10/25/23, 2:51 PM

61 25 23_BEV - REASONS FOR NO/SLOW DC CHARGING COMPLAINT

SIB 61 25 23
BEV - REASONS FOR NO/SLOW DC CHARGING COMPLAINT

2023-10-25

MODEL
E-Series
G26 BEV

Model Description
i4 Gran Coupe (BEV)

G60 BEV

i5 Sedan Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV)

G70 BEV

i7 Sedan Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV)

i20

iX Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV)

SITUATION
The purpose of this Service Bulletin (SIB) is informational regarding DC (direct current) charging complaints
on Gen 5 Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV). It serves as a supporting argument and is intended to help
distinguish between a standard designed function or component operation from an actual system fault in a
DC charging customer complaint (i.e., “DC Not charging or “DC charging too slow”.
Helpful “Tips and Tricks” have been included on each topic within the document that can be used as
reference to aid in the diagnosis or in understanding the system.
The situation involves several possible causes:
1. Limitation of charging power by the charging station or charging app configuration.
2. Decreasing charging power at a very high state of charge (SoC).
3. Too frequent DC charging attempts within a short period of time.
4. The high-voltage battery is not at the ideal temperature.
5. Ageing of the high-voltage battery.

SOLUTION
For a detailed description of the above topics along with many useful tips and tricks to help understand the
BEV vehicle DC charging system and to verify the related DC charging customer complaints, please
download the attachment SI B61 25 23 - “BEV - Reasons for No/Slow DC Charging Complaint.
B61 25 23 BEV - Reasons for No_Slow DC Charging Complaint.pdf
For more information regarding AC and DC charging please download the “Gen 5 Vehicle Quick Reference
Guide for the Service Drive” attachment, also available on TIS.
B61 25 23 Attachment Gen 5 Vehicle Quick Reference Guide for the Service Drive
The following subjects are discussed in this guide:
What is AC vs. DC Charging
Charging Socket
BMW Flexible Fast Charger 2.0
Vehicle Charging and what to expect (times, speeds)
Battery Preconditioning
Main factors affecting range
Quick Links to BMW’s YouTube Tutorials

FEEDBACK REGARDING THIS BULLETIN
Technical Feedback

To submit feedback for the technical topic of this bulletin: Submit your
feedback in the rating box at the top of this bulletin

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Parts Feedback

61 25 23_BEV - REASONS FOR NO/SLOW DC CHARGING COMPLAINT

To submit feedback for the CLAIMS section of this bulletin: Submit an IDS
ticket to the Warranty Department, or use the chat available in the
Warranty Documentation Portal
To submit feedback for the PARTS section of this bulletin: Submit an IDS
ticket to the Parts Department

Supporting Materials
picture_as_pdf B61 25 23 Attachment Gen 5 Vehicle Quick Reference Guide for the Service Drive.pdf
picture_as_pdf B61 25 23 Attachment BEV Reasons For NoSlow DC Charging Complaint .pdf

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61 25 23_BEV - REASONS FOR NO/SLOW DC CHARGING COMPLAINT

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Attachment 1 to SI B61 25 23

October 2023

BEV - Reasons For No/Slow DC Charging Complaint
The purpose of this Service Bulletin (SIB) is informational regarding DC charging complaints on
Gen 5 Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV). It serves as a supporting argument and is intended to help
distinguish between a standard designed function or component operation from an actual system
fault in a DC charging customer complaint (i.e., “DC Not charging or “DC charging too slow”.
Helpful “Tips and Tricks” have been included on each topic within the document that can be used
as reference to aid in the diagnosis or in understanding the system.
The situation involves several possible causes:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Limitation of charging power by the charging station or charging app configuration
Decreasing charging power at a very high state of charge (SOC)
Too frequent DC charging attempts within a short period of time
The high-voltage battery is not at the ideal temperature.
Ageing of high-voltage battery

