Please START! [emoji37]

[1BeemerPurist]

Hi Fanatics.

Need some guidance. My 130i sleeps outside, it tends to struggle to start in the AM. I have been monitoring for the past two weeks, besides the mornings now it's laboring to start in the afternoon.

Did the following:

1) Tested battery with the car switched off (12.2V)
2) Did the same with engine running (14.1V to 14.3V)
3) Verified the above via the hidden menu
4) Charged the battery via intelligent battery charger overnight, removed charger and checked voltage via hidden menu (12.1V) prior to starting. Laboured to start yet again, on start voltage drops to approx (10.3V)

Could it be my Starter?


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[S1NGH 911]

How old is your battery?

Winter tends to kill weak batteries:hammerhead:

 

[Coisman]

How old is your battery?

Winter tends to kill weak batteries:hammerhead:

Totally agree.

 

[Zach]

If you only got 12.1v on the battery from an overnight charge then your battery is almost dead.

 

[Schalk94]

If you only got 12.1v on the battery from an overnight charge then your battery is almost dead.

I agree,12.1V for a battery that was just charged is a little low. It should be about 12.6-12.7V IIRC.

 

[Clint@MMS AUTO]

I think the Battery is too low... Try borrow another battery from someone to test before you check/change the starter..

one of my cars doesn't start if the battery is under 13v.

I Bought a new Varta battery last week... the new battery read 15.3V before i could even use it. Put it on the charger first before fitting it in the car and it was at 95%, after the change it was reading 17.6V @ 100% charge. Car fired up immediately.

 

[shauwn]

Hi Fanatics.

Need some guidance. My 130i sleeps outside, it tends to struggle to start in the AM. I have been monitoring for the past two weeks, besides the mornings now it's laboring to start in the afternoon.

Did the following:

1) Tested battery with the car switched off (12.2V)
2) Did the same with engine running (14.1V to 14.3V)
3) Verified the above via the hidden menu
4) Charged the battery via intelligent battery charger overnight, removed charger and checked voltage via hidden menu (12.1V) prior to starting. Laboured to start yet again, on start voltage drops to approx (10.3V)

Could it be my Starter?


Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk

Sleep outside and park the car in the house :smilebounce::smilebounce:

 

[gavsadler]

I’m actually having the exact same issue as you with my 130i.

My battery is 4-5 years old now (I think), and same issues. About 12.2v on its own, car struggles to start and takes a while to settle down into a steady idle and only then does the voltage stabilize at around 14.3v.

I also got a whole bunch of other faults coming up with the DTC, alternator, cranks sensor etc

I’ll update my thread separately later this week. I’ll probably buy a battery over the weekend and fit and test.

 

[Dirtydeedsman]

Its the battery, Winter kills weak batteries and its important to note that Voltage is not really necessary when starting a car but current. You can have full 12V but if your current is low then the car will labor to start

Think KW(Voltage) and NM(Current)...


Other things will pop up like what @gavsadler said, mine then became the power steering error and then some other ish. After the car has run for a bit. Switch it off then on again and all faults were gone.

 

[Spiro]

battery sounds toast bud, most of the battery places will do a free battery test... keep in mind, in winter the battery flops even quicker.... and if the car is outside it's gonna drop even lower...


:thumbs:

 

[Riaad]

Yeah, my 5 year old battery called it quits as well...car was laboring on the cold start

Think KW(Voltage) and NM(Current)...

Well said :thumbs:

 

[1BeemerPurist]

How old is your battery?

Winter tends to kill weak batteries:hammerhead:

I have the car for 6 years and haven't changed the battery.

Took it to Battery Centre a week a ago. Reading was very similar to what I tested. He mentioned batteries in the boot last 9 years or so. Told me most likely cold conditions.

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How old is your battery?

Winter tends to kill weak batteries:hammerhead:

Totally agree.

Although battery in the boot and not under the hood. Are the cold conditions just as harsh on the battery?

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If you only got 12.1v on the battery from an overnight charge then your battery is almost dead.

That's what I thought, battery centre made me change my mind

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If you only got 12.1v on the battery from an overnight charge then your battery is almost dead.

I agree,12.1V for a battery that was just charged is a little low. It should be about 12.6-12.7V IIRC.

Oops then my battery certainly shot

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I think the Battery is too low... Try borrow another battery from someone to test before you check/change the starter..

one of my cars doesn't start if the battery is under 13v.

I Bought a new Varta battery last week... the new battery read 15.3V before i could even use it. Put it on the charger first before fitting it in the car and it was at 95%, after the change it was reading 17.6V @ 100% charge. Car fired up immediately.

