Help! Car is COMPLETELY dead - Not battery related

I just drove home from NY yesterday and came back about 8PM, car sat outside the whole night @ around 30F . This morning, I tried to unlock it, nothing. COMPLETELY dead.

Process of elimination:
1) Comfort access key fob, Changed battery = Car won't unlock
2) Maybe it is a battery issue, waited later in the PM for warmer weather = No changes
3) Finally called BMW roadside, had to use lockout kit.

-Battery is new, H8 AGM 990 CCA Autocraft Platinum, REGISTERED with WINKFP around Thanksgiving.
-ALWAYS kept on a battery maintainer.

FINALLY, got into the car, but when I opened the door, car has no lights.
Opened the hood, measured the voltage across the terminals...SOLID 12.82V


WTF is the problem? I'm thinking this is related to the battery terminal recall???
I have this documented in a video where the technician tried jumping, car DID NOT DRAW ANY AMPS

I'm going to wait in the morning to check on the fuses under the glove box, if that fails, it's going on a flat bed in the afternoon


Edit 23 Feb 2017: Solved here http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?p=21323080#post21323080

WingZeroX5 wrote

I just drove home from NY yesterday and came back about 8PM, car sat outside the whole night @ around 30F . This morning, I tried to unlock it, nothing. COMPLETELY dead.

Process of elimination:
1) Comfort access key fob, Changed battery = Car won't unlock
2) Maybe it is a battery issue, waited later in the PM for warmer weather = No changes
3) Finally called BMW roadside, had to use lockout kit.

-Battery is new, H8 AGM 990 CCA Autocraft Platinum, REGISTERED with WINKFP around Thanksgiving.
-ALWAYS kept on a battery maintainer.

FINALLY, got into the car, but when I opened the door, car has no lights.
Opened the hood, measured the voltage across the terminals...SOLID 12.82V

WTF is the problem? I'm thinking this is related to the battery terminal recall???
I have this documented in a video where the technician tried jumping, car DID NOT DRAW ANY AMPS

I'm going to wait in the morning to check on the fuses under the glove box, if that fails, it's going on a flat bed in the afternoon

Open to glove box, grab the fuse box and shake it around. If the power comes back on its the battery cable issue. I think it's 90% likely that is the issue.

Most likely the battery cable. There was a recall for non-M's. Cheap solution . Disconnect cable, cut it and crimp the BMW cable. It's a fat cable so will probably need a shop to do this. Dealer might even have your car under a service bulletin for this.

Sounds like a textbook battery cable to junction box connection issue as per the non-M recalls. Some have had their M3s done now too. It's very important for obvious reasons but in some cases the connection to the junction box melts due to the shorting out. Thankfully the recall covers the box as well. The one on my 328i had melted so badly it could've posed a serious fire hazard.

msan wrote

Most likely the battery cable. There was a recall for non-M's. Cheap solution . Disconnect cable, cut it and crimp the BMW cable. It's a fat cable so will probably need a shop to do this. Dealer might even have your car under a service bulletin for this.

Called the dealership, bringing it in to see what they can do.

6ixSpd wrote

Sounds like a textbook battery cable to junction box connection issue as per the non-M recalls. Some have had their M3s done now too. It's very important for obvious reasons but in some cases the connection to the junction box melts due to the shorting out. Thankfully the recall covers the box as well. The one on my 328i had melted so badly it could've posed a serious fire hazard.

Unfortunately, the M3 doesn't fit under the recall, but my dealership is a pretty good one..maybe with the evidence I got, they can have BMW do something

dmppdx wrote

Open to glove box, grab the fuse box and shake it around. If the power comes back on its the battery cable issue. I think it's 90% likely that is the issue.

+1000, just shook it and the car came back to life. Looks like it is the culprit. Do you know the P/N to the cable?

WingZeroX5 wrote

Called the dealership, bringing it in to see what they can do.



Unfortunately, the M3 doesn't fit under the recall, but my dealership is a pretty good one..maybe with the evidence I got, they can have BMW do something



+1000, just shook it and the car came back to life. Looks like it is the culprit. Do you know the P/N to the cable?

Are you sure it doesn't? I just had my battery cable replaced last week under recall... 2011.75 Canadian model though.

ash4390 wrote

Are you sure it doesn't? I just had my battery cable replaced last week under recall... 2011.75 Canadian model though.

It is not an official recall but there is a SIB out for the M3 battery cable. Confirmed this with my dealer a couple of weeks ago but have yet to bring it in... My car was produced Sept 2010 (2011.5).

