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Car Forum / BMW Cars / January 2005Battery failure on E34
I've had an E34 520 for about a year. I use it about twice a week to drive 100 miles. I had last used in on Sunday (only a short journey, about 10 miles) and then when I started it on Thursday the car turned over a little slower then usual (it normally starts really easily) but this time I could hear it was struggling to turn over the battery. When I used it again on Friday it started fine. I tried it again today (after it had been standing for about 15 hours) and it didn't have enough power to spin the engine much at all. About enough to turn it over for five seconds before it died. Since it was fine on Friday (on that 100 mile journey I stopped twice, it started fine both times) I'm guessing it's more likely a battery than a charging problem. I suppose it could be something's drawing more idle current than it should though. I thought I'd check what current it drawed with the ignition off before I replace the battery (sixty uk pounds!), anyone got any ideas what sort of figure I should be looking at? I'm guessing a few milliamps. The alarm (BMW fit) is switched off if it makes any difference. All advice gratefully received! > I've had an E34 520 for about a year. I use it about twice a week to > drive 100 miles. [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > > All advice gratefully received! ABout 60MA would be normal. How old is the battery? If more than 3 yrs, I'd replace it regardless. >> I've had an E34 520 for about a year. I use it about twice a week to >> drive 100 miles. [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > ABout 60MA would be normal. How old is the battery? If more than 3 yrs, > I'd replace it regardless. Agree, I would replace it too. Is the battery in your 520 in the engine compartment or under the rear seat? I ask because I have a 535i with the battery under the rear seat and my last battery, a, plug, Sears Diehard, lasted 9 years. I recently replaced it with one from Kragen (Checkers in some parts of the country) and we will see how long that one last.... > How old is the battery? If more than 3 yrs, > I'd replace it regardless. A decent battery place should have an electronic tester which will give chapter and verse on the battery state.  Signature*When I'm not in my right mind, my left mind gets pretty crowded * Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW To e-mail, change noise into sound. JimV <jv9999@yahoo.com> wrote in message <Ub6dnRZVUdsilm7cRVn-1w@comcast.com>: >ABout 60MA would be normal. How old is the battery? If more than 3 yrs, >I'd replace it regardless. Having tested this morning it's about 250mA with the interior lights off. Seems a little on the high-side but I don't know how accurate the meter is- it took a soaking once so it could be slightly screwed- resistance ranges don't work. Still, even if it is 250mA that's what, 6AH per day. I think the battery should be able to handle that if it's any good (watch me making excuses here...) Battery was down to 10.8v terminal voltage so I'll charge it for a few hours, check the terminal voltage and then leave it to see if it self-discharges. The battery's dated 1999 so it's about 6 years old. Might be time to replace it I suppose. > The battery's dated 1999 so it's about 6 years old. Might be time to > replace it I suppose. It certainly doesn't owe you anything. I'm pleased to get 4 years out of one. Signature*Who is this General Failure chap anyway - and why is he reading my HD? * Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW To e-mail, change noise into sound. "Dave Plowman (News)" <dave@davenoise.co.uk> wrote in message <4d31c14495dave@davenoise.co.uk>: >> The battery's dated 1999 so it's about 6 years old. Might be time to >> replace it I suppose. > >It certainly doesn't owe you anything. I'm pleased to get 4 years out of >one. Whilst I don't deny that, any excuse to avoid spending money is always welcome... > "Dave Plowman (News)" <dave@davenoise.co.uk> wrote in message ><4d31c14495dave@davenoise.co.uk>: [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >Whilst I don't deny that, any excuse to avoid spending money is always >welcome... Fine, so long as you don't mind being stranded somewhere when the battery actually carries out the clear threat it just made... SignatureDan Drake Dan Drake <ddrake@comcast.notthis.net> wrote in message <ujc7v0tplu5n0h7in2lldfp9lu3kee111m@4ax.com>: >>Whilst I don't deny that, any excuse to avoid spending money is always >>welcome... > >Fine, so long as you don't mind being stranded somewhere when the >battery actually carries out the clear threat it just made... Well, that's what breakdown insurance is for, isn't it. > Dan Drake <ddrake@comcast.notthis.net> wrote in message ><ujc7v0tplu5n0h7in2lldfp9lu3kee111m@4ax.com>: [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > >Well, that's what breakdown insurance is for, isn't it. That's good logic for never doing any preventative maintenance at all! SignatureDan Drake Dan Drake <ddrake@comcast.notthis.net> wrote in message <3fg7v0l4rmtcqv4o1vm1qikphogkh50bhs@4ax.com>: >>Well, that's what breakdown insurance is for, isn't it. > >That's good logic for never doing any preventative maintenance at all! I'd never looked at it that way. Thanks, you've saved me a lot of time and money. > Dan Drake <ddrake@comcast.notthis.net> wrote in message ><3fg7v0l4rmtcqv4o1vm1qikphogkh50bhs@4ax.com>: [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >I'd never looked at it that way. Thanks, you've saved me a lot of time >and money. My pleasure. Good luck! SignatureDan Drake > >Whilst I don't deny that, any excuse to avoid spending money is always > >welcome... > Fine, so long as you don't mind being stranded somewhere when the > battery actually carries out the clear threat it just made... Most likely it will fail on the first start of the day after getting good and cold overnight. Which usually means at home? Signature*My dog can lick anyone Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW To e-mail, change noise into sound. > >It certainly doesn't owe you anything. I'm pleased to get 4 years out of > >one. > Whilst I don't deny that, any excuse to avoid spending money is always > welcome... You're telling this to an Aberdonian? ;-) Signature*I don't work here. I'm a consultant Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW To e-mail, change noise into sound. "Dave Plowman (News)" <dave@davenoise.co.uk> wrote in message <4d3201253cdave@davenoise.co.uk>: >> >It certainly doesn't owe you anything. I'm pleased to get 4 years out of >> >one. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > >You're telling this to an Aberdonian? ;-) Farming background on this side... Those bloody batteries! And for 60 Pounds Sterling! Those bastards! Yeah, UK. Replace the battery, and clean all the start system electrical connections as insurance. Usually, a worn starter spins slow all the time (worn brushes.) But a bad battery is sometimes strong, and then weak, depending on the recent recharge. I nursed and recharged a BMW battery for months, and then noticed one cell wasn't reacting to the recharge, not bubbling a bit. Time for a new battery. Best wishes, Chevy Chase fletch82@webtv.net (F Fletch) wrote in message <2451-41F33652-915@storefull-3138.bay.webtv.net>: >Those bloody batteries! > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] >noticed one cell wasn't reacting to the recharge, not bubbling a bit. >Time for a new battery. The starter was replaced about a year ago so I'm hoping/guessing it's not that. I'll have a look though. Thanks for all the suggestions in this thread... time to spend more money. deadmail@burnt.org.uk wrote in message <siq5v09h347c38m6v3b9vh1i04vokgn778@4ax.com>: After leaving the old battery on charge overnight I disconnected it, the terminal voltage started to fall fast. Replaced the battery and all seems well. Seems the one fitted was a heavy duty one so I ended up paying 40- for an Exide one, not as bad as it could have been. |
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