Wow. Those voltages are way higher than mines.... Another vote for dead battery

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I’m actually having the exact same issue as you with my 130i.

My battery is 4-5 years old now (I think), and same issues. About 12.2v on its own, car struggles to start and takes a while to settle down into a steady idle and only then does the voltage stabilize at around 14.3v.

I also got a whole bunch of other faults coming up with the DTC, alternator, cranks sensor etc

I’ll update my thread separately later this week. I’ll probably buy a battery over the weekend and fit and test.

Spot on. My exact story. Fortunately I don't have the different errors.

What brand battery are you considering fitting?

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Its the battery, Winter kills weak batteries and its important to note that Voltage is not really necessary when starting a car but current. You can have full 12V but if your current is low then the car will labor to start

Think KW(Voltage) and NM(Current)...


Other things will pop up like what @gavsadler said, mine then became the power steering error and then some other ish. After the car has run for a bit. Switch it off then on again and all faults were gone.

Thanks for the explanation. Voltage vs Amps. Well said.

What brand battery did you replace with?

Is there any procedure or funnies when replacing battery or is it poorly plug and play?

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battery sounds toast bud, most of the battery places will do a free battery test... keep in mind, in winter the battery flops even quicker.... and if the car is outside it's gonna drop even lower...


:thumbs:

Yip. Battery it is. Battery Centre mentioned that they the official manufacturer of BMW batteries.

With my car 11 years old.... Should I get the starter checked out?

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[pi328]

I recently had an issue with my E36 not starting. It would crank but not start, or start for a split second and then die. At some stage in the middle of nowhere I sat trying for almost 30 minutes (VARTA battery FTW). Turns out it was the fuse for the fuel pump that had a very small gap in the fuse wire (open top fuse, not the new plastic covered ones) that could only be seen with a magnifying glass. 22 year old fuses also die it seems. Point of my story: it's not necessarily the battery. When I battled for 30 minutes mine was sitting at 11.9V and dropped to 10V during my starting attempts, only to return to almost 12V when I let go of my key. Good luck in solving your problem.

 

[Dirtydeedsman]

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Its the battery, Winter kills weak batteries and its important to note that Voltage is not really necessary when starting a car but current. You can have full 12V but if your current is low then the car will labor to start

Think KW(Voltage) and NM(Current)...


Other things will pop up like what @gavsadler said, mine then became the power steering error and then some other ish. After the car has run for a bit. Switch it off then on again and all faults were gone.

Thanks for the explanation. Voltage vs Amps. Well said.

What brand battery did you replace with?

Is there any procedure or funnies when replacing battery or is it poorly plug and play?

Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk

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I am an Audist so got a Willard 652 recommended for A3s...

 

[1BeemerPurist]

I recently had an issue with my E36 not starting. It would crank but not start, or start for a split second and then die. At some stage in the middle of nowhere I sat trying for almost 30 minutes (VARTA battery FTW). Turns out it was the fuse for the fuel pump that had a very small gap in the fuse wire (open top fuse, not the new plastic covered ones) that could only be seen with a magnifying glass. 22 year old fuses also die it seems. Point of my story: it's not necessarily the battery. When I battled for 30 minutes mine was sitting at 11.9V and dropped to 10V during my starting attempts, only to return to almost 12V when I let go of my key. Good luck in solving your problem.

Shoot! Who would have thought a fuse.Thanks

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Its the battery, Winter kills weak batteries and its important to note that Voltage is not really necessary when starting a car but current. You can have full 12V but if your current is low then the car will labor to start

Think KW(Voltage) and NM(Current)...


Other things will pop up like what @gavsadler said, mine then became the power steering error and then some other ish. After the car has run for a bit. Switch it off then on again and all faults were gone.

Thanks for the explanation. Voltage vs Amps. Well said.

What brand battery did you replace with?

Is there any procedure or funnies when replacing battery or is it poorly plug and play?

Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk

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I am an Audist so got a Willard 652 recommended for A3s...

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Thanks . Willards also offers a 25 month nationwide warrranty.

 

[Spiro]

Starter should be fine , but but but.... sometimes due to electronic ignition , and the drop in CCA, the car may have been cranking longer to start... so it's a check\don't check item...


remember when shopping rather go for something equal or better to bmw Spec... incase you want to do any audio upgrades, or if the car sleeps outside, then the temp drop can be slightly overcome with a higher battery reserve..


also... remember to register the battery or you gonna have short charging on the new one