Battery

[equate]

Well its winter and my car is uncovering a load of problems. Today is the 2nd time my battery has been acting up. After letting my car freeze at night and I start it in the morning it has a really though time starting the electronics. The car almost dies and the abtter light comes on and my OBC resets its self. Is this my battery? Just gets real annoying setting my OBC every other day.

 

[wood_e]

How is your alternator? I would have it checked for proper charging, as well as your bettery for proper voltage at idle and with the key on.

I would also clean up your battery connections/cables. Make sure they're tight and corrosion free...

 

[equate]

How can I check it? There is no corrosion, this should be a brand new battery. When I bought my car in July the previous owner said he just put a new one in.

 

[wood_e]

I think you can take it to auto zone or checker auto parts and they can test the electrical system. I am not sure if you have to remove the alternator or not.

 

[mikev]

I am not sure if you have to remove the alternator or not.

shouldn't have to they'll just connect up an amp meter to the terminals and rev the engine to 2-3k and see if its getting the correct output.

 

[j2azz]

I agree with the above posts. First check the alternator like everyone says, if good, have the battery tested. If both are good, you could also try unhooking the battery on night (right after you get home), hook it up in the morning and see if it starts the car properly. If it does, you have a short somewhere that is draining the battery when its connected.

 

[wood_e]

shouldn't have to they'll just connect up an amp meter to the terminals and rev the engine to 2-3k and see if its getting the correct output.

Checker I believe does load testing of alternators only. I tried to get them to test my Camaro's alternator about 6 months ago and they said it needed to be out of the car. Needless to say I waited till it failed and brought it in. It was putting out a stunning 0 amps... gotta love free spinning Delphi alternators...

Auto zone I think can test it in the car.

 

[equate]

Yeah theres for sure something wrong. Today when I started the battery light came on right away, my deck power up and started to play. I hit the wipers then the deck would lose power when the wipers were on. But when they stopped it would power again. So this should be an alternator problem? Also I get a really bad squeaking so maybe its my alternator brushings? Wouldn't be to surprised if my alternator is totally shot.

 

[andreyiv]

Everything points to the alternator, just like everyone else says. The problem is getting worse because the battery isn't charging enough or at all and strating the engine really takes a lot of power.

 

[wood_e]

Just get a remanufactured alternator. I believe BMW uses Bosch ones, but any aftermarket one should do you well (thats fitted for your car of course). Be sure to fully charge your battery before you start the car with the new alternator in. You can ruin the battery as well as the new alternator if you do not do that.

 

[Average Jae]

you should check your batteries to make sure they are as the previous owner has said.

i had the battery die on me twice on my older talon, both times i thought it was the alternator that was causing the battery charge issues, but it was infact the battery losing it's charging power.. in mycase every time i would start the car up, it would sound like the car was about to die.. well closer to death every susquent try.. ^^;; if that makes sense. first one was replaced lil under 36000 miles and just got one replaced at around 85k.. just another pov ^^