Car is dead
#11
Senior Members
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: St. Louis, MO
Posts: 734
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: AW E46 M3 Vert
#12
![Default](https://5series.net/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
Sounds like a drained battery. Maybe you or one of your passengers left the interior light on. The light drained the battery over night. Try jumpstarting the car and see what happens.
#13
Contributors
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Birmingham AL
Posts: 1,128
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
My Ride: 2010 VW Passat Wagon 2.0l Tsi
Grey/Grey Budapest 18"
Lost to HPFP issues:
08 535i sport pkg
Lost to Dreaded E61 Sun roof leaks:
07 E61 530Xi
![Default](https://5series.net/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
Power management control box is down there, but if there water down there, there is a good chance that water hit some of the other electronics back there.
#14
Senior Members
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Pearland, Texas
Posts: 736
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: 530I Silver gray with gray leather with Premium Package, Logic 7 Premium sound system with Ipod interface, xenon adaptive headlights, Active steering, Power retractable rear sunshade, Comfort seats, Cold weather package and M5 OEM 166 wheels, Sprintbooster. Ceramic Tint all around, Bilstein Sports shocks with Eibach springs, Brake performance Rotors and Axxis ceramic pads.
![Default](https://5series.net/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
I believe it is your battery. I just change my battery today. I have a similar situation 2 weeks ago. Not quite dead like yours but I have to jump start the car. I charged the battery and it has been okey. But, my friend a BMW mechanic told me the battery is due for a change. Our E60 consumes a lot of power. Most of the E60 he works on 4 to 5 years old have similar problem. Sometimes he said it will have no symtoms but the diagnostics computers will show low voltage faults. I suggest that you buy the recommended battery and install it yourself and then bring it to the Dealer to register the new battery to your on board computer so it will charge your battery properly. Good luck
#15
![Default](https://5series.net/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
This exact thing happened to me 3 weeks ago. My right blinker flashed once or twice when trying to open the boot. No turnover whatsoever. Your battery is fine but it needs to be charger. DONT JUMPSTART YOUR CAR!!!!!!!!!!!!
Again I'll say it - DONT JUMPSTART YOUR CAR!!!!!!!!!!!!
A jobsh**e recovery guy came out (covered & sent by my insurance company) Hooked up one power pack to the battery and one under the hud. He couldn't start it so he towed it to the nearest BMW garage. By doing this he fried my fusebox and done damage to the cable from the fuse box to the engine.
If you dont want to tow your car to a BMW dealer you need jumper cables from one running car engine to your battery - leave the other cars engine running for at least twenty minutes (dear god make sure you dont have the wires backwards). Doing this for 20 mins will charge your battery.
Disconnect cables and start your car.
Note: Make sure you give at least 20 mins because trying to start the car with a battery that gives low voltage will throw up 10 - 20 faults on your dashboard.
Again I'll say it - DONT JUMPSTART YOUR CAR!!!!!!!!!!!!
A jobsh**e recovery guy came out (covered & sent by my insurance company) Hooked up one power pack to the battery and one under the hud. He couldn't start it so he towed it to the nearest BMW garage. By doing this he fried my fusebox and done damage to the cable from the fuse box to the engine.
If you dont want to tow your car to a BMW dealer you need jumper cables from one running car engine to your battery - leave the other cars engine running for at least twenty minutes (dear god make sure you dont have the wires backwards). Doing this for 20 mins will charge your battery.
Disconnect cables and start your car.
Note: Make sure you give at least 20 mins because trying to start the car with a battery that gives low voltage will throw up 10 - 20 faults on your dashboard.
#16
Members
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Salt Lake City/Ogden UT USA
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: 2007 530i Olivine Green w/ Beige leather interior, 6 spd manual, premium package, comfort access, cold weather package, heated rear seats.
2005 Acura MDX Touring Sage Brush Pearl w/ NAV, running boards, roof rack
1993 325is Calypso Red w/ Parchment leather interior, 5 spd manual. (Sold Nov 06)
![Default](https://5series.net/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
Seems to be a rash of battery issues....my car started acting up this morning. Started sluggish then had a hard time starting it 12 hours later when I was leaving work. Had four errors...Servotronic, air bags, passenger restraint, and cruise control....My car is 4 years old...believe the battery is kaput! Going to run to to the dealer tomorrow (assuming the car starts).
