BavMoWo
10-25-2011, 09:10 AM
Got an electrical problem (worst week for it too... 3 exams and a paper due... Always happens, doesn't it?). Recently, I had the battery disconnected because of replacing some gauge cluster lights. I hooked everything up and even drove for 3 days. Hooked the battery up again last Wednesday and drove the car every day since then. On Saturday, I drove the car to a place, parked it on a flat area, and shut the car off. Decided I should move the car, but when I got in and turned the key, the electronics shut off. Tried it a couple times (switching key all the way off then back on), walked back to the trunk to check the battery, and as I was removing the box that covers the battery (it's the stock one, so that's not the problem) the electronics popped back on (I had the key turned and heard the antenna start to raise up). Got in the car, started it right up. Drove the car every day without trouble until now.
Today (the next Tuesday), I had the car parked on a slant in my driveway (haven't been parking there normally, but had to when I got home last night). When I walked out to start the car this morning, same issue. Walked back to the back to look at the battery again, SAME THING happened. Tried to start the car, but this time the power cut back off as soon as I tried to turn the key all the way (power did not shut off until the starter would have cranked). Got a second person to try to start the car while I moved the battery. Found out that all I needed to do was jiggle the battery slightly and the electronics would come back, but that the starter would kill it again. Also, I smelled that slight electrical-spark smell in the trunk, but there was no smoke or anything along those lines. Just a light smell when you got close to it right after trying to start the car. The car never started, and the only way to get the car back on level ground is to roll it into the road...
The battery cables do not look old. There's no corrosion on the posts and the posts are tight. Both cables seem solidly connected to the posts (they're tight, no wobble or twisting).
What do you guys think? It's a 1989 325i, had it about 2 months now and had never had this problem until Saturday. I could use help on this ASAP so I can try to fix it this weekend. I don't really have reliable transport until then (gotta rely on a loan from someone, and I hate that).
Today (the next Tuesday), I had the car parked on a slant in my driveway (haven't been parking there normally, but had to when I got home last night). When I walked out to start the car this morning, same issue. Walked back to the back to look at the battery again, SAME THING happened. Tried to start the car, but this time the power cut back off as soon as I tried to turn the key all the way (power did not shut off until the starter would have cranked). Got a second person to try to start the car while I moved the battery. Found out that all I needed to do was jiggle the battery slightly and the electronics would come back, but that the starter would kill it again. Also, I smelled that slight electrical-spark smell in the trunk, but there was no smoke or anything along those lines. Just a light smell when you got close to it right after trying to start the car. The car never started, and the only way to get the car back on level ground is to roll it into the road...
The battery cables do not look old. There's no corrosion on the posts and the posts are tight. Both cables seem solidly connected to the posts (they're tight, no wobble or twisting).
What do you guys think? It's a 1989 325i, had it about 2 months now and had never had this problem until Saturday. I could use help on this ASAP so I can try to fix it this weekend. I don't really have reliable transport until then (gotta rely on a loan from someone, and I hate that).