Car dead as a dodo - BMW 3-Series Forum (F30 / F32)

TonyS · 02-18-2013, 05:34 AM

Walked out to the car this morning and it's sitting there unlocked (luckily in the garage) and completely dead. Nothing works at all. I thought it might be the battery in the key fob initially (wishful thinking) but the spare key is the same.

My immediate reaction was "flat battery" but I'm pretty sure I locked it all up properly, and I thought there was circuitry in there to stop the battery draining too far anyway. I do know there's a "battery disconnect" switch that triggers if you have a serious crash - I wonder if that's gone off?

Just called BMW Emergency Services to come and sort it out - luckily I wasn't going anywhere too important. Also lucky that it died here at home and not yesterday when we were out miles from anywhere.

I'll give an update when I know what it is.

TonyS · 02-18-2013, 11:49 AM

BWM Emergency Services man diagnosed a completely flat battery (it was down to 4 volts!). Of course initially we couldn't even get the boot open as there is no key for it, so he had to connect a power source under the bonnet to give enough juice for me to open it with my fob - great bit of design that, BMW.

He ran several diagnostics that showed nothing wrong - battery appears fine and is charging correctly, so I've got it charged up again and will see what the morning brings. Of course, if it's still ok I'll be worrying now that it's going to let me down again.

rich1068 · 02-18-2013, 11:56 AM

How odd.

venkata · 02-18-2013, 01:50 PM

Very Bizarre, So not only did the battery go flat, it also unlocked all the doors!!! Not good

F30AM · 02-18-2013, 02:08 PM

Stranger than Fiction.
Should have got a Diesel!

Spacebug · 02-18-2013, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by F30AM

Stranger than Fiction.
Should of got a Diesel!

Hehe.. I like your sense of humour..

F30AM · 02-18-2013, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spacebug

Hehe.. I like your sense of humour..

Damn, corrected me Eeenliiiishhh!

TonyS · 02-19-2013, 04:47 AM

Well, this morning it started fine. It's so weird I'm beginning to wonder if it was me that didn't lock the car on Sunday night, and something was left on.

That would explain it being unlocked, but even so I'm surprised that it would run the battery completely flat just overnight - that would have to be a fairly heavy current drain, more than just the radio being left on, surely.

Also, I thought the car would automatically shut off things like the ignition/radio/interior lights/etc after a while if they were left on accidentally. I shall have to test it by deliberately leaving it unlocked for an hour and see if anything is still on.

rich1068 · 02-19-2013, 09:46 AM

The radio certainly would turn off.

Not sure about interior lights. Do you have children who like pressing buttons? I do and they switch on the ones in my wife's Touran all the time.

Or another thought, where was the key? Could something have been activating lock/unlock or the welcome lights all night?

TonyS · 02-20-2013, 06:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rich1068

The radio certainly would turn off.

Not sure about interior lights. Do you have children who like pressing buttons? I do and they switch on the ones in my wife's Touran all the time.

Or another thought, where was the key? Could something have been activating lock/unlock or the welcome lights all night?

No kids at home at the moment so that's ruled out

The car still seems ok this morning so it was either a weird random glitch or me doing something that left something switched on all night. My money is on the latter, although I've still to find out what it was.

venkata · 02-20-2013, 07:06 AM

Sleep walking!!! You love the car that much, you can't be separated from it. Lol

Redbaron1973 · 02-20-2013, 07:27 AM

sounds like you left something on and didnt realise... it happens to us all.

rjberry · 02-20-2013, 11:02 AM

A similar thing happened with my wife's S-Max. Parked up fine in the evening, come the morning the car wouldn't start, no power at all in the car. Got the RAC out and they charged it up, couldn't say what it was as the diagnostic machine drew a blank. Took it to Fords who initially did the same but after it happened again, they had a proper look at it and diagnosed a problem with a clutch switch that kept a constant drain on the battery. I think it started with the Stop-Start failing which as it was summer was a bit more obvious than it would be in this weather!

This was when her car was only a few months old so took the shine off a bit.

May not be the same thing at all, but it took some thorough investigating and perseverance to get it sorted.

02-18-2013, 05:34 AM	#1
TonyS Second Lieutenant Drives: F30 335i Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: West Sussex, UK Posts: 235 iTrader: (0)	Car dead as a dodo Walked out to the car this morning and it's sitting there unlocked (luckily in the garage) and completely dead. Nothing works at all. I thought it might be the battery in the key fob initially (wishful thinking) but the spare key is the same. My immediate reaction was "flat battery" but I'm pretty sure I locked it all up properly, and I thought there was circuitry in there to stop the battery draining too far anyway. I do know there's a "battery disconnect" switch that triggers if you have a serious crash - I wonder if that's gone off? Just called BMW Emergency Services to come and sort it out - luckily I wasn't going anywhere too important. Also lucky that it died here at home and not yesterday when we were out miles from anywhere. I'll give an update when I know what it is.
	Tweet

