Car died and had to be towed
02-12-2011, 01:05 PM
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My Ride: 04 525i, 04 Dinan M3
So I was going to a local shopping center to pick up some contacts, pulled in the front, where there is usually tons of traffic behind, its right in front of the place and usually hard to get. I went inside and come back to my car, and try to start, and the thing flashes the lights for a sec then dead. Not even the dome lights or anything would turn on, no crank. I'm thinking it must be the battery somehow. The problem is, trunk release didn't work and I have a trunk finisher, so I have no way to open the damn trunk. I called a wrecker while I tried to figure it out. I attempted to take the trunk finisher off, but I had no screwdriver so I had to finagle one from a childs toy store nearby to take license plate off. Couldn't get the finisher off without serious damage. I looked online to see if there was a emergency pull, and took out the back seat but could not find it. Car got towed to the house, and when I took it off the trunk on to the driveway the car started working again. Opened the trunk to look at the battery, and it turns out the guys who installed the battery didn't tighten the positive so it was basically just loose. Tightened it and no problems, such a aggravating day so far. LOL
02-12-2011, 01:41 PM
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My Ride: 04' 545i, Sport Package, Black, Active Xenon, ARS, Aux Input
'10 Tahoe, Black on Black, leather, Nav/XM, 20" tires, full body kit, power 2nd row, loaded
'93 Jeep Wrangler, lifted 4.5", 33" meats, Rampage Recovery Bumper w/Tire Swing, etc
25' Aquasport Osprey, Center Console,2012 200 HO Etec
Thats annoying! Nothing is ever simple... thats what I always say.
02-12-2011, 03:01 PM
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It wasn't a matter of being charged, the connection was completely lose from the battery, the ride on the tow truck moved the connection back enough for it to work again
02-12-2011, 05:18 PM
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This is a fairly common situation with automobiles that have "electrified/electronic" access points like trunk releases. And many qualified techs know how to supply power to the car even when batteries are dead or disconnected. An alternative technique even if a security system prevents hood or boot to be opened is to remove an exterior light (say a side marker or parking light) and apply 12v. As you learned, there is a power point under the hood that would have permitted you to use the key fob or interior trunk release to open the trunk - EVEN with the negative battery cable disconnected or loose.
Glad it all worked out OK ... now you know what to do the next time or for someone else with a similar situation.
Glad it all worked out OK ... now you know what to do the next time or for someone else with a similar situation.
02-12-2011, 06:38 PM
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This is a fairly common situation with automobiles that have "electrified/electronic" access points like trunk releases. And many qualified techs know how to supply power to the car even when batteries are dead or disconnected. An alternative technique even if a security system prevents hood or boot to be opened is to remove an exterior light (say a side marker or parking light) and apply 12v. As you learned, there is a power point under the hood that would have permitted you to use the key fob or interior trunk release to open the trunk - EVEN with the negative battery cable disconnected or loose.
Glad it all worked out OK ... now you know what to do the next time or for someone else with a similar situation.
Glad it all worked out OK ... now you know what to do the next time or for someone else with a similar situation.
02-13-2011, 04:24 AM
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My Ride: 2006 530i mystic blue
this got me thinking bout the trunk finsher which is on its way and will be put on with some other shit in early march. instead of 3m taping it and screw it can we use velco and screws? that way it can me easily pulled off to gain access to the key hole
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