nappyjack

so...ok....i went to take the car out to wash it yesterday evening(thrur)......had not driven it since sunday evening.....(which is typical .....i mainly drive car fri-sunday)
i got in and put the key in and NOTHING....no sound no lights, nothing....
i immeadiately assumed dead battery...BUT WHY...car is three months old ('05 545) i am aware that not driving a car for extended periods can wear a battery down...but a brand new car/battery?? i have driven it pretty much on weekends since i bought it....as i did the same with my last one a '01 540 that i had for several years).....
so what did i do....i got ONLINE.... e60.net.....looked up "dead battery", read my heart out, and learned a few things....there were a few posts with dead batteries, and the warning about not jump starting .....i then called BMW roadside assist, where there answer was to send out a tow truck to jump the car.....i asked it that was routine/safe in regards to the electronics on the car.....i was told it was protocol, and was done on 5's daily without problem as well as on the 7's.......i was hesitant, but flirting with disaster, i allowed them to my home where the car was jumped....it took a while to start, but eventually did.....upon startup the dash was lit up with the active steerting icon/warning as well as both the airbag warning and seatbelt icon/warning...both stemming from failure in the "restraint system"....
was anxious to drive it for a spell so i could turn it off and then on again to see if they would go away.......after driving and coming back home...i turned it off, and restarted...the active steering icon is gone, but the other two remain.....the car drives fine and i noticed no other problems....
i will call BMW today to schedule an appointment...but wanted to arm myself with any knowledge you all might share....
later last night i remembered on exit of the car sunday i heard the cd changer in the glove box "making noise" it was doing the thing where it "searches the cartridge to see what/how many discs are in the cartridge.... I HAVE NEVER USED THE CHANGER EVER, and on top of that i recently had the AUX input installed and assumed i couldnt (that it was unlpugged or not usuable)......
i kept heearing the noise AFTER the car was turned off....i waited at least a minute where it seemed to continually check the cartridge, one slot at at time...
i figured just remove the cartridge since i would never use it anyway...i figured this would keep it from doing it again at random...FOR NO REASON....
also i posted a topic a month ago about "noises" the car makes while parked in the garage.....i always hear short sound of a motor running for like a second or two, in short spurts at random.....
at this point...it could be fluke....a bad battery.......something stemming from the recent aux install (about three weeks ago)....something tied with the fact the cd changed was "running" for no reason AFTER THE KEY was removed......

what do you all think??

PS, i hope the jump does not lead to other problems down the line.....but i figured they requested/ordered it (bmw assist) so at least i can place blame......

thanks for the input!!
cheers-
jack

JDN

I think that the intermittent whirring motors you hear at short intervals are normal for all of us. I also believe that they put a drain on the battery that we did not experience in the E39s. At one time, my radio would come on by itself. Sounds like you might have that gremlin. The dealer has a service bulletin on the fix, but not unless you call attention to the problem.

Further, I have a trickle charger that I use occasionally. My car sits a lot, too.

good luck.