car than give up my radar detector. Haven't had a speeding ticket in 25 years and plan on keeping it that way.

Denny

[Denny McLain]

For the thousands in attendance and the millions viewing at home..........

Had a come to Jesus meeting with the service manager over why my radar detector is killing the battery. It was on this forum where i learned to hard wire the radar detector to the rear view mirror. According to the service manager, that is the wrong place to wire it. Said it would kill the battery if done in such a manner. Said you need to tap into another source.

Said he would take it up with BMW on replacing the battery. Doesn't matter, I going to sue if they don't. There is nothing in the service manual, there are no service bulletins, etc. How is the consumer to know? Plus they have had the car in the shop before and actually charged me $170.00 to basically rewire it as it blew a fuse. It wasn't a problem then and they had plenty of chances to warn me. It wasn't till two years later it all of a sudden was a problem.

So, now you know.

Denny

[bquatt]

Originally Posted by Denny McLain

For the thousands in attendance and the millions viewing at home..........

Had a come to Jesus meeting with the service manager over why my radar detector is killing the battery. It was on this forum where i learned to hard wire the radar detector to the rear view mirror. According to the service manager, that is the wrong place to wire it. Said it would kill the battery if done in such a manner. Said you need to tap into another source.

Said he would take it up with BMW on replacing the battery. Doesn't matter, I going to sue if they don't. There is nothing in the service manual, there are no service bulletins, etc. How is the consumer to know? Plus they have had the car in the shop before and actually charged me $170.00 to basically rewire it as it blew a fuse. It wasn't a problem then and they had plenty of chances to warn me. It wasn't till two years later it all of a sudden was a problem.

So, now you know.

Denny

Pursing litigation over a dead battery? C'mon man

[danallxt]

Pursing litigation over a dead battery? C'mon man

agree, if you are going to tap into a power source for an aftermarket unit it is your responsibility for determining the appropriate source. To think BMW would have that info in a manual is ridiculous.

[Denny McLain]

Originally Posted by bquatt

Pursing litigation over a dead battery? C'mon man

I've owned radar detectors for 45 years with zero problems in 20-25 different cars. Former surgical salesperson and in the beginning, I used to drive 60-65k miles per year. Used to buy a new car every year and loose my ass each time.

The battery is $500.00 and that is not the issue, the issue is my particular radar detector uses 1/3rd the power of a cell phone. You are honestly trying to tell me something that uses 1 amp of current will kill a battery. NO fricking way. Plus, it is going to use the same amount of power no matter where it is plugged in. What makes tapping a power source, a power source no matter where it is.

Plus, I read it here on how to hardwire the detector. It is posted in the DIY section. You just can't plug one into the front cigarette lighter, the cord would have to run to the back seat for it to work.

Should also add the dealer rewired the detector after the blown fuse exactly like I had it. Evidently, it was OK then. BMW evidently agrees as they replaced the battery free.

Denny

[Denny McLain]

Well, just a fyi................

My car is STILL at the dealership after over 2 weeks. Turns out the "radar detector" killing the battery, was not the radar detector after all. There is some type of drain coming from somewhere else they cannot find.

As mentioned, absolute non-sense to blame a radar detector for causing a battery drain issue. We will see how the mop flops but I'm probably going to sell the car and get something else. The car has been nothing but fickle and afraid I do not need a drama queen in my life.

Denny

[jpowers36]

What ended up happening on this one?