1. Limitation of charging power by the charging station or charging app
configuration
Possible cause for the situation #1 may be associated with the charging station/provider/
installation:
•
•
•
•
•
•

The maximum charging power of the vehicle is higher than that of the charging station.
Quality state or internal fault of the charging station
Charging station (installation/grid/post) current limitation with effect on the charging
power
Delayed increase in charging power at the charging station (installation/grid/post)
Charging power of the charger is limited, as the power is divided amongst various
chargers at that location.
As DC charging is currently only available at public charging stations located in shopping
malls, convenience/service stations and highway rest areas. The customer interacts with
these charging stations via charging apps in their mobile phone.
o Mobile charging apps require configuration and signing up with a valid email and
a form of payment entered (even if the service is free, with the account).
o Inconsistencies in the customer’s account information may result in the vehicle
not charging at that facility/charger.

Tip:
Signing up to the Electrify America charging plan, is easy, just follow the prompts within the My
BMW App. Various free charging programs are offered and coverage differs depending on the
vehicle.
Trick:
In cases where the charging app configuration is suspected, the customer can verify the vehicle
will charge by connecting to a “known good” DC charger (outside that app network in question)
or by simply bringing the vehicle to the dealer for charging verification.

1

Tip:
The customer can access the last charging events stored in their My BMW app.
This information can be shared with their BMW Service Center to help aid in the
charging complaint diagnosis.

The My BMW App stores the most recent charging history including the most important information
about the last charging events. The information may be pertinent in many charging complaints that
involve a specific charging station or charger location or even the charging power that was delivered.
The data extracted can be helpful in identifying the root of the problem or the faulty charger that was
used. However, it is up to the customer if they would like to share this with the BMW service center.
To access this the My BMW app charging history, follow the path below:
Open My BMW app > Charging > Charging history >Share > Select how you would like to share.
Tip:
The BMW Service Center can print and provide the customer a detailed “Charging Check
report” of the vehicle’s High-voltage AC and DC charging system directly from the ISTA
charging system test plan.
To verify the customer charging complaint, use ISTA charging history test plan as a diagnostic option in
service. The charging history can be read out via a service function in the following path:
Service functions > Electric drive > Charging > Read the history of the last charging processes.
Note: Only the last 5 charging processes are stored and available to review.
Trick:
Do not to attempt to plug in a charger before the charging history is read out or the events that
the customer has experienced and is complaining about will be erased.

2

Tip:
The charging indicator LED display at the
HV charging plug should not be used as a
diagnostic tool in service. This is designed
as a quick indicator of charging state to the
user (customer).
Instead:
• perform ISTA diagnosis,
• check fault codes,
• run the charging history test plan to
verify the customer concerns and
• then the fault relevant charging test
plans to verify why the car is not
charging.

HV charging plug blue LED indicating charging

Instrument cluster charging indicator display (DC charger limitation).
If a shaded area (///////) is displayed to the right
of the charging bar in the instrument cluster
charge indicator during the charging process,
this indicates a restriction imposed by the
charger or the infrastructure the charger is
connected to. In this example, the vehicle is
charging at a rate of 106 kW out of a possible
200 kW.

In the second example only 48 kW are being
charged. Notice the shaded area (///////)
displayed is larger.
Instrument cluster charging indicator display (DC
charger limitation)

2. Decreasing charging power at a very high state of charge (SOC)
During a typical charging session, the charging power decreases as the state of charge of the
HV battery increases; this is designed as a protective function of the high-voltage battery.

3

Instrument cluster charging indicator display (vehicle charging rate limitation).
The blue shaded area displayed on the left of
the charging bar, in the instrument cluster
charge indicator during charging, indicates the
charging rate “currently allowed” by the vehicle
at this moment.
This value will be displayed in Kilowatts (kW)
directly above the charge bar and will vary:
• depending on the charger used,
• the charge settings in the vehicle and
• will display a lower rate at the beginning
and near the end of the charging
session, especially due to battery
temperature.

