irs cold - dead Z4M

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physprof

Member
So, over the weekend the car has been acting up.

Turn ignition on, hesitant start but error comes up on brakes/ABS/DSC lights (poss. hill start assist), sometimes not all the dash illuminate immediately, rev counter took 5-10 sec to light up. OK, so run the car to test - a series of OK switch off and restart , similar results. Another occasion rive for 200yds switch of and repeat, similar. Another drive car for couple of miles, switch off leav for 10 minutes start and it starts perfectly as normal. Think to myself, arse, just being temprimental in cold, nit really a munich machine built in warmer climate....

Anyway the car is garaged at night so it is not being exposed to excessive cold.

So this morning comes, nothing coming from starter motor, but ABS warning light coming on... and no life in engine - plently of power dash illluminated etc, fan blower comes on....

I think a fault in brake system is sinking power? ABS module? though when all was clear of error yestrday the ABS/DSC was working fine.

So, looks like a call the BMW recovery as car is stuck in garage and I had get the scrapr out and reply on trusty old e39.
 
This is definitly the battery. The only way to sort it is to take it out and get it fully charged. It happened to me last year, no faults were found on the battery but once it gets that low the car cant fully charge it again. Mines has been fine since it got fully charged.
 
Guys thanks, was trying to convince myself it wasn't as it is a daily driver - but I guess heated seats etc puts a fair strain on it.

now, other than main dealer OEM suggestions for new battery.... might as well fit that myself, before ante up the 100 notes for warranty work and all the inconvienience that will entail.
 
realoem suggest a 70Ah

halfords have a bosch at 77Ah ....

Car is at home but my mental picture is sketchy... anything unique odd about M battery - or is it generic just in boot due to space below lost with quad exhaust.
 
It's a pretty standard battery, just in a slightly odd place.
I couldn't see an 'indicator' on the battery in mine, and it's a black BMW one rather than the huge white one I had in all my other ///Ms.
The BMW one's aren't worth the amount they're charging - but what's new there :thumbsdown:

Pictures below of the battery specifications:
Battery1.jpg

Battery2.jpg
 
About 6 weeks ago now I had a similar fault with mine, it turned out to be a control module (not certain which now) that was draining the battery, it was replaced under warranty (showed approx 900 GBP on the invoice for the module!!) ... Warranty well used :-)
 
mmm-five ..... thanks for that image it jogs memory ... I'll go get myself an Bosch to be going on with...

gidge2010 .... now your comments do chime with me ... the weird nature of the ABS etc .... other electric symptoms make me suspicious of something dodgy in electrics....

I posted back in mid october about a weird electrical clicking...http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=22399&p=315582#p315530

which is still present but less voluable now....

new battery and I'll see how we get on... might attach a wire so I can get easy access to do a regular voltage check....over next week or so.
 
physprof .... mine would drain the battery to the point where I'd need a jump start to get the engine started, although electronics/radio etc would have enough power to come on.
Once jump started the dashlights would be random and stay on, etc DSC light, handbrake light etc and at one point the rev counter was working but not the speedo! :-)
 
gidge2010 said:
physprof .... mine would drain the battery to the point where I'd need a jump start to get the engine started, although electronics/radio etc would have enough power to come on.
Once jump started the dashlights would be random and stay on, etc DSC light, handbrake light etc and at one point the rev counter was working but not the speedo! :-)
Click to expand...

all sounds kind of like this morning....

turn ignition - immediately ABS light came on.... transient attempt at engine turnover, slew of other dash lights come on and then off as normal - main beams on (as Auto lights set), ABS light off, handbrake light yellow and DSC light on..... swithced off and bizarre clicking coming from near RHS of instrument binnacle.

how long was it taking to drain battery?
 
All sounds similar to mine last night..

When I turned the ignition on their was a wierd clicking noise from behind the dash on the drivers side, then all the infomation held in the computer reset, clock, mpg and mph averages etc... then turned on with no issues....

I put it down to the cold and a not very juicy battery!
 
Z4//MMY said:
All sounds similar to mine last night..

When I turned the ignition on their was a wierd clicking noise from behind the dash on the drivers side, then all the infomation held in the computer reset, clock, mpg and mph averages etc... then turned on with no issues....

I put it down to the cold and a not very juicy battery!
Click to expand...

deja vu....

give it a couple more days and you'll be like me dead.... that is exactly how mine began.
 
physprof said:
Z4//MMY said:
All sounds similar to mine last night..

When I turned the ignition on their was a wierd clicking noise from behind the dash on the drivers side, then all the infomation held in the computer reset, clock, mpg and mph averages etc... then turned on with no issues....

I put it down to the cold and a not very juicy battery!
Click to expand...

deja vu....

give it a couple more days and you'll be like me dead.... that is exactly how mine began.
Click to expand...

Yep this is exactly what happened to mines. I never did find out what drained the battery in the first place (daily driver) but once it was fully charged using a trickle charge it has never happened again.

You might not need a new battery. I was told by BMW that once the battery goes below a certian level the car cannot charge back up past that level even if the battery is healthy.
 
how long was it taking to drain battery?
Click to expand...

Really quickly on mine, even when it first occurred ... about 2 hours for me, as it first happens whilst I was parked up at the Windsor Half Marathon, so just enough time for me to get out, warm up, run the HM and by the time I'd got back to the car it was dead :-(
 
OK so a new Bosch battery installed and car starts with a vengance.

Drove it a couple of miles to check. Put in garage at 6 'ish I'll go in about 11pm and turn it over to see what gives..... Need it to come to life tomorrow at 5:45am - off on a early flight.
 
Mine was completely dead this morning too. Had a few issues with my battery a few weeks back think its definitely time for a new one.

How much was the replacement and where did you buy it?

Mine has been doing the clicking thing intermidently too, I think its the car turning the electrics back on after trying to preserve battery power for starting.
 
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