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Originally Posted by hurst01
HUMMM, this is truly interesting. I just today got a message on my dash saying that the "Battery voltage Low".
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The situation you describe sounds more like the battery in the key remote, not the vehicle battery. (car running, you left the car with the key in your pocket) Watch the icons and the exact text of the message.
There are only a couple of messages that relate to the vehicle battery and charging system and they all mean different things. Most posters online confuse them all together and think a new vehicle battery is the solution for all of them. I don't believe I have ever seen any mention of the message "Battery voltage low" - perhaps take a picture of it next time it happens, if there is a next time. That all being said, different revisions of the car and software could have different error messages.
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Charge battery" means just that - charge battery. Your driving habits and weather conditions have not been adequately recharging the battery. No need to replace anything unless your charging system has failed.
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Replace battery" with the standard battery icon means the IBS has determined your battery has reached the end of it's useful life. Just replace it, and register the replacement, or prepare to be stranded eventually. I don't think people see this one very often, but ISTA can pull shadow codes which authorizes dealers to replace batteries under warranty with no further questions asked.
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Remote control: replace battery" means your key fob battery needs replacement
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Discharging while stopped" and similar means you have a fault in the vehicle, or accessory left connected, which is causing parasitic drain when all devices should be sleeping. Power was cut to one or more circuit branches in the car so that your battery would not go dead and you are able to restart it. A full disconnect/reboot might fix it (sometimes computers get confused), otherwise you need BMW tools like ISTA to help track it down
Red battery icon on the dash - usually a broken serpentine belt or failed alternator. This is pretty much never an error about the battery itself (and a broken belt is often a death sentence for an N55, but that's a different story).