OP, have the dealer run your VIN. Pretty sure the battery cable will be covered for you...

Edit: Forgot I had this. Covers M3's with build dates of Dec 1, 2009 to April 10, 2011. Check your build date!

I had mine replaced under recall a couple of weeks ago.

kscarrol wrote

ash4390 wrote

Are you sure it doesn't? I just had my battery cable replaced last week under recall... 2011.75 Canadian model though.

It is not an official recall but there is a SIB out for the M3 battery cable. Confirmed this with my dealer a couple of weeks ago but have yet to bring it in... My car was produced Sept 2010 (2011.5).

OP, have the dealer run your VIN. Pretty sure the battery cable will be covered for you...

Edit: Forgot I had this. Covers M3's with build dates of Dec 1, 2009 to April 10, 2011. Check your build date!

My build date is may

Do you have the part no that was replaces? Im thinking if it's the same part, then....it obviously affected my vehicle too, no?

WingZeroX5 wrote

My build date is may

Do you have the part no that was replaces? Im thinking if it's the same part, then....it obviously affected my vehicle too, no?

Here is the cable you will need.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-Genuine-OEM-Rep-wire-for-B-61-12-9-312-133-/351244507171?hash=item51c7cdd823:g:L9EAAOSw44BYlxY~&vxp=mtr

The fix is pretty easy, but you will also need a hydraulic crimper. I bought one at Harbor freight for around $30 I think.

dmppdx wrote

WingZeroX5 wrote

My build date is may

Do you have the part no that was replaces? Im thinking if it's the same part, then....it obviously affected my vehicle too, no?

Here is the cable you will need.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-Genuine-OEM-Rep-wire-for-B-61-12-9-312-133-/351244507171?hash=item51c7cdd823:g:L9EAAOSw44BYlxY~&vxp=mtr

The fix is pretty easy, but you will also need a hydraulic crimper. I bought one at Harbor freight for around $30 I think.

Well looks like dealership isnt going to help. Quoted me $2000 to replace the cable, which Im sure it's the wrong one too.

I searched for that P/N on realoem and it doesnt come up, is there a different one?

How would I go about DIYing this? I opened the glove compartment and see the fuse box, but I dont see the wire itself

WingZeroX5 wrote

Well looks like dealership isnt going to help. Quoted me $2000 to replace the cable, which Im sure it's the wrong one too.

I searched for that P/N on realoem and it doesnt come up, is there a different one?

How would I go about DIYing this? I opened the glove compartment and see the fuse box, but I dont see the wire itself

I'm not sure where it would show up in the BMW catalog since that isn't the replacement part for the existing cable since the existing cable in your car runs from the battery all the way to the fuse box. That is probably why the dealership quoted you so much since replacing the entire cable would be a lot of work. That part is what BMW came up with to fix that issue since it just involves cutting off the end of the existing cable where it meets the fuse box and crimping that piece on. Here is a post where I explained to someone else the steps involved in DIY'ing.

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showpost.php?p=20660032&postcount=39

WingZeroX5 wrote

Well looks like dealership isnt going to help. Quoted me $2000 to replace the cable, which Im sure it's the wrong one too.

I searched for that P/N on realoem and it doesnt come up, is there a different one?

How would I go about DIYing this? I opened the glove compartment and see the fuse box, but I dont see the wire itself

Are there no good independent BMW garages in your area? Having a good shop that charges reasonable prices is huge when owning a car like this. Mine charges based on actual hours not book hours and its much more reasonable than the dealership. I like my garage so much it was a big part of me not changing brands on my new car, they only work on BWM.

GL getting it fixed up

Problem fixed. Updated with DIY I just did.

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?p=21323080#post21323080

Thanks for sharing. Where did get the parts from?

Bimmer22 wrote

Thanks for sharing. Where did get the parts from?

Dealer has it. I got mine for 20 bucks

WingZeroX5 wrote

Dealer has it. I got mine for 20 bucks

Well done! And you managed to get two zeros removed from your dealer's quote for the repair!

ash4390 wrote

Are you sure it doesn't? I just had my battery cable replaced last week under recall... 2011.75 Canadian model though.

Ash4390 - Spoke to my Manitoba BMW dealer and called BMW Canada about the recall, with no luck saying it didn't apply to M3's in Canada. How did you get yours done? Do you have any BMW Canada bulletin or anything to fall back on?

Ontakama wrote

Hmmm, man that is really ... terrible actually. I got no idea what could be the cause of it, I have never heard about a similar issue.

I completely agree. The World War II was terrible too!