Posted on 07/10/2026 12:55:42 PM PDT by DUMBGRUNT
The simplest, dumbest, most replaceable part on any vehicle since 1912, now gated behind a manufacturer login, a subscription, and a per-flash token. If you own a modern pickup truck, you do not own a battery. You own the authorization to use a battery. And when that battery dies, the dealer will tell you the part costs $250, the programming fee costs another $150, and the labor is booked at $200 an hour.
In this investigation, we are going to expose the battery management scam, the gateway module lockout, and the AGM monopoly that turned the cheapest part on your truck into a dealership-only transaction. The first crime is hiding behind a three-letter acronym that most truck owners have never heard of. It is called the battery management system or BMS.
(Excerpt) Read more at youtu.be ...
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“Perhaps waxing every year before the first snowfall might add a few years.”
They rust from the backside of the sheetmetal out.
Also the undersides rust. Best you can do is take them to a carwash that cleans the underside, but that doesn’t get it all. If they put salt on the road and you drive on it, your vehicle is going to rust no matter what you do.
bmw has been doing this with batteries since 2008
but if you have the right tools you can do it yourself.
you can buy the tools to code them yourself for less than the price the dealer would charge you for labor.
on the other hand I saw this and just about choked
https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1937653
“”””NOW 86-—STILL FEMALE””””
Stay with it, it is becoming very popular.
12? More like 8.
There are different types of OBD II readers.
Not all are bidirectional and much more.
And in the last few years, you need a laptop and proprietary software for many standard maintenance procedures.
Yes, many clever people have workarounds, some work, not all.
Try changing the transmission fluid on a VW DSG dual clutch trans. The dealers want over $500 for a fluid change. The aftermarket app was $150 a few years back.
Some OBD functions need a password for “advanced diagnostics,” and that is where it gets sticky.
Indeed! My perspective as well.
I had a 1980 that I bought new. I regret getting rid of it.
Good to know, have you reset the BMS with it?
“AUTOZONE will “loan” you the scanner to reset the code.”
Yes, but you often need a password or digital credentials for certain OBD II functions. And this is one of them.
YES!!!
July 8, 2026
The FTC’s settlement requires Deere—for the next 10 years and under the supervision of the FTC and plaintiff states—to provide farmers and independent repair providers with the same equipment repair resources, including applicable software capabilities, that it currently provides to authorized Deere dealers.
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2026/07/ftc-states-secure-settlement-deere-company-advancing-farmers-right-repair
Yikes!
The BMWNA MSRP on the Li battery is $1806.83.
I had heard something about this the other day. Is it just certain states or is it universal? It certainly is a scam. The article mentions P/U trucks....is it cars, too? I had a battery exchanged on my car awhile back & there wasn’t any real programmiming to do that couldn’t be done by the owner. The car is an older one & has some electronics, but not the latest stuff. Either way, it sounds like SCAM all the way. Who is responsible for this?
Even if they don’t program anything, battery prices have gone up considerably, so free labor should be a given.
I had a 2007 Mercedes, only the dealer could change the battery because of programming the cars electronics. $$$$$$$
Yep. Like a 1956 Chevy straight 6 cylinder
“And this is one of them.”
Prove it.
Non Sequitur
When I was in high school in the 70’s anyone could do simple maintenance with a wrench, screwdriver, and a timing light. Years latter I had a car stop running without warning because a computer chip failed. There was no way that I could fix it. This is all unnecessary.
one of my coworkers has been replacing the batteries in his cars with lipo4 batteries
https://www.amazon.com/LiFePO4-Lithium-Lightweight-Automotive-Start-Stop/dp/B0F213L8XB/ref=sr_1_5?
I cannot believe how cheap they are.
in any case I do understand why you code your batteries to your car, basically the charging system is not what I would call smart it has a charge profile for whatever battery is installed and charges the battery for max life and the least parasitic draw from alternator.
—”Prove it.”
What do I win?
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