Waking her from a Covid induced coma

KillaSirrom · 04-23-2021, 12:02 AM

Hey guys,

Hoping to get some guidance/help with an issue I'm having.

It's a 2016 340i xdrive and it's been parked for most of covid outside of us moving back in January. When I attempted to drive it the morning of the move I had to jump it with another vehicle and was getting a msg to drive the car as the battery needed power.

Since moving I've put it in storage.

I attempted to move it a couple days ago and it wouldn't respond to the fob. Used the blade to open it and everything was dead.

I ordered a Noco Genius5 which came today and at around 230 pm I hooked it up directly to the car terminals n left it charging with the hood open as I only had the clamps. I noticed before leaving it to charge that the hazard lights where flashing (faint tho) tried to turn the hazards off in the car but it wasn't working. In about 30 seconds the hazards stopped flashing and it left it to charge.

Just now around 12am I wanted to disconnect it as I didn't want to go to sleep with it charging. Walked into th garage to see the hazards flashing brightly. I removed the battery charger the opposite way I put it on, closed the hood... and the alarm went off. Ran for the fob and it wouldn't respond, tried the spare and the same thing... No response used the blade tried starting it... nothing. So the alarm is blaring disturbing the neighbors. While i was frantically trying to figure out how to stop it (googling). At some point I looked again and the light were faint. Went back to try searching and eventually it stopped (thank God)

I'm gonna give it another shot tomorrow morning.

How do I turn off the alarm if it goes off on me again?

Is there any way I can get the battery to charge without the hazard lights coming on?

How do I know if the fobs batteries are good?

Did I do anything wrong on the steps I took?

Please let me know if you need any additional info

Thanks for your time

RedRaider1 · 04-23-2021, 01:13 AM

Based on the lights being faint again after having charged the battery for about 10 hours I would guess it’s not holding a charge and will need to be replaced. These cars do strange things when their batteries have low voltage. If the fob batteries are okay and the fobs are working the door locks should respond when you have the battery on the charger. I would think.

KillaSirrom · 04-23-2021, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedRaider1

Based on the lights being faint again after having charged the battery for about 10 hours I would guess it’s not holding a charge and will need to be replaced. These cars do strange things when their batteries have low voltage. If the fob batteries are okay and the fobs are working the door locks should respond when you have the battery on the charger. I would think.

The hazards were bright when I walked into the garage but after it alarming for maybe 10mins the alarm stopped and the lights were dim again

bimmer456 · 04-23-2021, 08:33 AM

Are you using a battery maintainer or jump starter battery? You may need something with more current maybe a powerall pack.

Livetodrive · 04-23-2021, 08:39 AM

I would disconnect the battery and charge it directly to see if it holds a charge.

im_an_alien · 04-23-2021, 08:45 AM

Might be worth it to invest in a proper CTEK charger that you can leave plugged in to the car. For months even.

Billfitz · 04-23-2021, 10:46 AM

Let the NOCO do it's thing. It's only a 5 amp charger, so to fully charge a dead 95 amp hour battery will take a minimum of 19 hours. Before jumping the gun and buying a new battery that you may not need get one of these and follow the directions on how to check your battery function: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

In the future put the car on the tender if you're not driving it for two weeks or more in summer. In winter mine's on the tender most of the time, as I tend to drive only once a week and then less than a half hour.

Wires · 04-23-2021, 08:36 PM

What Billfitz said. I'm guessing your battery is probably needs replacing as well, but charge and test it first.

AlmondJayRoM3 · 04-24-2021, 05:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KillaSirrom

How do I turn off the alarm if it goes off on me again?

Is there any way I can get the battery to charge without the hazard lights coming on?

How do I know if the fobs batteries are good?

Did I do anything wrong on the steps I took?

Please let me know if you need any additional info

Thanks for your time

Disconnect the battery from the car and connect your NOCO charger directly to. Charge it all the way. If it maintains the charge and doesn’t die you know it’s good. Otherwise you probably killed the battery. Don’t forget to leave the trunk open. Tie a shop towel on the trunk lock mechanism and maybe put down the rear seats. It will prevent you from accidentally closing the trunk with no way to reconnect the battery.

As for the key fobs, might as well replace the batteries if it’s been over a year or two. They’re cheap and by the time it takes you to break out the multimeter to check them you could have been done replacing the batteries.

KillaSirrom · 04-24-2021, 06:59 AM

All great advice guys thanks alot.

Re removing the battery to charge directly.

Currently it's dead so I'm guessing I'd have to look it up as is then get some juice n then open the trunk to remove the battery.

Will I have to reprogram the battery if I remove it to charge it?

And how do I reprogram it??

Billfitz · 04-24-2021, 07:42 AM

Charging the battery directly will increase the charge rate, but only very slightly, not enough to make it worthwhile. Put in on the charger in the normal fashion, connected to the charging posts under the hood, leave it for a full day. Make sure that you lock the doors, using the mechanical key if necessary, which shuts down any potential power drain.

Wires · 04-24-2021, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KillaSirrom

All great advice guys thanks alot.

Re removing the battery to charge directly.

Currently it's dead so I'm guessing I'd have to look it up as is then get some juice n then open the trunk to remove the battery.

Will I have to reprogram the battery if I remove it to charge it?

And how do I reprogram it??

No, you only need to reprogram if you install a new battery. The car adjusts the charging rates based on age of the battery, so it needs to be told when a new battery is installed. External charging doesn't impact this.

wilbur_the_goose · 04-24-2021, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billfitz

Charging the battery directly will increase the charge rate, but only very slightly, not enough to make it worthwhile. Put in on the charger in the normal fashion, connected to the charging posts under the hood, leave it for a full day. Make sure that you lock the doors, using the mechanical key if necessary, which shuts down any potential power drain.

