Car Wouldn't Start this Morning

[4jacks]

Had to head out to work, so I Couldn't stick around and trouble shoot.

2003 Z4 3.0i
About 45k miles

All the lights came on the dash and there was a pretty loud mechanical clicking sound. It also sounded like the CD changers and CD player were resetting or something.

The past week or so the battery light has come on intermittently, and I've just been so busy I haven't looked into it. I've been meaning to. The radiator light has come on also, and I have checked my coolant. At 45k miles, I know I have to change it soon.

I'm really hoping it is just the battery and will change try that first.

One thing I read about changing the battery out is to make sure I have the radio code? What happens if I don't have that? Where on earth would I get that from? I bought the car used in Feb of last year.

Thanks for any insight.

[BimmerBreaker]

Your battery is dead, listen to your car when it throws warning lights, it isn't throwing them for fun

[4jacks]

THANKS MOM. Im jk. I know i know. Life has just been really crazy. Just moved across the country. New job. New house.

It was the battery. Replaced fairly easy. I spent an extra $40 on a battery charger thing that I hooked up to the cables so that i wouldnt have to loose presets or worry about the radio code.

However I still heard the CD changer reset when I connected my negative terminal back. My heart sank.

She started right up no problem. However my radio and dash read --:--

Confused by that because my radio presets are still. I assumed i would need that code.

After driving back to work I had the thought that maybe its just the clock. Just parked and reset the clock. Now that is gone so Im praying all is well.


All things considered I really love this car. The engine is so smooth and so powerful. Its a joy to drive.

[cdsweet]

THANKS MOM. Im jk. I know i know. Life has just been really crazy. Just moved across the country. New job. New house.

It was the battery. Replaced fairly easy. I spent an extra $40 on a battery charger thing that I hooked up to the cables so that i wouldnt have to loose presets or worry about the radio code.

However I still heard the CD changer reset when I connected my negative terminal back. My heart sank.

She started right up no problem. However my radio and dash read --:--

Confused by that because my radio presets are still. I assumed i would need that code.

After driving back to work I had the thought that maybe its just the clock. Just parked and reset the clock. Now that is gone so Im praying all is well.


All things considered I really love this car. The engine is so smooth and so powerful. Its a joy to drive.

For future reference, right after I bought my z4 and unplugged the battery for carpet cleaning and roof motor replacement.
I went thru the same worries with setting up my business class cd radio.
I called BMW of USA who were very little help, then called the dealer who were the 1st to receive/sell the car and they had no idea other than to take the car in and have them figure out the code.
I read online and found the answer I was looking for; in the trunk, on the back 'firewall'? Under the plastic cover, carpeted thing. There lives the control box for the stereo and my bluetooth and the code for that was printed on the that. This may help you in the future.

[4jacks]

For future reference, right after I bought my z4 and unplugged the battery for carpet cleaning and roof motor replacement.
I went thru the same worries with setting up my business class cd radio.
I called BMW of USA who were very little help, then called the dealer who were the 1st to receive/sell the car and they had no idea other than to take the car in and have them figure out the code.
I read online and found the answer I was looking for; in the trunk, on the back 'firewall'? Under the plastic cover, carpeted thing. There lives the control box for the stereo and my bluetooth and the code for that was printed on the that. This may help you in the future.

That is extremely helpful! Thank you.

That's the kind of thing that every car thief would know and every actual Z4 owner will bang their head on a wall for weeks to find out.