Another flat battery

kstandsteve · Post by **kstandsteve** » Wed Dec 28, 2011 6:10 pm

Not really what i wanted for xmas!

2002 X5 (E53) 3.0 Sport

This problem may have been running for a while.

My blower has always played up and on occaisons would just pack in. Anyway a few weeks back I awoke to a flat battery. Searching on here it seemed that the FSR was at fault so this was replaced and all seemed well.
Anyway xmas day got family in the car and battery flat again. Jump started it and drove to in laws. Turned it off and tried to start it and it fired up ok. Anyway later that day went to go home and was flat again so another jump was required.
Got it home - it was late so just left it on drive. The following morning it's fine.

Started ok since til today and it's flat again.

Was contemplating just going to halfords and getting a new battery but at Â£110 and the fact its ok some mornings makes me think its not battery but something else.

Now, when I was searching on Internet I saw other people saying the radio can flatten the battery? Now I do have a problem with my radio in that it goes off all of a sudden and wont come back on (orange light is on but no sound) this was put down to a faulty radio module which hasnt been repaired yet.

Could this be my problem? Or something else.

Cheers for any help - feel as tho I cant trust it at the mo.

ITBarbie · Post by **ITBarbie** » Wed Dec 28, 2011 6:31 pm

All I can say is with these cars when the battery dies it can cause all manner of weird things to happen to the X. I would recommend a change of battery as your first port of call.

You also have to factor in that now the battery has gone completely flat it can cause irreparable damage so I would get a new one. I would see what price eurocarparts are offering if there is one near you as you should definitely be able to better that price

kstandsteve · Post by **kstandsteve** » Wed Dec 28, 2011 6:39 pm

Cheers
What's strange is it seems to be fine for a while then fails to start. All connections seem fine.
Don't have a eurocarparts but will ring round see what prices I get.

Was thinking of removing the radio module anyway as this needs to go for repair as this needs to be eliminated.

strummer · Post by **strummer** » Wed Dec 28, 2011 7:00 pm

make sure all interior lights are going off when you lock the car,have a look in the boot to make sure the tailgate lights are off,I had a problem where sometimes my boot light was staying on even tho the boot was shut,the switch is triggered by the lock closing,give it a little spray with lube

kstandsteve · Post by **kstandsteve** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 4:07 pm

Update

It's been non stop rain so not had chance to do the checks. Went out yesterday morning and car was completely dead. So put battery on charge overnight. Have also removed radio module as this needs to go for repair.

This morning refitted battery and took it to kwikfit for test. They said battery was showing 63% and needed charging. Explained it had been on charge all night and he said some cells must be dead and replacement battery needed. They didn't have one so went to halfords they checked battery and said 61% charge but battery is fine he said test would show if battery had lost cells.

So don't know who to believe now.

gchristofi · Post by **gchristofi** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 4:21 pm

I agree with others, next thing is to change the battery and be sure you're not wasting time and effort trying to track down a more complicated issue that just doesn't exist. There was a thread on here recently with information that meant you could get the 5 year Bosch silver battery from ECP for about Â£85 delivered. pretty good deal. i'll see if i can dig out the info for you.

gchristofi · Post by **gchristofi** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 4:27 pm

ok, stolen from the other thread (as haven't quite figure how to link yet!!)

http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/c/Audi_ ... 5d3&000020

part no on ECP website is Part No.: 444770198

discount code is mbclub25 (25% off)

kstandsteve · Post by **kstandsteve** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 5:13 pm

That's great cheers for finding that have been looking at the Bosch one which seems a good upgrade.
Will get one ordered and go from there.

gchristofi · Post by **gchristofi** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 5:29 pm

no worries. Hope it sorts the issue once and for all

kstandsteve · Post by **kstandsteve** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 6:18 pm

Ordered that but just noticed it says Audi a4 - is thi the correct one?

gchristofi · Post by **gchristofi** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 8:38 pm

yes, it's the correct one. the ECP website didn't offer it for our cars for some reason, only offering the 3 year s3 bosch instead. It is the same physical size and more than matches the spec of original BMW battery.

n1k85 · Post by **n1k85** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 9:26 pm

I bought a Bosch Silver S5 battery today from Halfords, it was Â£129 but using my bro's discount card I got it for Â£90. I got bored of jumping the car every few days and the battery was 7 years old so thought I'd swap it for peace of mind. Changing the battery was a bit of a PITA but at least I can start the car without crossing my fingers now!

kstandsteve · Post by **kstandsteve** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 10:05 pm

Cheers peeps

Sounds good. Look forward to getting it on and hopefully no more probs.

pvr · Post by **pvr** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 11:30 am

Do you have any idea how old the battery actually is?

kstandsteve · Post by **kstandsteve** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 7:52 pm

No way of telling how old battery is. No date on it and I have only had car 6 months or so

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