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Thread: Battery draining - found the causes

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    Ottawa Canada
    Posts
    26
    My Cars
    2006 Z4M

    Battery draining - found the causes

    06 Z4M I noticed my engine was cranking slower so I checked my battery voltage and sure enough, it was way down. When running, voltage is about 14.2 so the charging system is OK. Battery is just over a year old so probably OK. I checked the current drain with ignition off and yes, draw was way high, about 1.5 amps. I dug into possible draws and found both the trunk light and the light in the cubby between the seats (DVD player for navigation) stayed on even with the doors closed. So for now, the both lights are removed and the resting current drain is now in spec. My question is: Where the heck are the switches for the trunk and cubby light? Thanks

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Arida Zona
    Posts
    30,107
    My Cars
    z3
    I believe there is a "button" for the trunk lid in one of the stops that the trunk rests on. Not sure about the interior cubby light. Look around the perimeter of the trunk, push anything that looks pushable... you'll find whatever it is that tells the trunk its closed sooner or later.

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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    vacaville
    Posts
    308
    My Cars
    545i ml500 z4
    The switch is below the door for the cubby
    545i 6 speed

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    Ottawa Canada
    Posts
    26
    My Cars
    2006 Z4M
    Thanks guys. Rainy day tomorrow so with your info, I'll find them and post pics for the next person that has this problem.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Victoria BC Canada
    Posts
    380
    My Cars
    2004 Z4, 1700 Nomad MC
    The cubby door has a small plastic tab that engages the switch that turns off the light. Most cost efficient fix is to drill a small hole where the tab has broken off and screw in a small screw. Works quite well.

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  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    Ottawa Canada
    Posts
    26
    My Cars
    2006 Z4M
    I found that the trunk light switch is part of the latch mechanism in the trunk lid. Although it is riveted together on the bottom part, there are clips on one side that allow you to lift the cover and see inside. The switch was OK, the metal tab ( see picture) just needed bending a bit so the cam operated the switch when the lid is closed. As Clearancediver stated, the cubby light was not shutting off because the tab was indeed broken off . Cost of the whole job, just some time.

    Picture is pretty small, double click to see the details.
    DSCF5578.jpg
    Last edited by RideauZ; 09-20-2015 at 08:13 PM.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    So Cal
    Posts
    269
    My Cars
    '04 X5, '08 Z4MC

    Thumbs up

    Thanks for the detailed picture of the trunk latch switch fix

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Atlanta, GA
    Posts
    818
    My Cars
    06 M Roadster Red/Blk
    This is the first I have heard of an issue with the trunk switch. Glad you figured it out.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2017
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    1
    My Cars
    Z4 3.0 2003
    Was worried about the battery drain until I found this post!
    It was the cubby light switch that was broken for me. I left the Z unlocked in the garage and came back to a drained battery 2 weeks later. (must use it more!)
    Seems that I had never noticed it before as the light is switched off when you lock the car.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2017
    Location
    Stormville, NY
    Posts
    20
    My Cars
    2007 BMW z4
    This recommendation worked great on my 2007 Z4 for my alway on unless I locked the car cubby light issue. I have seen a couple of posts with the drill a hole and use a screw recommendation.

    This forum is awesome!!

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