Car won't start

[S-PIPE]

Apologies if this has been answered before - I did search the same title but after reading a lot of posts I can't find one that matches. The alarm started screeching at night - it appears the battery had gone flat. The battery is 18 months old - I charged it for 24 hours -enough power for central locking - lights - radio etc. in the first key position I get just the mileage come up - try to start it all goes blank and no dash lights or any clicking etc. Even tried jump starting it - nada?

If anyone has any ideas that would be amazing?

Many Thanks

 

[bigwinn]

Batteries on these cars are notoriously challenging if not at full voltage- but if you have tried boosting it and jump starting it, it may be possible your starter is on the way out; its worth tapping with a bar and hammer to see if thats a bit clogged up?

Dont suppose the car has an aftermarket alarm/immobiliser?

If its a manual is it worth a bump start attempt?

Final one- if its an auto, its not in gear is it?

 

[S-PIPE]

Thanks bigwinn - yes it's manual - there's no power getting to the starter at all - as soon as I turn the key all power goes - no dash lights. Even on the jump start?

 

[clarker63]

You've checked the fuses though? sometimes the battery cause them to blow when they get low.. I'd be checking there first.

 

[S-PIPE]

Which fuses should I start with? Thanks Clarker63

 

[bigwinn]

That sounds like lack of amps to turn it over. Even with the booster running.

 

[clarker63]

googling it.. Fuse 54
Ignition switch
40.0 A
worth a look...but duff batteries do something similar as bigwinn has posted.

 

[Zulu4]

If the car initially powers up but then dies while trying to turn the starter, I'd say it's a duff battery.
When batteries (cells) go bad, they can sometimes appear to charge OK, but then they can't deliver enough current to turn the starter motor (as bigwinn said).
Maybe time for a Christmas present for the Zed.

 

[Chippie]

Definitely sounds like battery issue, even when trying to jump start the duff battery will drain the current and depending on the quality of the jump leads you won’t be getting enough power to turn the engine over. It’s also possible you could have an underlying problem draining the battery, is the car parked up for long periods and do you do a lot of short journeys?

 

[S-PIPE]

Thanks Chippie - yes the car has been parked up for long periods for the best part of the year due to COVID. And yes short journeys. I did borrow jump cables from my mechanic - they were HUGE! The battery is only 18 months old - it might just have killed itself? I used my sons Polo as the car to jump with - maybe that was too puney?

 

[Chippie]

When jump starting I tend to connect the positive lead to the battery or charging point and the negative to someone on the engine and then let the car being jumped from run at a couple of thousand revs for 5 minutes or so with the lights, heated rear window on to make sure it’s getting plenty of charge and then try and start it

 

[Skiing]

When the battery is fully charged see if you can put a multimeter on it the volts delivered can indicate if a cells gone bad

 

[Mr Tidy]

It sounds like it may well be a battery problem.

When mine went flat earlier this year I got the car started using a jumper pack but the alarm was going off for a minute or so! Then I got the 3 dreaded amber warning lights come on. They didn't go out even after I fitted the new battery so I had to get them coded.

Hope you can get it sorted.

 

[Lance]

Get a couple of mates round and try bump starting it.

 

[Kendodeal83]

Never bump start a bmw that can cause a lot of issues I did it once on my compact I had ruined a coil and spiked the ecu cost me £500 my mechanic said did I bump start it I said yes he said that’s what’s caused the issues u should never bump start a bmw I learnt the hard way I would suggest a jump start from a pack if not another car sometimes u need to Rev the car a bit that’s giving the jump start to boast the voltage and give it a good few minutes before trying to turn over the zed

 

[Tom2207]

Never bump start a bmw that can cause a lot of issues I did it once on my compact I had ruined a coil and spiked the ecu cost me £500 my mechanic said did I bump start it I said yes he said that’s what’s caused the issues u should never bump start a bmw I learnt the hard way I would suggest a jump start from a pack if not another car sometimes u need to Rev the car a bit that’s giving the jump start to boast the voltage and give it a good few minutes before trying to turn over the zed

Im old school and thats the way I used to do things ,,, but ,,, if you did that on a range rover it may start , but a good chance that every central locking solenoid would blow , trouble is you dont know its done till you go to turn the car off and lock it ,,,, no idea why it happens but its so common my friend a LR RR independent just wont jump start anything .
He has a suitcase starter and it does the job grand but no way he jump starts anything . Just thought Id mention it , this new stuff is fussy about voltages.

 

[Daz W]

I've just had the same issue. Alarm went off three times, initially I could open the door with the key fob but then there was absolutely zero power to anything. Battery read 3.3 volts and would not recondition with my CTek charger. New battery on and checked the running voltage was over 14.4 to make sure the alternator was good. All hunky-dory now. I bought a YUASA battery from Tayna, far cheaper than anywhere else with a 5 year guranatee. If you have a a garage get into the habit of hooking up to a trickle charger over winter, especially if you use it infrequently

 

[Scooba_Steve]

Mines totally dead too!

Though it's gone flat 4 times during lockdown - it's a 2015 battery so it's goosed but I'll be damned if I replace it while the cars still isn't really being used. I top it up when I can but don't have my own driveway.

 

[Tom2207]

Mines totally dead too!

Though it's gone flat 4 times during lockdown - it's a 2015 battery so it's goosed but I'll be damned if I replace it while the cars still isn't really being used. I top it up when I can but don't have my own driveway.

would a solar panel keep it topped up if you cant leave a battery conditioner attached , like a boat battery.

 

[Scooba_Steve]

would a solar panel keep it topped up if you cant leave a battery conditioner attached , like a boat battery.

Maybe though I'm not sure I'd like a constant trickle. It's only a covid issue with lack of use so not really worried, I can bring the battery in to do f ull charge. Just no point replacing the battery yet