#18
Senior Members
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: St. Louis, MO
Posts: 734
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: AW E46 M3 Vert
![Default](https://5series.net/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
UPDATE: ran some jumper cables from my wifes car to the front positive and ground connectors under the hood of the bimmer, started the wifes car...let the bimmer charge for about 10 min and tried to start...hesitated a bit and then started right up. got the idrive error...did the left and right turn procedure and error was gone. drove down to battery plus since they had the werker battery in stock, first had them run a test on my battery, turns out the battery was fine (6 years old) and just needed a jump. the rep said i prob left something on overnight...i was pretty sure i didnt but u never know...anyway thanks for all the help and im glad i didnt have to spend the $209.99 for the werker battery. at least now i know everything there is to know about changing batteries on this car for the future due to all the research i did on the subject while i was at work
also a funny convo i had with a local bmw service guy on the phone today.
me: hi, how much do you charge for a battery for a 2004 545?
him: is that a 545(i)???
me: lol yes sir
him: $392.96 installed, you have to buy a bmw battery and only bmw can install it, you cant just buy a battery and hook it up yourself. it needs to be programmed to the car.
me: what happens if i decide to install it myself without the programming?
him: THE CAR WONT START!.... these cars these days are crazy like that.
me: lol ok im on my way!
![Thumbsup](https://5series.net/forums/images/smilies/imported/thumbsup.gif)
also a funny convo i had with a local bmw service guy on the phone today.
me: hi, how much do you charge for a battery for a 2004 545?
him: is that a 545(i)???
me: lol yes sir
him: $392.96 installed, you have to buy a bmw battery and only bmw can install it, you cant just buy a battery and hook it up yourself. it needs to be programmed to the car.
me: what happens if i decide to install it myself without the programming?
him: THE CAR WONT START!.... these cars these days are crazy like that.
![Blink](https://5series.net/forums/images/smilies/imported/blink.gif)
me: lol ok im on my way!
#19
Senior Members
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: N Hollywood, CA
Posts: 615
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: 545i Sport Package, Black/Grey. Got it July 09.
Model Year: 2004
![Default](https://5series.net/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
that's good to hear ![Smile](https://5series.net/forums/images/smilies/imported/smile.gif)
i think a few members successfully installed non BMW batteries...
![Smile](https://5series.net/forums/images/smilies/imported/smile.gif)
i think a few members successfully installed non BMW batteries...
#20
Members
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: LA
Posts: 213
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: 04 545i Jet Blk, Blk Int, SMG, Sport, Nav, Prem, CW Pack, L7, PDC
![Default](https://5series.net/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
UPDATE: ran some jumper cables from my wifes car to the front positive and ground connectors under the hood of the bimmer, started the wifes car...let the bimmer charge for about 10 min and tried to start...hesitated a bit and then started right up. got the idrive error...did the left and right turn procedure and error was gone. drove down to battery plus since they had the werker battery in stock, first had them run a test on my battery, turns out the battery was fine (6 years old) and just needed a jump. the rep said i prob left something on overnight...i was pretty sure i didnt but u never know...anyway thanks for all the help and im glad i didnt have to spend the $209.99 for the werker battery. at least now i know everything there is to know about changing batteries on this car for the future due to all the research i did on the subject while i was at work
also a funny convo i had with a local bmw service guy on the phone today.
me: hi, how much do you charge for a battery for a 2004 545?
him: is that a 545(i)???
me: lol yes sir
him: $392.96 installed, you have to buy a bmw battery and only bmw can install it, you cant just buy a battery and hook it up yourself. it needs to be programmed to the car.
me: what happens if i decide to install it myself without the programming?
him: THE CAR WONT START!.... these cars these days are crazy like that.
me: lol ok im on my way!
![Thumbsup](https://5series.net/forums/images/smilies/imported/thumbsup.gif)
also a funny convo i had with a local bmw service guy on the phone today.
me: hi, how much do you charge for a battery for a 2004 545?
him: is that a 545(i)???
me: lol yes sir
him: $392.96 installed, you have to buy a bmw battery and only bmw can install it, you cant just buy a battery and hook it up yourself. it needs to be programmed to the car.
me: what happens if i decide to install it myself without the programming?
him: THE CAR WONT START!.... these cars these days are crazy like that.
![Blink](https://5series.net/forums/images/smilies/imported/blink.gif)
me: lol ok im on my way!
I think that reprogramming thing is a bunch of mumbo jumbo. Otherwise, my car wouldn't have started and it has been a year since I got my battery replaced.