2003 BMW Z4 Odd Dead Battery / Starter

SQUIGIBO

MEMBER
2003 BMW Z4
6 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
51,000 MILES

This is an odd one for me. Car ran fine and cranked right up yesterday. Wife went to get in this morning and it acted like a totally dead battery. Typical clicking of the starter solenoid/dimming lights.

Went to Jump it with my truck and turned the key and lights all lit up and had plenty of juice. Stereo presets were gone, and the dash had readouts of

Here's the weird part. The battery solenoid was CLICK - CLICK - CLICK. Not the rapid fluttering. But Wham Wham Wham of the solenoid seriously smacking the starter. The truck battery has more than enough crank to turn over that little engine, and you can hear it engage the starter flywheel, but it never turns the engine over. I let it sit and charge a while with same results. Battery "eye" shows green.

2 Replies

MHPAUTOS

MECHANIC
31,937 POSTS

Hi there,

thank you for the donation,

If you can hear the solinoid engaging with force and you still have no cranking, I would be getting the starter checked for burn solinoid contacts, I would also get the alternator charge rate checked, and have the batter load tested as this is the only true way of testing the battery condition, also make sure all battery terminals are in good clean condition.

Mark (mhpautos)

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Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009 AT 3:57 AM

DOCHAGERTY

MECHANIC
9,601 POSTS

As always, I agree with Marks' assessment of the problem and I request you CLOSELY inspect the battery safety terminal on the + side of the battery. There is a small pyrotechnic device to disconnect the battery is case of an incident large enough to cause an airbag activation and this connection can and does fail from time to time, wiggle the terminal and see if it is electrically sound, any question about the connection should have it be considered for replacement.

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