Instrument cluster charging rate indicator display

3. Too frequent DC charging attempts within a short period of time
When driving for a long time without stationary period with four DC charging processes in quick
succession, there is a power reduction in the vehicle after the fifth charging process.
This is a standard protective function designed to prevent the high-voltage battery from ageing
too quickly under repeated DC charging events without sufficient stationary time to balance the
HV cells in the HV battery.
•
•

The full charging power will be available again no later than 48 hours after the last DC
charging process.
The car may be driven to deplete the state of charge (SOC) further before charging
again.

Tip:
In this case to restore the frequent DC charging limitation, it is recommended to drive the
vehicle normally to deplete the state of charge further than usual (for example to 40% SOC)
and perform the next charging session with an AC charger (if possible).
A Check Control message (CCM) is generated to alert the customer of when this protective function
has triggered in the vehicle corresponding to “too frequent DC charging events without stationary
period”.

4

The CCM is available from I level 23-07-5xx onwards with the information below.
Charging power reduced. Extended charging
time.
DC charging power temporarily reduced to
conserve the high-voltage battery.
Full DC charging power available again after
DC charging pause of up to 2 days.

Charging power temporarily reduced Check
Control Message

4. The high-voltage battery is not at the ideal temperature.
This is a normal function when the high-voltage battery temperature limits are exceeded.
•
•
•

The high-voltage battery is too cold to charge (due to excessively low outside temperature) and
it has not yet had time to “precondition “to warm up the cells before the charging process
started.
The high-voltage battery is too hot to charge (due to excessively high outside temperature or
spirited summer driving without cool down period.
Inadequate cooling of the high-voltage battery due to faults in the HV battery cooling system,
insufficient coolant quantity and/or refrigerant in air-conditioning (A/C) the system.

Tip:
It is a good practice to set preconditioning of the HV battery before charging in extreme (high or
low) temperatures to avoid slow charging or having to wait at the charger while the battery
ready’s itself to charge.
From July 2022 vehicle production onwards, when the outside temperature is below
15 °C / 59 °F, a blue car with temperature symbol appears in the instrument cluster during charging to
indicate to the driver a temperature related charging limitation has been enabled.
The “cell temperature too high / cell
temperature too low” is specified in the
Charging History test plan and available for up
to 5 previous charging events stored.
ISTA Path:
Service functions > Electric drive >
Charging > Read the history of the last
charging processes.

Instrument cluster charging indicator display
(temperature limitation)
5

Trick:
Setting the charging station location as a navigation destination or an intermediate destination
(route optimized for charging), is also good practice so the high-voltage battery is automatically
preconditioned to the ideal temperature to charge, if there is sufficient time to do so on the way
to the destination.
Note:
Preconditioning preparation can also be activated manually as from vehicle production in
November 2022 onwards.

5. Ageing of high-voltage battery
High-voltage battery state of health (SOH)
As with any battery and because of use, over time, the capacity of the high-voltage battery is reduced
(therefore “SOH = battery condition” decreases).
The maximum current depends on the battery condition and is reduced if necessary.
The values are relatively proportional, so that, for example, at 90% battery condition, about 90% of the
maximum charge current is still available.
Determination of battery condition (SOH) is assessed by testing the battery capacity via ISTA service
function.
The path is as follows:
Vehicle management > Troubleshooting > Function structure > Electric drive > High-voltage
battery unit > High-voltage battery: Evaluate battery condition.
The following sources of information about “charging”.
•
•
•
•
•

The vehicle's owner’s manual,
Technipedia
Charging the high-voltage battery unit FUB
DC charging FUB
Target values / procedure in case of customer complaint involving charging of the high-voltage
battery in Aftersales Information Research (AIR).

For more information regarding AC and DC charging please download the “Gen 5 Vehicle Quick
Reference Guide for the Service Drive” SIB 61 25 23 attachment, also available on TIS.
Following Subjects are discussed in this guide:
•
•