Elementary question about disconnecting battery

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01-07-2011, 07:26 AM

#11

jm545i

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Quote:

Originally Posted by 545felix

that's weird. I get the active steering warning even if I disconnect the battery for 30 seconds. you have a 545 sport, so you do have active steering for sure. that's weird.

You know it's possible that my memory is faulty, but I do recall being pleasantly surprised at the lack of issues upon reconnect.

Note that my steering wheel was dead straight ahead - don't know if that might have helped. I've had AS errors that took much longer to clear - when the car stalled (due to my obviously superior footwork...) with the wheels turned to the side, and where I went through the reset procedure.

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01-07-2011, 02:57 PM

#12

Curmudgeon

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My Ride: 2005 545i, Silber-grau/grau. Vanilla flavored except for cold WX pkg.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jm545i

Yes, this is not right.

Safety issue, nothing more. You don't want to risk completing the circuit with the wrench you have in your hand by touching it to a metal part of the car, which would then still be connected to the negative terminal, thereby completing the circuit.

Concur. I have a friend that tried to disconnect the positive first. Before I could stop him, the wrench was grounded through his wedding ring. The ring was instantly red hot and he now has a permanent round scar under the ring. :thumbsdown:

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01-07-2011, 03:16 PM

#13

luigi524td

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

Similar to my first experience as a teen-age car nut .... I was using an open-end wrench to loosen the + battery terminal and it hit the frame of the car creating a huge spark shower and getting red hot. It only took that one time to reinforce in my mind REMOVE the NEGATIVE TERMINAL FIRST!!