OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
To put the battery tender on the M5 this winter. DOH!!! Went to fire it up today and it was stone dead.
Battery is less than a year old
Battery is less than a year old
I forgot........
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I left a Ford motorhome parked all winter in an unheated shed with no power. Went to go get it last weekend, and it fired right up like it had been sitting there for the weekend (it had been sitting there since late October).
I didn't even disconnect the battery.
Is it normal for a BMW in storage to sit and draw off of the battery... until it is dead?
I didn't even disconnect the battery.
Is it normal for a BMW in storage to sit and draw off of the battery... until it is dead?
We will remind you next year. I find connecting both ends is also necessary for optimal results.
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
I left a Ford motorhome parked all winter in an unheated shed with no power. Went to go get it last weekend, and it fired right up like it had been sitting there for the weekend (it had been sitting there since late October).
I didn't even disconnect the battery.
Is it normal for a BMW in storage to sit and draw off of the battery... until it is dead?
Yeah, unfortunately
It has enough tiny parasitic draws that it is guaranteed to die if you don't top it up every once and a while or drive it.
I'd say it was an engineering flaw but I think it was really quite intentional. They car "goes to sleep" after a period of time, but it has various sensors (like height to detect somebody putting a jack under it) and controls (it can be programmed to run the HVAC fan periodically to "freshen" the cabin for example) that it never fully goes into an extreme low draw state; it can't, as it is too "aware"
I left a Ford motorhome parked all winter in an unheated shed with no power. Went to go get it last weekend, and it fired right up like it had been sitting there for the weekend (it had been sitting there since late October).
I didn't even disconnect the battery.
Is it normal for a BMW in storage to sit and draw off of the battery... until it is dead?
Yeah, unfortunately
I'd say it was an engineering flaw but I think it was really quite intentional. They car "goes to sleep" after a period of time, but it has various sensors (like height to detect somebody putting a jack under it) and controls (it can be programmed to run the HVAC fan periodically to "freshen" the cabin for example) that it never fully goes into an extreme low draw state; it can't, as it is too "aware"
So you haven't looked at the car since you put it in the garage for the winter?
I'll admit that I've only been in the garage probably half a dozen times since I put my old 318i in it for the winter, but I always check to see that the maintainer is still working and that the windows still retract when I open a door.
Throw your real charger on the batt at a slow rate and give it a good all-nighter.
The battery might be okay after this.
Resist the urge to jump it off or roll it down the driveway to start it and then drive it hard for some distance to charge the battery.
This wouldn't be good for either the battery (cheap) or the alternator (not cheap).
I'll admit that I've only been in the garage probably half a dozen times since I put my old 318i in it for the winter, but I always check to see that the maintainer is still working and that the windows still retract when I open a door.
Throw your real charger on the batt at a slow rate and give it a good all-nighter.
The battery might be okay after this.
Resist the urge to jump it off or roll it down the driveway to start it and then drive it hard for some distance to charge the battery.
This wouldn't be good for either the battery (cheap) or the alternator (not cheap).
i started up the volvo after 3 months sitting all the way in behind the garage and it started up with a 1 year old duralast gold.
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
To put the battery tender on the M5 this winter. DOH!!! Went to fire it up today and it was stone dead.
Battery is less than a year old
Welcome to the club, did it freeze? Mine did its all over. LOL Surprisingly Sears still warrantied it, even after after i told them it froze.
If its bulged it froze. If not a jump start may bring it back it back to life.
To put the battery tender on the M5 this winter. DOH!!! Went to fire it up today and it was stone dead.
Battery is less than a year old
Welcome to the club, did it freeze? Mine did its all over. LOL Surprisingly Sears still warrantied it, even after after i told them it froze.
If its bulged it froze. If not a jump start may bring it back it back to life.
for sure take it in and exchange it for a new one under warranty of course... booyah
Maybe it didn't freeze, Overkill, but you had a typical Saskatchewan winter this year out in your neck of the woods, so one never knows.
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
I left a Ford motorhome parked all winter in an unheated shed with no power. Went to go get it last weekend, and it fired right up like it had been sitting there for the weekend (it had been sitting there since late October).
I didn't even disconnect the battery.
Is it normal for a BMW in storage to sit and draw off of the battery... until it is dead?
Yeah, unfortunately
It has enough tiny parasitic draws that it is guaranteed to die if you don't top it up every once and a while or drive it.
I'd say it was an engineering flaw but I think it was really quite intentional. They car "goes to sleep" after a period of time, but it has various sensors (like height to detect somebody putting a jack under it) and controls (it can be programmed to run the HVAC fan periodically to "freshen" the cabin for example) that it never fully goes into an extreme low draw state; it can't, as it is too "aware"
Most luxury cars today draw voltage while sitting there. Keyless entry is always on.
Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
I left a Ford motorhome parked all winter in an unheated shed with no power. Went to go get it last weekend, and it fired right up like it had been sitting there for the weekend (it had been sitting there since late October).
I didn't even disconnect the battery.
Is it normal for a BMW in storage to sit and draw off of the battery... until it is dead?
Yeah, unfortunately
I'd say it was an engineering flaw but I think it was really quite intentional. They car "goes to sleep" after a period of time, but it has various sensors (like height to detect somebody putting a jack under it) and controls (it can be programmed to run the HVAC fan periodically to "freshen" the cabin for example) that it never fully goes into an extreme low draw state; it can't, as it is too "aware"
Most luxury cars today draw voltage while sitting there. Keyless entry is always on.
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Our E60 will kill the battery in less than a month. BMW recommended that we buy a BMW brand battery tender.
At the dealership there was a guy whos job appeared to be running around jumping cars.
At the dealership there was a guy whos job appeared to be running around jumping cars.
More modern cars are even worse, you can order a battery tender with most new Mercedes.
The kicker with the new ones is your in for a world of hurt if they do go stone dead.
The kicker with the new ones is your in for a world of hurt if they do go stone dead.
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OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
So you haven't looked at the car since you put it in the garage for the winter?
I'll admit that I've only been in the garage probably half a dozen times since I put my old 318i in it for the winter, but I always check to see that the maintainer is still working and that the windows still retract when I open a door.
Throw your real charger on the batt at a slow rate and give it a good all-nighter.
The battery might be okay after this.
Resist the urge to jump it off or roll it down the driveway to start it and then drive it hard for some distance to charge the battery.
This wouldn't be good for either the battery (cheap) or the alternator (not cheap).
Correct. My garage is as old as my house (think pre Model T) and has a number of items in it that make exit/entry not really all that desirable unless you absolutely have to. I put the car under its cover and parked it. Hadn't checked on it until today (though I had considered giving it a look the other day when it was +7 out).
I've got the charger on it now. The battery isn't bulged but it is stone dead
Still under warranty of course. We'll see how it comes back to life I guess.
So you haven't looked at the car since you put it in the garage for the winter?
I'll admit that I've only been in the garage probably half a dozen times since I put my old 318i in it for the winter, but I always check to see that the maintainer is still working and that the windows still retract when I open a door.
Throw your real charger on the batt at a slow rate and give it a good all-nighter.
The battery might be okay after this.
Resist the urge to jump it off or roll it down the driveway to start it and then drive it hard for some distance to charge the battery.
This wouldn't be good for either the battery (cheap) or the alternator (not cheap).
Correct. My garage is as old as my house (think pre Model T) and has a number of items in it that make exit/entry not really all that desirable unless you absolutely have to. I put the car under its cover and parked it. Hadn't checked on it until today (though I had considered giving it a look the other day when it was +7 out).
I've got the charger on it now. The battery isn't bulged but it is stone dead
Still under warranty of course. We'll see how it comes back to life I guess.
If its not bulged it might be okay although sometimes a charger wont resurrect them, it takes a jump and let it sit for a few min then it will take a charge.
I went through this with my first GP the Die hard was already 5 years old and i locked it with the remote (huge mistake it set the alarm system). I jumped it then charged it at 2A and its been fine ever since, that was 6 years ago and it still in good shape.
Now i just lock it with a key and it doesn't drain the battery over the whole winter, i just started it the other day, its been in since beginning of Nov.
I went through this with my first GP the Die hard was already 5 years old and i locked it with the remote (huge mistake it set the alarm system). I jumped it then charged it at 2A and its been fine ever since, that was 6 years ago and it still in good shape.
Now i just lock it with a key and it doesn't drain the battery over the whole winter, i just started it the other day, its been in since beginning of Nov.
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Well, good news. I've only had the charger on it for about an hour and already it almost turns over so I'm guessing the battery is OK
Its probably fine.
I would leave charger on for 24 hours to fully charge the battery before trying to start the engine.
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
I would leave charger on for 24 hours to fully charge the battery before trying to start the engine.
I probably won't do 24 (I'll likely try tomorrow sometime earlier in the day) but yeah, I just wanted to see if the battery was taking a charge and it is, so that's promising
I would leave charger on for 24 hours to fully charge the battery before trying to start the engine.
I probably won't do 24 (I'll likely try tomorrow sometime earlier in the day) but yeah, I just wanted to see if the battery was taking a charge and it is, so that's promising
JHZR2
Staff member
It's probably not fine, but it may work. I suspect the impedance has risen quite a bit and there is a lot less sulfuric acid in solution.
The concern of have is that it will leave you stranded. It would be smart to check impedance. Too high or too low will be bad.
The concern of have is that it will leave you stranded. It would be smart to check impedance. Too high or too low will be bad.
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