Dead Battery, 92 e32 735i after 4 days?

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Josh Assing - 03 Feb 2006 22:25 GMT

I got in my car today; after it sat in the garage for 4 days; but the battery
was nearly dead.

No lights were left on; but the key was in the ignition, but not on. '

I put a charger on and let it charge up -- so far so good, while it was charging
up, if I turned the key to the 'on' position, the srs & antilock lights blinked;

Once charged up & started the airbag light remained flashing. I reset the error
& it has not flashed again.

Questions:
1) can a low battery condition set off the srs warning system?
2) Any ideas on where to look for the drain? 4 days seems "quick", doesn't it?
3) What about those batteries that have a "switch" to enable an "emergency
backup battery"?
or something like:
http://www.griotsgarage.com/catalog.jsp?&SKU=36740

or maybe an optima battery? (the current battery is less than a few months
old)

Thanks for your thoughts.

-josh

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R. Mark Clayton - 04 Feb 2006 01:36 GMT

>I got in my car today; after it sat in the garage for 4 days; but the
>battery
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> Questions:
> 1) can a low battery condition set off the srs warning system?

Yes, and quite a lot more - transmission program for example.

> 2) Any ideas on where to look for the drain? 4 days seems "quick",
> doesn't it?

Yep.

> 3) What about those batteries that have a "switch" to enable an "emergency
> backup battery"?
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
> -josh

Lots of possibilities.

First you have to find out if the battery is leaking internally (new
battery) or externally (fix it).

Use an ammeter to determine if there is discharge after about 10mins after
switch off, and then pull fuses until you isolate it. There are lots of
possibilities - stuck on electric fan, locking, windows, charging circuit
for computer and radio back up batteries etc. etc.

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Josh Assing - 04 Feb 2006 03:25 GMT

Thanks..
More info..

The heater fan switch did nothing -- It wouldn't come on at all -- then I hit
the "recirc" button in kind of a spastic "I wonder if I can get it to come on at
all" -- that got the fan going; and all appeared normal.

The clock was off (4am vs. 2:30pm) but the date & e verything else (radio) were
fine.

Will check the ammeter & fuses....

Thanks
-josh

>>I got in my car today; after it sat in the garage for 4 days; but the
>>battery
[quoted text clipped - 43 lines]
>possibilities - stuck on electric fan, locking, windows, charging circuit
>for computer and radio back up batteries etc. etc.

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