2017 Mazda6 - Battery management system malfunction

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'17, Mazda 6 GT
Hello,

This afternoon, after I started the car I got the battery management system malfunction warning. My Mazda 6 has around 86k km and it does starts ok. I know I have I-eloop and this can cause some issues including a special battery replacement.

Did anyone tried to replace successfully (without errors) the battery with a non-oem one ? I know several people were looking at AGM batteries but I couldn't find too much info.

I am assuming the dealer will ask for quite a bit of money (700$ CAD) or around for a replacement and reprogramming with an OEM battery.

Thanks
 
Have you checked this thread yet..?


Hope it helps and please keep us updated as I'm sure there are others out there with the same question and issue...Thanks!
 
Have you checked this thread yet..?


Hope it helps and please keep us updated as I'm sure there are others out there with the same question and issue...Thanks!
Thanks for the post. The only thing is that I am over 5yrs in my ownership so I can't play the game with "gone wrong too soon". I think the battery did well, at least in my case, taken into consideration all the stories I heard with people changing the batteries around 2-3yrs.

As a quick update, the message went away the next day. So far it didn't pop up again and today it was left outside for like 5 hrs in -12.0 degree.
 
Antoine linked to my post. Thanks.

As I said in my post, the error message came back in my case every week or so.
It did go away the next day when it popped up.

See if you can find an alternate route to fix/replace the battery.
Both '16/'17 Mazda6 GT have i-Eloop system, which requires a Q85 and replacing it needs programming by a dealer.
 
So far the message didn't came back at all. Today we are having -17 degrees here so the car will be outside for like 6 hours. Hope the message will not come back.

If it is, prolly will go down the path of replacing it with an OEM battery even though its expensive.
 
I just changed the OEM battery on my 2016 GT in early December. I was also getting the same message intermittently about once or twice every 2 weeks. Though I replace it before the weather gets too cold and I was preparing for a road trip. I when with the Costco Energizer AGM battery option at $169CAN because it was more than $300 cheaper than an OEM replacement. Is definitely a DIY item, all you needs is a 10mm open or closed box wrench, remove negative, than positive terminal, before loosening the mounting bracket. Reverse the steps with new battery, mounting bracket, positive and then negative terminal. Just make sure not to over tightening any of the bolts.

The battery I got has 11/21 manufacturer date but it was at 12.4V and my bench top battery charger shows it was at 40% state of charge. I did not have the time to wait to fully charge the battery and just installed it as is and the car started just fine. But, after installing I notice the Fuel Economy Monitor was not showing the Capacitors being charge and my voltage monitor shows the battery voltage was around 13.6-7 while driving. That was a couple of days before my road trip and it ran fine with no charging system error message except for the these 2 things I noticed. When on the road trip and it took about 2 hours of highway driving for battery voltage monitor to go to 14.6v. I guess the new battery needed to be fully charged up. Now everything works like they use to.
 
I recall that there is another step that is needed when changing out the battery in an i-Eloop-equipped Mazda. I'll have to check my owner's manual but I know it is not as simple as changing a regular 12V battery in a car with no super capacitor.
 
Lots of info, here:

There are special procedures for jump starting, disconnecting and charging the Q85 battery. An i-ELOOP equipped vehicle can be jump-started, but the vehicle must not be driven until an in-dash i-ELOOP warning display turns off. Before disconnecting an i-ELOOP equipped vehicle's battery, a "current sensor" must be disconnected from the negative terminal. Failure to first disconnect this sensor can cause false sensor readings and set diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs). When reconnecting the battery terminals, first connect the positive terminal, and then the negative terminal without the current sensor connected. Finally reconnect the current sensor to the negative terminal.
 
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There are multiple cables connected to the positive terminal and it makes sense that one is the current sensor. This photo shows them. I have not yet changed my Mazda3's battery (dealer did it the first time), but I am hoping to swap in a far less expensive one when this one gets tired.
Update: See my next post.

This link below is to an Ebay add for the sensor.
 

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WTF is it with modern batteries anyway? They don't hold up worth a crap.
My sister in law has a low mileage 2017 Honda CR-V that crapped the battery last week during a cold snap.
My son's 2017 BMW X1 battery failed two days ago, and his 2016 Hyundai Accent also crapped the battery. Ya I know, it's been cold, but we are used to that up here. This never used to happen.
I've never seen or had batteries die that quickly before.
If the battery in my 6 dies this winter, I'll be pretty ticked.
 
Did you expect that all batteries last 6 years or more? Really, 4 years is very common in certain areas due to temperature extremes or if the battery had been subjected to one or more deep drains. Allowing a battery to lose enough juice so that it won't start the car is often enough reason that the battery's life is reduced. Almost all of batteries last at least 5 years here in Southern California.
 
As a quick update on my part. Had -10 couple days ago. Car stayed outside for like 6 hours, then it started ok, no warnings. After driving back home with a short drive ~12km, when I started the car later that evening the message appeared again. I took it for a longer hwy drive, the message disappeared next morning.

The idea is: battery is on its way out, which after 5 yrs and 3 months and 88K kms its not bad. I am not planning to change the battery now, however, every time when when the car sits outside in colder temperatures I need to make a "longer" drive to make sure the battery is charged back up, due to not being able to retain the full charge in rly cold snaps.
 
The message is telling you that the battery is getting weak. It could last a day, a week, a month, or maybe more but if you don't replace it soon, be prepared to have to have it jumped. If that happens, note the procedure for jumping it whereas you wait until the warning message disappears before driving off.
 
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Another update. Went to my dealer yesterday and got the battery tested. Even without any messages the battery failed and needs to be replaced. There is a process in place, that dealer needs to let Mazda Canada about this, open a ticket and request the battery.
Bad news, its on backorder, good news is that its on his way here so they told me it will take roughly 2-3 weeks to arrive.

I got quoted CAD $540, including the test, battery and installation.
 
Hi, i actually just finished changing my battery and switched it to an AGM battery. First thing I did was hook up a memory saver to the cigarette lighter with the car off (the LCD screen would turn on as if you powered up the accessories and that's normal)
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then I followed the procedure to disconnect the current sensor as outlined above.

"Before disconnecting an i-ELOOP equipped vehicle's battery, a "current sensor" must be disconnected from the negative terminal. Failure to first disconnect this sensor can cause false sensor readings and set diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs). When reconnecting the battery terminals, first connect the positive terminal, and then the negative terminal without the current sensor connected. Finally reconnect the current sensor to the negative terminal".

After completing the battery swap. I disconnected the memory saver.

The car started up normally. No error codes. And no more battery mgmt system malfunction.
 
Nicely done. I ended up replacing my battery with an original Mazda one. Cost a little bit more but the original one lasted me for 5 and 1/2 years so I was happy with that.

How much did you payed for the AGM and what brand is it ?
 
It'd be great to have a video of self-replacement of an i E-Loop battery. My last (second) Mazda battery failed after 3 years, whereas the original one lasted 5 years. I'd love to be able to spend only $200 for an AGM than forking over $600 at the dealership. Just last week I replaced my MX5 battery. It was about $120 after tax at Costco.
 
It'd be great to have a video of self-replacement of an i E-Loop battery. My last (second) Mazda battery failed after 3 years, whereas the original one lasted 5 years. I'd love to be able to spend only $200 for an AGM than forking over $600 at the dealership. Just last week I replaced my MX5 battery. It was about $120 after tax at Costco.
 
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