Battery dead without warning?

kingofqueenz · Mon, Nov-29-2010, 10:57:28 AM

Went to start my car this morning, and I am pretty sure my battery is dead. When i turn the key, the lights come on the dash but it is to weak to start. My SMG comes out of 1st gear into neutral and barely wants to go back into 1st which I assume is because of the weak battery.

The thing is, I was under the impression that my battery light would come on a few days before the battery or alternator actually failed. Could it also be that it was close to 30 degrees this morning and i hadnt used the car in a couple days....maybe it froze?

deadlysyns · Mon, Nov-29-2010, 12:22:08 PM

how old is your car? Battery usually last 4-5 years.

mine was 6yrs old and stop holding a charge without any warning. I would jump it drive it home from work which takes 30mins enough time to charge it. Get home and shut off then it would start again but next morning I would need a jump.

kingofqueenz · Mon, Nov-29-2010, 12:28:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deadlysyns

how old is your car? Battery usually last 4-5 years.

mine was 6yrs old and stop holding a charge without any warning. I would jump it drive it home from work which takes 30mins enough time to charge it. Get home and shut off then it would start again but next morning I would need a jump.

I am not sure since I bought the car used. It would be 7 years old if the car still has the original.

admranger · Mon, Nov-29-2010, 03:10:17 PM

I've had it happen before on other BMWs. Drive car to fill with gas. Stop at gas station. Try to restart car. Click...

Time for a new battery.

cpmM3 · Mon, Nov-29-2010, 04:58:54 PM

Same deal with me this morning. Drove it saturday no problems. Didn't touch her at all yesterday. Go to start this morning @ 4:25, airbag light.. that's it. No window down 1/4", no splash screen on nav. Come home from work @ 12, deader then dead. Airbag light barely illuminates before its gone. Same situation as OP. Live in MA, cold sat night through mon morning, nice frozen garage.. Hope that's all it was. Going to go jump now. Inspection 2 is thursday so just another thing to add to the list.

macming · Mon, Nov-29-2010, 05:08:20 PM

Same thing happened to me last week. The cold weather is killing the older batteries. I picked up a new one from Walmart, and no problems now

In my case, my commute is only 5 minutes, so not nearly enough time to really charge up the battery.

kingofqueenz · Mon, Nov-29-2010, 06:17:10 PM

can anyone recommend me a battery I can buy at pep boys, thats the only local place i have near me. Or R&S strauss.

daytonaviolet · Mon, Nov-29-2010, 06:21:10 PM

battery light is an indicator that the alternator system is failing. usually when a battery is failing, there is no indicator except for hard starts.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingofqueenz

Went to start my car this morning, and I am pretty sure my battery is dead. When i turn the key, the lights come on the dash but it is to weak to start. My SMG comes out of 1st gear into neutral and barely wants to go back into 1st which I assume is because of the weak battery.

The thing is, I was under the impression that my battery light would come on a few days before the battery or alternator actually failed. Could it also be that it was close to 30 degrees this morning and i hadnt used the car in a couple days....maybe it froze?

kingofqueenz · Mon, Nov-29-2010, 06:24:15 PM

Is the Bosch # 94R730B a direct OEM replacement? Pep boys has it for $145. This is the description "730CCA/800CA - RESERVE MIN = 80 - OE CCA: 640 - BATTERY IS VENTED OUTSIDE OF VEHICLE"

tcphoto · Mon, Nov-29-2010, 07:25:02 PM

Mine died a sudden death. I had no sign of a problem and the first cold night seemed to have put her over the edge. I bought a Duralast replacement and it fired right up.

Mon, Nov-29-2010, 10:57:28 AM	#1
kingofqueenz Registered User Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 359 Reputation: 0	Battery dead without warning? Went to start my car this morning, and I am pretty sure my battery is dead. When i turn the key, the lights come on the dash but it is to weak to start. My SMG comes out of 1st gear into neutral and barely wants to go back into 1st which I assume is because of the weak battery. The thing is, I was under the impression that my battery light would come on a few days before the battery or alternator actually failed. Could it also be that it was close to 30 degrees this morning and i hadnt used the car in a couple days....maybe it froze? Last edited by kingofqueenz; Mon, Nov-29-2010 at 11:25:23 AM.

Mon, Nov-29-2010, 12:22:08 PM	#2
deadlysyns Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 5,039 Reputation: 0 Location: DFW	how old is your car? Battery usually last 4-5 years. mine was 6yrs old and stop holding a charge without any warning. I would jump it drive it home from work which takes 30mins enough time to charge it. Get home and shut off then it would start again but next morning I would need a jump. __________________

Mon, Nov-29-2010, 03:10:17 PM	#4
admranger Registered troublemaker Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 451 Reputation: 0 Location: Las Vegas	I've had it happen before on other BMWs. Drive car to fill with gas. Stop at gas station. Try to restart car. Click... Time for a new battery. __________________ '02 M3, Imola/Black, 6MT, CWP, PP, xenons, no sunroof, swapped ft. strut hats, Bimmerworld radiator and oil cooler, Ohlin struts/shocks, Eibach pro kit, PFC DD Rotors, PFC pads (Z or 06, depends...), Hybrid Audio Technologies Clarus speakers up front, two HAT Legatia 8's in rear deck, two big amps in the trunk for increased downforce... '11 E90 M3, Mebourne/Black/Fox Red/Black, 6MT, roof, PP2, heated seats, bone stock

Mon, Nov-29-2010, 04:58:54 PM	#5
cpmM3 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 267 In the garage: '04 BMW M3 Reputation: 0 Location: Paxton, MA (Worcester County)	Same deal with me this morning. Drove it saturday no problems. Didn't touch her at all yesterday. Go to start this morning @ 4:25, airbag light.. that's it. No window down 1/4", no splash screen on nav. Come home from work @ 12, deader then dead. Airbag light barely illuminates before its gone. Same situation as OP. Live in MA, cold sat night through mon morning, nice frozen garage.. Hope that's all it was. Going to go jump now. Inspection 2 is thursday so just another thing to add to the list. __________________ 2k4 CBM 6MT / Cinnamon / 35% Tint / Depo CC Smoked Corners CF Side Gills / Matte Black Kidney Grill / TMS RTAB w/ Limiters

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Mon, Nov-29-2010, 05:08:20 PM	#6
macming Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 699 Reputation: 0 Location: Ontario	Same thing happened to me last week. The cold weather is killing the older batteries. I picked up a new one from Walmart, and no problems now In my case, my commute is only 5 minutes, so not nearly enough time to really charge up the battery.

Mon, Nov-29-2010, 06:17:10 PM	#7
kingofqueenz Registered User Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 359 Reputation: 0	can anyone recommend me a battery I can buy at pep boys, thats the only local place i have near me. Or R&S strauss.

Mon, Nov-29-2010, 06:24:15 PM	#9
kingofqueenz Registered User Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 359 Reputation: 0	Is the Bosch # 94R730B a direct OEM replacement? Pep boys has it for $145. This is the description "730CCA/800CA - RESERVE MIN = 80 - OE CCA: 640 - BATTERY IS VENTED OUTSIDE OF VEHICLE"

Mon, Nov-29-2010, 07:25:02 PM	#10
tcphoto Registered User Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 11 Reputation: 0 Location: Atlanta	Mine died a sudden death. I had no sign of a problem and the first cold night seemed to have put her over the edge. I bought a Duralast replacement and it fired right up.