THIS!

KillaSirrom · 05-09-2021, 04:54 PM

hey guys,

Finally got the battery charged up!

i removed it from the car and left it charging for maybe 24hrs or so. unplugged it a few days and plugged in again to see if it was retaining charge and it was!

Just put the battery back in the car yesterday and we are all good now!

thanks for all the help guys! much appreciated!

04-23-2021, 12:02 AM	#1
KillaSirrom Registered 0 Rep 4 Posts Drives: 2016 BMW 340i Join Date: Apr 2021 Location: Canada iTrader: (0)	Waking her from a Covid induced coma Hey guys, Hoping to get some guidance/help with an issue I'm having. It's a 2016 340i xdrive and it's been parked for most of covid outside of us moving back in January. When I attempted to drive it the morning of the move I had to jump it with another vehicle and was getting a msg to drive the car as the battery needed power. Since moving I've put it in storage. I attempted to move it a couple days ago and it wouldn't respond to the fob. Used the blade to open it and everything was dead. I ordered a Noco Genius5 which came today and at around 230 pm I hooked it up directly to the car terminals n left it charging with the hood open as I only had the clamps. I noticed before leaving it to charge that the hazard lights where flashing (faint tho) tried to turn the hazards off in the car but it wasn't working. In about 30 seconds the hazards stopped flashing and it left it to charge. Just now around 12am I wanted to disconnect it as I didn't want to go to sleep with it charging. Walked into th garage to see the hazards flashing brightly. I removed the battery charger the opposite way I put it on, closed the hood... and the alarm went off. Ran for the fob and it wouldn't respond, tried the spare and the same thing... No response used the blade tried starting it... nothing. So the alarm is blaring disturbing the neighbors. While i was frantically trying to figure out how to stop it (googling). At some point I looked again and the light were faint. Went back to try searching and eventually it stopped (thank God) I'm gonna give it another shot tomorrow morning. How do I turn off the alarm if it goes off on me again? Is there any way I can get the battery to charge without the hazard lights coming on? How do I know if the fobs batteries are good? Did I do anything wrong on the steps I took? Please let me know if you need any additional info Thanks for your time
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04-23-2021, 01:13 AM	#2
RedRaider1 New Member 3 Rep 14 Posts Drives: 2018 BMW 340i M Sport Join Date: Apr 2021 Location: Chicago (Edgewater via Tennessee & Texas) iTrader: (0)	Based on the lights being faint again after having charged the battery for about 10 hours I would guess it’s not holding a charge and will need to be replaced. These cars do strange things when their batteries have low voltage. If the fob batteries are okay and the fobs are working the door locks should respond when you have the battery on the charger. I would think.
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04-23-2021, 08:33 AM	#4
bimmer456 Major General 2960 Rep 5,993 Posts Drives: 340i Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: Pasadena, CA iTrader: (0)	Are you using a battery maintainer or jump starter battery? You may need something with more current maybe a powerall pack.
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04-23-2021, 08:39 AM	#5
Livetodrive Second Lieutenant 109 Rep 295 Posts Drives: 2016 340i X Drive Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Pa. iTrader: (0) Garage List 2016 BMW 340i XDrive [0.00]	I would disconnect the battery and charge it directly to see if it holds a charge.
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04-23-2021, 08:45 AM	#6
im_an_alien Lieutenant Colonel 1127 Rep 1,508 Posts Drives: 2016 340i Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: Florida/NH iTrader: (0)	Might be worth it to invest in a proper CTEK charger that you can leave plugged in to the car. For months even.
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04-23-2021, 10:46 AM	#7
Billfitz Lieutenant General 8243 Rep 16,081 Posts Drives: '15 328iX GT Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New Hampshire iTrader: (0)	Let the NOCO do it's thing. It's only a 5 amp charger, so to fully charge a dead 95 amp hour battery will take a minimum of 19 hours. Before jumping the gun and buying a new battery that you may not need get one of these and follow the directions on how to check your battery function: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 In the future put the car on the tender if you're not driving it for two weeks or more in summer. In winter mine's on the tender most of the time, as I tend to drive only once a week and then less than a half hour.
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04-23-2021, 08:36 PM	#8
Wires Brigadier General 1646 Rep 4,876 Posts Drives: 2016 340i xDrive Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Calgary iTrader: (0)	What Billfitz said. I'm guessing your battery is probably needs replacing as well, but charge and test it first.
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04-24-2021, 06:59 AM	#10
KillaSirrom Registered 0 Rep 4 Posts Drives: 2016 BMW 340i Join Date: Apr 2021 Location: Canada iTrader: (0)	All great advice guys thanks alot. Re removing the battery to charge directly. Currently it's dead so I'm guessing I'd have to look it up as is then get some juice n then open the trunk to remove the battery. Will I have to reprogram the battery if I remove it to charge it? And how do I reprogram it??
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04-24-2021, 07:42 AM	#11
Billfitz Lieutenant General 8243 Rep 16,081 Posts Drives: '15 328iX GT Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New Hampshire iTrader: (0)	Charging the battery directly will increase the charge rate, but only very slightly, not enough to make it worthwhile. Put in on the charger in the normal fashion, connected to the charging posts under the hood, leave it for a full day. Make sure that you lock the doors, using the mechanical key if necessary, which shuts down any potential power drain.
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05-09-2021, 04:54 PM	#14
KillaSirrom Registered 0 Rep 4 Posts Drives: 2016 BMW 340i Join Date: Apr 2021 Location: Canada iTrader: (0)	hey guys, Finally got the battery charged up! i removed it from the car and left it charging for maybe 24hrs or so. unplugged it a few days and plugged in again to see if it was retaining charge and it was! Just put the battery back in the car yesterday and we are all good now! thanks for all the help guys! much appreciated!
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