Reply With QuoteGo to bmwe34.net for hints on electrical repairs... I am guessing fusible links. A short somewhere.
Major Contributor
535 not starting -- pics on last page update
So after my accident I've had the car garaged, I took it out a few times, had to jump it once a few weeks ago but drove it and yea. Started it a few days ago, ran it for a few mins, then the next day it would not start. Finally got a chance to try and jump it today and it was a no go. First we hooked it up and it cranked for a sec but nothing. Then I decided to wait, took the key out of the ignition but the obc center display stayed on displaying "Fasten Belts" along with a few other dash lights. I was puzzled. We disconnected, switched sides of the cables, and repeated about 2 times but these times not even clicking. And all the while the Brake Fluid light stayed lit dimly in the dash. So I disconnected the neg terminal of the batt a few times for a few seconds each time, it went off but on each re-connect the light lit up. Well we hooked up the jumpers again, waited several minutes while revving the other car, and tried to start the E34, no clicks nothing. Any ideas please? That Brake Fluid light will just continue to drain the batt. and I have no idea why its on. Note the car does have LoJack so consider its small battery. Also, we did get a spark on connection of the neg jumper cable each time although sometimes it was tiny and sometimes it was significantly visible (what I would consider normal). Battery is also just a few months old. Thanks!
UPDATE: Went out about 20 mins later to push car into garage, dash lights were off, and when I turned the key to II some came on dimly, but shut off once I removed the key.
On the note of what I'll do with the E34. I'm accepting Farmers check, the E34 will take a salvage title, Tim and Kim are going to help me repair anything mechanical and I'll try to buff out some of the paint stuff. Then flip the wheels, tires and anything else I have a stock part for and then sell the E34 to another BMW person who want to fix it up. So yea.
Last edited by BFEINZIMER; 10-09-2008 at 10:19 PM.
4 Grand Master
Go to bmwe34.net for hints on electrical repairs... I am guessing fusible links. A short somewhere.
4 Grand Master
Connect directly to the battery and give it time to recharge.
Even with good cables I've had little luck jump starting a BM with a really low battery.
"The gas pedal wouldn't go to the floor if it weren't meant to be there"
Major Contributor
Well I;ve had to jump it a few times over the past few years all for reasons that we're resolved previously, but we jumped it with these cables a few weeks ago and it worked fine. Other than the fusible link are there any other ideas? Can a trickle charger directly connected to the battery do anything possible to harm it, or the car? When I connect those chargers anywho, do you leave the car's electrical system hooked up or completely disconnect it when you connect the charger? Thanks!
Major Contributor
How likely is it the fusible link? I won't be able to check until tomorrow afternoon or even Friday morning...and I've read there are 2. Is the 80A wrapped in plastic that I have to unravel, or in a plastic case with clips? And should I completely disconnect the battery before messing with it, or just one end? Thanks!
Big Time Poster
switch behind the ignition barrel ?
Major Contributor
I've never even heard of that. Please things that won't freak me out!Originally Posted by sal_park
4 Grand Master
Disconnect the battery cable and charge up the battery with trickle charger first.
Grand Master
+1
When the big ass batteries on these E34's go really dead they won't start with a jump. Yeah, you jumped it a couple of weeks ago when it was dead. But a few weeks later it's got even less juice in it than it had the last time.
And when the battery on an E34 is almost dead it'll have weird stuff go on with the instrument cluster.
I'd bet that if you let the battery charge for a few days it'll crank over fine and start and your instrument cluster will be back to normal.
Cosmos Black/Black 1995 540iA M-Sport
BMW Individual Exclusive Edition, 1 of 65 total, 9/25/95 Build
Major Contributor
Hm I'll def hook up that charger tonight, how long (on avg.) do you think it will take to charge the big ass thing? I want to have it up by Saturday morning...If its not finished by then should I jump it then just to get it up?
Also do you think its worth pushing the car out of the garage to check the fusible link or the batt just needs a good strong charge? One thing I did note is that when those lights were staying on in the cluster, they did not get brighter durring the jumping operation, even when the other engine was being reved. Weird or normal?
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