Dead Battery, Jump start didn't work

Tiny
DSHABBIT
  • MEMBER
  • 1990 BMW 325I
  • RWD
  • MANUAL
  • 150,000 MILES
I recently left the parking lights on in my car over night, and when I attempted to start it the next day the battery was dead. When we connected jumper cables to the battery for a jump start, the light inside the trunk lit up. When I turned the key forward (not all the way) all of the dashboard lights came on like they normally do. But when I turned it all the way forward to start it, everything switched off and the engine gave no signs of even beginning to turn over. Since then, the car still won't start, and subsequent attempts to jump it haven't even gotten the lights to turn on in the same way.
Saturday, December 20th, 2014 AT 1:55 PM

1 Reply

Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,916 POSTS
It sounds like you had bad connections on the jumper cable clamps. That is pretty common. Also, it takes a good 15 minutes for a totally dead battery to START taking a charge. Given the age of your car, (I drive an '88 minivan), you don't have to worry about computers needing to be unlocked by the dealer. Put a small portable battery charger on the battery and charge it for a couple of hours on the lowest setting, typically around 6 to 10 amps. If you still have trouble, check the battery cable clamps for corrosion and tightness.
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Saturday, December 20th, 2014 AT 2:53 PM

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