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BMW 3-Series Maintenance and Repair

5349 messages,  Last post on Apr 30, 2013 at 3:31 PM

You are in the BMW 3-Series Forum.

What is this discussion about? BMW 3 Series, Sedan

    
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Messages Page 521 of 536

#5194 of 5349 Re: 2006 BMW 330xi will not start [hemanthh] by paddy159

Jan 18, 2012 (3:09 pm)

Replying to: hemanthh (Jan 18, 2012 2:07 pm)
It could be the battery. Rapid continuous clicking is the type of sound you get from a solenoid when the voltage is too low to fully engage it. Also, automotive batteries only last so long. 7 years is about average for a battery. A lot of shops will test your battery for free. Have you got AAA or other roadservice like that? Can you get your hands on a voltmeter? If the battery is reading lower than 12.6 Volts, there's a problem. However, you could have a bad ground, bad starter solenoid, bad connection. There's too many possibles for someone to tell you what it is without actually looking at the problem. One other thing, how cold is a cold night? 20deg., -20deg? I'm not real familiar with batteries capabilities at cold temperatures (I live in Calif.) but extreme cold could be a real factor.

#5195 of 5349 Re: 2006 BMW 330xi will not start [hemanthh] by busiris

Jan 18, 2012 (8:00 pm)

Replying to: hemanthh (Jan 18, 2012 2:07 pm)
If you have the original battery in the car, the likely hood is a defective battery.
 
Can you jump start the car? If so, it's the battery 99% of the time.

#5196 of 5349 Re: 2006 BMW 330xi will not start [busiris] by srs_49

Jan 19, 2012 (10:27 am)

Replying to: busiris (Jan 18, 2012 8:00 pm)
I'm with busiris and hemanthh.
 
6 or 7 year old battery + very cold => weak output

#5197 of 5349 Re: 2006 BMW 330xi will not start [srs_49] by puffin1

Jan 20, 2012 (12:11 pm)

Replying to: srs_49 (Jan 19, 2012 10:27 am)
Who keeps a battery 7 years?

#5198 of 5349 Re: 2006 BMW 330xi will not start [puffin1] by hemanthh

Jan 20, 2012 (12:26 pm)

Replying to: puffin1 (Jan 20, 2012 12:11 pm)
Thanks all! I just jumped the car, and it did start up. The all-wheel drive symbol seems to be gone as well. It is a 5-6 year old car, but I drive sparingly, so have low mileage.
 
Looks like I hadnt driven for more than a week and the weather has dipped to the 20's with a couple of exceptionally cold nights and that did the battery in.
 
Hope it keeps charge and I dont have to replace it. One dealer gave me a quote of $450 for replacing the battery.
 
Another says there is a black battery and there is a white battery and there are about $150 and $250 or so, not counting labor.
 
Thanks all!!

#5199 of 5349 Re: 2006 BMW 330xi will not start [hemanthh] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Jan 20, 2012 (12:37 pm)

Replying to: hemanthh (Jan 20, 2012 12:26 pm)
Well we all want to pry your fingers away from your checkbook and get you to buy a new battery. Anyone have ideas for him as to how to avoid the dealer's rather pricey specimen?

#5200 of 5349 Re: 2006 BMW 330xi will not start [puffin1] by srs_49

Jan 20, 2012 (12:44 pm)

Replying to: puffin1 (Jan 20, 2012 12:11 pm)
Who keeps a battery 7 years?
 
That'll be me, or even longer . My (almost) 21 year old Sentra is only on it's second battery. The '87 BMW I got rid of in the fall was still on the battery my son put in back in 2001. My 2005 truck still has the factory battery in it.

#5201 of 5349 Re: 2006 BMW 330xi will not start [Mr_Shiftright] by stickguy

Jan 20, 2012 (2:12 pm)

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Jan 20, 2012 12:37 pm)
Try Walmart. They have good batteries. Quite possible they carry one for a 3 series.
 
Or autozone. Sears.
 
it's just a battery, even if it is in the trunk!

#5202 of 5349 Re: 2006 BMW 330xi will not start [stickguy] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Jan 20, 2012 (2:25 pm)

Replying to: stickguy (Jan 20, 2012 2:12 pm)
Below freezing, a battery can lose up to 40% of its power. So if it's 'good enough' for 32 and above, it may not be at 20 and below.

#5203 of 5349 Re: 2006 BMW 330xi will not start [puffin1] by kyfdx HOST

Jan 20, 2012 (2:37 pm)

Replying to: puffin1 (Jan 20, 2012 12:11 pm)
I'm on the original battery in my car... Six years old and counting...

Messages Page 521 of 536

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