02-18-2013, 01:50 PM	#4
venkata Lieutenant Drives: F30 320D MSport EBII Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Lancashire Posts: 475 iTrader: (0)	Very Bizarre, So not only did the battery go flat, it also unlocked all the doors!!! Not good __________________ Gone: E46 320D Sport \| Silver Grey \| Xenon \| Heated Leather \| Rain Sensors \| M Sports package II Driving: http://mybmw.co.uk/x1j0z7b7 \| F30 320D ///M-Sport \| EBII \| Black Leather \| Visibility Pack \| Adaptive Suspension \| Media Pro Pack \| BMW Apps \| Sports Auto \| Sun Protection Glass \| EU6 BluePerformance Diesel

02-18-2013, 02:08 PM	#5
F30AM Lieutenant Colonel Drives: F30 330d M Sport Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: London, UK Posts: 1,500 iTrader: (0)	Stranger than Fiction. Should have got a Diesel! __________________ SUPERMAN F30 EBII 330d M-Sport/Red Hippo Hide Heated Chairs/18"/Aluminium Hex+Black Trim/Smart Door Mirrors/Cunning Xenons/Clever Suspenders/Electric Back Help/DAB/HK/New Pro Media/Extra Coded Immobiliser/Ciggy Pack/Booty Net/5 Year Service Pack A TRULY WONDERFUL CAR Last edited by F30AM; 02-18-2013 at 02:58 PM.

02-20-2013, 07:06 AM	#11
venkata Lieutenant Drives: F30 320D MSport EBII Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Lancashire Posts: 475 iTrader: (0)	Sleep walking!!! You love the car that much, you can't be separated from it. Lol __________________ Gone: E46 320D Sport \| Silver Grey \| Xenon \| Heated Leather \| Rain Sensors \| M Sports package II Driving: http://mybmw.co.uk/x1j0z7b7 \| F30 320D ///M-Sport \| EBII \| Black Leather \| Visibility Pack \| Adaptive Suspension \| Media Pro Pack \| BMW Apps \| Sports Auto \| Sun Protection Glass \| EU6 BluePerformance Diesel

02-20-2013, 07:27 AM	#12
Redbaron1973 Private Drives: F30 320D //M Sport Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: UK Posts: 75 iTrader: (0)	sounds like you left something on and didnt realise... it happens to us all. __________________ ________________________________________________ 320D //M-Sport Estoril Blue II with Coral Red ACTIVE CRUISE / ADAPTIVE M SPTS SUSP / HFS / HSWL / HBA / SUN PROTECTION GLASS /INTERNET ACCESS /MOBILE APP PREP /SPD LIMIT DISPLAY / SPRTS GRBX+PADDLES / MEDIA PRO

02-18-2013, 11:49 AM	#2
TonyS Second Lieutenant Drives: F30 335i Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: West Sussex, UK Posts: 235 iTrader: (0)	BWM Emergency Services man diagnosed a completely flat battery (it was down to 4 volts!). Of course initially we couldn't even get the boot open as there is no key for it, so he had to connect a power source under the bonnet to give enough juice for me to open it with my fob - great bit of design that, BMW. He ran several diagnostics that showed nothing wrong - battery appears fine and is charging correctly, so I've got it charged up again and will see what the morning brings. Of course, if it's still ok I'll be worrying now that it's going to let me down again.

02-18-2013, 11:56 AM	#3
rich1068 Colonel Drives: F30 330d M Sport Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: UK Posts: 2,914 iTrader: (0)	How odd.

02-19-2013, 04:47 AM	#8
TonyS Second Lieutenant Drives: F30 335i Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: West Sussex, UK Posts: 235 iTrader: (0)	Well, this morning it started fine. It's so weird I'm beginning to wonder if it was me that didn't lock the car on Sunday night, and something was left on. That would explain it being unlocked, but even so I'm surprised that it would run the battery completely flat just overnight - that would have to be a fairly heavy current drain, more than just the radio being left on, surely. Also, I thought the car would automatically shut off things like the ignition/radio/interior lights/etc after a while if they were left on accidentally. I shall have to test it by deliberately leaving it unlocked for an hour and see if anything is still on.

02-19-2013, 09:46 AM	#9
rich1068 Colonel Drives: F30 330d M Sport Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: UK Posts: 2,914 iTrader: (0)	The radio certainly would turn off. Not sure about interior lights. Do you have children who like pressing buttons? I do and they switch on the ones in my wife's Touran all the time. Or another thought, where was the key? Could something have been activating lock/unlock or the welcome lights all night?

02-20-2013, 11:02 AM	#13
rjberry Lieutenant Drives: 320d M Sport in the UK! Join Date: May 2012 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 402 iTrader: (0) Garage List 2013 BMW 320d M Sport [5.00]	A similar thing happened with my wife's S-Max. Parked up fine in the evening, come the morning the car wouldn't start, no power at all in the car. Got the RAC out and they charged it up, couldn't say what it was as the diagnostic machine drew a blank. Took it to Fords who initially did the same but after it happened again, they had a proper look at it and diagnosed a problem with a clutch switch that kept a constant drain on the battery. I think it started with the Stop-Start failing which as it was summer was a bit more obvious than it would be in this weather! This was when her car was only a few months old so took the shine off a bit. May not be the same thing at all, but it took some thorough investigating and perseverance to get it sorted. __________________ Tanzanite Blue with Cashmere Beige Merino Leather interior

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